Hello, is this a letter addressed to Demon Fortress?

Black Reef City, in the southern part of the Blackwater Corridor.

In front of a dilapidated house.

The woman held Lin Gui's hand tightly, her eyes reddening and her voice choked with sobs.

"My lord messenger, thank you so much... This letter, this letter is of utmost importance to me..."

She looked up and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

"The kind person who wrote to me, I... I don't even know who he is."

"If you have the chance to meet him, please be sure to tell him that I am truly grateful to him. Really, truly grateful."

Lin Gui looked at her and nodded.

"If I have the opportunity, I will."

He turned to leave.

He had just taken a step when he heard a woman's hurried voice behind him.

"Um...you're a mage, right?"

Lin Gui stopped and turned to look at her.

The woman bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke:

"Could...could you take me with you?"

She quickly added, "I have lots and lots of money! Really!"

Lin Gui looked at her, gave a wry smile, and pointed to himself.

"Well, I'm just a high-level mage; I don't have the ability to traverse the wilderness."

"This letter is also a request issued by the Adventurers' Guild."

"I didn't bring it in from the wilderness."

He paused.

"Furthermore, do you think a powerful, extraordinary mage would go to such lengths for the sake of ordinary people's faith?"

The woman was stunned.

The hope that had just been ignited in those eyes gradually died out.

She lowered her head and smiled bitterly.

"Yes... I'm sorry to bother you."

Lin Gui didn't say anything more.

He turned around and continued walking forward.

Behind her, the woman took a deep breath and slapped her face hard.

Then she turned and went back into the house.

A moment later, she came out of the house carrying a bulging bundle on her back and leading a child who was about half a year old.

The package was stuffed full, so full that the fabric looked like it was about to tear.

The child asked curiously, "Mommy, where are we going?"

The woman forced a smile: "Go find someone to take us away from here."

Clutching the bulging envelope, she walked resolutely toward the Adventurers' Guild.

Lin Gui was walking down the street when he caught a glimpse of this scene out of the corner of his eye.

He knew where she was going.

I also knew that she would probably leave disappointed.

The money in that envelope was a man's life savings in Avalon.

In the letter, the man recounted some of his memories of his youth in Black Reef.

He mentioned that he had secretly hidden some property here.

His parents died early, and he has no family.

After much thought, I decided to use the money I had saved up for a long time.

It was given to the girl he had a crush on at first sight.

correct.

Strictly speaking, the woman in front of her did not know the Avalonian who sent the letter at all.

But the sudden windfall made her forget about it.

This money is especially important at this time when the Black Tide is approaching and everyone is in danger.

But women may be disappointed.

When news reached this place that the Kuroshio was born in a remote border region.

All the adventurers, knights, wealthy merchants, and nobles capable of crossing the wilderness have already left.

All that's left are ordinary people who can't leave.

Lin Gui has the ability to take her away.

But he didn't do that.

Because his next stop is Shield City.

The city-states directly affected by that surging black tide.

Whenever the Kuroshio Current begins.

Demons within a radius of several hundred kilometers affected by it will successively riot.

Then, they will gather towards the central area.

Eventually, led by a demigod demon, they began their migration.

Black Reef City, one of the smaller towns south of Giant's Canyon, has been swallowed up by the rioting demons.

Of the hundreds of thousands of people, not a single one managed to escape.

Black Reef still exists today.

This explains the Kuroshio Current, which erupted with the Withered Rift Valley as its core.

The demonic riots involved did not extend to this area.

Therefore, the situation in Black Reef City is actually much better than everyone thinks.

Black Reef City is safe at least until the demigods begin their migration.

Lin Gui walked down the street.

What I saw along the way was an apocalyptic scene.

People with panicked expressions were everywhere on both sides of the street.

They carried large and small bags, and brought their families along, surging towards the north gate.

Someone was pushing a wheelbarrow piled high with their belongings, and a child sat on top, looking around blankly.

Someone was carrying a suitcase, which jingled and rattled, probably containing everything that could be exchanged for money.

Some people were weeping by the roadside, hugging their loved ones, because they couldn't afford to hire mercenaries.

An old man sat on the doorstep, his cloudy eyes gazing into the distance, lost in thought.

The entrance to the Adventurers' Guild was packed with people.

They waved money bags and held up valuable jewelry, shouting at the people inside.

"Please, take me with you! I have money!"

"What about the Golden Adventurer Guild? I want to hire the Golden Adventurer Guild!"

"Don't push! Don't push! One at a time!"

But those who left the guild had only disappointment and despair on their faces.

"They're gone...they're all gone..."

"Those mercenaries, those adventurers, they've already run away..."

Cries and screams erupted from the crowd.

The carriages of nobles and wealthy merchants have long since disappeared.

All that remains are ordinary people who can't leave.

Lin Gui weaved through the crowd and continued forward.

Then, someone noticed him.

A young man with black hair, dressed simply but carrying a staff, walked south.

"That person...why is he heading south?"

"South? Isn't south the direction of the demons?"

"Is he insane?"

The monk's attire gave them hope.

However, upon seeing the other party's slightly worn-out staff and rough oak staff...

Most people looked disappointed.

Lin Gui's attire undoubtedly told them that he was just a weak mage.

However, this is also a fact.

High-level mages can only be considered experts in a tiny place like New Testament City.

But to outsiders, it's nothing.

Lin Gui ignored these stares.

He continued south.

Then, a cold, icy voice echoed in my mind.

"South? Are you going to your death?"

Lin Gui paused in his steps.

Then, they continued forward.

He chuckled softly.

"Lady Shadowblade Lin, you're awake?"

"How did it feel to emerge from the Wailing Wall?"

The other party remained silent.

The smile on Lin Gui's lips faded.

After leaving the Wailing Wall, the other party barely spoke a few words to me.

With his Netherworld Eyes, he could keenly sense things.

After emerging from the fog.

The Shadow Blade Soul Bead that he kicked into his pocket.

The spiritual power it exudes is visibly weakening and dissipating.

He was so weakened that even he, a novice soul mage, could overpower his opponent.

He knew that what Shadow Blade Lin had said was true.

Therefore, he confidently used the Soul Attachment Technique to deactivate the soul bomb that Shadow Blade Lin had placed on him.

She had weakened to the point that even he, a novice soul mage, could overpower her.

He knew that what Shadow Blade Lin had said back then was true.

Therefore, he confidently used the Soul Attachment Technique to deactivate the soul bomb that Shadow Blade Lin had placed on him.

Three days have passed since then.

The other person had already woken up.

But when she realized the Soul Bomb had disappeared.

They realized that their only leverage, their only remaining bargaining chip, was no longer available.

However, his own strength had been completely reduced to zero.

This sudden turn of events left her unsure how to face Lin Gui.

Lin Gui did not turn around.

He just kept walking forward.

Facing southwest.