Pillar of Yita

Not long after he and Alice had parted ways, Fang Hong received news. A person sent by the Rain Listener informed him that some members of small guilds might have discovered traces of Hilveld deep within the ruins. According to the informant, the location was at the border between the eleventh and twelfth layers of the ruins. Upon receiving this information, the Jiefulite Red Cloak Team and the members of the Blood Oath Alliance had already headed there, with Alice and the Rain Listener’s people following suit.

However, in a private message sent separately to Fang Hong, the latter mentioned that she was moving with the Jiefulite Red Cloak Team and the Blood Oath Alliance to create an opportunity for him and the people from Silver Weslan to get closer to the central area of that region.

Fang Hong could not confirm the authenticity of this news, but he still thanked the Rain Listener’s member who delivered the message before dismissing the messenger. He glanced at the rough route map provided, then turned to find the people from Silver Weslan, unfolded the paper map, and handed it over to Dianmo Ran Qingzhu, while saying to him and Sophie:

”Help me take a look at this map.”

A Grand Guild like Silver Weslan usually has some primary data on these well-known, long-existing underground ruins, and naturally, such information and materials differ vastly from the common goods found in the outside community – they are far more detailed and accurate.

The deeper the heritage of a guild, the more comprehensive the data they hold. As a core member of Silver Weslan, Fang Hong believed that the two of them had the ability to discern the authenticity of this map. As the former number one in the China Competition Region, Silver Weslan’s heritage was naturally comprehensive, utterly overwhelming Rain Listener and Jiefulite Red Cloak Team.

Dianmo Ran Qingzhu first examined the map—he was a Natural Historian, a born collector of information and analyst. His profession definitely required him to cram relevant materials before undertaking a mission, so even if everyone in the team was unaware, it was unlikely he would be completely clueless.

After examining the map, he only shook his head and said, ”This appears to be a map drawn up hastily. It seems that even the Rain Listener did not have a prior grasp of the terrain below. This here leads to the twelfth layer; that much is certain. There shouldn’t be any major issues.”

”And you?” Fang Hong couldn’t help but ask.

”We don’t have a map of the area below, but the information we have is far more detailed than what is shown on this map. So, in this regard, I agree with Dianmo. It’s highly improbable that the Rain Listener has a map of this place,” Sophie said with a tone brimming with confidence in Silver Weslan: ”Our information mainly comes from the Invokers who have reached this floor before. The guild has purchased information from them and corroborated the details from multiple aspects. Its reliability is very high.”

”So, this map is genuine?” Xiangzi, who was nearby, looked at it curiously and asked.

Fang Hong considered for a moment before deciding to tell this adolescent about Alice’s affairs; after all, he used to be a semi-member of the Rain Listener. But after giving it some thought, he realized the Lonely White Field probably had little involvement in this matter.

Moreover, as a member of the team, mutual trust was fundamental. Fang Hong felt he could give it a try and let the other party decide if they really wanted to accompany them on their journey.

Both Sophie and Dianmo Ran Qingzhu nodded in response.

”But this map itself could be an abridged version,” Parker couldn’t resist chiming in.

But Fang Hong had already put away the map; he had never intended to use the map to prove anything. A real map wouldn’t prove anything since Alice had known for a long time that there were people from Silver Weslan with him.

He simply wanted to ensure the map itself had no issues that would lead them into a trap. As the leader of a team, this basic level of caution was essential.

”Then what’s the situation below?” Tainaric leaned against the embers of a dying fire and asked.

They were situated between three towering, enclosed structures, with the silhouette of a pyramid blocking out the light, ensuring that the fire’s glow wouldn’t spread in the darkness and be discovered by outsiders.

The chill in these underground depths was bone-penetrating, so warming themselves was a basic necessity.

The sparks of the fire reflected off the Lizardmen’s green scales, light flitting through their tawny pupils. Their golden claws gleamed in the dark as they grasped a double-headed spear, resting behind Tainaric like a slightly bent carrying pole.

”We aren’t sure,” said a Knight sitting on the ground: ”Not many have gone down there. We only know some basic situations. The ruins below consist of isolated islands standing in the Dark Abyss, but their heights are irregular, hence the division into upper, middle, and lower layers.”

Dianmo Ran Qingzhu took up where the Knight left off: ”We are on the very top layer of these ruins, and the twelfth layer below us is the middle region. As for the bottom layer, no one has ever gone there, and no one knows what it is like.”

He paused, then continued: ”The location indicated on the map is a key junction to the twelfth layer, known as ’Tip of Desperation.’ The terrain there is extremely treacherous, making it very easy to set up traps.”

”Very easy to set up traps!” Parker shivered and repeated, looking at Fang Hong with his dark little eyes.

”It very well could be a trap,” Sophie asked him, ”So, what’s your plan, are you going?”

Fang Hong also felt it was a difficult choice, the images of the twin sisters Elisa and Alice surfaced in his mind. Both sisters had always been very sincere, especially the elder sister, who cherished the legendary Daggers he had given her.