abnabooks Chapter 133 Heading to the Shadow Raven Base
Chapter 133 Heading to the Shadow Raven Base
Chapter 133 Heading to the Shadow Raven Base
The waiting time felt exceptionally long.
Luo Lin took the time to adjust his breathing and recover the mental and magical energy he had consumed over the past few days.
The embers of the star core in his arms continued to radiate a warm energy, accelerating his recovery.
At the same time, he was also repeatedly rehearsing how to explain things when he met Horn later.
To reveal their true appearance directly?
How can I prove my identity?
How do I hand over the Star Core Ember?
Should the entire experience of infiltrating the indigenous empire in disguise be revealed?
About two hours later, Nightingale returned, her expression somewhat grave.
"Found them! The Shadow Ravens have set up a temporary camp in a secluded valley about fifteen miles to the southwest."
"Lord Horn is here, Ella is here, along with two other second-ring wizards, and about ten first-ring support wizards and apprentices."
"The camp has a simple defensive magic array."
Nightingale quickly reported.
"But—the situation is a bit complicated."
"The Empire left behind an elite force of about a hundred men, led by a general of the second ring strength, stationed five miles east of the ruins of Yaoyan City. Ostensibly, they were there for cleanup and reconstruction, but in reality, they were clearly monitoring the Shadow Raven's camp."
"The atmosphere was tense; although there was no conflict, both sides were wary of each other."
"It's difficult to enter the Shadow Raven camp directly without attracting the attention of the Imperial forces," Flame Shield frowned.
"Perhaps—we can use the identity of the Flame Master?" Luo Lin suddenly spoke up.
"The Empire knows that there are several Flame Cleansers in Radiant Rock City serving under Karug, but they don't know our exact appearance or whether we are alive or dead."
"We can disguise ourselves as survivors of Radiant Rock who have narrowly escaped and come to find reinforcements from the Royal Court, get close to the Imperial camp first, and then—find an opportunity to contact Shadowraven."
"It's too risky. The Empire is extremely sensitive to outsiders now. Even if we're in disguise, we could be detained or even executed."
The nightingale objected.
"Then let's use the dumbest method."
Luo Lin gritted his teeth.
"Wait! Wait until nightfall, then, using the darkness and the chaotic energy background, Nightingale and I will infiltrate the Shadow Raven camp and contact Lord Horn directly."
"Flame Shield, you stay on the perimeter and provide support."
This is the solution that currently appears to have relatively manageable risks.
Infiltration is more covert than direct confrontation, but it still carries the risk of being detected by Imperial patrols or Shadow Raven camps.
Night once again enveloped this ravaged land.
The eternal dark red clouds in the sky appeared even lower, and the embers of the ruins cast a dim red glow on the horizon.
The air was filled with the smells of burnt, bloody, and a faint, unsettling odor of residual energy.
Rowling and Nightingale checked their disguises again, hiding all items that might reveal their identities deep within the rift, carrying only the necessary weapons and a few simple tools to prove their identities as Flamebringers.
Then, like two ghosts disappearing into the night, the two stealthily made their way towards the valley to the southwest.
They proceeded cautiously, avoiding areas frequented by imperial patrols.
The nightingale's stealth skills played a crucial role, allowing it to detect distant firelight and movement in advance.
Rolin used the echo unit to sense the energy flow around him, avoiding areas that had become extremely unstable due to the great battle or that concealed dangerous remnants of magic.
Finally, they approached the hidden valley.
At the valley entrance, a simple warning array glowed faintly, and the outlines of several tents and the light of a campfire could be vaguely seen inside.
Nightingale gestured for them to stop, indicating that she would sneak in first to confirm Horn's location and the security arrangements.
Rowling nodded and hid behind a giant rock to wait.
Time passed second by second.
Rowling's heart beat slightly faster.
This infiltration is crucial; if successful, they can return to the organization, complete their mission, and deliver the Star Core Ember.
Failure would have unimaginable consequences.
About half an hour later, Nightingale returned like a ghost, a hint of relief on her face.
"It's confirmed! Lord Horn is discussing matters with Ella and the gray-cloaked wizard in the largest tent in the very center."
"The perimeter security of the camp is mainly the responsibility of the apprentices, and it is not very tight."
"We can enter through the slightly turbulent energy flow gap on the northeast side, where it's close to the mountain wall and the shadows are deep."
The opportunity is coming!
Without further hesitation, the two silently approached the northeast side of the valley, following the route scouted by Nightingale.
Sure enough, the warning array there, being close to the mountain wall, was affected by the earth's vein energy and the aftershocks of the previous battle, resulting in weak and unstable gaps.
Nightingale carefully widened the gap using a specially made tool that did not emit energy fluctuations. The two quickly slipped inside, hugging the shadows of the mountain wall, and rapidly approached the central tent.
The camp was relatively quiet, with most of the wizards and apprentices resting or on guard.
Occasionally, a patrolling apprentice would pass by, but the two would sense it in advance and easily avoid it.
Finally, we arrived outside the central tent.
You can hear low, muffled conversations coming from inside.
"—The Empire is taking a hard line, demanding that we immediately withdraw from the Fragment World and hand over all intelligence regarding the Ash Ring and the Ancient Ruins."
It's Ella's voice.
"Impossible! The Fragmented World is of paramount importance. We must not give away the knowledge and technology that may exist within the ruins."
Horn's voice was steady.
"But a full-scale conflict with the Empire is not advisable right now. We need time, and we need more leverage. Any news from the Anchor Seekers?"
"Not yet. We've also lost contact with Soria. She's probably trapped in the city—" the gray-cloaked wizard said in a chilling voice.
Now is the opportunity!
Rowling took a deep breath, signaled Nightingale to be on guard around, then stepped forward and gently tapped the tent frame.
The conversation inside abruptly stopped.
"Who?"
Horn's voice was wary.
"Lord Horn, it is I, Rowling."
Rowling used his original voice, but kept it extremely low.
"And Nightingale, we escaped from Obsidian City."
There was a moment of silence inside the tent, then the tent flap was suddenly flung open!
The familiar yet serious face of Wizard Horn appeared in the doorway, his eyes filled with surprise and scrutiny.
Ella and the grey-cloaked wizard immediately appeared behind him, their staffs glowing faintly, ready to strike at any moment.
Seeing two people disguised as natives standing outside the tent, Horn frowned. His powerful mental energy swept over the two men, lingering on Rolin's face for a moment. He then carefully sensed Nightingale's aura. The surprise and doubt in his eyes gradually turned into realization and a hint of barely perceptible admiration.
"Come in!"
Horn stepped aside to make way, and at the same time waved his hand to set up a soundproof barrier.
Rowling and Nightingale quickly slipped into the tent.
The tent was quite spacious, covered with animal hides, and furnished with simple tables, chairs, and maps.
Horn, Ella, the grey-robed wizard named Shadow, and Ironwall, another heavy-sword-wielding strongman they had seen before, all four second-ring wizards focused their gazes on the two.
"Remove the disguise and explain the situation in detail."
Horn was concise and to the point.
Rowling and Nightingale immediately set to work, removing the camouflage paint from their faces and their indigenous clothing, revealing the Shadow Raven-style undergarments.
The technique of altering energy fluctuations was then dispelled, restoring the original unique aura of star power and fire element.
Upon seeing the two people's true faces and their familiar aura, Ella visibly relaxed, and the wariness in Shadow and Ironwall's eyes also diminished considerably.
"Lord Horn, Captain Ella."
Luo Lin bowed slightly and quickly and clearly recounted their experiences after entering the fragmented world:
How did they infiltrate Radiant Rock City disguised as wanderers? How did they become a Flame Cleanser? How did they discover the Ash Ring camp deep within the mines and unexpectedly seize the Star Core Embers? What was Lord Karug's hidden Second Ring strength and his fall? How did the Ash Ring sacrifice and massacre the city? How did they escape in the chaos and remain hidden to this day?
The narrative focuses on the acquisition of the star core embers and the destruction of Yaoyan City, while their detailed investigation of the indigenous empire and the discovery of metal fragments are temporarily left unmentioned, with only a brief mention that they "learned some legends about meteorites from outer space."
When they heard that Rolin had successfully seized the Star Core Ember, Horn, Ella, and the others' eyes lit up with amazing light!
Even the usually cold and aloof Youying couldn't help but be moved!