Hello, is this a letter addressed to Demon Fortress?

"Give me a reason! Give me a good reason!"

Shea grabbed Lin Gui's arm, her emerald green eyes fixed on him.

"Unless you can convince me."

She spoke slowly and deliberately.

"Otherwise, I will never let you take such a risk!"

She raised an eyebrow, her gaze sharp as a knife.

"Are you planning to sneak away alone again?"

"Will you come back to pick us up after we succeed?"

Lin Gui: "..."

He truly deserves to be my companion who has been with me for so long.

He saw right through her.

He did think that way.

Lin Gui's eyes darted around, and he immediately adopted a relaxed tone:

"Oh, I was just kidding."

"I was actually planning to go find Guxin."

He tried to pull his hand away.

"Come on, Shia, let go of my hand first, let's hurry and chase after Gro—"

Instead of loosening her grip, Shia tightened her hold even more.

A surge of energy flowed between his five fingers, even emanating a trace of black demonic energy.

Lin Gui's lips twitched slightly.

Shia stared at him, her voice eerily calm:

"Don't even think about sneaking away in the Night Gauze Robe."

"Lin Gui... I'll tell you."

She suddenly leaned closer, their noses almost touching.

He pinned Lin Gui against the crumbling wall behind him.

They were so close they could feel each other's breath.

Shea looked directly into his eyes, her gaze filled with an unprecedented seriousness.

"I won't allow you to joke around with your own life."

Her voice was soft, yet every word struck Lin Gui's ears.

"If you really want to go—"

"You must take me with you."

She paused, her emerald eyes reflecting Lin Gui's stunned face.

"I'm going to die..."

"Let's die together."

In the end, Lin Gui agreed to Xia's request.

With no other option, she grabbed him and pulled a thick, long iron rod from the rubble to retrieve a house frame.

Then her pretty face froze, and she grasped both ends with her hands.

He began to exert his strength in front of Lin Gui.

It was accompanied by a teeth-grinding "crunch".

She twisted that sturdy iron rod into a crude pair of handcuffs.

Why do you have to twist it in front of people?

Witness firsthand the terrifying power unleashed from those slender arms.

Lin Gui's eyelids twitched wildly, indicating that he didn't know either.

The handcuffs locked the two men's wrists together, restricting their range of motion.

Now, he can no longer expect to slip away quietly.

Helpless, Lin Gui had no choice but to take Xia with him.

To attempt this first crossing, which is the riskiest of all.

As for Eve—

She boarded the flying boat long before Shia went to find the iron rod.

By firmly binding himself to his seat, he demonstrated his stance through his actions.

Once aboard the flying boat, Shia immediately clung tightly to Lin Gui's back.

Her face peeked out from his shoulder, her breath brushing gently against his ear.

She said to Lin Gui, whose body was somewhat stiff:

"Don't misunderstand, the chain is just too short."

"I'm afraid it will interfere with your control of the airship."

Feel the softness and elasticity coming from behind.

Lin Gui hesitated for a moment, but ultimately did not refuse.

He took a deep breath, trying his best to suppress the inexplicable restlessness in his heart.

Just then, he suddenly heard Shia's moist, warm whisper in his ear:

No, you've misunderstood.

"I don't mind your misunderstanding."

Lin Gui was taken aback.

He subconsciously turned his head and glanced at it.

He happened to see Shia's face right in front of him.

His long, silvery-white hair was ruffled by the air currents, strands brushing against his neck.

Those emerald green eyes, which always held a smile, were now crystal clear.

His reflection was in the mirror, focused and without a trace of impurity.

The last rays of the setting sun pierced through the mist, casting shimmering golden light on her eyelashes.

She pursed her lips slightly, but the corners of her lips curved into an extremely gentle arc.

That smile lacked its usual cunning or mischievousness.

Only pure, unreserved affection.

The airship swept across the skies above Blackwater City, finally hovering atop the towering city walls.

From here, the entire dead city can be seen in its entirety.

In the distance, the sounds of clashing weapons and roars could be faintly heard.

It sounded particularly jarring amidst the silent ruins.

Shia peeked over and asked softly, "What was that sound?"

Lin Gui glanced in that direction and replied calmly:

"Those hunters are stealing the 'dying man' that Ryan brought."

"The scope of protection a guide can provide is limited."

"Not enough to get all the hunters stuck in Blackwater to leave."

He stopped looking and steered the flying boat to change direction.

They drove straight toward the swirling gray fog outside the city walls.

Eve suddenly spoke up from the back seat, reminding him:

"This direction... is not towards the Howling Corridor."

Her tone was very certain.

Upon hearing this, Xia's eyes lit up:

"Lin Gui! You've finally figured it out?"

"Are we going to find Roger and Gusin?"

Lin Gui shook his head.

"No."

He stared at the wall of fog that was getting closer and closer ahead.

"But before we cross the corridor of wailing—"

"I need to verify one thing first."

"Verify what?" Shia pressed.

Lin Gui did not answer.

He simply whispered:

You'll find out soon enough.

The airship continued its journey without slowing down, plunging headlong into the vast expanse of gray and white.

This time, they had no "dying man" to protect them.

They drove straight into the thick fog.

Lin Gui did not activate [Eye of the Netherworld].

The airship had only been moving forward for a few minutes.

Then, a strange sigh, seemingly coming from all directions, echoed around them.

The voice was hoarse and drawn-out, sometimes distant, sometimes close at hand.

It's like countless invisible hands are scratching at people's reason.

Shea tensed instantly, gripped the dagger in reverse, and scanned her surroundings warily with her emerald eyes.

Eve frowned slightly, her right hand unconsciously touching her chest, and she began to chant a strange magic spell in a low voice.

Fly into the nearest forest.

Lin Gui silently reduced the speed of the flying boat.

Ultimately, the airship came to a complete stop in mid-air.

It just stayed there, shrouded in mist.

His left hand gripped the control lever tightly, while his right hand held the start button for the wind pressure cannon, his knuckles turning slightly white.

If something unexpected happens during the verification later.

He will immediately evacuate at full speed.

Although the two girls were puzzled, neither of them asked a question.

It just means my nerves are on edge even more.

To stop within the Wailing Wall is tantamount to exposing oneself to unseen danger.

The sigh grew closer and clearer.

It started to be interspersed with a teeth-grinding "crunching" sound.

It looked like something sharp was rubbing against rocks or bones.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Shia's forehead, and the dagger was held horizontally in front of her.

Eve's chanting became rapid, and her fingertips gleamed.

The sound seemed to have adhered to the hull of the airship.

A sharp, piercing cutting sound suddenly rang out!

"Sizzle—!"

Three deep scratches suddenly appeared on the protective panels on the side of the airship!

A phantom, hideous ghost face suddenly appeared out of thin air!

Shia's pupils contracted, and almost instinctively she swung her dagger to stab him.

In that very instant.

Lin Gui's eyes, which had been tightly closed, suddenly opened.

In those grey eyes, the glimmer of the soul flowed silently.

He did not look in any direction of the attack.

Just calmly, even with a hint of scrutiny.

Looking ahead, there was nothing but thick fog.

The next second—

"Aaaaaah!!!"

A piercing, shrill scream, so intense it was almost distorted, suddenly erupted without warning!

That was not a sigh, but a scream mixed with extreme terror!

Then, from all directions came a cacophony of creaking, grinding, and whispering sounds...

It was as if it had been snapped off in an instant by an invisible hand.

Stopped abruptly.

The thick fog continued to churn.

But those chilling "movements" were truly terrifying.

But the moment Lin Gui opened his eyes, he vanished without a trace.

The entire forest fell into a deathly silence.

Only the hum of the floating airship still echoed gently.

Shia remained frozen in mid-air, still in the position of wielding a dagger.

Eve's chanting stopped, and she stared wide-eyed at her surroundings.

Lin Gui slowly withdrew his gaze.

Beneath the gray pupils, those hideous demonic spirits seemed to have seen something terrifying, and ran away into the distance.

Lin Gui chuckled softly.

Grip the control stick again and turn the airship around.

They sped off toward the direction of the Howling Corridor.