Bai Shi casually dispersed the spirits of the Dragonkin Soldiers, which had appeared from nowhere, before digging ‘Wine-Drunk’ Riko out of the snow.
The snow was deep, so the blow hadn’t had much of an impact on him. Besides, it seed he had his own thods of defense.
Riko sat down right in the snow and spat out a mouthful of blood.
“Ah, my apologies, my apologies. I suppose drinking too much is never a good idea.”
Despite his words, Riko took out another flask and took a swig.
Bai Shi was surprised to see that after Riko took a drink, his injuries slowly began to heal.
Noticing Bai Shi’s curiosity about the wine in his hand, Riko smiled and said:
“Don’t be fooled by my sowhat unreliable appearance. I’ve traveled a very long road on my own, you know.”
“One must be prepared with all sorts of wines for any unexpected situation.”
Bai Shi nodded. Having a useful skill certainly made it easier to survive in the Lands Between.
Riko finished his dicinal wine and carefully put the container away.
He looked up at Bai Shi again and spoke.
“Sigh, I just said we’d et again if fate willed it, and now I’ve imdiately received your help.”
“It wouldn’t be right to deliberately keep my distance again.”
“This humble monk’s na is Riko, a devout cleric who has co to this place in pursuit of St. Trina.”
“For the mont, I am in the service of Lord Miquella.”
“I still don’t know your na, and also...”
“Were you... also roped into this by a woman nad Leda?”
Bai Shi was a bit surprised by Riko's words. He seed to have a particular wariness towards Leda.
“Bai Shi. As for your question... I suppose you could say that.”
“But I don’t know much about them.”
Riko nodded, showing no particular emotion.
He began rummaging through the pack on his back, eventually taking out an object that had been carefully sealed and was wrapped in layer upon layer of protection.
As he unwrapped it, Riko spoke to Bai Shi.
“That knight carries herself with such a noble and righteous air, but I always get the feeling she’s hiding a profound secret.”
“Although everyone has their secrets in this life, hers seems especially...”
“In short, while we may be traveling companions for now, I am very wary of her.”
It wasn’t a matter of her strength, but of the unparalleled darkness hidden in her heart.
As soone with a particular taste for savoring secrets, Riko could tell at a glance that Leda was not soone to be trifled with.
Bai Shi raised an eyebrow and said:
“And you’re just telling
this?”
“Aren’t you afraid I’m on her side?”
Riko finished removing all the outer wrappings, revealing a small jar.
Within the palm-sized jar, a purple mist churned, emitting an intoxicating aroma.
The scent alone brought a sense of calm, as if one could fall into a peaceful sleep at any mont.
Riko smiled and said:
“Don’t underestimate this humble monk’s ability to judge character after wandering the Lands Between for so long.”
“It’s obvious at a glance that you and they are not cut from the sa cloth.”
Bai Shi was noncommittal. Riko didn’t pursue the topic, instead turning to the contents of the jar before them.
“This is no ordinary wine. It is an ambrosia that once only demigods could drink. It is a potent brew.”
“I’m getting older, so gathering the ingredients isn’t as easy as it used to be. I can only spare a little for you.”
Another small vial appeared in Riko’s hand. He poured the brew into it, a asure of only a mouthful or two.
Swirling the vial, Riko watched the liquid slosh about, a look of entrancent on his face.
“This brew is the finest wine in the Lands Between, worthy of being called divine ambrosia.”
“It’s not just because of its taste, you know. This marvelous substance can bring peace to a person’s spirit.”
Riko handed the small vial to Bai Shi.
“And... this wine can reveal secrets.”
“So, if you’re more interested in learning soone else’s secrets than in a mont of pleasure, have them drink the ambrosia wine.”
“...Secrets are like fine wine—the older, the more fragrant.”
“Once you understand that, you can do as you please.”
“Friendship, domination, deceit... it’s all within your grasp...”
Bai Shi took the small vial. The clear, light purple liquid within gave him an inexplicable urge to drink it all in one gulp.
Riko had already packed his things and stood up, starting to walk into the distance.
“After this, it truly will be ‘until we et again, if fate wills it.’”
“I hope you find what you’re looking for on this journey as well.”
—
As Riko turned and walked away, a cryptic smile appeared on his face.
He had grown weary of a world gradually heading towards ruin.
He was not a competent or steadfast cleric; in the end, he was only ever looking out for himself.
Whether it was searching for St. Trina, for Lord Miquella, or using the ambrosia wine to peer into the deeply hidden secrets of others.
He already knew far too many secrets.
For instance, that St. Trina was, in fact, Lord Miquella.
He also knew that Lord Miquella and his followers were secretly planning sothing of crucial importance.
However, perhaps there was a difference between following St. Trina and following Lord Miquella after all.
He wasn't sure if that was the reason, but he and Leda’s group could never truly be on the sa page.
He had already helped Leda and the others find the location of the portal, but he wasn’t allowed to participate in what ca next.
That was strange.
Riko felt there must be another secret hidden within all this—a secret that an outsider like him was not ant to know.
Unfortunately, Leda showed no weaknesses, and he had no desire to provoke her.
But it didn’t matter, as long as he could achieve his goal.
And now, he may have found another way to do just that.
—
Torrent trotted over with lina on his back.
lina had been sitting sidesaddle on Torrent and dismounted with a simple push of her hands.
“How was it?”
Hearing lina’s voice, Bai Shi weighed the small, cute container in his hand and showed a faint smile.
“An unexpected gain. Not bad at all.”
Although he didn’t yet know where this so-called ambrosia wine could be used, the item was undoubtedly of great value.
Perhaps he could find a chance to give it to that guy Gideon?
Bai Shi considered Gideon, aside from Queen Marika and Miquella, to be the most enigmatic person at present.
His origins, the forces under his command, and most importantly, his objectives and motivations—none had ever been revealed.
It would be a lie to say Bai Shi wasn't curious about him.
However, soone as cautious as Gideon probably wouldn’t drink it. Best to wait and see.
Bai Shi suddenly thought of Leda again.
As one of Miquella’s most formidable generals, everything she did now was undoubtedly for Miquella, or at Miquella’s behest.
Even Riko, who had contact with Leda before, had ntioned her strangeness. He certainly couldn’t ignore these things just because of the good impression she had left on him before. Perhaps he could find a chance for her to drink it and see if he could glean any secrets about Miquella.
Making a fiercely loyal female knight drink a special brew and spill her secrets... how could he possibly refuse an opportunity like that!
Bai Shi put away the ambrosia wine and mounted Torrent again with lina, continuing forward, following the golden light.
After so ti, Torrent suddenly stopped.
Noticing Torrent’s unusual behavior, lina leaned over and peeked her head out from behind Bai Shi, looking at the steed.
“Torrent, what is it?”
Torrent snorted, then bobbed his head toward the ground in front of them.
Bai Shi looked at the patch of snow, realizing Torrent was trying to tell them that sothing was underneath.
“There’s sothing there, is that it?”
Bai Shi hopped off his mount and walked forward, taking out his brand-new sword-spear as he went.
The enormous sword-spear was forged from a glintstone dragon horn, its entire body appearing to be made of brilliant, transparent glintstone crystal.
But this dragon horn was nothing like fragile crystal; its hardness was beyond imagination.
Bai Shi gripped the sword-spear and swung it forcefully. In an instant, a storm raged forth, overpowering the natural, sweeping blizzard.
The blast of air from that one swing easily blew away the thick layer of snow.
Bai Shi looked at the scene that appeared before him, his gaze shifting slightly.
“This is...”
What appeared before Bai Shi now were nurous corpses.
The bodies were all dismbered, limbs scattered haphazardly, with signs of being gnawed upon.
By now, the corpses had been frozen solid in the snowstorm, as if a long ti had passed.
Among the bodies were Kaidan Sellswords and their attendants.
Bai Shi stroked his chin.
This configuration looked familiar. It was the typical setup for an escort caravan in the Lands Between.
There was indeed such a caravan in the Consecrated Snowfield, but he wasn’t sure if this was it.
Bai Shi looked up ahead. The blizzard had already closed in again, obscuring his vision.
lina and Torrent ca to Bai Shi’s side, looking at the bodies on the ground.
“Should we go have a look?”
Bai Shi thought for a mont and decided to investigate further.
The state of the bodies suggested they were killed by a beast.
If the carriage transporting important treasures was also left here, the contents likely wouldn’t have been taken by an animal.
Bai Shi summoned a gust of wind once more, dispersing the snow ahead.
Just a dozen ters away, the snow on the ground rose in an irregular mound, clearly indicating sothing was underneath.
Bai Shi cleared away all the snow on top, and an overturned traveling coffin and two mangled Troll corpses appeared before them.
On such large bodies, the marks of the wounds were even clearer.
“It’s a Runebear.”
Looking at the bodies, Bai Shi quickly made a judgnt.
lina was a little doubtful.
“The wounds and injuries do look similar, but...”
lina held up her hand, asuring the size of a wound with her fingers.
“The size of these wounds... could a Runebear really have caused this?”
lina's suspicion was understandable. The bite marks on the two Troll corpses were obvious, with almost half of their bodies having been eaten.
If it was truly a Runebear, one with an appetite like this would have to be several tis larger than an ordinary one.
Bai Shi shrugged.
He didn’t quite believe it either, but the wounds perfectly matched those of a Runebear.
Besides, in a place like the Lands Between, it wouldn’t be impossible for a Runebear to mutate and grow several sizes larger.
Stepping over the corpses, Bai Shi stood before the traveling coffin.
The carriage of this coffin had also been torn apart, with terrifying claw marks everywhere. The body inside had not been spared.
However, the compartnt at the back of the traveling coffin, where items were stored, hadn't been completely destroyed.
Bai Shi thrust his sword-spear into the wooden panel, prying open a compartnt that could no longer be opened normally. An iron rod fell out.
Bai Shi caught it firmly and examined it in his hand.
This was a weapon from the ga—St. Trina’s Torch.
It was a torch in the shape of a candelabra, designed in the image of St. Trina, yet the final product had a mature air to it, an inexplicable eeriness.
Bai Shi infused magic into it, and instantly, a faint purple fla flickered to life on the candelabra.
The fla was a thin layer, more like a mist than a fire.
Though it looked unassuming and harmless, this fla was capable of lulling people to sleep.
After stowing it away, Bai Shi and lina set off once more, following the direction of the golden light and quickly leaving the misty area.
Once they left the mist, the powerful blizzard that had been obscuring their vision vanished, and the view before them beca exceptionally open for the first ti in a while.
The golden light was now pointing toward its destination; they were about to reach the eting point.
On the vast snowfield in the distance, there was a petrified forest of ancient trees.
At the foot of the nearest ancient tree was the location of the other branch.
With the destination in sight, Torrent’s speed beca imdiately apparent.
The long distance was quickly and easily covered by Torrent.
Bai Shi and lina now stood at the foot of the ancient tree.
Unlike other places, unknown red flowers grew at the base of this ancient tree.
These red flowers were very delicate and grew close to the ground, which was likely how they managed to survive.
But because of this, the contrast between the flowers and the snow was extrely stark, as vibrant as fresh blood spilled upon the snow.
lina knelt down, carefully admiring the rare, vivid colors of the snowfield.
Bai Shi, however, walked a few steps to a fallen section of the ancient tree’s trunk, where he saw Leda and the others waiting.
Leda, Freya, and Dane stood there quietly. Upon seeing Bai Shi, they all bowed in greeting.
Leda spoke first.
“Your speed has exceeded our expectations.”
“Do you and your companion need to rest before we set out again?”
Bai Shi shook his head. A journey like this was no problem for him or lina.
“If we need to rest, we can do it when we get near the portal.”
Leda nodded.
“I understand. We will lead the way.”
—
Relying on unique markers, Leda and her companions led Bai Shi and lina across the snowfield.
As they passed by a ruin up ahead, lina suddenly turned her head, staring intently at it.
Seeing lina’s reaction, Bai Shi also looked in that direction.
There stood several Trolls draped in huge cloaks, their hands thrust into their cowls. Through the gaps between their fingers, one could see their eyes glowing with a bright light.
This was the Yelough Anix Ruins, suspected to be the place where the malady of the Frenzied Fla first began to spread in the Lands Between.
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