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Chapter 329: Backed into a Corner
Chapter 329: Backed into a Corner
"Is Nine Bays City at war?"
"Have you gone mad from drowning? That's a ridiculous notion!"
Before Lei Ze could respond, an Awakened individual nearby couldn't hold back and started cursing.
The drowning man's answer was indeed bizarre.
The people present instinctively didn't believe him, feeling that this guy's mind was playing tricks on him.
Complaints and doubts followed:
"With Lord Muen in charge, how could the city possibly descend into chaos?"
"Are you joking with us?"
"We pulled you out of the river, not to listen to such nonsense!"
"..."
For a moment, there was commotion by the riverbank.
Many people were complaining about the drowning man's answer.
However, compared to the others, the members of Lei Ze's expedition team wore grave expressions.
Just last night, Linsey had informed them of the news, and they had already notified their closest companions.
—The unforeseen incident in the forest.
—The war mentioned by the drowning man before them.
Even if they tried to be rational, they didn't want to connect these two events; but their intuition had already hinted at the connection, presenting the truth before them.
"..."
"I, I'm telling the truth!"
The drowning man's eyes were filled with terror, and the doubts of those around him made him even more uneasy.
Seeing this, Lei Ze waved his hand to quiet everyone, then firmly grasped the drowning man's palm and said in a calm and reassuring tone:
"On August 2nd, our fleet had already left the city."
"Did something happen in the city after we left?"
"August 2nd..." The drowning man paused for a moment, then nodded vigorously, afraid that his words weren't clear enough. "Yes, yes! You left too early, and you don't know what happened in the city!"
To prove his honesty, the drowning man didn't need to be calmed down. He immediately started telling his story:
"A Law Enforcement Knight escorting a big merchant from Riverbank Chamber arrived here from Lookout City. Then, after 3... maybe 4 days, they clashed with the city lord, and a battle ensued..."
One of the Awakened individuals nearby heard this and immediately pointed out a doubt:
"A Law Enforcement Knight, you're talking about Mr. Hans Ke, right?"
"He might have a conflict with the city lord and even dare to fight. But Mr. Hans Ke is only at the Sixth Stage, while the city lord is a powerful Seventh Stage Awakened."
The drowning man stumbled over his words as he replied:
"That Law Enforcement Knight... he... he advanced to the Seventh Stage during the battle."
"..."
For a moment, everyone fell silent.
Only the swaying forest made sounds, as if mocking the people's situation.
Among the 13 large forces with a world main city, one of them was the Law Capital ruled by the Law Enforcers.
Since Law Enforcement Knights also practiced the law outside, their reputation was bolstered by both their name and their achievements.
Many people knew about the abilities of Law Enforcement Knights.
The Fifth Stage and the Seventh Stage.
These were the two crucial stages for Law Enforcement Knights' skills.
The former, upon reaching the Fifth Stage, could manifest the law in the physical world. The latter could create a true domain, replacing the common sense of the real world within a certain range.
If the drowning man before them wasn't lying.
A Law Enforcement Knight who had just advanced to the Seventh Stage could pose a threat to Lord Muen.
Even though Lord Muen was an experienced Seventh Stage Awakened.
The fact that he was severely injured couldn't be ignored.
With this balance, it was truly difficult to determine the winner of their battle without witnessing it firsthand.
"..."
A cold wind blew across the riverbank, and everyone's hearts seemed to freeze along with it.
None of the Awakened spoke, but subconsciously, they started to believe the drowning man's story.
After a few more seconds, the drowning man shivered in the cold wind.
Lei Ze reached out to comfort him and continued, "Since they fought, what was the outcome?"
"They... they fought, and in the end... they both fell into the water and disappeared."
Disappeared? Lei Ze and the surrounding Awakened individuals looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock at this news and disbelief.
The explorer quickly asked, "They disappeared? And there's been no news or rumors about them in the city since then?"
The drowning man nodded, "Yes, no one has seen them again."
"Some people in the city... they say they both perished."
"..."
No one spoke by the riverbank.
The disappearance of two such powerful individuals was more unbelievable to the people of Forest Courtyard than the slaying of a Black Mountain Beast.
In any world, this was a massive change that would shake the foundations!
Seeing the tense atmosphere by the riverbank, Lei Ze quickly followed up, "If they both disappeared, then what about the war you mentioned?"
"The Drowned Man replied, 'The merchants from the Warrior Guild wanted to take over the city's law and order and release the prisoners who were being escorted. This caused conflict with others, and eventually, a fight broke out.'"
Upon hearing this, Lezer looked around. Although he couldn't read minds like a Mediator, there were others in the team who could vaguely sense things. At that moment, the person nodded to Lezer, indicating that the Drowned Man was not lying.
Now, the facts were laid bare before them.
Regardless of their strength, everyone was a little lost.
Even the abnormal changes in the forest could now be explained—after all, with no one left, who could stop the troubles in the forest?
Waiting for support from Transcendent City and Lookout City would take at least several months! At this very moment, although there were no visible water stains on people, their true inner feelings were as lost and confused as the Drowned Man before them.
The heavy atmosphere was even getting to Lindsey, who couldn't bear to look on.
At this point, he had to clarify the situation. He stepped forward and pressed for details, "Since a fight broke out, what was the situation like? And why did you fall into the water and drift all the way here?"
Hearing Lindsey's question, the Drowned Man's eyes welled up with tears.
Choking back his emotions, he recounted his ordeal, "In the morning, the fighting was somewhat restrained."
"But after hearing that someone in the Town Hall was killed, the situation quickly deteriorated. Some people started fighting without any restraint! My home was right next to the Echo Ancient River, and now it's gone, along with everyone in it. I... I fell into the river and couldn't swim out..."
At this point, the Drowned Man struggled to continue.
Lindsey walked over, supporting him by the shoulders, using his Essence to calm the Drowned Man's state.
Although he had no means of healing.
But Lindsey's Essence contained Will and Life Force, which could at least ease his panic and anxiety.
After a few seconds, the Drowned Man finally concluded, "By the time I woke up, I was already here."
"..."
The questioning ended.
Lezer comforted the Drowned Man and asked him to rest nearby.
Lindsey stood alone at the edge of the camp, gazing at the distorted forest in deep thought.
A few minutes later, the Explorer and his companions had arranged some matters and came straight to Lindsey.
Whether it was knowledge, ability, or mindset, the man before them exuded a level of trustworthiness.
The Explorer instinctively felt that Lindsey could offer some advice.
But when he approached Lindsey, instead of mentioning the team's current situation, he first expressed concern about Lindsey's Essence, "Mr. Drake, this might be offensive—but when I looked at your Essence just now, it seemed to display both Life and Will attributes simultaneously?"
Lindsey turned around and answered without hesitation, "Yes, I do possess both types of Essence."
Lezer furrowed his brows, "This could be a significant concern."
"As your strength grows, the conflict between the two Essences may arise, inevitably leading to contradictions and even endangering your life!"
"I'm also seeking a solution," Lindsey replied, not wasting time on pleasantries and directly addressing the current dilemma, "So, Lezer, what are your thoughts on our team's situation now?"
Lezer hesitated, a rare occurrence for him, "The forest isn't safe, but returning to Nine Bays City would likely involve us in the war. This dilemma of being caught between a rock and a hard place..." As he spoke, the Explorer gave a bitter laugh, "Haha—this is a hundred times more troublesome than the most challenging adventure I've ever experienced!"
A dilemma, and the leader was troubled.
Lindsey had witnessed such a situation in the Hidden Frontier.
Although the specific details differed, based on his experience, he could immediately offer a suggestion, "From my experience—regardless of the choice made, the first priority is to prevent the situation from worsening. It's best to establish a unified goal for everyone to rally around."
Lezer's eyes lit up, and he immediately agreed with Lindsey's suggestion, "You're right. We should set a goal."
"..."
Lindsey didn't interrupt, giving Lezer ample time to think.
After a moment of consideration, the Explorer made a decision, "Compared to fighting among people, I still think dealing with the forest is more manageable."
Lezer regained his composure and returned to the center of the camp.
He stood near the campfire and shouted, gathering everyone's attention. He began to share his thoughts, "Everyone, with the disappearance of the lord, returning to the city means facing the threat of war."
"The path ahead may be dangerous."
"But I dare to make a proposal. The forest is in trouble, and we are the first to leave the city and the ones who have ventured the deepest into it. Perhaps the key to ending all these crises lies with us, the worn and tattered adventurers..."
(End of Chapter)
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