This necromancer is going to seduce the beautiful girls who are already dead.

Abyss shifted his gaze and nodded: "Yes, indeed, this is a place that perfectly matches the description in the riddle."

"Is this the place?" Leona exclaimed happily. "This is so easy, there's no challenge at all."

“There’s another location here that fits the puzzle,” Edvina’s voice suddenly came over at that moment.

Abyss then turned his gaze to where Edvina was pointing, where he saw a place that, although the terrain was not exactly the same, could also fulfill the description in the puzzle.

"Ah, this..." Leona looked this way and then that way, "This is making it very difficult for me to decide."

“Ah…this place also seems to fit the puzzle.” Sheila found another spot at this moment.

“Haha, none of you have noticed, this place also fits the riddle left by Sir Starr. I found it a long time ago.” Abyss pointed out another place with a rather smug look on his face. The terrain here also fits Starr’s riddle.

"Why are you so happy?!" Leona said indignantly.

Leona was dumbfounded. She had just thought that the riddle left by Starr was not very interesting and that she could find it by guessing based on the terrain. But she did not expect that the terrain provided by Starr was not unique. There were four different terrains. How could she be sure?

"Shall we go to every place?" Leona thought for a long time but couldn't come up with a good idea. It would be better to use this method, which takes a little more effort but will eventually achieve the goal.

“Hmm… that’s not quite right.” Abyss pondered. “Don’t forget, these four places are all key routes because they each have three fortresses. If we go there to explore, it might be quite troublesome. Right now, the Lord of Delusion wants to kill us at any time. It’s better to avoid spending too much time looking for targets.”

“Master Bellator is right,” Edvina nodded. “If the Lord of Delusion can truly foresee our actions, it would be better to act swiftly. I suggest we eliminate our targets here again.”

“Then what other conditions can be used to eliminate the target?” Sheila looked at Abyss and Edvina.

“Yeah, yeah, what else can we use to eliminate?” Leona mimicked Sheila’s actions.

Abyss then looked at Leona and said, "This task should actually be given to you, because it might be related to the habits of your ancestor Starr. Why don't you give it a try? You probably know Starr better than any of us, after all, he was not only your ancestor, but you've also read a lot of literature about him."

"Me?" Leona didn't react for a moment. "I don't know what you're talking about, but let me think..."

Although Leona didn't immediately think of any habits of Starr that could serve as clues, she began to ponder. She sucked on her index finger and paced back and forth in the room, searching her mind for everything she knew about Starr's ancestor from reading the novel.

“Hey, right, there does seem to be a characteristic that could be used as a clue.” Leona suddenly slapped her forehead and said, “Our ancestor Starl had a particular fondness for blonde, big-breasted women! All his lovers were stunning blonde beauties with dazzling, shiny hair. Our family’s hair color has been getting lighter with each generation, and by my generation it had become silver.”

“Could this be used as a clue…” Sheila was taken aback.

“Hmm…wait a minute…hiss…this does seem to be a clue.” Abyss suddenly clapped his hands. “These four places—this one, this one, and this one—are all inhabited by people from the Southern Empire. The people from the Southern Empire have jet-black hair, but this place is inhabited by tall, blond-haired people from the Northern Empire…”

“Then let’s start our search from here!” Leona and Abyss agreed immediately.

Just as Leona said those words, Edvina suddenly looked up uneasily, as if startled.

"Ah... the pendant Sophia left me... it's responding."

Chapter 176 Sofia, Who Has Always Been By My Side

Having identified the first possible hiding place to check, the Abyss immediately began its operation. Sheila said goodbye to Mr. Sean, wrote a letter to her mother to let her know she was safe, and then left the place that held half of her childhood.

Those petty thugs in Zhuhe Town have truly stopped causing trouble. Although a few of them still idle away their days, lazy and good-for-nothing, at least they are no longer a source of trouble for the townspeople. Life in the town is now more peaceful than before, and even the old women sitting by the roadside weaving bamboo baskets and chatting have more laughter in their voices.

As she left, Sheila made up her mind. Once her mother felt comfortable passing the title to her, she would return to the town with the skills and honors she had gained during her travels with the Abyss, and become a respected lord.

……

"Is this the hiding place Sir Starr mentioned?" Sheila looked around curiously. She had never been here before, and it was quite different from where she was usually, giving her a sense of excitement at seeing something new. This was also why she enjoyed traveling with the Abyss.

After traveling through the Underdark and resting overnight, the Abyss and his party arrived at their destination—the northernmost region of the Eastern Empire—as the sun rose the following day.

The temperature here is much cooler compared to most of the Eastern Empire. The vegetation also differs from that of most of the Eastern Empire due to the climate. On the way here, Abyss did see several towns, whose inhabitants were mostly blond-haired, blue-eyed people from the Northern Empire.

The Southern and Northern Empires were the two major ethnic groups of the Mina Empire. Now, after the empire split, the two ethnic groups were divided into two countries due to their different locations. However, the division was not based on ethnicity, so there are black-haired Southern Empire people in the Western Empire and blond Northern Empire people in the Eastern Empire.

“That’s right, this is the place. I’ve been looking at the map to confirm this when I came here, and I also have spies in the sky.” Abyss nodded. “Three hundred years have passed, and the landscape here is slightly different from what it was back then, but it’s basically the same. See that fortress over there? That’s the one on the map… this fortress.”

On a distant hilltop, a magnificent ancient castle indeed stood. This place was a vital transportation route, with only one road leading through it. The castle was built here as a defense against external enemies.

The fortress has a long history, but it is not an antique. After many renovations and modernizations, the castle can still perform its tasks today—attacking enemies with catapults and ballistae, or directly activating the magic circle engraved inside the castle to slap a large elemental spell directly onto the enemy's face.

"Wow, it really is!" Leona nodded in satisfaction as she saw the castle. "Then we'll soon find what Starr hid—oh, by the way, Ms. Edvina, how is Miss Sophia?"

Edvina had been silent the whole time, but when Leona asked her question, she took out the pendant she had hidden inside her clothes and showed it to Leona: "She should still be following us. We can't let our guard down."

The pendant around Edvina's neck was still emitting a faint glow, flickering at a very slow frequency. This indicated that Sophia wasn't very close to the Abyss, but that was no reason to be careless. For such a powerful assassin, distance was not a problem at all.

Abyss and Sheila left Bamboo River Town that very day, partly due to this influence. Sophia had been following Abyss's group ever since Leona decided to come here to confirm if it was Starr's hiding place. She hadn't gotten close, but Abyss still felt they couldn't stay in Bamboo River Town any longer, otherwise they might find themselves in a rather passive situation.

Fortunately, Sophia only followed from a distance and never made a move; she simply followed Abyss and his group here.

“Well, I’d still like to ask Sheila and Ms. Edvina to keep an eye on Sophia. She might be controlled by the Lord of Delusion, here to monitor us.” Abyss nodded to Sheila and Edvina. “I’m starting to understand the characteristics of the Lord of Delusion’s abilities—the moment Leona decided to come here first, our fates entered a certain path, a path that caught the Lord of Delusion’s attention. He seems to be using some kind of mechanism to monitor how things might develop, thus being able to predict many things.”

"As long as no one gets hurt by Sofia, it's a victory," Leona nodded and said.

Sheila and Edvina both understood, and they both said it was no problem.

No one was afraid of Sofia's arrival. Although there was still a little tension, it was nothing serious.

The place mentioned in the riddle is a few kilometers away, which shouldn't be difficult to reach. However, this is a major transportation route of the Eastern Empire, and further north lies the Borgan Khanate, known for its warlike people and rampant bandits. To ensure the safety of the territory, the roads here are protected by magic arrays erected by magic masters to monitor all travelers.

To avoid attracting the attention of the magic circles and causing a disturbance, Abyss used his magic to disrupt the surrounding magic circles. The magic circles could still function normally, but they could no longer sense Abyss and his group.

At the same time, the Abyss used divine magic to cast a veil over its own members, ensuring they wouldn't be discovered by others.

They finally arrived at the location marked on the map by the Abyss. This was no longer a bend in the river; after all, three hundred years had passed, and the river's course would have changed over time. However, according to the Abyss's scouts from the sky, this was indeed the place they had marked before, without a doubt.

“It’s time for you to shine, ABC!” Leona patted Abyss on the back. “See if there are any underground caves?”

“No,” Abyss replied immediately.

"There really is one... Ah?" Leona was greatly surprised. "There's no underground cave here. Where did Ancestor Starl hide the thing?"

Abyss looked at Leona helplessly and shook his head: "Sigh, Leona, you've dug too many graves with me, and it's become a fixed mindset. Why does everything have to be in an underground cavity? Sir Starr might have already buried it directly in the ground. It's not like we're burying people; there's no need to create an underground cavity."

Leona was stunned for a moment, then grabbed Abyss with a very aggrieved expression: "It's all your fault! You've made me like this! You have to take responsibility!"

Chapter 177 Super Notebook

Searching for hidden locations, Abyss's ability to sense underground cavities was currently useless, but that didn't mean he was helpless. He chanted an incantation, and wisps of natural magic spread out from him through his feet.

Now, the roots of all the grasses, trees, and flowers here have become the hands of the Abyss, reaching all the way down into the earth. This place is the northern inland part of the Eastern Empire, where the climate is much drier, and the plants naturally have very deep roots. The Abyss explored the underground conditions with almost no effort.

In an inconspicuous spot, the Abyss sensed a square box. The box was buried extremely deep, at least thirty meters below the surface, presumably to prevent unauthorized individuals from accidentally finding it.

Abyss walked to the confirmed spot, nodded to the women accompanying him, and said, "Found them. I'll take them out now. Get everything ready."

Everyone nodded and began preparing to receive the information about the Lord of Delusions left behind by Starr. Sheila, however, put her hands in her pockets, seemingly holding something, and looked extremely nervous.

Boom boom boom...

As the Abyss magic took effect, the roots of the plants underground began to twist and turn. These roots were delicate, but their sheer number created a surprisingly powerful force. The box buried underground, propelled by the roots of these plants and aided by the Abyss's magic on the soil, was gradually pushed up from the deeper layers of the earth.

As the sound drew closer to the ground, a rusty, broken metal box with obvious burn holes came into view.

"Is this the thing my ancestor used to imprison the Lord of Delusions?" Leona walked up curiously, pulled the box out of the soil like a radish, placed it neatly on the ground, and said, "It's quite heavy, it's made of very thick steel plates."

“However, it seems that the steel plate cannot stop the Lord of Delusion.” Abyss squatted down and looked at the large box in front of him, which was about half a meter long and wide.

The molten hole in the box was large enough to easily accommodate the crown of the Lord of Delusions. Now the box is filled with mud, so the contents are no longer visible. However, it goes without saying what happened to the Lord of Delusions who was imprisoned there—he escaped.

"If there were other records about the Lord of Delusions inside, could they have already been destroyed?" Sheila pondered. "If I were the Lord of Delusions, I certainly wouldn't let anyone easily obtain my information. Since He could destroy the box..."

“That’s possible, but let’s see for ourselves.” Abis picked up the box and patted its shell, causing the contents to spill out along with the thick layer of dirt inside.

A clanging iron chain—or perhaps two and a half—fell to the ground first. The chain had melted in the middle, many links twisted into pretzels by some high temperature or force. The crown of the delusional lord, which it had once bound, appeared to have escaped by violent means.

Then, a thin notebook fell to the ground. Although the notebook was over two hundred years old and had been buried in the soil for over two hundred years, it was intact and spotless.

"Wow, there really is one!" Leona exclaimed in surprise. "This notebook looks so new! What kind of material is it made of?"

The cover of the notebook bears the words "Starr Platinum" in beautiful lettering, and even after being buried for over two hundred years, the ink remains as fresh as if it had just been written.

Abyss reached out and picked up the notebook from the ground, intending to open it and take a look.

Just then, another line of text suddenly flashed before his eyes.

"A Grade D item, a super notebook, which belongs to the host. Because it has been buried for many years, it has acquired the [Antique] attribute and is recyclable. Please confirm whether you want to exchange it for 100 points?"

"No change." Abyss decisively kicked the system out.

Now he knew why this notebook had remained pristine and undamaged for so many years. It was generated within the Creator God's system and likely contained the Creator God's power.

The fact that Edvina was able to successfully subdue her two companions with Sophia's dagger demonstrates that the direct creation of the Creator God has an exceptionally strong inhibitory effect on the power of the Lord of Delusion. Therefore, it is quite reasonable that the Lord of Delusion cannot destroy this thing.

Why didn't Starr simply create a "Super Box" or something similar that could be redeemed within the system to suppress the Lord of Delusions back then? Perhaps Starr didn't have many points left in his later years. Otherwise, there would have been no need to go to the trouble of creating a chain blessed by a local deity to suppress the Lord of Delusions.

“This thing is a creation of the system—it’s the same kind of thing as the dagger that Sophia inherited from her grandfather.” Abyss held up the notebook for everyone to see and said, “This is also why the Lord of Delusion couldn’t destroy it. It seems that Starr wasn’t so naive as to think that the Lord of Delusion would really be sealed away. He also prepared a backup plan.”

"So, Sir Starr wants to rely on the power of his descendants?" Edvina asked, somewhat surprised.

She knew of Sir Starr, a historically significant figure, but she never expected that Starr would foresee the emergence of a future person capable of defeating the evil god.

“Open your notebook and take a look.” Abis nodded calmly and then opened the notebook.

This notebook truly deserves its title of "super notebook." Not only is it incredibly sturdy, indestructible, and dust-resistant, but the contents are also quite fascinating—the very first page reveals a remarkably lifelike portrait of the Lord of Delusion.

Everyone let out a low gasp of surprise.

The portrait was so lifelike it was almost unbelievable; it seemed as if the image had been directly printed onto the paper. The Abyss, who had seen the Lord of Delusion in person, recognized it immediately as the portrait of the Lord of Delusion.

"Wow, amazing, ancestor..." Leona exclaimed as she continued to look at the portrait.

Everyone stared at the unusual portrait for a while, when Leona suddenly slapped the Abyss.

"Wait, ABC, look at this portrait. It looks different from different angles...it's like it's three-dimensional!"

"Oh, it really is." Abyss's eyes widened, then he seemed to realize something and turned to Sheila, saying, "Sheila, it's your turn."

Before Abyss could say anything else, Sheila understood. She took out what she had been clutching from her pocket—a pair of deep blue lenses, which belonged to Eganda!

Chapter 178 Sophia's Innate Abilities

Just as Sheila placed Ergunda on her eyes, Edvina's pendant suddenly vibrated violently, and a bright light emanated from it.

"Sophia is here!" Edvina immediately reported to Abyss.

"Protect Sheila!" Abis seemed unsurprised by the situation and decisively issued the order.