Early the next morning, the team continued toward Jinlin City. The journey took them over mountains and through rivers, hacking their way through whatever blocked their path.
There were nineteen of them. Aside from the harrowing ordeal in the cave, the journey had gone fairly smoothly, and they had not encountered another large group of Demon Beasts.
At their current strength, they were not about to be gnawed to the bone every few steps. They were Intermediate Mages, after all. As long as they were not trapped in a confined space or faced with a pack of Warrior-Level Demons, they could make it out intact.
After nearly ten days of travel, the remote Jinlin City finally came into view.
A mountain ridge stood before them, with another railway tunnel running through it. This time, no one chose the pitch-black tunnel. They would rather risk encountering flying Demon Beasts and climb over the ridge.
As soon as they reached the heights, they saw a vast basin spread out below. To the west, plains and low hills stretched as far as the eye could see.
To the north, a winding river ran past a city already reduced to crumbling walls and overgrown ruins.
The river flowed into the distance before turning east, toward the ridge where they stood.
"That's Jinlin City? It's only been fifteen years. How did it end up like this?"
Zheng Bingxiao gazed at the desolate city, shock filling his eyes.
"Once Demon Beasts settle somewhere, this is what happens. They wreck the houses, streets, and roads, while their droppings feed the plants. Everything grows incredibly fast. Vines, moss, and grass take over."
Jingjing looked at Jinlin City and sighed. An entire city had become this.
"Let's survey the Outer Region first and count how many Demon Beasts are