It took more than two months in total.
Luo Ge finally stood at the entrance to the Buena Village.
At that moment, he felt as if he had been nailed to the spot.
The village that once stood there.
Looking around, all that remained was a desolate wasteland.
once Upon a time.
Luo Ge remembers this towering tree that he climbed countless times when he was a child.
Now the tree roots are curled up and exposed to the air, most of the branches are broken, and only a few bare branches are left stretching towards the sky, like a withered hand.
He walked around the fallen tree trunk and continued walking.
The once neat rows of wheat fields are gone, replaced by large clumps of turned-up soil and scorched marks.
The ruins of the houses were scattered along the roadside, some completely collapsed into piles of rubble, while others were left with only half a wall stubbornly standing, revealing the blackened wooden beams inside.
It's so desolate.
It was too horrible to look at.
It was as brutal as if we had just survived a world war and been bombarded by a mushroom cloud.
At Luo Ge's house.
Now all that's left is a pile of broken planks and rubble.
The steps at the entrance are still there, but they have been cracked into three pieces.
The stove chimney lay crookedly on the ground, filled with ash.
Luo Ge stood before the ruins, motionless for a long time.
The wind blew from the other side of the field, carrying ashes and bits of grass that fluttered around his clothes.
In the biting cold wind.
He walked slowly, stopping occasionally, his expression complex as he stood alone.
In the past, the wind in this area carried the scent of wheat, the sounds of cattle and sheep, and the laughter of children chasing dogs.
Now there's nothing left.
The village was left only with a desolate, lifeless silence.
Although he had mentally prepared himself countless times before returning, the shock of seeing it all with his own eyes still far exceeded his expectations.
The Buena Village, the place where he spent the first five happy years of his life, is gone just like that.
"Dad, Mom, where are you?"
"Ugh... I miss you all so much."
Intermittent crying could be heard in the distance.
Luo Ge looked in the direction of the sound and saw several ragged villagers sitting together by the roadside.
Some people were sobbing softly, some were staring blankly with blank expressions, and one person was kneeling in front of the ruins of his own home, silently digging through the rubble, his hands already bleeding profusely.
Luo Ge withdrew his gaze.
His fist clenched and unclenched repeatedly.
A deep sense of powerlessness washed over him, these emotions surging up like a tide, but he quickly forced them back down.
He has no time to indulge in these things, nor will he waste any extra time.
Since the disaster has already happened, he cannot change the past; the only thing he can do is find those who are still alive.
Especially his family.
Although many people here have suffered misfortune, Luo Ge is not the kind of selfless saint who asks for nothing in return; his top priority now is to find his family.
Luo Ge took a deep breath, turned around, and strode towards the Adventurers' Guild in the city.
That's where information flows most freely, and it's also the place with the most people and eyes, making it the best place to gather intelligence. If Paul and the others were still here, they would definitely leave a message at the Adventurers' Guild.
However, not long after Luo Ge left the Buena Village.
A haggard-looking man rushed back, not alone, but carrying a young girl in his arms.
The little girl's face was buried in the crook of his shoulder, so his expression was not visible.
The man's shoulders trembled slightly, as if he was suppressing some immense emotion. Looking at the ruins of the Buena Village, the middle-aged man completely broke down.
And this man was none other than Paul, the resident knight of the Buena Village.
"Are you kidding me?!"
"Oh my God, how could this have happened?!" Paul hugged Norn, his whole body trembling.
Bang!
Paul could only pound his fists on the cold ground to vent his anger and pain.
Soon, without him even realizing it, blood began to seep from his fist.
"Hateful..."
"Damn it! I'm such a useless father..."
His voice was hoarse, as if he were holding shards of glass, each word laced with tearing pain, " Zenith... Lilia... Aisha... I couldn't protect anyone... I..."
His fist slammed down again, the knuckles making a dull thud.
Paul used to be a joker, never serious.
But now, the man is kneeling before a pile of ruins, like a child whose pride has been shattered, only able to vent his pain with his fists.
"Dad..."
Norn, sitting on the rock, spoke timidly, clutching the hem of his clothes with his little hands, his eyes brimming with tears, "I'm so scared... Where's Mommy? Where did Mommy go?"
"No, Norn!"
Paul's fist stopped.
He looked at his daughter, his little darling, and suddenly stopped what he was doing.
Then he slowly raised his head, his rough, blood-covered hands reaching out to gently place them on Norn's small head.
His face was still red-rimmed, but he tried his best to force a reassuring smile.
" Norn, don't be afraid."
"Daddy will definitely help you find Mommy. Everything will be alright, Daddy promises you."
"Mmm... Daddy!"
Norn instinctively hugged her father tightly; he was her only support in the world.
Paul stood up, holding his daughter, his gaze sweeping over the ruins before him, then slowly moving toward the distant horizon.
He wiped the dirt and tears from his face and straightened his back.
There are people waiting for him at home; he can't collapse here.
"Go to the city... go to the Adventurers' Guild..."
"Organize a search party; with enough people, there's bound to be some clues..."
Paul clenched his fists, his thoughts suddenly becoming very complicated.
If Rudeus and Luo Ge, his two sons, were still alive... how wonderful that would be.
Especially Luo Ge.
That child was different from a young age; he was intelligent, steady, and reliable in everything he did.
If he were still alive, he could definitely be a great help.
pity.
Paul's eyes dimmed for a moment.
That child... died when he was five years old.
After all these years, he had long since accepted this fact.
But now, at this critical juncture, he couldn't help but think how wonderful it would be if Luo Ge were still alive. If he had grown up, he would definitely have been an extraordinary person.
pity...
There are no "what ifs".
Paul had accepted this cruel reality. He looked down at Norn, who was fast asleep in his arms, and a fleeting, almost imperceptible tenderness flashed in his eyes.
For the sake of their families.
He must pull himself together.
At least for now, he hasn't received any news of the deaths of any of his family members, which means that as long as he keeps searching, there is still hope for the future.
Paul, carrying his daughter, also set off. He planned to go to the Adventurers' Guild in City of Roa to find out what was going on first.
P. S.: It's past midnight. Please give me some likes and free gifts to encourage me to finish writing the ending for my godfathers.