Pillar of Yita

Alice seemed to recall the unexpected moves Fang Hong made at the time and couldn’t help but smile: ”Afterwards, the military gave me two choices: one was to end my Invoker career, but they might consider not holding me responsible for future actions, so I wouldn’t have to face prosecution when returning to Earth. The other was to join them, help investigate the whereabouts of the Rain Listener leadership, though I really had no choice—”

”...In the Fenris incident, although I was just a coerced party, those actions were still mine and almost led to disaster, causing tens of thousands of deaths. Even returning to Earth, I could only be exempted from part of the responsibility, and still might face indefinite surveillance.”

At this point, she shook her head, seemingly indifferent: ”Although this can be considered my just punishment, staying here under military surveillance or working for them isn’t a bad option. More importantly, I can’t reconcile with myself. Without bringing those people to justice, my sister and I are nothing but scapegoats and sacrifices.”

The woods were silent.

Fang Hong was surprised that so much had happened behind the scenes and replied: ”Elisa never mentioned this to us.”

”It’s right that my sister didn’t speak up,” Alice replied: ”This matter really doesn’t concern you. Besides, here the military doesn’t treat me as a prisoner. Overall, I’m fairly free. After that, I went to Saint Hugon and assumed a new identity, now called Rainbow, and shortly after, joined the Holy White Stone Guild under military arrangements, around the time you were in Fanric.”

Fang Hong was a bit surprised: ”You joined the Holy White Stone Guild?”

Alice nodded: ”I was part of the Holy White Stone team at the time, but the detailed information about you was learned from Time Reflection. He kept the news about you, his lifesaver, tightly sealed, and only after I divulged some of our connection would he relented—”

Fang Hong took a while to process this news and asked somewhat unexpectedly: ”So, joining the Holy White Stone Guild was at Stargate Port’s behest? What is the relationship between the Holy White Stone Guild and the Rain Listeners?”

Alice looked at the man before her, knowing his connection with that side, and didn’t avoid the topic: ”Not exactly, it’s just that the Holy White Stone Guild has close cooperation with the Twilight people and might also merge into the Descendants of Flor, while I’m just a preemptive plant.”

Fang Hong was slightly startled.

Turns out the military was planting spies within the Alliance, though this was nothing new, as such agents had long existed, and Alice certainly wasn’t the only one.”

”Was it before? Were you discovered by the Twilight people?”

”Not necessarily,” Alice sighed softly: ”I exposed myself voluntarily, but if it weren’t for today’s events, I might have continued to stay undercover.”

Fang Hong looked at her rather unexpectedly: ”What happened?”

”I wonder if you recall an incident not long ago,” Alice replied: ”Time Reflection told me about your meeting with the Grey Elder, and also what the Tree People Elder said about the Heart of Chongshan.”

”Heart of Chongshan?”

Alice nodded: ”Yes, Heart of Chongshan... I feel the Twilight people have designs on it. If the Heart of Chongshan is as important as you say, then I have to take the risk to see you. But I didn’t expect them to be so vigilant, which actually indicates my guess might be right—”

As she finished speaking, she couldn’t help thinking of the previous thrill, gently exhaling, but suddenly realized how quiet the surroundings were, with only her breathing audible.

She couldn’t help but look up at Fang Hong, discovering his expression was serene, seemingly contemplating something.

This time, it was Alice’s turn to be a bit surprised, observing him: ”You already knew?”

”I suspected some things.” Fang Hong replied.

”But wait,” Alice asked quite unexpectedly: ”Aren’t you worried at all?”

Fang Hong shook his head.

He indeed had long had suspicions, only now confirmed them.

The people they chased all the way from the Hall of Trees were mostly Twilight people. The other party might have originally planned to create chaos in the Hall of Trees, drawing everyone’s attention, but didn’t expect to encounter his group, leading to a failed plan and a panicked retreat.

This explains why the other party was so willing to silence them; the Twilight Guild people couldn’t let their side get exposed in this plan, or they would become the mutual enemy of all present, even most guilds.

And the only surprise was Alice being in this place, for the same purpose.

He certainly cared about this matter, otherwise he wouldn’t have pursued all the way here with the Big Cat—being anxious wouldn’t help them fly directly to the opposite side—at this moment, what they needed was calm.

Fang Hong pondered for a moment, then asked: ”The Twilight Guild people can relentlessly hunt you; does it seem the Holy White Stone Guild is involved?”

Alice shook her head: ”...perhaps not part of it, but the Twilight people used their share in this mining area to compel our people to act. The Captain might not precisely understand the Heart of Chongshan affair, but there must be heavy pressure from the guild side...