“Not a dead thing… what does that mean?” Nightingale frowned. “Could it be that the God's Stone in the mine can talk?”

“I haven't found anything like that yet, but during tests at the bottom of the Hermes Mine, I accidentally discovered several rats that had been eroded by the God's Stone.” Isabella closed her eyes, as if recalling the scene at the time. “They may have been lost souls who strayed into the bottom of the cave from the upper layers of the Privy Council after the collapse of the New Holy City. No one knows how the rats were captured by the God's Stone, but part of their bodies had sunk into the God's Stone, as if… as if the two had merged into one.”

“When resin envelops insects, it can also be regarded as a whole, but amber still doesn't count as a living thing,” Roland said bluntly.

“I know,” Isabella's face revealed a hint of fear. “If that's all it was, I wouldn't make such a statement. The problem is… the rats are still alive. When I get close, they scream at me, as if begging me to release them…”

Roland couldn't help but shudder.

He suddenly understood why she was afraid.

Fear comes from the unknown.

And she was standing in front of an unprecedented field.

“…Could it be that the rats were only fixed on recently?” Nightingale asked casually.

“I observed them for three months and nine days, and their cries never stopped,” Isabella sighed softly. “On the tenth day, I separated one of them with a dagger—only to find that its stomach was already empty, and severely atrophied due to prolonged disuse, but part of its blood vessels had grown into the God's Stone.”

This meant that for a full three months, the energy needed for the rat's survival was provided by… the God's Stone.

It seemed that he had thought too simply, Roland couldn't help but smile wryly. He had previously believed that "only living things can gather magic power" was a fallacy caused by a lack of understanding of magic power, but the evidence Isabella discovered undoubtedly greatly advanced the transformation of fallacy into reality.

"I have seen in the church's Book of All Things that some rare plants can connect with animals to form a strange symbiotic relationship," she continued. "Although I can't just conclude that the God's Stone is a plant, it is at least not a dead thing. Following this line of thought, some of the unique phenomena of the devils are easier to understand—such as the constantly growing obelisks, and the giant monsters seen at the bottom of the obelisks. Perhaps they used this to build their current tribal system."

"So, devils really like to use stones..." Nightingale said thoughtfully.

"Unfortunately, my research is still shallow, and most of it is only at the stage of superficial speculation, and I can't bring you any substantial help." Isabella lowered her head slightly apologetically. "Not only has the reason for the fusion not been found, but even the transformation of magic stones can only produce low-level magic stones such as glowing stones and screaming stones—"

"You underestimate your discovery," Roland interrupted. "Regardless of whether the guess that 'fluctuation frequency' determines the effect is correct, the fact that you have proven that witches can create magic stones with their abilities is enough to have your name recorded in history."

To say that there were no regrets would be a lie. If she could mass-produce high-level magic stones, it would also mean that powerful sigils like Infinity and Divine Will could be used without limit, and combat witches could also become a significant force on the battlefield. However, he was also clear that the exploration of magic power would inevitably be a long and tortuous process, and now Isabella had only just pushed open the door and glimpsed a corner of it. As long as she can continue her research, in terms of the average lifespan of a witch, the results are undoubtedly worth looking forward to.

After Isabella took her leave, Roland immediately spread out paper and pen and drafted a telegram to the City Hall.

The message was very simple, with only one sentence: Winter City cannot be lost, the emergency plan will be activated immediately, and the city will enter a state of total war mobilization.

The plan would provide as many soldiers as possible to the front line, provided that the food supply could afford it—and in addition to the expansion of the army, industrial production would also be inclined towards the manufacture of military equipment, while daily necessities would be restricted.

Although he had ordered Chief Manager Barov to formulate a corresponding general mobilization plan as early as the beginning of the War of Divine Will, it was not easy to implement it. First of all, in terms of administrative integrity, only Winter City can currently achieve policy and personnel, production adaptation and adjustment, and it is easy to become a forced conscription in other cities, making the hard-won order collapse again.

Secondly, even if the First Army expands drastically, logistics will not be generated out of thin air. Relying solely on sailing ships and livestock to transport supplies, it is almost impossible to conduct a cross-border battle on the scale of 100,000 people in this era.

However, if the home field is in the Western Region, the restrictions of administration and logistics no longer exist—Winter City is not only the front line of this defense war, but also the last fortress of mankind.

No matter what the cost, they cannot retreat one step, even if the enemy is the Sky-Sea World.

Because mankind has nowhere to retreat!

...

"Who's there?"

The Silent Lord, soaked in the Mayfly Pool, suddenly opened his eyes and looked at the dark, lightless place opposite him.

Just now, he heard a slight noise.

If he were in a normal state, he would never ask such a question, he could just pick up his weapon and slash it down to know the result. If a Newly Risen or Progenitor dared to enter his rest area without permission, being split in half would be a deserved end.

The reason why Silence did not act immediately was only because the polearm was not at hand—he would only remove his armor and weapons when recuperating.

In the darkness, a figure slowly walked out.

"Don't move... it's me."

He was slightly stunned. Judging from the voice, the other party was the Sky Lord, Heikzord, who had been out of contact for a long time!

Silence suddenly stood up from the pool and draped a piece of white cloth over his body. "Where the hell have you been! Is it true, as Mask said, that you deserted?"

"Hmph, I wouldn't be surprised if that deformed freak said anything. That's why I came to you alone." Heikzord slowly walked to the edge of the pool. Only then did Silence notice that there was a large hole in the armor on its chest, and the wound inside was so deep that the bone could be seen. Although the blood had stopped, the injury was far from healed.

"You... are injured?"

With the Sky Lord's ability, it was impossible for it to be in such a state if it had deserted.

"I never thought there would be a day when I would be so embarrassed that I would need your concern," Heikzord chuckled, struggling to climb into the Mayfly Pool. "As for where I went, don't worry, you'll know soon. But before that, I have to show you something."

"What is it?"

"Concentrate your mind, then relax and close your eyes..."

Hearing such a strange request, Silence originally intended to refuse, but looking at the other party's unquestionable expression, he suddenly realized something.

This was clearly the preparation to enter the Mind World!

He hesitated for a moment, but finally closed his eyes.

In an instant, an indescribable scene flooded into Silence's mind! In the bizarre and strange images, nameless secret letters, white-clothed brethren, light column towers, and bottomless sinkholes flashed by in sequence. Finally, what appeared before his eyes was the swarm that was swarming in, surrounded by claws…