Chapter 1 Light Wind Port

Light Wind Port, one of the cities of the city-states closest to the edge of civilization, has been the most important stronghold of the Academy of Truth and the Explorers' Association since its construction!

A millennium ago, an expedition fleet led by elven scholars strayed near the border due to a storm, and discovered this large island, which was not in any records, while searching for a route!

According to records, the fleet was chased by the storm for seven days. On the morning of the eighth day, when everyone was exhausted, land suddenly appeared in the sunlight between the storms. The explorers were overjoyed and used their last strength to bring the ship closer to the coast. Just as they approached this strange island, the power of the storm suddenly weakened, and by the time the fleet members could clearly see the lush vegetation on the island, the storm had completely dissipated.

Only a light breeze remained in the offshore area—so the explorers named the large island "Light Wind," and later turned it into the name of the new colony!

Many city-states were discovered by explorers wandering at sea, and these discovery processes were accompanied by more or less thrilling stories or legendary colors. The legends are true and false, and it is difficult to distinguish the authenticity, but the discovery and construction process of Light Wind Port has always been considered "detailed and reliable"—the reason is very simple, because it was an elven-established city-state!

The captain of the expedition ship who discovered the island is still the administrator of the city-state—and also serves as the president of the Explorers' Association!

Sara Merrill stood on the terrace of the official residence, looking out at the streets bathed in "sunlight" in the distance, watching the city-state that he and his colleagues had built up little by little and gradually prospered to this day. Patrolling steam walkers were marching in formation along the streets, the bells of bicycles rang crisply, citizens were preparing to start their day's work, and on the "high tower" not far away, the elven-style dome was slowly opening under the drive of mechanical devices.

Heavy light-filtering lens groups rose from the top of the tower, slowly adjusting their angles, tracking the sun that was gradually rising into the sky!

The elven administrator narrowed his eyes slightly, wrinkles piling up at the corners of his eyes. Even with the longevity of elves, Sara Merrill was no longer young. Wrinkles had gradually climbed onto his forehead since three hundred years ago, and the iconic golden hair of the elves was now tinged with white. He had changed from an energetic expedition captain to a calm but frail old man.

But one thing has never changed—he is still full of curiosity about this world!

"Your father was a respectable explorer back then. Even by the strict standards of elves, he can be described as 'extraordinary.' It is worth taking seriously when such an explorer issues a warning to the civilized world, but I hope you can understand—our doubts are also normal!"

Sara Merrill turned to the black-haired woman who was sitting gracefully at the tea table on the terrace and said.

"Of course, I understand, but my task is just to convey the message. How to deal with it is up to you," Lucretia said calmly. "Father also thought of your possible reaction, and his attitude is the same—issue a warning and leave the rest alone!"

"I will come forward with the Explorers' Association. In any case, the news from Captain Duncan is itself important intelligence and should alert the captains on the route," Administrator Sara said, then frowned. "But I'm really curious, can a spherical submersible really dive into the deep sea and see the 'original blueprint' of our world?"

"The risk is very high, but the Frost People have succeeded," Lucretia nodded. "Of course, the pioneers half a century ago paid a heavy price for this—the minds of mortals are ultimately too fragile to completely avoid the influence of those 'truths' in the deep sea. My father is somewhat special! I don't recommend you imitate him!"

"If I were seven or eight hundred years younger, I would probably have started planning my own dive by now. If I could witness those scenes with my own eyes, I think I would..." Sara was silent for a few seconds, shaking his head regretfully, "I would be more confident in persuading the others in the Association!"

Lucretia smiled. "It doesn't matter, more people will receive the warning soon—Father has arranged to issue warnings to the Four Gods Church and various city-states, which should be enough to illustrate the seriousness of the matter!"

Sara Merrill nodded, then hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help but ask: "I'm still very curious! Ms. Lucretia, has your father really fully recovered his humanity? I have lived for two thousand years, but I have never heard of anyone who can return from subspace, or even regain their humanity after returning. How did he do it?"

"Who knows?" Lucretia shook her head. "If you're really curious, you can ask him face-to-face when the time comes. Anyway, he's coming in person soon!"

Sara Merrill's calm and composed face twitched visibly!

"Madam, you don't have to emphasize this news again!"

The elven administrator said in a strange tone, "This is not good for the heart—please be friendly to the elderly!"

Lucretia laughed, looking quite happy—she felt that she had experienced Tyrian's joy, so she got up with satisfaction and waved to Administrator Sara!

The next moment, the figure of the "Sea Witch" suddenly turned into scattered colorful pieces of paper, swirling and swept into the air by a gust of wind, disappearing on the terrace!

"This witch really comes and goes freely..." Sara Merrill couldn't help but mutter, turning around to return to the room—next, he should consider contacting the Explorers' Associations of other city-states, and how to convey that terrifying "warning"!

However, the moment he turned around, the city-state administrator suddenly stopped!

As if a gust of fear suddenly swept across the border of consciousness, an unspeakable horror and despair poured into his heart. Sara Merrill felt that this "emotion" was directly injected into his brain, instantly gripping his mind, making his whole body cold and his muscles tense. He struggled to raise his head and looked in a direction that seemed to be deeply engraved in his mind and transmitted a strong sense of traction. He looked at the center of the city-state, at those towering buildings.

However, he did not see his familiar city-state, nor did he see any other familiar scenery, only a dazzling fire and a giant tree, so huge that it was difficult to describe, and even its boundaries were indistinguishable, like a huge mountain range, burning fiercely at the end of his vision.

The giant tree was like the World Tree "Silandis" that once existed in ancient elven legends, but it was far more magnificent and amazing than the poets and scholars had depicted based on imagination. It seemed to cover the entire mountain range and plain, and sheltered a kingdom in its shade. It was larger than any city-state, any island that Sara Merrill had ever seen. The land beneath the giant tree was even wider than he could imagine.

However, all of this was shrouded in doomsday-like flames!

The crimson flames were devouring everything, turning the giant tree and the surrounding forests into ashes, and some kind of huge flash of light, as if energy was being released, was constantly shooting out from the edge of the flames, igniting the air and tearing apart the sky!

Along those strange giant flashes of light, Sara Merrill struggled to raise his gaze, and he finally found the source of the all-consuming flames!

It was the sky—the entire sky was glowing with a terrifyingly hot light, like a steam core reactor that was about to melt down out of control, and in the middle of that constantly bulging light, one could see some kind of dark red ominous color gradually seeping in!

Then those dark red colors began to spread rapidly, until they devoured all the sky's scorching light, shrouding the entire world in a terrifying, dark red twilight.

The sky's scorching heat receded, but everything on the earth had been burned to ashes in the flames. The forest had turned into scorched earth, and the miraculous giant tree was collapsing in the embers, making a earth-shattering roar!

The dark red sky became more and more dim, and some kind of black stripes gradually spread out from it. It seemed that a long, long time had passed, or maybe it was only an instant. Sara Merrill saw night fall, and a strange night sky, dark mixed with dark red, covered the world that had turned into scorched earth.

In this extremely short period of "tranquility," he seemed to hear someone speaking in his ear!

Those were a few unfamiliar voices!

"I still remember them, remember what they look like!"

"The memories can come in handy, we have a plan!"

"A sanctuary, or a cage for lingering survival—the future is not optimistic!"

"But at least there is a future!"

Sara Merrill looked around in horror, trying to find the source of the sound, but only saw the world burn out, everything annihilated, and then the dark red ominous night sky began to fall apart. Disordered light and shadow "poured" in from the cracks in the sky, and the ashes and remains on the earth were instantly assimilated and decomposed by the light and shadow. Everything was rapidly disappearing. A strong, unknown thought roared in his mind, as if hundreds of millions of thoughts were sounding, resonating, tearing the world apart!

Sara Merrill swayed!

Something was receding like a tide. The intense emotions and terrifying impressions remaining in his mind were rapidly melting like snowflakes in the sun. A moment ago, he felt as if he had seen something, and even strongly remembered something. The next moment, he felt that he had just been stunned, having a moment of trance!

Those things disappeared, like a dream fading in the morning!

Sara Merrill stood there, frowning subconsciously, and looked back at the direction where the "Sea Witch" had disappeared just now!

"This 'witch' really comes and goes freely!"

Sara Merrill couldn't help but mutter and turned to return to the room!