Chapter 226: Chapter 214: Arriving at Cuiyan Forest

After finalizing the plan with Avril, Roland quickly called Vanessa over.

Much like the Elf Maiden, when the Purple-haired Witch witnessed the horrifying scene before her, she merely covered her mouth and nose with a soft gasp before beginning to scrutinize it with keen interest.

Only after Roland urged her did she chart a new route to Cuiyan Forest, bypassing the giant crater.

At Roland’s behest, Avril did not reveal the details of the massive crater to the soldiers.

She simply led the party along the new route Vanessa had planned, cautiously skirting the land of death as they continued toward Cuiyan Forest.

Perhaps because the lingering aura from the Transcendent’s battle had yet to dissipate, both Demons and Ghosts had vanished without a trace from the surrounding mist.

This made the rest of their journey exceptionally smooth.

As the silhouette of Cuiyan Forest grew clearer through the mist, the exhausted soldiers couldn’t help but let out a low cheer, their pace noticeably quickening.

However, unlike these unknowing soldiers, a persistent shadow hung over Roland’s heart.

"Alright, everyone!"

Avril’s voice was decisive and clear.

"We’re still some distance from the camp where Dean Graham is stationed. Rest here for now. You, you, and you..."

Under her decisive command and with the help of her adjutant, Barry, several experienced and formidable veterans were quickly chosen. They slipped silently into Cuiyan Forest to scout ahead.

Roland, meanwhile, took Freddy to carefully patrol the camp’s perimeter. Only after confirming nothing was amiss did he return to his tent for a brief rest.

"Tress."

After his soft call, the tiny Pikachu nimbly emerged from his waist pouch, its quivering butterfly wings sprinkling fluorescent flecks into the air.

"Can you sense the presence of your companions?"

"Of course I can, Roland!"

The return to her home seemed to make the Pikachu exceptionally cheerful.

She answered happily, flitting gracefully through the air.

"I can feel them. They’re... umm... to the north! But as for the distance..."

Tress closed her eyes, her brow furrowed. She concentrated for a long moment before shaking her head in resignation.

"I’m sorry, Roland. I can feel their presence, but it’s just too faint... I can’t tell exactly how far away they are."

"Don’t worry. A direction is enough."

Roland chuckled. He watched the cheerful Pikachu, but his thoughts had already drifted far away.

After witnessing the terrifying ruins left behind by the Transcendents’ battle, his original plan had already begun to shift.

He had originally assumed that the Wolf King, who was holed up in the Land of Mist, had managed to create such chaos throughout the River Domain nations primarily by relying on the mist and its high concentration of Magic Elements.

Of course, he had also considered the possibility that his opponent was an Extraordinary Professional.

After all, an ordinary person couldn’t possibly survive long in such a harsh environment.

However, recalling the landscape that had been utterly reshaped, now a wasteland of scorched earth and deep craters, Roland’s brow furrowed tightly.

His opponent’s power was far greater than he had anticipated.

While different Extraordinary Professionals certainly had their own specializations and clear ways of countering one another, the gaps in sheer power levels were often as vast as a chasm.

While the River Domain nations surely had other Transcendents unknown to Roland, there was no way their power could surpass Graham’s.

Otherwise, this land could never have maintained its delicate balance of power between the three major factions—the Merchants, the nobility, and the Knight Academy—for so long.

’And now, the Wolf King...’

’Or rather, a being under his command possesses power rivaling Graham’s?’

This realization was like a hammer blow, completely shattering his original plan of relying on Graham’s protection for a safe withdrawal from the Land of Mist.

Even if the situation didn’t spiral into the worst-case scenario, the path to retreat would be nowhere near as easy or safe as he had first imagined.

’Then...’

Roland’s gaze refocused on the flitting Pikachu before him.

He always made a habit of keeping a card up his sleeve.

Since relying on Graham for a safe retreat was no longer a viable option, the Space Spell that Tress had mentioned—the one mastered by the Pikachu clan—had become his other trump card for escaping this perilous land.

’But... everything still depends on the situation.’

He mused to himself.

’What if it wasn’t Graham who created that scorched wasteland... Or what if... Graham crushed the invading enemy with overwhelming power...’

Just as he was weighing the pros and cons, excited shouts from the soldiers erupted outside his tent.

Hearing this, Roland immediately threw open the tent flap and found Avril standing before him.

The Elf Maiden pulled her gaze away from the direction of the shouting and said in a low voice.

"Roland, the scouting party is back. The army stationed in Cuiyan Forest, led by Dean Graham... everything is normal."

"That’s good..."

Roland felt a great weight lift from his chest, and he heaved a long sigh of relief.

Without any delay, the party immediately followed the returning veterans, heading deeper into the forest along a wooded path.

A moment later, as the trees began to thin, a sprawling military camp loomed before them.

In stark contrast to the crude camp of Avril’s party, this encampment was staggering in scale and meticulously planned, resembling a temporary forest fortress.

A towering wooden palisade formed a sturdy defensive perimeter, lined with numerous watchtowers.

Inside, dark gray tents were arranged in neat rows like a chessboard, separated by wide, straight paths.

Soldiers patrolled in orderly fashion while Messengers galloped past on horseback. Everywhere, there was an air of discipline and efficiency.

The party was stopped by a patrol before they even reached the camp gate.

After a brief exchange, one of the soldiers returned to the camp to report.

He soon returned with news that they were permitted to enter.

"Who is Roland?"

Roland, who was slowly entering the camp with the party, looked up at the sound of his name.

He looked at the patrolman who had spoken, frowning slightly, but raised his hand nonetheless.

"I am."

"You?"

The soldier studied Roland’s young face, a flicker of confusion in his eyes, before stating in a business-like tone.

"Dean Graham has ordered an audience with you and Avril Shadow Envoy."

"Understood."

Roland nodded slightly, exchanging a look with Avril at his side.

After giving a few brief instructions to Vanessa, Freddy, and Mason, he and Avril followed the soldier down a different path.

As they walked between the tents, Roland couldn’t help but frown.

From the outside, the camp had seemed well-fortified and orderly.

But deep inside, he keenly sensed that something was amiss.

Many of the soldiers they passed showed strange signs.

Some had their arms wrapped in thick bandages, their movements stiff.

Others had an unnatural pale blue sheen on their necks.

Still others were huddled in the corners of tents, wrapped tightly in cloaks, yet unable to suppress a subtle trembling.

Besides the usual smells of a military camp, the air held a faint, almost imperceptible, cold mineral scent.

They deliberately avoided crowded areas, their steps hurried and their gazes evasive.

Beneath the veneer of order, the shadow of the Crystal Devouring Disease had already begun to spread.

Witnessing this, Roland sighed softly.

Before long, the patrolman silently led him and Avril to the front of the heavily guarded main tent.

After they were announced, a voice came from within the tent—steady, yet with a hint of strain that was difficult to hide.

"Come in."

Once the word was given, Roland gave a slight nod to the Guards at the entrance before stepping forward to lift the tent flap.

The light inside the tent was dim, and the thick scent of incense immediately washed over him.

Yet even beneath this overpowering aroma, Roland’s keen senses instantly picked up on something else.

A faint, almost imperceptible metallic tang, like old iron, was seeping from deep within the fabrics, refusing to dissipate.