“Hey, kid, are you sure you’re very familiar with the Mist? I heard people have been getting lost in the Mist these past few days.”
To the north of the Mist, Evans led a group escorting Anderson carefully into the Mist.
Although Evans had only just arrived in Deya City two days ago, he had heard stories about how the Mist could cause people to lose their way.
“Don’t worry, no one knows the Mist better than me!”
Anderson, with his hands tied, walked at the front, pointing out several trees that Hamster and the others had marked. This gave Evans a bit of confidence.
Ridiculous. Getting lost? Anderson thought only someone with a poorly developed brain could get lost in the Mist.
But as the Mist thickened, Anderson suddenly sensed something was off. The plants along the road to the smuggling base shouldn’t look like this.
The smuggling base was hidden inside a massive Banyan Tree, surrounded by many smaller Banyan Trees, but Anderson couldn’t see a single Banyan Tree around now.
This isn’t right. I remember from our last position, walking forward 110 steps then turning left would lead to the fourth marker… where’s my mark?!
Something’s wrong. The Mist today feels off. Or is it my brain that’s malfunctioning?
Anderson immediately thought of what Evans had said earlier and nervously asked:
“Uh, can you tell me more about these people getting lost in the Mist?”
“What did you say?” Evans grabbed Anderson’s collar.
“Are you lost? How dare you mess with me!”
“Absolutely not! I just wanted to ask, that’s all. Look at that flower!” Anderson casually pointed at a wildflower by the roadside. “This flower is something I planted here specifically as a marker!”
“Then lead the way quickly! No more nonsense!” Evans let go of Anderson, who then felt a cold sweat trickle down his forehead.
Damn it!
How could I get lost in the Mist? What went wrong? This can’t be! What now? If I can’t find Hamster and the others, I’m as good as dead.
For the next half hour, Anderson wandered through the Mist relying on his instincts.
Along the way, he was ambushed several times by small monsters, which made Evans increasingly irritated.
“How much farther?”
“We’re already there, look, right over there.”
Anderson pointed to the left. Everyone turned their heads to look.
At that moment, accompanied by the sound of a rope being cut, Anderson’s hands— just freed —immediately swung forward as he sprinted at full speed!
He had taken the chance while Evans and the others were fighting monsters to pick up a sharp little stone and try to cut his bindings.
Since it was a matter of life or death, he might as well test whether this strange Mist could save him.
If I’m lost, then Evans and the others probably are too!
“Chase him! Break his legs!”
Evans immediately led his group forward, but after less than fifty meters, they lost sight of him.
Under the influence of the Mist, Anderson began circling clockwise, while Evans and the others ran toward the western edge of the Mist……
“Wow, I didn’t expect the Mist to be so lively this afternoon.”
From a god’s-eye view, Truth clearly saw at least 200 adventurers exploring within the Mist.
The path leading to the Thornflower Sprite’s territory had also been opened, and many were eager to attempt the challenge.
Most adventurers gathered on the southern side of the Mist; the other three directions were mostly deserted, except the farthest north where five or six people were scattered.
Suddenly, one person broke away from the group and sprinted forward— were they scouting for their team?
Forget it, it’s fine as long as I get energy:
【Mist Energy: 102 points】
“So fast, I’ve accumulated over 100 points in just three days. There really are too many newbie adventurers— nice… and it’s time to keep my promise and release the little bird.”
“Hey, you can leave now!”
At a fork in the road, a hoarse voice suddenly echoed in Gadelia’s mind. Although harsh, it sounded strangely pleasant.
“Can I… leave now?”
Already? Gadelia had prepared herself to be trapped here for a year or two, but it’s only been a few days and she’s free!
Truth herself hadn’t expected the energy to accumulate so quickly.
If she had known, she might’ve told the little bird to pay a thousand points of energy, but that might be too harsh— after all, the little bird didn’t deserve this.
“Hey, hey, hey, can you tell me more about the Thornflower?”
Just as Gadelia was happy, another adventurer approached and asked her. Gadelia had gained a reputation for answering all questions lately, but this time was different.
“Get lost!”
“Huh?”
Gadelia ignored him and, following the coordinates given by the Senior Monster, headed straight toward the Mist Exit, leaving the adventurer standing dumbfounded.
Why do I get cursed when I’m the one asked?
As the Mist gradually thinned, half an hour later, Gadelia finally emerged. Passing through the bustling crowd of adventurers, she felt the warm sunlight on her skin again.
“So comfortable…”
There was nothing more pleasant than surviving a disaster.
After leaving the Mist, she found her weakened body was regaining magic power— the Senior Monster hadn’t taken her Magic Core!
Though this also showed it truly looked down on her…
Well, as long as my Magic Core is safe, it’s fine. In fact, thinking about it, the Senior Monster isn’t that bad.
Whatever it says goes, it didn’t deliberately make things difficult for me, and even counted as a work injury.
Unlike those demons in the wild, scheming and plotting, hiding countless traps in contracts just a few words long—one careless moment and you’d sell your soul!
“Gadelia!” a familiar voice called from a distance. Gadelia turned around.
“Your Highness?!”
At three o’clock from Deya City’s main gate, a grand army carrying rows of banners was marching toward the Mist. At the front of the army, Princess Wilona stood atop an open carriage waving at Gadelia.
“Why are the border garrison troops coming again?” The adventurers made way as the carriage rolled up to Gadelia.
“I came to rescue you, meow. But why did you come out by yourself, meow? Are you okay, meow?”
Wrapped in a cloak hiding her cat ears, Wilona jumped down and anxiously circled Gadelia, finding no visible injuries. Carefully, she lifted Gadelia’s coat and was shocked.
Gadelia had been… violated in the Mist!
“Your… your clothes, and several feathers are missing, meow!” Wilona was at a loss for words, unsure how to comfort her.
Her most trusted Shadow Guard had suffered such abuse—this was utterly outrageous!
Yet she felt powerless…
“It’s… nothing. Just damaged during a fight,” Gadelia replied nervously, not wanting to exaggerate the situation.
It was more like a one-sided lesson.
Speaking of which, why did Her Highness summon the Sylvia Border Army? Didn’t I say the Senior Monster’s strength was comparable to a high-tier? Why bring in a mid-tier force for the single strongest combatant?
After inquiring, Wilona felt a bit guilty but soon straightened her chest like Truth.
“Just to build courage, meow. But I really wanted to save you, meow. Look, I brought the ransom money, meow.”
Wilona had the soldier guarding the treasure chest open it.
A dazzling golden light burst forth. Inside was a pile of Gold Coins nearly overflowing. Even the adventurers far away held their breath.
“How many Gold Coins in that huge chest? Almost ten thousand, right?!”
“No wonder she’s a Northern Royal Family member. What’s she planning with so much money?”
Wilona herself wasn’t sure exactly how many coins, but she had instructed them to fill the chest to the brim— no less than ten thousand. That should impress the high-tier monster.
As a royal family member, Wilona often engaged in overt and covert power struggles with her siblings.
Unfortunately, she was too weak to compete, and her strategists had all been poached by others, leaving no chance to reorganize.
Besides her mother, Gadelia was the only person she trusted. So, she had to do everything to rescue her!
Thus, Wilona borrowed nearly all the Gold Coins in the city from Deya Bank using royal credit. But now Gadelia had come out on her own.
A chest full of Gold Coins… Gadelia was momentarily stunned, then sighed in relief.
“Phew… good thing.”
Thinking of relying on a chest of Gold Coins to ransom herself?
Thankfully she got out in time, or Her Highness would have taken all that gold into the Mist to humiliate the Senior Monster— what a dreadful thought.
The Senior Monster even looked down on me, refusing a fifth-tier Airwing Magic Core worth thirty thousand Gold Coins on the black market.
If Her Highness had said, “Here’s ten thousand, let my guard leave!” the Princess would probably have ended up trapped in the Mist, getting the same harsh ‘lesson’ as me…
With so many eyes watching, Gadelia hurried back to the carriage with Wilona and briefly told her story about being “bullied” by a passing Senior Monster.
“Wasn’t it a monster, meow?”
“Uh… that adventurer looked strange, so I thought it was a monster at first. He’s left the Mist now, probably can’t find me.”
Gadelia dared not reveal the truth about the Senior Monster or encourage Wilona to call in real high-tier adventurers to deal with it.
If they failed to punish it, the monster might suddenly appear and drag her back into the Mist by the few remaining feathers she had left.
Just thinking about it was terrifying…
Wilona hugged Gadelia, feeling guilty for letting her most trusted companion suffer such indignity— even losing her precious purity…
Seeing Gadelia force herself calm to avoid worrying her, Wilona silently vowed to help her get justice.
Sniff… I must become stronger, then punish the adventurer who dared to violate Gadelia’s purity!
And the priest in the Mist too!
“By the way, Your Highness, didn’t you say before you wanted to recruit talented people? I happened to meet two promising students in the Mist, both from Deya City and quite young. They seem perfect to assist you.”
Wilona almost teared up as Gadelia quickly changed the subject and introduced Reg and Suna.
She planned to secretly take them to the Royal Academy to study under Wilona’s teacher.
“How do we do that secretly, meow?”
“Hmm… I think we should contact Dean Vieno. That can be our cover. Otherwise, if Reg and Suna are discovered by your older siblings, it’d be a disaster.”
“If Reg and Suna got in through connections, they’d quickly be targeted by other royal members. With your strength, Wilona, you wouldn’t be able to resist their pull. So we have to make a cover story, like having them enter the Royal Academy as commoners.”
“Given the royal family’s arrogance, they usually don’t get close to commoners.”
“Then… then I’ll contact Dean Vieno soon, meow!”
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