The Cornflower Witch

Book 2: Chapter 173: Observations at Firestone Fortress

Vol 2 Chapter 173 Observations at Firestone Fortress

There are six roads leading deep into the Darkmist Mountains, each traversing one of the six major gorges of the mountain range. Each gorge is guarded by a frontline garrison of the Hidden Grove.

The 'Ironwall Precipice' and 'Dark Sand River Valley' that Sylutia had visited before were among them. The garrison closest to Lantern Town was 'Flint Fortress'.

After traveling for most of the day, Sylutia arrived at Flint Fortress before dark.

Compared to Lantern Town, this place was much livelier. It now had a permanent population of over four thousand people, double what it used to be.

The fortress was built of stone bricks, looking as if they had just been taken out of lava, emitting a dark red hue. As one approached this fortress, they could feel the ambient temperature rise considerably.

Passing through the tall city gate, Sylutia's gaze swept over the guards at the gate. These sentinels clad in pitch-black full-face armor were all Third Tier 'Castle' Aspect Heavy-Armor Warriors. Compared to knights, they lost agile mobility and the auras that knights could bestow upon their comrades, but they gained far greater resistance, defense, and strength. This allowed them to withstand the charge of giant beasts head-on, much like bridge piers in a raging river.

The streets inside the fortress were dark red, almost black. Most of the surrounding shops also had a militaristic fortress style, capable of being packed up at any moment and converted into archery bastions.

There were quite a few Third Tier members of the Hidden Grove here. They purchased local specialty gems, steel, and monster materials, and also sold some of the products they had excavated from the dark abyss.

"This tail, I cut it off a 'Heart-Piercer Demon'. That thing was incredibly strong, I almost died by its hand. Its tail must be very valuable," a Third Tier warrior said, holding up a still somewhat vibrant blood-red tail, showing it off to his companions.The tail was covered in delicate red scales. The tip seemed to have a bony structure, forming a heart-shaped outline. In practical use, this tail would be quite similar to a flail.

"Alright, alright, stop waving it around. The blood on it is almost dripping on me," one companion said, waving his hands repeatedly in refusal.

"Next time, let's go check out the 'Wailing Caverns'. I heard they discovered an ancient tomb there. I bet there's a lot of valuable stuff inside. If we could find some lost ancient secret arts and hand them over to the Hidden Grove, we could exchange them for a huge amount of points and rewards."

"I've been coveting a high-level Meditation Method for ages. My current Meditation Method can't improve my Mental Power anymore."

"Haha, I'd also like to get a stronger weapon. It'd make everything easier in the future," another companion chimed in.

As they talked, this three-person team walked past Sylutia.

So these are the Third Tier apprentices within the Hidden Grove, Sylutia recalled. In the garrisons of the past, it seemed rare to see apprentices above the Third Tier. Even if there were, they were mostly middle-aged or elderly members with stable strength, focused on their duties. Young Third Tier apprentices were especially scarce.

So they all gathered at the frontier garrisons where they could gain more experience and resources. No wonder they were rarely seen in the heartland garrison of the 'Glittergold Plains'.

Arriving at the inn within the fortress, Sylutia settled down for the time being.

That night, she didn't immediately return to her room to sleep. Instead, she sat in the first-floor common room, listening to everyone chat and boast about all sorts of interesting things. Although much of it was bragging, these stories of exploring the dark abyss broadened Sylutia's horizons.

"Hey, this lovely young lady, are you alone? How about teaming up with us?" While Sylutia was sitting in a corner, holding the hot milk she had ordered, listening to everyone chat and brag, a lean, dark-skinned young man with tanned skin walked over. Two others followed beside him.

Seeing this, Sylutia straightened her posture and looked up.

"I am alone, but I don't wish to team up at the moment," the girl's soft, delicate voice came from under her hat. In this noisy environment, it was as refreshing as delicious ice cream, pleasing to the ear.

"Wow, that voice, it's really nice," the lean, dark-skinned youth exclaimed in surprise. The female companion beside him gave him a sidelong glance, then started pulling him away.

"Sula, don't drag me, I haven't even introduced myself yet. Hey, I'm Vini, a free-spirited adventurer. Let's get acquainted sometime, lovely young lady~"

His voice grew fainter as he struggled. After delivering his final line, he disappeared at the staircase leading to the second floor. It seemed his companions had dragged him back to his room to rest.

Moving past this little interlude, Sylutia gathered from the discussions in the hall that the deep abyss within the Darkmist Mountains was now much more dangerous than before.

"Probably the influence of the Gale Season. The monsters and anomalous phenomena inside are clearly much more numerous than in the past."

"We came back early this time precisely to prepare more thoroughly. Whether it's specialized shelter tents for overnight stays, fire candles for illuminating lightless areas, or holy water for purification, we need more and better ones."

"The difficulty is much higher than before. Some Third Tier teams have already started getting wiped out."

"The Hidden Grove association recommends forming teams of at least five people to continue exploring safely."

"But the resources discovered have also increased. Last time, I found a 'Lightning Lizard' egg. It can hatch a juvenile 'Fourth Tier·Lightning Lizard'. Just one egg sold for over 300 gold coins."

"Only 300 gold coins? Why didn't you raise it yourself then?"

"That's not something just anyone can afford to raise. Although the adult is Fourth Tier, the nutrients and resources required for its growth are immense. I don't have the time or money to raise it myself."

"Alright then," his companion retorted, and the group continued their discussion.

Listening to everyone chat, time unknowingly reached late night. Seeing that it was past midnight and the place was still bustling, Sylutia decided not to continue listening. She was going back to her room to sleep.

After a simple wash-up, the young girl leaned back on the soft, cozy cotton and linen bed and fell asleep.

The night passed peacefully.

The next day, Sylutia sought out an old acquaintance at 'Flint Fortress', namely Quartermaster Dickens. When she had first established Lantern Town, she had sought him out to sign a long-term trade contract. Lantern Town would provide extra food, and 'Flint Fortress' would supply the fuel needed by Lantern Town.

The cooperation had been going on for two years. Although they didn't meet often, their communication via letters was quite frequent, and they occasionally included extra local specialties in their trades.

"Tia wants to go to the abyssal zone? That place isn't safe." After learning of Sylutia's purpose for coming, Dickens was somewhat surprised and prepared to dissuade her.

Over these two years, thanks to the establishment of Lantern Town, the food supply for Flint Fortress had become exceptionally abundant, making his job much easier. If something happened to her, Lantern Town would surely be affected afterward, which would not be a good thing.

"I know, but I've made thorough preparations. Also, I won't go to overly dangerous areas," Sylutia replied.

"Is that so..." Dickens pondered for a moment, then had someone bring over a transcribed copy of the records kept within Flint Fortress and handed it to the young girl.

"Here are detailed records of the abyssal zones outside Flint Fortress. They should be useful for you there. Also, here is a special Radiant Orb. If you encounter danger, you can activate it. Anyone nearby who sees it will come to assist."

"Thank you." Sylutia accepted both items. Then, carrying the purchased exploration supplies, she bid farewell to this acquaintance at Flint Fortress and headed towards the long gorge outside the fortress.

Passing through here, the other side of the Darkmist Mountains lay beyond, a region deeply sunken into the depths of the Twilight Sea. It was a place where sunlight could not reach, a corner currently completely unknown to civilized society.

I wonder what I'll discover, Sylutia thought with a touch of anticipation as her figure slowly disappeared into the dark mountain path.