Chen Mu shook his head and laughed despite himself. What did any of this have to do with him? Even if he knew, it would do him no good. Hundred Abyss Prefecture was so very far removed from his world.
Whether one traveled to Hundred Abyss Prefecture or the Mohadi Domain, there was invariably a Gray Layer to cross after passing through the Path Window.
No one knew how the Gray Layer formed, but many books recorded its dangers. No sunlight penetrated it; everything lay shrouded in gray, which was how the Gray Layer had earned its name. Its creatures possessed extraordinary vitality. Even after being slaughtered in vast numbers, their populations could recover in a little over a decade. Crossing the Gray Layer was therefore extremely dangerous.
Whenever a Path Window was discovered, the Federation would organize experts to break through the Gray Layer. Every attempt came at a terrible cost, but the first had been the worst. The Path Window leading to the Mohadi Domain was the first humanity had discovered. That first exploration of the Gray Layer had been built on untold bloodshed.
It was said that the first expedition had been wiped out to the last person. The Federation had then organized a second expedition, only for it to meet the same fate.
Unwilling to accept defeat, the Federation Government had organized a third expedition. Its lineup was stronger than any before it. The renowned Card Adepts of all Six Great Academies had been mobilized, along with military experts and independent Card Adepts who had long since made names for themselves. Even across the Federation's entire history, that expedition ranked among the largest.
The third expedition had finally broken through the Gray Layer. When the news reached the Federation, the entire nation celebrated. Spirits soared, and