Pillar of Yita

The scenery suddenly brightened.

Fang Hong squinted his eyes beneath the wind goggles.

He gently slowed down the Clockwork Fairy to avoid crashing into something due to the sudden brightness, causing everything to be in vain. After getting used to the light, Fang Hong could finally see that outside was a spruce forest, covered in snow, but still visible were a clearing below and several houses reduced to just frames.

Just as described by others, outside was an abandoned mine.

Due to its distinguishing features, Fang Hong almost immediately spotted the tall creature standing in the clearing—a Dwarf Giant about four to five meters tall, covered in green skin, speckled with ugly warts.

Its nose was long and pointed, with deep-set eyes like two small green beans glinting with cunning. Its messy blue hair, and a wooden stick slung over its shoulder, was rubbing its back against the spruce.

This troll appeared quite leisurely.

Fang Hong had the Clockwork Fairy fly higher to search for the trace of the Undead Wizard.

He soon saw a group of people behind a building. Upon closer inspection, he noticed these people were sitting in the snow, guarded by a group of Black Swordsmen—in front of whom, Fang Hong finally found his target.

It made Fang Hong frown slightly as he recognized the familiar face.

He gently clasped his fingers and motioned downward, directing the Clockwork Fairy to approach that direction for a closer look—

Wasn’t that the ’Messenger’ from the Dragon Cultist Dolifen?

Why was he here?

Was he the Undead Wizard?

Fang Hong suddenly realized that in the three to four years since Mountain Kou Ke disappeared, the other party was likely carrying out Dolifen’s plan, making it all clear. But what was the relationship between this person and Mountain Kou Ke? What were they doing here three or four years ago?

Fang Hong believed that these Dragon Worshippers would not do anything meaningless.

He became suspicious, directing the Clockwork Fairy to descend and maneuver through the dilapidated buildings of the mine, sneaking behind them. To avoid making noise, he even stopped the Clockwork Fairy, hiding behind a wall, revealing only the lens to face the outsiders.

Although the Undead Wizard was a high level, he hadn’t noticed this inconspicuous little thing concealed in that direction.

The images from outside were transmitted in.

Fang Hong turned to question a few people about the appearance and identity of those captives.

Every time he described one, they exclaimed in surprise.

”That’s the Captain, we’re doomed... even the Captain has been captured...”

”That’s Luce...”

”Is Sister Rose there too...”

Their faces were ashen.

The team sent them out to find a path because they were the weakest group.

And now, knowing that even the stronger ones fell into the Undead Wizard’s hands deepened their despair.

The Archer clenched his fist silently. Others looked at Fang Hong, this somewhat mysterious ’Veteran Adventurer’, who now seemed to be their only hope.

But Fang Hong did not respond, merely placed a finger to his lips, signaling them to remain calm. He continued to capture information from outside using the Clockwork Fairy. Activating the audio component, he first heard the whistling wind, followed by the voice of the ’Messenger’.

The voice was somewhat distorted: ”Starlight is quite precious, you are indeed the Holy Chosen, do you really want me to kill you...?”

”I have no mood to play cat-and-mouse games with you... now I ask you a question...”

Saying this, he suddenly let out a soft ’hmm’, turning to look toward the mine entrance at the top of the valley—precisely the direction of the passageway where Fang Hong and the others were located.

After a few seconds, he turned back: ”Tell me, you chased Mountain Kou Ke all the way here... did you see that thing...”

His voice echoed in the wind.

Fang Hong was pondering the implications of his words. After a moment, in the image, a young man with soft curls sticking to his forehead, though with a resolute face, finally spoke: ”You practice Undead Spells... we have pursued you here on behalf of the Adventurers’ Guild, do you really intend to let us go?”

Fang Hong recognized this young man as the Captain described by the others.

The Messenger shook his head: ”I can swear to Lady Roman.”

The young man seemed hesitant.

He looked back at the swordswoman behind him, who had her hands bound behind her, a head of charming, short fiery-red hair, and emerald eyes—like a rose full of thorns. Even in such circumstances, the young woman appeared calm:

”Lady Roman cannot control your lawless actions.”

”... I heard that the Deities you worship walk among the Dark Saints.” She sensibly proposed her terms.

The Messenger gave her a deep look. ”You know a lot about us, fine then—I can swear to the Dark Saints.”

”Swear what?”

”If what you say is true, then I will not kill you.”

He spread his hands: ”Truthfully, if you posed any threat to me, I’d kill you without hesitation, but alas, you’re too weak to interest me at all.”

The young man and the young woman exchanged a glance, their faces darkened by the blatant humiliation, but indeed it was their lack of strength.

Then followed a period of questions and answers.

The Messenger questioned, while the young man and the young woman answered alternately, with Fang Hong eavesdropping on the side—the Dragon Worshippers seemed to be searching for a person, who traveled south with the troll Mountain Kou Ke and the Undead Wizard to this location.

At first, Fang Hong thought they were looking for him, startling him, but listening closely, that didn’t seem to be the case.

Because they mentioned Undead Spells, that person seemed to be an Undead Wizard as well.

Was there a second Undead Wizard?

Fang Hong was slightly stunned. He could tell that the ’Messenger’ appeared eager to find this person—this team actually knew little about the matter, but the other side wouldn’t let any details slip by.

Then the ’Messenger’ suddenly said something softly, but due to the distance, Fang Hong couldn’t quite hear.

But then the young man suddenly became excited.

...