Chapter 67

The words, "We are merely being used to buy time," were so disheartening that even the usually carefree Ziyue began to feel down. Afra, seeing the situation was getting a bit out of hand, quickly changed the subject. "Does anyone know what that thing in the sedan chair actually is?"

"It's not a wraith; I can be sure of that. It doesn't have the negative energy aura of the undead," Ziyue was easily distracted. "It seems to be able to change shape constantly, with a layer of oily shadow constantly shifting, like smoke wrapped in black silk. Is there such a creature?"

Lucius, sitting in the corner, shook his head when he heard this. "Its form is ever-changing, and at one point, it even transformed into more than a dozen slender tentacles. I suspect it might be a creature from another world; otherwise, it's hard to explain these phenomena."

"From another world..." Afra tried to recall, but druids were not particularly concerned with such knowledge. To druids, these creatures were twisted, unnatural monsters, and the only thought was to eliminate them as much as possible. Therefore, a full-scale battle between the druid community and the sedan chair's occupant was inevitable, and their lives were in grave danger.

No, they were as good as dead. When Daler attempted to rescue them and was killed, their fate was already sealed. The sooner they recognized this, the more calmly they could think. Only lucky Mike managed to escape, and he hoped he hadn't been drowned by the whirlpools at the bottom of the river, which might have saved his life.

They had been kept in a cage the whole time, making it difficult to determine their position in the forest. If they could have seen from above, they would have noticed that they were tracing an arc in the Farmer's Forest, with the center of this arc being the Intertwined Walkers' community.

Zhao Mai didn't have the luxury of drawing arcs; he almost rushed straight toward the community, not daring to waste any time. The druids had planted some special varieties of trees in the Farmer's Forest. By finding these trees and using the four cardinal directions, one could determine the approximate location of the community. This was something Daler had told Zhao Mai privately, even the trio didn't know. "Once you pass the apprentice test, you will be a druid of the Intertwined Walkers' community. This is something you must know."

He didn't expect to use this knowledge so soon. Zhao Mai's mind wandered, and he tripped on a vine, falling to the ground with a thud. Storage Food quickly stopped and turned to look at its owner.

"It's nothing, I just wasn't paying attention for a moment." Zhao Mai moved his wrists and ankles, feeling a bit sore but not seriously injured. To be safe, he and Storage Food shared a divine berry, which healed minor injuries and restored some stamina.

If this were a marathon or a longer race, like the Tour de France, the divine berry would be the best supplement. Thinking of this, Zhao Mai couldn't help but think of home. Now that he had the disease-removal potion and two fate coins, he could return home after warning the druids, right?

Perhaps the thought of going home gave him more strength, or perhaps it was the effect of the divine berry. Zhao Mai took long strides and moved quickly through the forest. Storage Food ran ahead, using its keen sense of smell to detect dangerous animals and guide Zhao Mai to a safe distance. Without the dog's help, the bears and pythons in the Farmer's Forest might have had a meal called Zhao Mai.

From morning until night, Zhao Mai didn't stop. The divine berry had already provided all the nutrition and water he needed for the day, so his physical condition was still good. He was approaching the community, which was safer than before. Zhao Mai was afraid of delays, so he decided to travel through the night, continuously casting the light spell for illumination.

By the time it was completely dark, Zhao Mai was already lost. He couldn't determine his direction or his position. Now, he completely relied on Storage Food's nose and didn't say a word about which direction to go. "Keep it up, A Liang, take me back to the community." Along the way, Zhao Mai constantly encouraged his dog, as he had full trust in it.

This trust was rewarded, and Zhao Mai finally encountered a patrolling druid. "I have urgent news; I need to see the elder immediately." The druid had seen Zhao Mai before and immediately led him to the community.

Zhao Mai finally saw the lights of the community, the low, simple, semi-circular houses looking very welcoming. As he entered the village, he heard Master Joseph speaking to the villagers:

"The danger is very likely to come. All children and apprentices need to evacuate temporarily, along with experienced and knowledgeable elders, to the northern city of Silvian, seeking the protection of the elves. The rest will be assigned tasks to protect the safety of our Intertwined Walkers' community!"

"Master Joseph, what kind of threat are we facing this time?" someone in the crowd asked. "How long should the children be prepared to stay away?"

"Information from the forest indicates that this time the threat is highly targeted, and we still haven't identified the true nature of the threat. The natural forces are with us, and the elders, including myself, have confidence in victory. However, the young and apprentices are our future, and there's no need for them to face the threat," Joseph explained patiently. "For this reason, it is appropriate to evacuate the elders, children, and apprentices. The faster this is done, the safer it will be."

The druids looked at each other, finding the decision reasonable. The elves in the north lived in isolation in the rebuilt city of Silvian. The Intertwined Walkers had always had a good relationship with these forest elves, and Celine, who came from Silvian, would personally lead the group home to ensure the elves opened the city gates and accommodated the children and apprentices.

"There is an hour until dawn. The first group will depart when the sun is completely below the horizon, and the last group will leave at noon. After that, we will no longer allocate resources for evacuation," Joseph concluded. "Time is precious; everyone, get to work!"

The crowd dispersed, and Zhao Mai pushed through, standing in front of Joseph, who still looked surprised. "I'm back with bad news. Daler was killed, and Afra, Ziyue, and Lucius are missing. Lucius's cheetah companion also died."

Joseph gave a signal to a companion, who quickly walked a few steps to separate the crowd. "Mike, come with me. There are four elders in the community, and they need to hear your detailed account."