Otherworld Bone Dragon Operation Guide

Chapter 220 Galio's Stronghold
But seeing everyone busy, Gerndahl took the initiative to do the cooking.

Su Ming nodded to him, then took her breakfast and sat down at the long table.

Just then, Gerald also stepped into the food cart.

The light in the entire carriage seemed to flicker for a moment. The priestess was wearing a corduroy dress with a rabbit and lamb pattern, adorned with layers of decoration: delicate ribbons were twisted into silk flowers at the neckline, embellished with wooden buttons; a woven belt passed naturally through the drawstring loops on both sides of the robe, with pinecone-shaped pom-poms hanging at both ends; loose long sleeves elegantly covered her wrists; the multi-layered ruffled skirt swayed gently with her movements; her long pink hair was braided into two braids, wrapped with ivy hair ornaments, and hung down to her chest.

Forest priest girl!
Su Ming instinctively reached for his phone, but then, as if possessed, he stopped himself.

"Good morning, Priestess Gerus!" Su Ming nodded in greeting, then focused on the breakfast in front of him.

"That was close!" he thought to himself with relief.

"Good morning, Your Excellency Su Ming." In the dining car, Gerus returned Su Ming's greeting. Her voice was very soft, and she quietly took her food, sat down, and began to eat.

Su Ming felt that this young priestess was quite different from how she had acted the last time they met; she exuded a silent aura. Moreover, her attire had been proper and elegant last time, but this time it was noticeably different.

Yes, what happened?
****
Outside the apocalyptic motorcycle, a girl installing a magic circle had a faint blue glow in her eyes, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly.

"You installed it wrong, this position should be earth element." Newman watched with heartache as a magic crystal was ruined by her.

"...I have plenty of materials, so don't worry about it!"

Zijin reached out and plucked the water crystal, then tossed it away.

She looked up and suddenly realized that a light snowfall had arrived silently. Fine snowflakes drifted down, like crumpled clouds gently scattering across the earth. At first, only a few scattered snowflakes drifted past the car window, barely perceptible.

As the snow gradually intensified, countless silvery-white sprites danced lightly in the air and rushed towards her, creating barely perceptible ripples on the shield surrounding Violet.

Newman, however, did not receive such treatment; snowflakes slipped through his bones, and his joints made a slight "crackling" sound in the low temperature.

The halfling skeleton stopped moving and flexed his fingers. He looked up ahead, his soul fire flickering slightly, as if appreciating the unexpected light snowfall.

“Being a spirit isn’t so bad after all,” Newman remarked, a rare moment of reflection. “You can still have this kind of journey after death.”

"This form of my existence," Violet murmured softly, her exhaled breath quickly dissipating in the cold wind, "is it death, or life?"

Newman was silent for a moment, then said, "...Your question has stumped me."

The superposition of magic and laws, and the life forms built upon them, are repeatedly altered by top-tier extraordinary individuals. What was once a clear distinction between survival and death becomes unrecognizable.

Beneath the locomotive, the soft surface snow was crushed by the tracks and then compacted by the vibrating plate. The hard locomotive thus cut through the snowfield.

The snow-covered ground was lowered, forming gullies, and snowflakes fell into them like moths to a flame.

“When boundaries are blurred, cognition becomes difficult to maintain.” Newman looked at the damaged snowfield. “I’m beginning to understand why you failed back then.”

****
The Youth Civilization Train was very fast, and arrived at the outskirts of Compton Forest that very night.

The snow fell heavier during the night, and when the motorcycle stopped, the rustling sound filled the vast snowfield, making it even more tranquil.

The next morning, the snow had stopped. The group wrapped themselves tightly in their warm clothing and stepped out of the train carriage.

Before us, a thick blanket of snow enveloped the entire coniferous forest. The sturdy pine trunks were bent slightly by the weight of the snow, their dark brown bark outlining a strong silhouette against the pure white background.

This sealed forest, in its purest form, quietly awaits the arrival of spring.

But there was no "afterward".

Violet raised her hand, and wind blades whistled past, felling sturdy trees in clumps with a deafening roar. Gerndar stepped forward and easily pushed the large trees aside, carving a path through the ground, the springy branches kicking up a cloud of snow.

The exclusive combat class of the Temple of Light: Paladin.

Newman ventured deeper into the forest and quickly found a suitable spot. After making a rough plan, he had Violet cast a terrain spell.

With a low rumble, the soil slowly rose under the influence of magic, revealing the outlines of several earthen kilns.

Newman began working on the details of repairing the kiln, while several spellcasters began a large-scale logging operation, magical light flashing through the forest. Thick trees crashed to the ground under the magic's influence, then were cut into logs, sending wood chips and snowflakes flying everywhere.

The two hundred skeletons left over from last time were dispatched, like a diligent swarm of ants, to continuously transport timber to the earthen kiln.

****
Gerus set off early in the morning for the nearest village. Around noon, she returned to the camp with two experienced charcoal burners.

Upon seeing this strange procession, with its large number of undead and massive mechanical devices, the two simple villagers were immediately terrified, their faces turning pale and their legs going weak.

Fortunately, the Temple of Light had a good reputation in the North. Gerus skillfully used her soothing magic, and her gentle words, combined with the holy light, finally calmed down the two terrified masters.

Su Ming suspected that she frequently dealt with similar scenarios.

Gerndahl walked over and took out two gold coins.

"Gentlemen, if you're willing to help us finish this batch of charcoal, this is your reward!" the middle-aged priest said with a smile. "If you agree, I can pay you in advance right now!"

The two craftsmen exchanged bewildered glances. This gold coin would be enough for them to live comfortably for quite some time in the North. Finally, gritting their teeth, they accepted the coin and cautiously approached the skeleton master who was building the earthen kiln, joining the work team.

Gerus breathed a sigh of relief and then joined the logging team. Today, she had changed out of her exquisite Morandi-colored sweet dress and put back on the healing magic robe she had worn when she first arrived—it seemed to be the simplest outfit she had ever worn.

The Frosty-Maned Giant Wolves in the carriage were also sent out to work. These proud riding beasts, ever since boarding the Youth Civilization Train, had been doing nothing but hard labor hauling goods, and were now snorting in dissatisfaction and pawing at the ground with their paws in protest.

The violet released a wisp of pressure, and these unruly beasts immediately became diligent again.

By the afternoon, the once lush forest was unrecognizable. Nearly a hundred acres of woodland had collapsed, large trees had been selectively felled, and large holes had appeared in the once continuous canopy, making the entire forest much sparser and shorter.

"Three hundred tons of charcoal? Do we need to cut down so many trees?" Su Ming asked, somewhat shocked, looking at the forest that had been cleared and riddled with holes.

“It’s not even halfway done yet,” Newman said. He had already built four large earthen kilns and was constructing the fifth. Two of them were already filled with wood and lit. The charcoal burners were carefully adjusting the vents to ensure the wood inside burned completely. Because fresh wood was being used, and the pine resin content was high, thick smoke billowed into the sky, turning half the sky grayish-black.

The group continued cutting down trees and moving materials to fill the remaining earthen kilns.

“This area is relatively remote, but the forest cover is quite good,” Gerndar said, brushing the sawdust off his sleeve. “In the more populated areas of the North, the forests are not this lush.”

Su Ming couldn't help but sigh, if there were more things like the Youth Civilization Project, or if they came more often, the results would be no less than those of Princess Daphne's "Suspended River" project.

No wonder coal is called the food of industry—without the support of these "foods," other resources simply cannot fill the bottomless gluttonous stomach of industrialization.

****
As dusk fell, all four earthen kilns were filled with wood and lit. After several hours of thorough burning, the charcoal burners carefully sealed the ventilation openings, allowing the wood to continue smoldering in the oxygen-deprived conditions.

The remaining two earthen kilns will resume operation tomorrow.

The two workers dared not get on the vehicle, so they set up a makeshift shelter in a warm spot near the kiln to monitor the burning.

The others dragged their tired bodies back to their carriages, took a good hot shower, and then gradually gathered in the dining car to enjoy their dinner.

Hanster set a large pot on the table, simmering various kinds of meat. Their logging operation had uncovered a large number of animals in the forest. Many nests had been destroyed, leaving them no choice but to eat them.

Everyone was helping out, adding sliced ​​ham, tofu, and potato into the pot one by one, with various frozen vegetables laid out on the side. On a winter night like this, nothing is more anticipated than a steaming hot pot.

Apart from Kira, who was tapping her bowl and plate with her fork while waiting anxiously for the food to cook, she had this privilege, as she had an important task to complete later.

Zijin sat in the corner, using a hot air dryer to dry her long hair; the delicate scent of conditioner filled the carriage. After a busy day, Jielusi finally changed into a candy-print lace-trimmed loungewear after showering. Although still sweetly decorated, the overall style was much simpler.

Hanster brought out a steamer of freshly steamed rice. Everyone served themselves a bowl. Eunice thoughtfully packed two hearty dinners and some hot soup, which she then took to the two cooks in the shack.

The remaining rice, along with the tray, was snatched away by Qiluo.

"Miss Qiluo, what time does the ceremony begin tonight?" Gerus asked softly.

"We'll wait until the moon reaches its highest point, around ten o'clock," the unicorn replied without even looking out the window, after all, she was a follower of the moon goddess.

Would you mind if I used "Radiant Rain" to assist you?

“Hmm, the people of the moon don’t reject anything that saves effort.” Kira scooped up the rice from the steamer with hot soup, then went to get another steamer.

Unicorns' ability to withstand heat is truly unmatched at the dinner table.

Su Ming wasn't very hungry and didn't eat much. He didn't participate in the daytime logging, as there was still much work to be done on the mechanical side. The completion of the new locomotive was just the beginning of a new phase of the plan.

Especially with the accelerated pace of the journey and the adjustment of the intensity of the Divine Might Prison conquest, many subsequent arrangements must be deployed immediately.

After putting down his chopsticks, Su Ming returned to the work compartment and woke up his dormant computer. Not long after, Zi Jin came looking for him.

Su Ming noticed that she had already changed into her outdoor clothes, and even had her coat draped over her arm.

"Shall we go now?" Su Ming glanced at his watch. "Aren't you going to rest for a while?"

Violet's magical power far surpasses that of the others, so she is naturally the main force in dealing with trees during the day.

“Isn’t the meeting on Earth what you’ve been waiting for?” Violet said. “We need to speed things up.”

****
Su Ming launched the snowmobile and set off with Zi Jin.

The thick clouds that had piled up like mountains during the day had now vanished without a trace. The bright moon hung in the sky, casting its cool, silvery light, draping the snow-covered plain in a hazy veil.

On the silent snowfield, the faint rumble of the engine was exceptionally clear. The tracks crunched and groaned as they rolled over the snow, quickly leaving the massive machine far behind.

About half an hour later, the snowmobile slowly came to a stop in a hilly area. All around was a vast expanse of white, with not a single withered tree in sight. Only the undulating snow-covered hills outlined the contours of the land, casting shadows of varying depths under the moonlight.

After searching around for a while, Zijin could only shake her head helplessly at Su Ming.

Su Ming also discovered that Zi Jin was actually a bit directionally challenged, but he had never given her a chance to reveal it.

Moreover, facing a snow-covered plain with no landmarks, asking her to find Galio's secret hideout was indeed asking too much.

Conventional reconnaissance methods are ineffective here. If this outpost hadn't been well concealed, it would probably have been thoroughly searched long ago.

But Su Ming vaguely sensed something, like a firefly flickering in the darkness, appearing and disappearing. He closed his eyes, letting his senses follow the faint fluctuation, gradually locking onto the northwest direction.

Restarting the snowmobile, Su Ming followed the sensation. As the distance closed, the fluctuation became clearer, eventually pointing to an inconspicuous little snow hill.

Su Ming jumped out of the car, gathered magic power in his hands, and a ripple of magic spread out. The snow and the surface frozen soil were lifted by an invisible force, revealing a hidden door with a metallic luster underneath.

“I had forgotten that you are Galio’s successor,” Violet realized.

"I remember it very clearly. This old man forcibly activated my spiritual power in order to drag me down with him," Su Ming replied.

Opening the hidden door reveals a vertically downward passage.

Su Ming took a piece of hemp rope from his pocket, lit it with a lighter, and threw it in. The flame traced an orange-red path in the dark passage before settling steadily on the ground and continuing to burn.

"You could say that you turned misfortune into a blessing in disguise."

After confirming that the air was circulating, the two descended the stairs one after the other. The six months of closure had left a faint musty smell, but breathing was still relatively easy. At the end of the passage was a metal door engraved with runes; Su Ming simply raised his hand to demonstrate his magical mark, and the complex magical lock automatically disengaged.

This saved Violet the steps she originally thought she needed to take, such as cracking the code or violently smashing it open.

(End of this chapter)