Pillar of Yita

After extinguishing the communication crystal, Fang Hong stood alone in place, silent for a moment.

In the darkness, as if there were endless unknowns and mists, speaking of question after unresolved question, the faint hope seemed like a flickering lone lamp, guiding the only way forward.

He wondered, when had Toragotos begun to covet the ’Divine Power’ beneath the ground? Perhaps the moment it obtained the Divine Body, that sinister thought lingered in the heart of this legendary giant dragon and never departed.

But it might have started even earlier, hundreds or thousands of years ago, or perhaps from the moment of its birth, it could never forget the powerful and terrifying force beneath, which was why it sent people down year after year to scout the situation below. Acquiring the Divine Body from the Empire was merely the final step of its plan.

He couldn’t rule out any possibility, but regardless of the reason, it represented a long simmering patience—ten years or a hundred years were all equally long on a mortal’s timescale, and such deep and distant scheming, was it really as simple as they had anticipated?

More crucially, what role did the Rain Listener exactly play in all this? To what extent were the Immortals involved, and what was their relationship with the old dragon? Were they servants and masters, or merely allies? If Fang Hong remembered correctly, the Immortals were also involved in Nikopolas’s plan; who were these people, Dolifen and Black Holy City, and why did they always appear in such places?

Merely believers of Dark Deities? Or something more? But do believers of Dark Deities really have that much agency? Gita had specifically investigated these people, and although they hid among the common folk, they didn’t hold too much power in the mortal world. Since all the nations of Eteliria were followers of the Orlin Pantheon, they would naturally guard strictly against Dark Followers—and as is well known, it’s rare in history for Dark Deities to respond to their believers.

Because most of them are entombed in a deep sleep or have been sealed, like Salrutaka, who had been gradually awakening, perhaps there has been only one such Dark Deity in the past hundred years.

And where did the power of the Immortals come from?

The scholars of Eteliria have always believed their strength might come from the Dark Giant Dragon, but since the death of the last Dark Giant Dragon, the activities of the Dark Followers haven’t diminished, but have actually significantly increased.

Thinking of this, Fang Hong shook his head, realizing he had become somewhat distracted. However, the plans of the Immortals in the Dolifen incident continued for nearly a hundred years, leading him to believe that the conspiracy surrounding the Battle of Bain wasn’t that simple either.

He was reminded of the clues he held in his hand and couldn’t help but recall the quiet and composed smile of his twin sister in his memories, and his younger sister’s evasive gaze, the two brief recollections haunting his mind, giving him both certainty and unease. Would the final outcome truly align with his expectations?

And then there was the matter of the Jiefulite Red Cloak Team.

What could be anticipated was that this self-righteous ’mantis’ probably hadn’t expected the oriole behind.

The Red Cloak Team and the Night Lizard People’s plan, the legendary giant dragon surely knew all about it. Yet it did nothing to stop them, just waiting for them to step into this trap, and it might even have been plotting all along and pushed the matter forward itself.

Let’s not forget the relationship between the Night Lizard People and Toragotos. They might have had a falling-out, but it could also have been a ruse.

However, this does not prove that the Jiefulite Red Cloak Team is definitely a potential ally. The Dark Force displayed by the Blood Oath Alliance has yet to be explained reasonably, and Fang Hong certainly cannot rashly trust these people.

And if there is anyone truly innocent underground, it would be the small guilds that got caught up in the mix. But those people have short-sighted visions, are unreliable, and are likely lured and blinded by Toragotos.

Although Fang Hong had made the military issue a highlighted notice above the community, he did not have much hope that these people would have the chance to see it, since by this time, no one knew to what extent Toragotos’s plan had progressed.

Still, he had a glimmer of hope for breaking the deadlock.

One was Elisa.

Another was—he couldn’t help but glance at the Night Lizard People’s Warrior Leader.

Determining friend from foe might only be done by getting into this ’live capture’.

Even Fang Hong himself couldn’t be sure if his judgments were correct, but time flowed like quicksand and wouldn’t stop for anyone’s hesitation. Each gaze upon him, people behind those gazes could offer only limited assistance, no one could make a decision for him at this moment, and somebody had to take the first step eventually.

Fortunately, perhaps this was precisely the advantage of being young and pure-hearted—he made up his mind in an instant, completely calmed down, and spoke to the others:

”Let’s first carry out the first part of the plan, splitting up. The first goal is to find the supply transfer point. I will use the Clockwork Fairy to assist you all. If enemies appear nearby, regroup with others immediately.”

Waiting for answers still required time.

But time was of the essence underground, and they obviously couldn’t stop to wait; they had to prepare as much as possible before the decisive battle arrived. Although Fang Hong hesitated for a moment, he ultimately resolved to split up.

Only by doing so could they maximize efficiency.

As for the safety of the team, it was entirely left to his Clockwork Fairy to solve, as long as they didn’t get surrounded, he believed the people of Silver Weslan could always leave composedly.