The carriage moved slowly along the road, and Audrey's gaze unconsciously drifted back to the window.
Many pedestrians stood by the roadside, staring at the horses pulling the carts with eyes that seemed to gleam with Green Light. The Bravehearts who successfully received the food discreetly crossed the street and headed home.
Squads of police officers in black and white checkered uniforms patrolled the streets, revolvers at their waists and short batons in their hands, Awe any adventurous individuals.
"Lately, none of us dare to Upper Street alone..." Audrey's personal maid, Annie, muttered softly.
Audrey nodded slightly, without responding.
After a while, the carriage arrived at Phelps Street and stopped at the edge of the square in front of Saint Samuel Cathedral.
The flocks of white pigeons there had vanished, leaving only emptiness.
The " Loen Charity Bursary Foundation," along with the later-established " Loen Poverty Relief Foundation " and " Loen Medical Charity Foundation," moved from 22 Phelps Street to several small rooms inside the church because the original building had collapsed in a recent air raid.
For the staff of the three Foundation, it was a harrowing experience; had they not left 22 Phelps Street for different reasons, they would have been victims.
Stepping down from the carriage and through the gate, Audrey saw a dark-haired, brown-eyed girl with a slender face approaching.
Before the other person could speak, she took the initiative to say:
" Melissa, is there any more food available?"
Melissa shook her head solemnly:
Even the wounded soldiers we're helping aren't receiving enough food...
Audrey's emerald eyes dimmed slightly, but she didn't show her helplessness or weakness, and nodded gently:
"I'll figure something out."
"From City of Silver..."
"From beyond the Forsaken Land of the Gods..."
Gehrman Sparrow's words echoed in the ears of Adal, Sin, Ruth, and the other members of the Moon City hunting party, leaving them as if in a dream, unable to recover for a long time.
Just as Adal was gradually regaining his senses and considering what to say, Xin, who was born without a nose, excitedly bombarded him with a series of questions:
Where is City of Silver? What does it look like? How far is it from here?
How many normal people are left outside the Forsaken Land of the Gods?
Klein glanced at her and replied in a cold, emotionless voice:
"On the other side of this cursed land, in City of Silver, they discovered a plant that could be eaten normally, called Blackface Grass. This allowed them to maintain the stability of their tribe and effectively explore the depths of darkness in search of a way out."
"They recently found some mushrooms that can feed on the flesh and blood of Monster and produce a variety of non-toxic and insane fruits."
" City of Silver has further shed its madness; once the new generation grows up, even if they grow old, they won't be so easily out of control..."
These words left Adal and Sin feeling utterly lost, as if their own perseverance had lost all meaning.
The life in City of Silver described by Gehrman Sparrow was the most beautiful scene they could imagine, something others had so easily possessed.
"... Are there deformed babies among their newborns?" Xin asked in a dreamlike tone.
Klein shook his head:
"Almost none."
"Will their parents, as their health declines, no, as they grow old, walk into darkness on their own?" Adal asked instinctively.
Klein, dressed in a black trench coat, wearing a top hat, and carrying a lantern, replied:
"Won't.
"Because they are burdened with the curse of patricide; if a life cannot be ended by a blood relative, it will transform into a terrifying Evil Spirit or Monster."
The members of the Moon City Hunting Team finally regained a sense of reality, their hearts like slowly warming lake water, with bubbles gradually rising to the surface.
These bubbles are fragile, hollow, and burst at the slightest touch. They are actually empty inside, but they shimmer with something called hope and light.
Ruth, her eyes almost squinting together, couldn't help but repeat Sin's question:
How many normal people are left outside the Forsaken Land of the Gods?
Klein looked at them with a slightly complicated expression and said:
"They are basically normal people, without constantly worrying about Monster attacks, without fear of being in the dark, without going insane in old age, without being burdened by various curses, seeing sunlight every morning, having enough normal food every day, and a red moon rising every night..."
But all of this is now being destroyed... Klein added to himself.
This time, Adal, Sin, Ruth, and the others were somewhat bewildered, because the scene described by Gehrman Sparrow seemed both imaginable and unimaginable to them, just as when they read the few remaining ancient texts, they could grasp a certain spirit but could not truly understand some of the content.
They had no concept of what the Sun or the red moon was.
However, the good life they longed for day and night was having normal food every day, not having to bear various curses, not having to worry about Monster attacks, not having to fear being in the dark, and not having to go mad in old age.
Does such a place exist in this world? Is this the heavenly kingdom recorded in ancient texts? Is this land truly cursed? The members of the Moon City Hunting Team fell silent once again.
Some of them opened their mouths but didn't know what to ask; others wanted to take Gehrman Sparrow back to Moon City to tell the High Priest and everyone else the news, but were afraid of bringing danger upon themselves.
Throughout this process, they never let down their guard or their vigilance.
Klein was not surprised by their attitude at all; on the contrary, he believed that this was the behavior expected of Forsaken Land of the Gods that had survived to this day.
Carrying his lantern, he stepped to the left, trying to bypass the humans dressed in animal skins or strange materials, and continued eastward.
Regardless of what stories these people had or whether it was worth helping them, he planned to investigate, listen, and consider it later, because his Spirituality intuition told him that the destination was not far away, and the " Western Continent " he was being Teleportation to was just two or three hours ahead.
As soon as Klein took a step, Adal and the others immediately bent over, ready to defend and attack. But they didn't wait for Gehrman Sparrow. They watched him walk to the left for more than ten meters and then turn forward.
As the young man dressed in strange black clothes, wearing a strange black hat, and carrying a strange transparent lantern walked further and further away, the dim yellow light grew weaker and weaker. Adal face was covered with many fleshy growths, changed his expression several times and shouted loudly:
Who exactly are you?
Klein didn't turn around. Carrying the lantern that emitted Yellow Light, he walked into the depths of darkness, speaking normally as he did so:
A missionary.
"Those who spread the glory of our Lord."
Adal and Sin exchanged glances, their expressions revealing confusion.
They hesitated for a long time, but just as the dim light of the fire was almost gone, they instinctively stepped forward and followed Klein.
They dared not approach, yet did not want to leave. Thus, carrying the food they had hunted earlier, they silently moved forward, seemingly monitoring, guarding, and following. Klein walked at a moderate pace, neither waiting nor trying to shake them off.
And so, both sides walked in utter silence under the sparse lightning. At some point, Ruth and another member of the hunting party broke away from the group, carrying animal-hide lanterns and the harvested food, turned around, and silently disappeared into the boundless darkness.
Time ticked by, and Klein finally stopped.
Using the flash of lightning across the sky, he saw a patch of grayish-white mist solidified a few hundred meters away.
The fog connects with the earth and extends all the way to the sky, seemingly without a top.
Meanwhile, the fog stretched out to both sides, seemingly without end.
Klein stared intently for a long time, even with the darkness separating them, slowly tilting his head upwards until the second lightning bolt subsided, at which point he finally looked away.
Could the vanished " Western Continent " be beyond or within this fog? Klein thought gravely, his breathing slowing involuntarily.
He carried the lantern and continued on his way until the dim light could illuminate the solidified mist.
Without needing to try anything else, Klein's " Seer " told him that the grayish-white mist was an invisible barrier that could not be passed through by conventional methods.
He thought for a moment, then stretched out his right hand and reached out and grabbed at the darkness diagonally in front of him.
After four or five strikes, Klein pulled a black cane inlaid with various gems out of thin air.
This is the " Staff of the Stars," a terrifying Sealed Artifact numbered "0-62," which Klein obtained in exchange for the " Box of the Great Old One "!
Of course, Klein has only summoned the Historical Void image of the " Staff of the Stars " so far.
In this way, even if unwanted images appear in his mind and the corresponding effects are about to be triggered, he can stop the danger in time by releasing the maintenance of the Historical Void image.
For an " Scholar of Yore," this is the best way to use a level 0 Sealed Artifact on a daily basis. However, the effect is limited to three minutes at present, and the effect is somewhat different from the original. Holding the " Staff of the Stars " with Marionette cannot avoid the negative effects, because the Marionette needs to Manipulation, and with Manipulation, there is a high probability of visual transmission.
Of course, Klein wouldn't do this if he were preparing for a battle, because it would take up one of his precious three summoning slots. Moreover, although the " Staff of the Stars " currently belongs to him, it's only by force and is in a sealed state. In addition, this "0" level Sealed Artifact itself is of a very high rank, so Klein can't summon it successfully on the first try. It often takes three to six attempts, which requires enough opportunities in a fierce battle and isn't so easy.
That's why, when he's putting on a prepared "performance," he'll " Hypnosis " himself beforehand and use the " Staff of the Stars " under special circumstances, leaving the opportunity to Summon Historical Void Projection to familiar Angel like Miss Messenger, Mr. Azik, Ms. Arianna, and Will Auceptin.
Holding the black cane inlaid with various gems, Klein naturally conjured up a scene of an illusory gate slowly opening in his mind.
The gem on the cane flashed with a faint light, and a somewhat unreal door quickly appeared on the grayish-white misty surface.
The gate opened silently, and behind it, the Gray Fog continued.
" Door Opening " didn't work... Klein wasn't surprised by the result, but he was still a little disappointed.
He thought about it and decided to try a different approach.
However, just as he was thinking this, the " Staff of the Stars " activated on its own as the scene unfolded.
P. S.: Last day of double reward points, please vote with monthly tickets!