After the meeting ended, Zhao Si said to Malenia, "Senior sister, I may need to go to the Mountaintops of the Giants, somewhere near the summit."
"Why? That place is forbidden." Malenia frowned slightly.
"To find something that can guide us in the Land of the Dead," Zhao Si explained. "Those ancient, untrodden snowy mountains might offer me some clues. After all, the Erdtree's light barely reaches there."
What Zhao Si meant was that there might still be secluded tribes in the Mountaintops of the Giants that refused to return to the Erdtree. Perhaps he could find clues related to the Deathbirds there.
Everyone had to die. If they did not return to the Erdtree after death, they either became wandering ghosts or were secretly ferried away by the Deathbirds. In any case, there had to be some explanation.
His previous encounter with a Deathbird outside Sick Village had been pure coincidence. Zhao Si could not even figure out why the Deathbird had been there.
The only thing he could be certain of was that Deathbirds only came out at night.
Malenia took out a Haligtree Badge and handed it to Zhao Si. The ivory-white badge depicted a lush, flourishing Haligtree.
"If anyone asks, tell them I sent you to inspect conditions at the Mountaintops of the Giants," Malenia added. "Be especially careful around the Fire Monks. Their Fire Prelates and Fire Monk martial practitioners are formidable fighters, and they're particularly suspicious."
"They're not just suspicious. They've also turned away from the Erdtree and embraced the Giant's Flame." Zhao Si fastened the badge to his belt.
"What?" Malenia was shocked.
"But don't worry. They just worship fire. They won't be able to cause much trouble." Zhao Si took out the Fire Monk's Prayerbook and handed it to Malenia.
The moment