The sun was already high in the sky.
Jiang Qiao, Liu Yuanyuan, and Don, who had nearly faded into the background.
The three of them left the urban district.
They traveled through a stretch of desolate wilderness.
At first, there were still farmlands, but after walking for a while, they found themselves surrounded by overgrown weeds. Farther in, vast forests and rolling mountain ranges appeared before them.
The trees in the woods were lush and verdant, seemingly brimming with the vitality of spring.
However.
The ground beneath the great trees.
Was covered in withered grass and gravel, barren of all life like a Gobi Desert.
The contrast was immense.
And baffling.
The three of them slowly made their way up the mountain along a narrow, winding road. This was Canghai County, at the northernmost edge of the city, and the place where they had discovered the mirror that sealed the Vicious Ghost.
Farther north.
There was a mountain range.
Looking into the mountains.
Everything appeared hazy, like a dream and yet not a dream.
Some kind of supernatural force severed the city's connection with the outside world. Other than the highway through the mountains, every other path became a dead end after reaching a certain distance.
Or they would encounter a Ghost Wall and inexplicably find themselves back in the urban district.
It wasn't only ordinary people who fell victim to it.
Even an Awakened like Don experienced distorted perceptions and was unable to distinguish directions.
However.
Aside from getting lost.
There was no danger in the mountains.
Not only was there no danger, they even encountered several mountain climbers along the way.
It was practically like a tourist attraction.
"You plan to work with her?" Liu Yuanyuan asked.
"Heh."
Jiang Qiao chuckled.
"His so-called murders might all be fake.