Hello, is this a letter addressed to Demon Fortress?

Shea extended her little finger, her fingertip slightly tense.

The fingertips, worn from years of drawing a bow, have calluses, but the joints remain delicate and fair.

"You must come back to see me at least once every four months!"

Lin Gui sighed helplessly.

His efforts to improve his strength cannot stop; he is destined to travel to even more distant regions in the future.

The scope of mail delivery will only expand, making the return date increasingly uncertain.

But looking into Shia's expectant emerald eyes,

He ultimately couldn't bring himself to say no.

"……good."

He silently apologized to Xia in his heart.

Then he smiled and hooked his finger around the slightly cool little finger.

"Pinky promise."

Shea instantly broke into a smile, her eyes curving into crescent moons, as if the biggest weight had been lifted from her heart.

She cheered and rushed forward to hug Lin Gui tightly.

"It's a deal!"

Before Lin Gui could react, she nimbly leaped onto the stack of wooden crates next to her.

Standing on high ground, she waved confidently forward.

"Let's go! Destination: Solidified City!"

Eve smiled slightly and walked behind Lin Gui.

Warm palms were placed on his back, and pure magic slowly flowed in.

Lin Gui gave a wry smile and shook his head.

He gripped his staff and activated the levitation spell.

The raft carrying the three people rose steadily again and headed north.

Shea stood back on the highest point at the front of the raft.

She was overjoyed to have resolved her inner conflict, her silver hair flying in the wind.

With one hand on her hip and the other pointing forward, she looked like a majestic captain.

She had hoped to use her exceptional eyesight to once again demonstrate the value of navigation.

But after squinting and searching carefully for a long time,

Below, in the sparse woodland, not even a decent demon could be seen.

Only occasionally would a few enormous rats emerge from the bushes.

They are no bigger than a hare, with gray-black fur and long, thin tails.

These little creatures squeaked and darted quickly across the pile of dead leaves, then disappeared into their burrows in the blink of an eye.

It seems that the road from Shield City to Blackwater Harbor has been regularly cleaned.

Lin Gui no longer restricts magic output.

The raft suddenly accelerated and shot forward like an arrow.

The wind whistled in my ears, and the scenery below rushed past me.

The dark green canopy of trees stretches out like a flowing green carpet.

The rolling hills swept past us, and occasionally we could catch a glimpse of the shimmering streams in the mountains.

They flew low over the narrow canyon, startling a flock of birds.

The raft glided across the calm lake, leaving a fleeting ripple in its wake.

The feeling of speed made Shia excitedly open her arms and cheer.

Even Eve couldn't help but grip the edge of the raft tightly, her eyes shining.

Until the setting sun dyed the sky a deep orange-red.

The distant view finally made Lin Gui slow down.

A massive city-state suddenly appeared at the edge of the horizon.

It is not built on a plain, but rather embedded entirely in a steep coastal mountain range.

The dark rocks blend almost seamlessly with the walls of the fortress, appearing as if they were part of a natural formation.

The towering towers, like an extension of a mountain ridge, overlook Blackwater Harbor below.

That is the city of fortresses—

Shield City.

Its back entrance, facing inland, is carved into a nearly vertical mountainside.

A heavy metal gate was tightly shut, its walls covered with rough runes.

The magnificent sight of the Fortress of Shields deeply impressed the three people on the raft.

The entire city-state was embedded in the steep mountains facing the sea.

The imposing fortress blends seamlessly with the mountain rocks, as if it has existed since time immemorial.

"My goodness..." Shia couldn't help but exclaim in amazement, "These short people are really amazing at building houses!"

Eve stood beside her, her short, pale blonde hair shimmering in the setting sun.

Her eyes sparkled with admiration as she whispered, "Truly... an incredible miracle."

To defend against the threat from the Silent Sea, the dwarves nearly hollowed out this majestic mountain range.

Homes and fortifications are perfectly integrated into the mountainside.

Lin Gui silently gazed at the enormous city-state built in the heart of the mountain.

A barely perceptible tremor was also reflected in the cold, black pupils.

"sharp."

He gave a brief shout of praise, then maneuvered the raft toward the giant iron gate in the distance, which was clearly visible even from this vantage point.

As the distance closed, the details of Shield City became increasingly clear.

The dark metal city walls meander along the mountainside, covered with huge rivets.

The towering tower seems to grow out of the mountain rocks, overlooking the surrounding area.

The city wall is riddled with firing ports, through which the gleaming crossbows can be faintly seen.

Some areas even use natural cliffs as walls, with sharp and mottled marks from the chisels.

The entire city-state exuded an aura of indestructibility and unapproachability.

The raft, carrying three people, silently sailed toward the giant gate carved into the mountainside amidst the increasingly biting sea wind.

The raft had not yet approached the giant gate on the mountainside.

A shell whistled through the air and slammed heavily onto the ground in front of them.

"boom!"

The soil and gravel exploded violently, leaving a charred, shallow crater.

Lin Gui's eyes narrowed, and he immediately stabilized the raft, hovering it in the air.

A small window slammed open on the heavy iron gate in front of them.

A dwarf with a bushy beard and an unfriendly expression poked out half of his rugged face.

He roared:

"Get out of here! Shield City doesn't welcome humans!"

Before he finished speaking, the firing ports on the iron gate, arranged at varying heights, opened one after another.

Behind each small window, more angry or wary faces of the dwarves were revealed.

They stared intently at the three uninvited guests on the raft.

"What are humans doing here?!"

"This is not a place for you!"

Amidst the clamor of shouts, the iron window at the highest point was suddenly pushed open.

A dwarf with a serious face and a braided beard appeared.

He first shouted sternly at those below:

"Shut up, all of you! What kind of behavior is this?!"

Immediately, his sharp, hawk-like gaze fell upon Lin Gui, filled with scrutiny.

"Human! You are not from Blackwater Harbor!"

"State your identity and purpose!"

Lin Gui stopped the raft, looked up, and shouted back:

"I'm here to deliver a message!"

"Don't worry, I won't enter Ironshield."

He took the bag off his back and held it high.

"These are letters from the capital of Carter, the city of Calan, and the city of New Testament!"

"Please pass this on to the recipient—"

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a commotion and shouts that erupted from behind the iron gate.

"Deliver a message? You're kidding me!"

"Carter's capital is one thing... but where are Karan and the New Testament?"

"The dwarven city-states don't even have those two names!! You're lying, kid!"

"How could a letter possibly arrive from such a tiny, unheard-of place!"

"This kid is definitely up to something!"

"I wonder which side sent these spies this time!"

Questions and angry rebukes rained down like hailstones.

The stern dwarf chieftain did not stop them, but simply stared coldly at the Forest Ghost.

His eyes clearly said: Your excuse is utterly clumsy.

Faced with a barrage of questions, Lin Gui remained silent.

He took a letter directly from his bag and held it high.

Taking a deep breath, and facing the giant gate on the mountain wall, he loudly proclaimed the first name:

"Carter's Capital!! Copper Hammer, Stone Heart!!"

The loud voice echoed between the mountain walls.

In an instant, all the noise, cursing, and questioning came to an abrupt halt.

It was as if an invisible hand had suddenly gripped the throats of all the dwarves.

The faces behind the iron bars, filled with indignation or contempt, froze instantly.

Their eyes widened.

His expression shifted from anger to astonishment, and then to a deathly silence of blankness.

The sound of the wind cutting through the canyon became exceptionally clear.

After a brief, suffocating silence.

Behind the window at the highest point, the stern-faced dwarf chieftain suddenly leaned forward.

He pressed his hands firmly against the windowsill, his knuckles turning white from the force.

Those sharp eyes were fixed on the letter in Lin Gui's hand, as if they wanted to burn it through.

He took a heavy breath, his voice trembling with disbelief, and growled:

"...Who are you talking about?!"

"Say that name again!!"