Hello, is this a letter addressed to Demon Fortress?

The entrance to the ruins that Rona discovered was indeed not far away, just around the corner from the temporary base.

But looking at the narrow gap, half-covered by rubble and barely wide enough for one person to pass through, Lin Gui frowned.

"Given this height and width, the raft would have to be disassembled and the wooden crates moved separately just to get through."

Without saying a word, Shia took the lead and squeezed into the narrow entrance to scout ahead.

No need for Lin Gui to remind me.

Elvia also began to dismantle the ropes securing the wooden crate.

If possible, she would actually prefer to leave the raft and wooden crates here and have her guard them.

The stronghold that Rona chose was indeed deep and well-hidden.

The demons active in the outer circle are generally weak, so staying here is relatively safe.

Leaving the wooden box here will also reduce the pressure on the forest ghost's magic consumption.

You should know that Lin Gui's magic power is directly related to their safety.

Unfortunately, Lin Gui wouldn't do that.

But after spending these days together, Elvia has come to understand Lin Gui's temperament.

These wooden boxes, or more accurately, the letters inside the wooden boxes.

For him, it was almost as important as his life.

So important that we can't be apart.

It was so important that if you put her, this "delicate and noble" princess, and these letters on the scales, it would be a matter of life and death.

I'm afraid the weight of a single letter would be enough to completely dismantle her side.

The wooden crates were disassembled one by one, and the ropes were carefully collected.

The ghost chanted incantations in a low voice, and a faint light flowed from the tip of his staff.

As soon as he finished speaking, several heavy wooden crates floated steadily up, half a foot off the ground.

Luo Youyou watched this scene with envy, and couldn't help but sigh:

"...If only Catherine the idiot knew how to do that."

"Our Dream Weaving Team no longer needs to carry those heavy supplies around like corpses..."

Elvia interjected coldly from the side, her tone carrying her usual sarcasm:

"Heh, even the most powerful Earl Alexis in the capital, a legendary fire mage, has publicly stated that he cannot master this magic."

"She is Catherine, a high-ranking mage who has not even reached the transcendent level."

"How could anyone possibly learn this 'basic' spell that has stumped countless powerful mages?"

"Isn't Lord Kelin Ghost just a high-ranking low-level mage?" Luo Youyou blinked her cat-like eyes and asked, puzzled.

Elvia: "..."

She was momentarily speechless, caught off guard.

Not long after, Shia's figure emerged from the narrow opening.

With a somber expression, she addressed the crowd:

"The passageway is more spacious than the entrance; the wooden crates can pass through, but..."

As she spoke, she cast a suspicious glance at Luo Youyou, who was tightly bound.

"Are you sure that only Lorna and Catherine went in?"

Luo Youyou was taken aback by the question, and nodded subconsciously.

"Yes, yes! Is there a problem, meow?"

A hint of seriousness flashed in Xia's emerald eyes.

"I found at least ten sets of footprints in the passageway."

"The footprints are very clear, and judging from the marks, it must have been recently."

"How is this possible?!" Luo Youyou exclaimed in shock, her cat ears instantly snapping shut.

Elvia reacted extremely quickly.

With a clang, the sword was drawn.

The cold blade instantly pressed against the catgirl's slender neck, and a sharp question was uttered:

"Speak! Why did you lie to us?!"

The catgirl was so frightened that cold sweat instantly poured down her back, and her body trembled slightly with fear.

She was tightly bound and unable to even struggle.

Could it be that this half-demon is lying?

After all, the other party was a notorious half-demon, with the gene for betrayal etched into his very bones...

But...why?!

Luo Youyou is just a powerless catgirl, what could she possibly want?

If the other party is not lying... then that means...

After Sister Rona, many other people entered the ruins...

But why?

This section of the rift valley leading to Karan is inhabited only by their Dream Weaving Troupe.

And Lin Gui and his group, who had just passed by recently.

Border guards inexplicably crossed the Whispering Forest.

There shouldn't be anyone else...

Suddenly, Luo Youyou remembered something, and her cat-like pupils contracted sharply!

"Could it be...could it be...them!"

"them?"

Elvia narrowed her eyes, a sense of foreboding washing over her.

"About a week ago, Sister Lorna said that a very powerful knightly order had crossed the rift."

"Without seeing anyone, they led us to a new base, deep into the rift valley, to this one of the only two safe temporary bases."

"Then the great battle broke out, the ruins were revealed, and Lorna and Catherine went inside."

"And just a day or two before you arrived, our scout team, who were in charge of reconnaissance, did not return."

"While searching, we discovered the city defense troops that had come from Kalan."

"We learned from them that a knightly order entered the rift, could it be...?"

"It's John's Knights!" Elvia's face turned extremely grim.

His voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly.

She never expected this.

They had clearly left Karan long ago, yet they still managed to catch up with them here!

No, think about it carefully.

Based on Lin Gui's abnormal speed of traversing the wilderness by relying on his heaven-defying concealment and continuous floating.

Catching up with or even overtaking the main force requires carefully avoiding the devil and proceeding in fits and starts.

That does seem... to make sense.

When she came to Karan from the capital, the knights took five days to traverse the perilous Whispering Forest.

And following that monster Lin Gui, it only took him a whole day!

Thinking of this, Elvia felt a chill run down her spine and a wave of fear washed over her.

If they hadn't discovered this site and entered it...

Instead, they continued along the original "golden route" to the capital...

It won't be long before they run right into this Holy Knights!

She rushed to Lin Gui, her expression more serious and urgent than ever before:

"Lin Gui! Listen up! While the Knights of John are searching for treasure in the ruins, you must leave here now, immediately!"

"This isn't a simple rescue mission! This is practically suicide!"

Shea was a little confused and interrupted to ask.

"You're a princess, and they're royal knights. Why are you afraid of them?"

"You know nothing!!" Elvia almost growled, interrupting Shia.

"The Knights of John are loyal to Prince Carter III! My mortal enemy!"

"They'd love to kill me out in the middle of nowhere without anyone noticing!!"

"Then why didn't they make a move on the way they escorted you here?" Shia pressed.

"Because escorting me safely to Karan was a mission personally assigned to them by my father!"

"At least during the mission, they can't openly do anything to me!"

Elvia scratched her long, golden hair in frustration.

"Every direct descendant of the royal family in the capital is implanted with a soul magic stone at birth!"

"If I die under suspicious circumstances before reporting back to the Knights, the Third Prince will definitely be a suspect."

"So what are you afraid of now?" Xia tilted her head.

"What are you afraid of??"

Elvia was completely stunned.

Is she insane, or has the world gone mad?

The opposing team is a fully equipped Paladin Order! One Legendary mid-rank, one Legendary low-rank, and eight Extraordinary high-rank—a terrifying force.

This configuration can crush many city-states.

Faced with such a terrifying existence, you tell me you're afraid?

Damn it!! Shouldn't he be scared?!

Our strongest unit is only a low-level Extraordinary Ranger.

"I know that if you and Lin Gui work together, you can sweep everything away at the Transcendent level."

"However, the opponent has a legend among them. Even if you shoot an arrow right up to their face, you won't be able to break through their protective aura."

"Besides, he's a legend. Can you really sneak up on him undetected and launch a sneak attack?"

No sooner had Elvia finished speaking than Lin Gui's words came over.

"It's possible, but we need to save Rona first."

He glanced at the proficiency level of [Night Veil LV9] on the system panel.

And the magic reserves that are just one step away from advancing to the next level.

Each leap in a minor rank is accompanied not only by an explosive increase in magical reserves.

It is also a deeper understanding and control of the magic that has already been mastered.

If he can break through to the mid-high level during this adventure.

Then, the only, tiny flaw that [Night Veil] has in front of the legendary rank might be completely made up for.

With this in mind, Lin Gui, manipulating the wooden box and raft, was the first to enter the secret passage.