Feeling the ground tremble, Aljaz tightened his grip and glanced at Gerem Sparo, using action instead of words. A sudden gust of wind surged around him, helping him run more easily and swiftly to the side. He had chosen to act immediately because he feared Gerem Sparo might suddenly go berserk, launching a hunt for the terrifying creatures hidden deep within the dark cavern—something that, even if successful, would undoubtedly hinder their future exploration. As an experienced seafarer, Aljaz knew that decisive action carried an influence and contagious effect, naturally drawing others to follow or imitate. Seeing this, Kline exhaled a quiet relief, set aside the discussion of protocol, and began to move, stepping steadily toward the side and rear of the "Hanged Man." Then he felt a gale rushing from behind and beneath him, pushing and carrying him forward, which significantly reduced the force of gravity he had to overcome and gave him an extra surge of momentum—his speed instantly more than doubled! With the wind roaring, Caine and Aljer burst out of the sparsely wooded area and rounded to the deep, dark side. At that moment, their heartbeats suddenly slowed, no longer resembling vigorous exertion but rather the calm, drowsy rhythm of someone about to nap in the afternoon sun. Caine then felt a coldness spreading through his body, an inexplicable, profound sense of gloom seeping in, thread by thread. At the same time, he watched the glow of Aljer’s lantern being gradually obscured by the towering black silhouette rising behind them, and in his mind, the scene unfolded naturally: A massive serpent, too thick to be wrapped by a single person, emerged from the dark cavern, its vast scales a deep, shadowy green and its eyes blazing with flames. Between the scales, slender white feathers streaked with pale yellow oil emerged, and behind it, a pair of thick, expandable wings unfolded. The colossal serpent raised its body, half-crawling, half-flying, coiled around a tall, sturdy tree, and exhaled a dark, serpentine core, gazing steadily at the two human figures who had recently entered the area. Around it, trees rapidly withered, grasses turned to dust, and countless corpses rose from the soil, their unseen shadows gathering nearby. A feathered serpent! It was a feathered serpent! In the southern continent, it was a sacred symbol, the emblem of the House of Aeges, the descendants of the god of death! Klein and Aljer did not pause. They pressed on, enduring the chill seeping into their bodies and the slowing of their hearts, driven further into the heart of the black forest, away from the sparsely wooded region. Thump. Thump. Thump. Their hearts gradually resumed their steady rhythm, and the cold sensation on their skin was slowly dispelled by the heat generated by their vigorous movements. Klein's spiritual intuition told him that the danger had passed, so he slowed his pace, turned around, and glanced back, speaking calmly to the distant, dark, and deeply wooded area: "A half-divine feathered serpent." "Half-divine..." Aljer likewise reduced his speed, a slight pulsing in the veins on his forehead. He paused for two seconds, then exhaled softly: "Don't worry too much. The extraordinary beings here are quite territorial. They only enter other regions if they're hunting—especially near the mountains. That feathered serpent should not be coming after us." Klein nodded gently and added: "The extraordinary beings here are strong." Aljer shifted his gaze, shook his head in response: "No, there are also many weaker ones. I've come here at night before, but I've only found traces left by half-divine beings—never actually encountered any. Today, this is the first time I've faced one directly." "Such things largely depend on luck—once it happens, the chances of it happening again are quite slim." As a "Navigator," calculation is an essential skill. Was that a slight dismissal of me, the Yellow-Black King who wields luck? Klein chuckled to himself, maintaining a neutral expression: "Absolute judgment often leads to the opposite outcome." In Earth terms, that means: Don't set flags! In fact, had it not been a half-divine Feathered Serpent, but rather a fellow of its own rank at Sequence 5, Klein would have been delighted to give the other a hard time—having the Azk copper horn in hand, a necromantic extraordinary being would at least lose half its combat strength. As for encountering extraordinary beings at the half-divine level, he hadn't been particularly startled, since "The Hanged Man" had previously raised this issue, and he had prepared accordingly—his "Stole-Operative" talisman, three pages from "Lehmann's Travel Notes" detailing half-divine abilities, the "Grosel Travelogue," and the synergy between his "Travel" ability. While this combination might not allow him to directly confront a half-divine being, it would certainly enable him to create opportunities for escape. As long as he didn't encounter an angel belonging to the half-divine realm... Klein silently added this to himself. After two minutes, he turned his gaze and pointed in a direction. "Go this way." Cain had already drawn his iron-black revolver, "The Clock," and now let the barrel hang naturally, silently following Aljere beside him, his expression stern and composed, calm and unruffled. The essential materials the Lady Justice seeks are no ordinary things...and the Mr. Justiciary has certainly accumulated a wealth of adventurous experiences—he knows that honesty often outshines concealment, and that open communication and collaboration surpass the effectiveness of calculated maneuvering. Keeping Gelman Sparrow’s persona intact, Caine nodded with a composed, slightly refined demeanor. "Agreed. If we can't manage it, we should proactively seek assistance; otherwise, I'll assume you're still holding on." The style of the reckless adventurer may appear distinct from that of the hunters, yet in certain aspects, it proves remarkably consistent. Aljere took a quiet breath and continued forward, holding his lantern. As they walked, they heard a soft, tinkling sound of wind chimes—immediately evoking a sense of returning home, a deep sense of relaxation and ease. Caine became acutely aware that his vigilance and alertness were steadily dissolving, no matter how much he mentally reinforced or repeated the need to remain tense—his entire demeanor could no longer remain rigid. At that moment, he even longed to lean toward the direction of the wind chime's sound, believing that there lay something he held most dear and intimately close. Since the distance was still considerable, the chime sounded intermittently, and克莱恩 managed to steady himself, turning his head toward Mr. The Hangman. Mr. The Hangman, too, had lost his usual composure; a flush of red had crept into his broad cheeks, and his eyes were glistening with unshed tears, as though he had recalled some poignant memory and had been carried into a particular emotional state. He didn't know what Mr. The Hangman would look like when he actually cried—certainly, it would be quite terrifying.克莱恩 found himself thinking. Then, in a low, hoarse voice, Mr. The Hangman spoke: "From here on, it's my responsibility." As soon as he finished, he set down his lantern and gently rotated the odd-looking ring on his left thumb, making the sharp, spiky protrusions stained with old blood even more prominent. This was his magical artifact—the "Spirit Whip." Its side effect was that he always suffered from a persistent headache, as though he longed to collide his head against Yet at this very moment, the intense headache kept Aljer awake, maintaining a basic awareness amidst the chime of the wind bells—untruly hypnotized by the other. Sometimes, side effects might actually prove beneficial to the holder… Aljer reflected as he reached into the hidden pocket of his garments and pulled out a wooden box, opening it with a crisp snap. Inside lay a gray mouse! Did the "Hanged Man" intend to use the mouse as bait to draw the enchanted wind bell tree's attention, then strike at the holder when the tree was distracted? Indeed, the preparations were thorough—well thought out in advance. As an experienced adventurer, Caine immediately grasped the "Hanged Man's" strategy. Aljer lifted the mouse and gave it a shake, his expression suddenly becoming odd. The gray mouse lay still—no breath, no warmth—no longer capable of fulfilling its role as bait! During the encounter with the half-divine feathered serpent, although Aljer was only at the periphery of the serpent's gaze and quickly escaped, suffering only minor effects that he easily recovered from, the gray mouse he carried—being a common species with relatively weaker vitality and physique—could not withstand even slight impacts. It collapsed immediately and became a corpse. Dead... dead... Now Mr. The Hangman should have grasped a lesson: plans often don't keep pace with change. His luck truly hasn't been good. Observing this scene, Klein's嘴角 twitched slightly, wanting to smile yet hesitating to let out a sound, afraid of disrupting his persona. Such incidents were not common even among the experienced and meticulous Mr. The Hangman. Aljer quickly composed himself, carrying the lifeless gray mouse forward, while Klein bent down, reached for the lantern, and followed steadily behind. The chime grew clearer and clearer, more and more compelling, as if drawing one toward stillness, urging one to simply run forward. After taking a few more steps, Caine finally spotted the odd tree. Along its brown-green trunk, there were one after another slender fissures, each deep and dark, as though housing different eyes. On the outstretched branches, hung a series of iron-gray objects resembling wind chimes, gently swaying and producing a pleasant sound. At the branch closest to the trunk and positioned highest, a fruit of fist-sized dimensions, colorless and semi-transparent, had formed at the very center. Alger gazed at that spot, pressed his throat gently, and spoke calmly to Germain Sparo: "Best you plug your ears and quiet your spirit." PS: Currently participating in the Qidian anniversary celebration; there's a schedule of events each day. I'll be taking a leave for the evening chapter, and will resume regular updates tomorrow.