Chapter 490: Chapter 480: The Real Crisis (Supplement)

The fate of the Kingdom now hinges entirely on the fierce final battle in Three Mountains City.

In this situation, western strongholds like Golden Valley City, which had been preserved with great difficulty, have lost their strategic significance for continued defense. With the evacuation order given, the soldiers stationed there can finally retreat from this blood-soaked land and move to relatively safer areas.

Vera’s Squad’s assistance work is also nearing completion. After finishing the last task of searching for survivors, they will withdraw with the main forces.

“Vera,” on the march, Fei Ling suddenly asked softly, “If… if I were unfortunate enough to be captured by the Demon Race, what would you do?”

Vera turned to look at her, understanding that her empathy had been stirred after hearing about Lucia’s experiences due to recent contact with her.

“I would go save you,” Vera answered without hesitation.

“Even if it means betraying humanity?”

“No,” Vera tapped the Longsword at her waist, “I would take up my sword to save you.”

“They say being captured by the Demon Race is a certain death for you alone!”

“In these chaotic times, dying together isn’t so bad either.”

Vera’s smile seemed a bit too bright, and Fei Ling turned her face away, blushing.

Fei Yin leaned in close to Vera and whispered, “I… I want to be with you guys too.”

The Elf Sirean first looked at the trio drowned in romance disgustedly, then joined with a playful grin, “Heartthrob Vera, don’t forget to bring me along.”

“Enough, enough, spare me!” Unable to parry their teasing, Vera raised her hands in surrender.

After the commotion, Fei Ling sighed softly, gazing into the distance, “I hope she can start afresh this time.”

Due to her father’s allegiance to the Demon Race, Lucia suffered greatly in Golden Valley City.

Every time Vera’s Squad returned to the city, they found more wounds on her.

This fragile girl lacked the ability to protect herself and couldn’t travel long distances alone.

This time, as they retreated with the army, the squad planned to take Lucia to Mushroom City in hopes that this ill-fated girl could find a new life there.

Suddenly, Sirean stopped and looked west with alarm.

The handsome Elf’s face was cast with a shadow.

“What is it?” Vera noticed his change in expression, her hand instinctively moving to her sword hilt.

“Vera, we have to get out of here, the mist is coming!” Sirean’s voice held an uncharacteristic urgency.

“Mist?” Vera looked in the direction he was gazing, the horizon still clear, but he trusted his companion’s intuition.

Fei Ling exclaimed in shock, “How is that possible? How can the mist appear here?”

“I don’t know why it’s appearing here, but it’s indeed approaching!” Sirean said quickly, “Run south now; we still have a chance to avoid it!”

“Will it engulf Golden Valley City?” Vera’s voice dropped.

“It will.” The Elf’s response was unequivocal.

“Then we must warn the people in the city!”

“There’s no time!” Sirean grabbed Vera’s arm, “Before we reach Golden Valley City, the mist will swallow us whole!”

The distant horizon gradually revealed a blanket of gray-white mist.

Vera spoke with resolve: “We can’t just watch as the mist attacks Golden Valley City; there are over ten thousand people there. I remember the adventurers from the Archipelago said that expanding mist can be stopped by destroying the core!”

But Fei Ling pointed out, “Those teams that successfully halted the mist had at least twenty members and a Diamond Level leader! We have no experience; it’s too dangerous!”

“But I can’t do nothing.” Vera slowly drew the Longsword, as the distant mist visibly spread, “You go first; I have to try.”

“Didn’t you just say we should die together if we must?” Fei Ling rolled her eyes and grumbled, deftly pulling the Longbow from her back.

Fei Yin silently took a step forward to stand beside Vera, her actions speaking louder than words.

Sirean looked at these three stubborn companions and finally sighed deeply, “May some God protect us fools.”

Vera looked at her companions apologetically, “Sorry, for dragging you all into this…”

In the end, Sirean quickly warned, “The mist will extract information from those who enter. If the environment feels familiar, the core must be related to you or something. Destroy it! Don’t trust anyone except us!”

“Extract information?” Fei Ling’s question remained unfinished as the gray-white mist surged in like a tide, engulfing the four huddled closely together.

One moment, Vera felt the warmth of her companions beside her; the next, she was completely enveloped by the cold, gray-white.

Shouts quickly dissipated in the thick mist, as if swallowed by something invisible.

When the mist finally receded, he found himself standing in an unimaginably splendid palace.

The domed ceiling loomed high, embossed with scenes of unknown kings feasting in gold leaf reliefs, while crystal chandeliers twinkled like stars.

Vera had never been to Oath City, but from what he heard from adventurers who had, Oath City was not this magnificent.

Yet this splendid palace now lay in a state of disarray.

Overturned gilded candelabras and shattered porcelain lay in piles, crimson velvet draperies torn to shreds, intricately carved screens broken in half.

The sight stirred a sense of eerie familiarity in Vera. In recent days, he had seen many towns destroyed by the Demon Race, the traces left by people fleeing in panic were uncannily similar to the chaos in this palace.

Just as Vera was lost in thought, a woman in a silk gown stumbled into the hall.

Clutching two gemstone-encrusted golden goblets to her chest, she turned and fled in terror upon seeing Vera.

“Wait!” Vera hurriedly pursued her.

Outside the hall, the din crashed over him.

Involuntarily halting, Vera followed the sounds of battle to climb the city wall.

From the height, he watched an imaginarily grand city burn in flames.

Countless magic towers leaned like broken spears; in the distant port, smoke-spewing ships were sinking.

He was certain no such immense city existed on the Continent.

“Where… on earth is this?”

…

Meanwhile, in a blood-stained square below the city, Sirean stood dazed before a toppled giant statue.

The statue’s head rolled into a fountain, the neck’s fracture revealing a dark golden metallic interior.

On the base, two lines of still-clear large characters were engraved:

[Emperor Arthur, the Glimmer of the Stars, Founder of the Eternal Empire]

[From the Far North Desert to the Southern Frozen Tundra, wherever sunlight shines, all are Empire’s dominions]

“The Centuries of Kings’ Chaos after Arthur’s death?” Sirean glanced around at the burning city, “What terrible luck…”

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