Sail Shadows in the Sea of ​​Fog

Chapter 181 A Chaotic Battle Is About to Begin
"Where is Vanhart?"

In the water forge, Yavso asked the question everyone wanted to ask, and clearly, no one had the answer.

"Look for it"

As Cheng Lang spoke, he took out a whip and casually used the tip of the whip to wrap around the anchor that was wrapped around his wrist like a bracelet.

After checking upstairs and downstairs, the group discovered that not only had Vanhart disappeared, but Poseidon's arm also seemed to have vanished.

Although the burrowing beetle has not disappeared, it does not seem to have changed much.

"I found a letter!"

Yavso pointed to the ground where one of the digging beetle's legs was pressing down and shouted, "And I know how he got away!"

"How did you leave?" Shenba asked first.

"There seems to be a hole in the ground beneath the digging beetle!" Yavso exclaimed, kneeling on the ground and peering under the beetle's belly.

Seeing Cheng Lang looking at her, Yun Lan crawled into the burrowing beetle without saying a word. At the same time, Yun Ji also pulled Ya Fusuo aside.

As Yun Lan controlled the digging beetle to take a step, Cheng Lang immediately swung the whip that had removed the anchor, and rolled up the letter.

After he put the whip away, Yun Lan had already moved the digging beetle aside, revealing a hole that wasn't very big, but even Shenba could squeeze into it.

After walking to the cave entrance and looking inside, Cheng Lang opened the letter in his hand.

However, the letter written on parchment contained only a few words.

"Pirates who have come ashore, please forgive my abrupt departure. We will meet again someday."

Dear Captain, please make sure to keep Abyss alive and don't let him escape.

I left a specially built cage for it in the burrow; as long as it's kept inside, I don't have to worry about it getting the energy it needs to grow.

"that's it?"

Yun Lan tiptoed to read the letter in Cheng Lang's hand, and said with considerable disappointment, "I thought I would have a chance to chat with the Pirate Queen."

"Maybe there will be another opportunity in the future."

As Cheng Lang spoke, he took the oil lamp handed to him by Yun Ji and was the first to crawl into the cave. He immediately noticed a small cage hanging from the top of the cave with a rope.

The cage was only the size of a fist, and it fit the Abyss Nightmare larvae inside almost perfectly.

After locking the small egg-shaped cage with the small lock that came with it, Cheng Lang handed it to Shenba after he was pulled up inside, saying, "Keep this for me."

After saying that, he took off the firefly necklace and put away the burrowing beetle.

"Vanhart has left."

As Cheng Lang put the necklace back on, he said, "We should leave here too. So now we have two questions: should we leave through the tunnel left by Vanhart, or should we find our own way out?"

“If he wanted to do something to us, he wouldn’t have needed to set a trap for us on our way out of here.”

Yun Lan spoke first, "So I think we can leave through the tunnel he left behind."

"What are your opinions?" Cheng Lang asked the others.

"It shouldn't be a big problem," Yun Ji agreed.

I also think it's fine.

Shenba made his judgment without even thinking, and he didn't think there was anything wrong with it.

"It should be fine, right?" Yavso said.

"In that case, let's set off and get out of here as soon as possible."

As Cheng Lang spoke, he was the first to carry the oil lamp and crawl back into the tunnel.

Following closely behind, Yun Lan and Ya Fu Suo crawled in, while Shen Ba and Yun Ji brought up the rear.

After moving horizontally underground for a distance, the tunnel began to spiral upwards.

Then, because there were no steps, it was a little difficult to walk, but fortunately, the walls on both sides were not far from our shoulders, and they were covered with carvings, so we could use them for support at any time.

However, along the way, whenever either Yafuso or Shenba tried to speak, Yunlan and Yunji would stop them in time.

We walked silently along the tunnel, which was sometimes winding, sometimes straight, and sometimes even had a downward slope.

Finally, when they reached the end of the tunnel, they found that it was blocked by foam that had expanded and solidified into stone.

However, whether intentionally or not, there are holes, each only the size of a fingertip, left on this foam stone wall. In a niche dug out next to it, there are a dozen petrified foam beads.

She cautiously peered through the hole and whispered, "I can't see anything. It looks like there's a forest outside."

"Step back a little"

As Cheng Lang spoke, he had already stuffed the petrified foam beads into his pocket. Then, he swung his whip and entangled the anchor hook that Vanhart had made for him, finally smashing it into the foam stone wall that blocked his way.

With a loud crash, the thin stone wall shattered into pieces of varying sizes.

They carefully stepped out of the cave and realized that the tunnel that had brought them out was now located inside the Dwarf Mountain.

That looks like Ganquan Village.

Yun Ji pointed to the faintly visible lights in the distance, "Should I go check on the situation over there?"

"Go take a look, but be careful."

As Cheng Lang spoke, he took out a petrified foam bead and threw it into the tunnel behind him.

As the bubbles surged, the tunnel was gradually blocked, and Yun Ji disappeared into the darkness.

At this moment, Cheng Lang and the others, who were busy taking out the moose cart, did not notice that a pair of eyes were quietly watching them from several hundred meters directly above their heads.

Are they really the ones prophesied to end this plague?

The male and female voices, completely overlapping, asked a question in a low voice, and then answered themselves, "Maybe. We should go and do our own thing."

"Are they really hiding there?"

"Besides that place, I can't think of anywhere else they could hide?"

"Can we get across?"

"As long as we can capture a ghost ship, we can definitely get through."

"And you? What's your stance?"

No one is allowed to resurrect Poseidon.

"Let's go"

After finishing this conversation to himself, Vanhart slipped into the dwarf mountain through the tunnel behind him.

If Cheng Lang could look up at this moment, he would not only see Vanhart who had left without saying goodbye, but he would also see that the other party had a blood-red boat bottle hanging from his waist.

"So we followed the two treasure maps and went through a long and winding road to get here, but we didn't find anything except the weapons that Vanhart helped us forge?"

Inside the hunting tent hidden by the carriage door, Cheng Lang examined the anchor bracelet wrapped around his wrist and said, "I didn't dare mention it when Vanhart was here. What's the difference between this and a bridle?"

I don't know the difference between them.

Yun Lan said, "But I guess you probably can't control the reins as freely as Wu Ying."

"makes sense"

Cheng Lang lowered his arm. "I wonder how they're doing in the Void Dock."

"Are you worried that Vanhart will take over the Void Dock and our ships?" Yun Lan asked. "With the Great Cat Night Demon around, we probably don't need to worry about that."

Cheng Lang shook his head, about to say something more, when Yun Ji returned. Not only did she return, but she also brought back a large bag of hot food.

"How is the situation?" Cheng Lang asked immediately.

"It has its pros and cons"

Yunji handed the food she brought back to Yafuso, saying, "Before we entered the pool, that unlucky guy who tried to lead a raid on Ganquan Village suffered huge losses because of Yafuso's mushroom spores."

Of course, Ganquan Village, and especially the Verdant Hunters stationed there, were also greatly affected.

After taking a sip of water from Cheng Lang, Yun Ji continued, "The only cave entrance from Ganquan Village to Dwarf Mountain has been destroyed, and it's guarded by the Azure Hunters. But there's even worse news than that."

"what news?"

Yun Lan asked, "Let me guess, has the Frost Duchy declared war on the Elf Duchy?"

“Quite the opposite”

"on the contrary?"

The Elf Kingdom has declared war on the Frost Kingdom.

Yun Ji said, "I overheard this from a hunter, but it seems the Frost Kingdom hasn't responded. Should I capture a prisoner and ask them?"

"Need not"

Cheng Lang shook his head. "Let's take a quick rest, fill our stomachs, and then head to the capital of the Elf Kingdom immediately."

"I wonder if Grandpa Gerta has even arrived by the time the Elf King arrives," Yafso said as she served the distributed food to everyone.

"Based on my deduction, Gerta should have already entered the Elven Duchy before the accident in Ganquan Village."

Yun Ji reassured him, "As long as he doesn't appear in the form of an orc, he should be fine."

Cheng Lang noticed Yafusuo's worry and simply said, "Alright, inform Shenba, we'll set off immediately."

"That's good, it's safer to be further away from Ganquan Village."

As Yun Ji spoke, she opened the hunting tent door, called out to Shen Ba who was sitting in the carriage outside, and handed him a rather sumptuous dinner as well.

As Shenba shook the reins, the moose cart started running in the dark.

This is already within the territory of the Elf Principality. Even without someone to guide him, Shenba wouldn't get lost—that tall, verdant sacred tree is still quite conspicuous even at night.

From night to late at night, and from late at night to dawn, the sky grew brighter and brighter as the drivers took turns traveling.

However, before the sun could even rise above the horizon, dark clouds covered the sky, followed by a torrential downpour.

For safety reasons, Cheng Lang, who was a novice driver, pulled on the reins to slow down. He then steered the moose cart away from the muddy road and into the roadside forest, eventually stopping under the canopy of a low but lush, unnamed tree.

After he parked the carriage, Yun Ji and the others also crawled out of the hunting tent and squeezed into the carriage to look at the rain and the constantly flashing thunder outside.

How long have we been ashore?

Yun Lan asked while yawning, revealing a hint of drunkenness and the smell of alcohol.

"It's been a long time."

Yun Ji added, "I'm already starting to miss the smell of the sea."

“And the Silver Queen and Princess Mist Shadow, and of course, Mr. Magic Mirror,” Yafso added.

“That’s right,” Shenba agreed, “as well as our Valkyrie and the songs of the Lyretail Merfolk.”

"At our current speed, we should be able to reach the capital in four days at most."

Yun Lan encouraged them, "Once you obtain the recognition of the Verdant Sacred Tree... wait, is someone riding a horse behind us?"

"The only direction behind us is Ganquan Village," Yun Ji said. "Let's grab him and ask him what happened?"

"I come!"

Yun Lan volunteered for the task, and when the person riding up on horseback was closest to them, she snapped her fingers like Cheng Lang.

With that not-so-crisp snap of the fingers, thorns instantly sprang up on the muddy road. These thorns intertwined and easily stopped the horse and its rider.

Before the knight could draw his weapon, Cheng Lang had already swung his whip and wrapped it around the man's ankle. Amidst the knight's agonizing cries, he dragged him close.

"Where are you going?" Cheng Lang, now sporting a hunter's face, asked.

“Escape. Run away,” the middle-aged male elf replied. “Escape from Ganquan Village, gentlemen and ladies, please let me go, and you should all run away quickly.”

"We're on our way to Ganquan Village," Cheng Lang casually made up. "What happened there?"

"About two days ago, an elf led a large number of orcs and sirens across the Dwarf Mountain in preparation for attacking Ganquan Village."

The elf hurriedly explained, "They were already blocked off, and the only cave leading into the Dwarf Mountain was destroyed."

But late last night, the cave was reopened by digging beetles, and they dug out dozens, even hundreds, of cave entrances at once!
In short, the orcs and sirens have now occupied Sweet Spring Village, and soldiers are pouring out of the Dwarf Mountains!

"Are they all orcs and sirens?" Yun Ji asked, frowning.

"If I could answer your question, I'd probably be a corpse left in Ganquan Village by now."

The elf replied in a panic, "This heavy rain is the sacred tree's warning. You should all run away quickly; now is not the time to go to Sweet Spring Village!"

Let him go.

As Cheng Lang spoke, he put away his whip and, incidentally, deliberately let the other party see the spider bow he wore on his finger as an ornament, as well as the verdant hunting tent that resembled an umbrella when folded up—these were the symbols of the Verdant Hunters.

You should also be careful.

After the elf finished speaking, he hurriedly climbed onto the horse and ran off as soon as Yun Lan put away the thorny barricade.

Once the other party disappeared into the rain, the previously calm crowd immediately jumped up.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry! Run! Shenba, you drive!" Cheng Lang hurriedly handed the van over to the "old driver".

"You all go to the hunting tent."

As Shenba spoke, he forcefully flicked the reins, urging the moose to run again on the exceptionally muddy tree-lined path.

Share your thoughts.

Inside the slightly swaying "vehicle-mounted hunting tent," Cheng Lang spoke.

"It's a conspiracy"

Yun Lan said with certainty, "From the siege of Funeral Valley to the sneak attack on Sweet Spring Village, to the elves declaring war on the orcs, and those people using the burrowing beetles to come out of Dwarf Mountain again, these were probably all planned."

“There must be someone in the higher elf ranks cooperating,” Yun Ji said with equal certainty.

“Those who advocate war, or those who incite a declaration of war.”

Cheng Lang said, "If the elves and orcs have already gone to war, who do you think will benefit from this war?"

“Rika?” Yavso asked, her face pale.

"Rika probably won't escape either."

Yun Lan sighed, "The beneficiary will not be Rika, or even Poseidon."

They are dwarfs.

Cheng Lang, Yun Ji, and Yun Lan all gave the obvious answer in unison.

(End of this chapter)