The familiar call made them aware that it came from a member of their household, named Flash, one of the two majestic snow sculptures that Snow Shadow had created.
From the information conveyed in the video, their situation was far from optimistic.
The two sculptures, which had grown up before their eyes, had become irreplaceable members of their family, as cherished as kin.
Both were aloof, handsome, and capable, always guarding the home, much loved by everyone.
The newcomers were formidable, sweeping everything in their path, and the ladies were deeply concerned about the two snow sculptures.
They immediately looked toward the snow sculptures' nest, but it was empty, and no sign of them could be seen.
It had been three days since they had last seen the snow sculptures, and everyone's hearts sank.
The snow sculptures sometimes went out for a day or two, but this was a rare occurrence.
Three days without sight of them, coupled with the previous video, seemed to suggest that the two might never return?
The thought that they might never see the sculptures again left everyone in silence. Maria's eyes reddened, and tears nearly fell.
Among everyone in the household, Maria had the deepest bond with the animals. She had cared for many of them, spending a lot of time in their company.
"They? Don't worry just yet."
"Let's watch the video first."
Zhao Lun did not try to comfort the sorrowful women but continued watching the video.
Athena adjusted the video, the snowy static lasted for a few seconds, then faded, the noise was removed, and the image stabilized.
The clear footage resumed, but this time, the camera angle had changed, as though it had shifted to a different place.
Dust rose, settling on the surrounding grass and trees, and the light grew dimmer due to the dust, making the scene look as though it had endured a small-scale war.
The area was in shambles, with the roads severely damaged, trees along the sides broken in half, and pits and shattered plant debris scattered on the ground.
The video ended there, and everyone froze, staring at the last image.
"Well? After seeing this video, do you have any thoughts?" Zhao Lun asked them.
"Was their target us?"
"Are we in danger?"
"Those people with the wooden sticks—are they wands? Could they be wizards?"
Nicole and the others were focused entirely on the two wizards holding wands, contemplating the implications.
If nothing unusual had happened, the sequence of events was likely this: Two strangers had intended to attack them but were discovered by the two raptors, who alerted the authorities and intervened. The strangers attacked the raptors.
From the scene, it was clear the raptors couldn't stop them. Someone must have stepped in to help, leading to a battle of unknown magnitude.
Based on their speculations, it was more likely that the person who intervened was a wizard.
Zhao Lun nodded, and the video continued, showing that changes had occurred outside.
"Zzz..."
The video was again interrupted, the camera feed was filled with static, and the audio was muffled with noise.
When the video returned to normal, the area had reverted to its original state. Even the trees seemed to have returned to their previous positions, and the overall scene appeared as though no damage had been done.
"The road has been restored like this?"
"Is this the power of magic?"
"Look! It seems like someone has noticed this place!"
"They're coming!"
The noise attracted some ordinary people, who came to investigate.
Unfortunately, the unknown presence had acted swiftly, erasing much of the evidence, leaving the visitors unable to discern any issue.
The newcomers were left perplexed and found nothing. Later, the police arrived, but they found no evidence either. They took the onlookers away for questioning.
"That's it," Zhao Lun said, rubbing his temples to ease his strained mind.
"This world is dangerous, and the danger is already at our door. If I'm here, there might be no problem, but I fear you'll face trouble when I'm at school."
"These troubles cannot be dealt with by ordinary people. Even someone as strong as Hodal would be at a disadvantage against wizards."
"To deal with wizards, only wizards can do it."
Zhao Lun was in a foul mood, frustrated that these wizards dared to appear before ordinary people and even attack them.
This was a direct violation of wizarding norms, and wizards capable of such acts were extremely evil—wizards who would stop at nothing.
Zhao Lun recalled that, aside from one wizard, he had no knowledge of any evil wizards.
Could it be him? Zhao Lun thought of a suspicious figure.
The Dark Lord, Voldemort, whom he had indirectly encountered in the Forbidden Forest and faced during the battle for the Philosopher's Stone, might have recognized him. It was possible that the mastermind behind these events was him, or perhaps one of his followers.
Had those followers orchestrated the attack in an attempt to please their master?
This was just speculation, but the people involved were still casting shadows over the wizarding world. Even if there were evidence, the Ministry of Magic would likely be unable to apprehend the culprit.
Though the beasts were dead, their lingering threat remained. Even small creatures had to be cautious of their own power.
The Dark Lord, this great beast, was merely temporarily weakened, but his aura was more oppressive than any deceased beast's.
His deeds and the fear they invoked were like a terror aura in a game, making everyone tremble.
His followers, eager to gain his favor, were not beyond committing atrocious acts.
The pawns had moved, but the Dark Lord might still be lurking in the shadows, clinging to life. His condition did nothing to diminish his influence, as wizards remained under his looming shadow.
First, the merpeople incident had yet to be resolved, and now wizards were stirring up trouble. The timing of these events irked Zhao Lun.
He yearned for a peaceful life and had been striving for that goal.
Though there had been some setbacks, none were issues for him—so long as rules were followed, money and people could solve everything.
But now they were dealing with those who had no regard for rules. The enemy had resorted to the violence they excelled at, flipping the table.
This world was not safe. When dealing with such people who wouldn't play by the rules, everyone was left with no choice but to fight back.
To forge iron, one must be strong; to fight, one must possess power. Even if one lacks power, it's necessary to build it.
The world is not as harmonious as it may appear on the surface. It is a dangerous place.
The undercurrents are surging, and no one knows when they will face something unbelievable. Few are aware of these occurrences.
Even if traces are left, they are often cleaned up for various reasons.
Just like after the previous battle, the scene was quickly erased, leaving no clues for ordinary people to find.
Though the matter was covered up, the reality of what happened could not be changed.