Hello, is this a letter addressed to Demon Fortress?

"345...346...347..."

Grom squatted on the ground, counting the black crystals one by one.

His rough fingers picked up each crystal, bringing it close to his eyes for a careful examination.

His gaze was focused, and even his breathing became soft.

Bahrain stared blankly at the small mountain of harvest, speechless for a long time.

This quantity is naturally incomparable to the several tons of transport he personally led when he was in charge.

But that's enough to upgrade four magic crystal cannons.

The key is...

From departure to return, it took less than two hours.

That kid "snatched" so many things out of the Blackwater Forest.

Despite the absurd speed of the flying boat...

But this is going way too fast.

Didn't they notice anything amiss with those lord-level demons in the Blackwater Forest?

Bahrain raised his head and looked at the busy Lin Gui.

"You...didn't encounter any epic demons on the way?"

At this moment, Lin Gui was with Shia and Eve.

Use thick iron chains to secure the last few supply crates to the back of the airship.

The airship can only accommodate three people at most, and any extra items have to be towed along like this.

With this ship, the speed of the journey ahead will increase dramatically.

Lin Gui decided to travel light.

The hundreds of wooden crates of letters that took up so much space were all left at the Fortnite post office.

He felt at ease knowing that the dwarves were looking after him.

He only brought three boxes, containing the supplies and tools necessary to cross the wilderness.

After locking the box securely

Upon hearing Balin's question, Lin Gui paused in his movements.

"I ran into him."

"But I dodged them all."

It's not actually about "dodging" it.

It was like driving a wind pressure cannon, whistling past dozens of meters above the head of an epic demon.

The guy was dozing in the ravine, snoring loudly.

He only raised his eyelids slightly in a daze, scratched his neck, and then fell into a deep sleep again.

By the time it belatedly realized something had passed by—

The ghost was already several kilometers away, and even its trail had disappeared.

In addition, his own faint aura of high rank makes it difficult to arouse a real desire to attack.

The lower-level demons, on the other hand, could not detect any fluctuations beneath the veil of darkness.

In this way, he flew to the mining area in just a few tens of minutes.

If it weren't for the time spent finding the mine entrance that the dwarves had deliberately hidden and disguised,

In addition, he needed to meditate in place to recover the magic power that had been completely depleted during the previous test...

Lin Gui estimated that the round trip could be completed in half an hour.

Balin stared intently into Lin Gui's eyes.

He could tell that there was something unspoken beneath the other person's calm tone.

Lin Gui returned the gaze with a calm and unwavering look, neither flinching nor avoiding it.

"Now, we've also obtained the Black Crystal."

"Lord Balin, can we leave now?"

Bahrain immediately deflated like a punctured sack, his shoulders slumping.

He finally nodded helplessly, his beard looking listless.

"Alright..."

"It seems I'll really have to let Copper Hammer down this time."

only……

His eyes were somewhat unfocused, and his thick fingers were unconsciously rubbing together.

It seemed there was something stuck in his throat, something he couldn't bring himself to say.

Lin Gui understood perfectly.

He took a small cloth bag from his waist pouch.

He gently placed all the remaining barrier stones—a total of sixteen—in Balin's palm.

Bahrain accepted it; the stone was heavy, still warm from his body.

He coughed twice, a blush of embarrassment flashing across his face.

"Let's go! Let's go to my treasure trove right now!"

"Anything inside that you like—"

"I'll take it all with me! I won't feel bad about it!"

"No."

Lin Gui shook his head, his tone gentle yet firm.

"We're all ready here, it's time to go."

He turned to the side and pointed to the flying boat behind him, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"As for the reward..."

"If this vehicle breaks down in the future, or needs upgrades or modifications,"

"I hope that the Lord of the Fortress can lend a hand then."

Bahrain gave Lin Gui a deep look, his gaze complex.

Then, he straightened his back and his expression became solemn.

His right fist slammed heavily onto his left breastplate, producing a dull thud.

He performed the highest form of courtesy a dwarf would show to his dearest friend and benefactor.

"Lin the Devil Kid".

"I, Balin Heavy Hammer, will remember this favor."

"From now on, whenever you need help—"

"Come find me in Shield City anytime."

"The gates of this city will always be open to you."

A solemn promise from an epic warrior.

Lin Gui felt that this was more precious than any divine artifact or treasure.

He smiled, said nothing more, and nimbly leaped onto the flying boat.

Behind her, Eve curiously examined the sleek metal structure.

He stretched out his hand, and a soft white light emanated from his palm.

The gentle, pure magic, like a trickle, began to slowly flow into Lin Gui's body.

Finally, Shia boarded the airship and stood by the ship's railing, letting out a soft sigh.

She turned back and took one last, reluctant look at the magnificent mountain city.

Layer upon layer of rock walls, lights like stars, and the faint sound of a furnace can be heard.

Here, for the first time, she was fully accepted, no longer needing to hide her pointed ears and bloodline.

There's no need to be anxious when you can walk with your back straight for the first time.

Unlike in Carter's capital, there's no need to hide in post offices or mines.

After waving goodbye to Bahrain and Grom one last time,

The airship slowly rose into the air and smoothly changed direction.

The muzzle of the wind pressure cannon at the stern glowed with a faint light, as if gathering power, and the runes lit up one by one.

"Buzz—Boom!"

The pale blue torrents surged forth with a roar, leaving long trails of light in the air!

Like an arrow released from a bow, the airship accelerated suddenly, tearing through the airflow in front of it.

It turned into a blurry gray shadow.

Towards that hazy, mysterious legendary land beneath the northern horizon.

The Wall of Sighs, soaring through the air.

Search complete.

[Weekly committee members have been updated!]

[Destination: Avalon, the Land of the Free]

Number of letters collected: 0

Total escorted letters: 0

[Time Limit: 31 calendar days]

[Route: Shield City → Blackwater Corridor → Bounty City → Wailing Wall → Avalon]

[Since there were 0 escort missions this time, there will be no weekly reward upon arrival.]

"May every longing transcend the darkness and reach the other shore."

[Note: The long-term mission to escort the half-elf ranger Shia has 57 days remaining.]

But hundreds of kilometers away.

Deep within the royal palace in Carter's capital.

The once magnificent palace is now filled with the bitter smell of medicine and the stench of decay.

King Carter lay on a large plush bed, his face gaunt and his eyes sunken.

The luxurious silk quilt covered his thin, bony body, making him appear empty and heavy.

An old eunuch knelt by the bedside, his voice trembling as he reported:

"Your Majesty... Last night, Duke Joseph's carriage was attacked."

"The Duke himself is seriously injured, and his eldest son...is dead."

"This morning, a tax official under Her Highness the Princess was found drowned in his own bathtub."

"On Prince Charles's side, three knights have 'accidentally' fallen from their horses..."

The old eunuch's voice grew softer and softer, almost trembling with sobs.

"Now, everyone in the upper echelons of the capital is living in fear."

"Even parliament is paralyzed, and no one dares to speak out publicly..."

The king turned his head with difficulty, his cloudy eyes gazing at the magnificent dome.

He knew that the struggle between Charles and Diana had moved from the shadows to the surface.

Assassinations, framing, purges... methods that were once concealed are now being used openly and frequently.

The upper echelons of the entire Carter capital are sliding into an abyss of chaos because of this succession struggle.

And he, the nominal king,

They were already powerless to control the situation.

In order to obtain the prophecy of the saint, he almost emptied the royal family's savings accumulated over hundreds of years;

In order to gain the support of the great nobles, he relinquished real power one by one.

Now, he is merely a king in name only.

Even if he were to forcibly issue an edict to establish an heir now...

That imperial decree probably won't even get out of the bedroom.

Even if they go out, their actions will be "embellished" and "explained" by their subordinates, ultimately becoming unrecognizable.

The king made a hoarse sound from his throat, like a broken bellows.

The old eunuch rushed forward, but heard him squeeze out a few words with all his might:

"...They're all a bunch of beasts..."

"My own father... is about to fall..."

"But they only care about fighting for power and profit."

"They used to wish for my death, but now, they don't even need me to die; they'll force me to abdicate soon."

The old eunuch lowered his head, remained silent for a moment, and finally said:

"Your Majesty, the Seventh Princess... is right outside the door."

"She requested an audience."

The Seventh Princess, the daughter she conceived through a one-night stand.

King Carter was puzzled.

Given her weak position, shouldn't she have left Carter's capital long ago and avoided the impending purge?

Why would she come to see me at this time?