After witnessing Qiaoli's fate, no one objected.
Only Qiaoli watched the young man talk in an undisturbed manner and gently shook his head.
More people gradually emerged from the forest, wearing red cloaks with triangular hats adorned with a white feather, looking as if Musketeers from the era of Louis XIII had stepped out from the pages of history.
But these were indeed members of the Red Cloak Team of Jiefulite—
...
Fang Hong walked out of the forest with a dejected expression on his face.
Kroid called out to him, "How did it go, did you find it?" Fang Hong shook his head. "I've asked everyone, but it's no use, there's nothing nearby either, unless we broaden the search area."
"We're out of time," Kroid had anticipated this but didn't burst the bubble, "Silver Forest Spear's reinforcements will be arriving soon, we have to enter the ruins immediately."
"But what about Miss Miya?"
"Forget about her," Kroid handed the backpack back to him. "Ade, actually, she might be safer outside on her own, being a smaller target."
Fang Hong was stunned for a moment but could only agree, nodding slightly. He wasn't really worried about Miya's safety, knowing that this was Eteliria after all, yet he felt a bit empty inside for a moment.
He had thought this was a rare opportunity to get closer to his beloved.
The remaining elven architecture was a towering moon-white façade amidst the forest, tall and upright, its walls covered with vines and leaves of wisteria and ivy, lush and overgrown. Underneath the vines lay the exposed marble, its texture extremely delicate, as gray and white as pottery, its surface marred with cracks, full of the vicissitudes of time.
Members of the adventure team passed one by one beneath the wall, their footsteps muffled by the thick layer of pine needles, silent as ghosts.
Only Fang Hong stopped to look up, with the millennia reflected upon the wall, as if an ancient echo lingered there.
Behind him, Sicape smacked him on the back of his head with a hand knife, "Move it!" Fang Hong could only follow the others with drooped spirits. Ahead, the forest was tangled with overlapping branches and roots intertwined into nets, growing beneath the collapsed wall.
The others climbed up at a gap, about forty feet high. With Kroid's help, Fang Hong struggled to climb up; on a normal day, such a feat would have excited him greatly, but his mood was heavy.
Seeing his low spirits, Kroid patted his shoulder from behind and motioned him to look back. Fang Hong was startled for a moment before turning back, panting heavily.
The view was beautiful.
From atop the wall, the forest stretched to the horizon, the dense Forest Sea interconnected, shimmering silver under the tranquil moonlight. The night wind blew gently, and the purple Cloud Wall slowly drifted northward. At the horizon was a clear ridge line, with the moonlight fleeting behind the clouds.
Fang Hong's mouth hung open slightly, his gaze filled with myriad thoughts.
This was the world he had dreamed of—
He instinctively took a step forward, all his emotions dissipating like smoke. But Sicape quickly pulled the reckless boy back, scolding, "What are you thinking, you want to get yourself killed?"
Fang Hong then realized he had almost walked over the edge and broke out in cold sweat, looking back at Sicape with gratitude. The others laughed, "This guy's just like us, Sicape."
"Indeed, in terms of being careless," Sicape shook her head. "All madmen."
"After all, those who don't yearn for adventure wouldn't come to this world, Sicape."
To this remark, Sicape unusually offered no rebuttal, her gaze softly set on the distant woods and sea.
Fang Hong couldn't agree more.
"Such a pity, Ade just lacks Magical Adaptability," someone commented again.
"Otherwise, he would surely be an exceptional Combat Artisan!"
The group began discussing animatedly, not taking Silver Forest Spear into serious consideration. But joy would soon turn to sorrow as someone suddenly shouted, "Watch out, we've got company!" They turned around only to see a small squad of Silver Forest Spear mercenaries appearing behind the archways to the north.
The enemies seemed to be advancing along the corner of the northern ruins, suddenly emerging there. They had clearly spotted the people from Morning Dawn Star first, and a group of Gunslingers at the forefront raised their weapons and fired. Fang Hong saw flashes of gunfire in the darkness, smoke rising, bullets pouring down like a sudden rainstorm.
People fell immediately. Kroid used his Great Sword to deflect the bullets heading towards Fang Hong, shouting, "Hold the line, protect the Elementalist and the Alchemist!"
Two Dailin Shield Guards carrying Great Shields hurried over, raising their shields in front of Fang Hong.
The shield rang out as it was pelted with bullets, Fang Hong hastily reached for his type-seven rifle, but Sicape rushed over, covering her ears and yelling, "Don't move!"
Fang Hong then realized the importance of his role in the mission and obediently drew back his hand.
He looked back to see an Elementalist not far away, his long Crystal glowing. On top of the wall, amidst the relentless gunfire, Archers, Crossbowmen, and Musketeers exchanged fire with Silver Forest Spear mercenaries against their barrage, with stone chips flying and dust roiling, and the occasional fall of a comrade.
With the advantage of higher ground, the opponents' gunfire finally started to thin out after a moment.
"Seventy feet!"
Kroid commanded steadily, his Great Sword acting like a whip of silver, unfazed by the spray of bullets.
The Shield Guard beside the Elementalist stepped aside, and the Elementalist hurled the Crystal forward—a glowing streak, propelling itself towards the space between the two parties. It burst some thirty meters away, the dispersing Ether Magic Power forming a vast mist, obscuring the view on both sides.