……
Qiao sat cross-legged on the ground, staring blankly at the seven crooked horizontal lines beside his feet.
They were the marks of days.
For each passing day, he would use his finger to scratch a line in the dirt.
And today was the seventh day.
Whether Farlena was still alive, whether Lorenzo was still tormenting her, these were questions he no longer dared to think about. As soon as the thought stirred, a tearing pain would surge in his heart.
Qiao began to doubt whether he had made the wrong choice.
Although guard Sean had granted his request, and although he had not suffered any abuse after being imprisoned, Greycastle was too far from Wolfheart. By the time the message reached the King of Greycastle, and he made a decision and sent troops to Wolfheart, it would take at least a month. If discussions, considerations, and prioritization of matters were added, it might be even later.
He had no confidence that Roland Wimbledon would treat the Church's internal strife as he handled domestic affairs.
It was even possible that he would refuse.
In that case, all his efforts would be in vain.
Qiao lowered his gaze to the chain on his ankle.
It connected him to the bedpost, and was about one person's length.
Perhaps he could use this chain to…
"Hey, are you awake?" The tent flap was suddenly lifted, and the harsh light shone in, causing him to squint involuntarily. "So you weren't asleep. In that case, come with us."
"Go... where?" The sudden light seemed to interrupt his thoughts, and his mind, like the ground, was blank.
"Of course to Wolfheart. What, aren't you in a hurry to save your "lover"?"
As his vision gradually adjusted to the sunlight, he saw Sean standing in front of him.
Then a key was tossed over.
Only then did Qiao realize the meaning of the other party's words. He trembled as he grabbed the key. "Cou- could it be…"
"His Majesty has approved the rescue plan and decided to escort you back to Neverwinter for trial," Sean said calmly. "The team responsible for this operation has already arrived at Coral Bay. After joining them, you can go directly to Grand Duke Island."
Already… arrived?
How could it be so fast?
He could hardly believe his ears.
But now was not the time to think about this!
Qiao fumbled to open the lock. When he stood up, he staggered because his legs had been crossed for a long time, but he finally straightened his body.
"If you're feeling unwell…"
"No, please take me there!"
He pleaded urgently.
Sean slightly raised the corners of his mouth. "Then come on."
Qiao looked back at the marks on the ground. The twisted horizontal lines were edged with silver by the sunlight, as if they were shining brightly.
He didn't know what kind of future was waiting for him.
But he finally saw a glimmer of hope.
Qiao took a deep breath and followed the guard out of the tent.
……
One day later.
Coral Bay.
This was the easternmost port of Dawn, and it was undoubtedly much quieter than the seaports closer to Greycastle and the Fjords. This was especially true after Wolfheart and Eternal Winter were swept by the Church. The royal family had fallen, and nobles were fighting for power. It was still in chaos, and trade had also declined significantly. Most of the sailboats docked at the pier were flying the flags of the Fjord Chamber of Commerce, and ships from the two northern countries were rarely seen.
Among these sparse ships, one stood out.
It had no sails, and black smoke billowed from its top. Large wooden wheels hung on both sides, and the hull seemed to be made of stone.
The legendary Greycastle stone ship.
Qiao thought.
Although he had heard of its existence, it was the first time he had seen it with his own eyes.
As the group boarded the deck, two people immediately came to greet them.
The newcomers were a man and a woman.
Qiao's eyes quickly swept over the two, and his heart tightened slightly.
For some reason, he vaguely felt that the woman looked familiar, as if he had seen her somewhere before.
"Ah, it's Ms. Zoye and Ms. Betty," Sean greeted the two warmly. "His Majesty entrusted this operation to you?"
"Because we happened to be in Neverwinter at the time, and we've been to Dawn before." The woman shrugged. "If it weren't for His Majesty's intentions, I really wouldn't want to come to such a distant place... I should be on the front lines fighting the devils."
"Also, rather than the term 'Ms.', I would prefer you to use the term xiaojie," the man grinned. "Unlike Zoye, I was one of the last to awaken, and I've only been around for about a hundred years."
"Isn't a hundred years old enough?" The woman glanced at him.
"But it still feels strange. In the dream world, everyone was vying to call me xiaojie-jie. Of course... Queen is also acceptable."
"Then xiaojie it is," Sean looked somewhat helpless. "If you two think it's better that way."
Wait... what are they talking about? Qiao looked at them blankly. Ms.? xiaojie? This person, no matter how you look at it, is a man. And what does it mean to have fought the devils? The Red Moon hasn't even appeared yet. What exactly are the devils they're talking about?
"This person is the last priest of the Church?" The woman called Zoye sized him up. "The hope entrusted by Starfall Queen has turned into a tool for the foolish to fight for power. Although he was once an enemy, I feel sorry for her."
"So it's not necessarily a bad thing for us to end it all, a kind of reincarnation." The other person nodded. "Now that everyone is here, let's set off."
Ev- everyone is here?
Qiao ignored the inexplicable words and quickly looked around - this stone ship wasn't big enough to accommodate an army, but he didn't see any other Greycastle ships around.
"Sir..." Qiao gritted his teeth and asked the doubt in his heart.
Zoye answered him, "The rescue team you're talking about is here."
He- here?
As if to verify his thoughts, she pointed at herself and then at Betty. "She and I are the entire team."
Qiao looked at Sean in horror. "Sir! Lorenzo has a Punisher Army under his command—"
"Five people, no more than ten people, right?" The latter interrupted him.
He stared blankly at the other party, unable to even answer "yes." Why, why are the three of them so relaxed? Those are monsters far beyond the strength of ordinary people!
Ignorance is bliss? That's impossible. It's hard to say about the others, but Greycastle has fought the Punisher Army head-on at Coldwind Ridge. Their understanding of these terrifying warriors should be second only to the Church.
Even with powerful firearms, storming a castle would weaken the advantage of range. Once entering a narrow area, if you encounter a Punisher Warrior, it would be difficult to kill the opponent instantly with firearms. After all, they are not afraid of pain, and will not stop killing until they are unable to move.
According to his plan, at least one to two hundred people would enter through different doors, advance layer by layer, and clear the enemy room by room, in order to take the castle at a smaller cost. If the number is lower than this, casualties may increase significantly.
But... two people?
How is this possible!
"You're thinking—how is this possible—right?" Zoye sneered. "That's because you know nothing about Ms. Akalys's plan. In the final analysis, they are just empty shells without souls. It's more than enough for the two of us to handle them."