CHAPTER 200: CHAPTER 200: PASTRIES

Herag transformed into the Grim Reaper, striking one after another, leaving these people no room to resist in front of him.

In just seven or eight seconds, this group was completely dealt with by Herag alone.

The person who ran the farthest was about three hundred meters from the valley entrance.

He thought he was close to the exit and would escape soon.

The constant screams behind him were like omens of death.

The next moment, a pain struck his chest, and before he could react, his consciousness plunged into darkness.

A tremendous force crashed into him, his insides rupturing everywhere, unable to withstand such powerful stress.

After dealing with these people, David and Reese jumped down from a nearby slope.

"Let’s clean up."

Herag instructed, then relinquished his current state.

"Change your clothes." Reese took out a set of clothes from the Space Ring, walked over to Herag, handing them over with a slight blush on her face.

Herag paused for a moment; he originally had clothes ready.

But since Reese had already prepared them for him, it wasn’t polite to refuse.

So he nodded and said, "Thank you."

Now, Herag had relinquished his Giant Transformation, returning to his original body size.

Reese quickly stole a glance while Herag changed: "Still so big..."

In the following half month, adventurers continued to trickle in.

The Wizard from Base 27 was stationed throughout the mountain range, killing any adventurers who entered.

Gradually, fewer adventurers came to Lime Mountain Range, making Herag and the others’ work much easier, beginning a leisurely time in the mountains.

...

Oberstein, in the Border Camp of the Noen Kingdom.

Tyrion looked at the reporting Order Officer in front of him and said gravely, "Are you saying that none of the adventurers who entered the Lime Mountain Range have returned yet?"

The Order Officer swallowed with some bitterness, nodding, "Yes, Commander. In this half month, two to three hundred adventurers, including many Casters, went in. But so far, none have come back."

Tyrion closed his eyes, leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples.

He knew that most of those adventurers were not coming back.

As for why they couldn’t return, nobody knew.

"We also sent a hundred-man unit back then, and there were no casualties. Why is it that these adventurers went and couldn’t return?" Tyrion was a bit perplexed.

The Order Officer thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps the other side didn’t want to clash with the Kingdom Army, while those adventurers didn’t have much backing, so they all met with misfortune after going in."

Tyrion shook his head, "That shouldn’t be the reason. That Mountain Patrol Team is also missing; this explanation doesn’t make sense."

"Well... subordinate doesn’t know either." The Order Officer was also puzzled.

After pondering for a while, Tyrion said solemnly, "Withdraw that mission."

"It’s already been withdrawn, and now no one dares to take on that mission. The news of adventurers disappearing in the Lime Mountain Range has spread throughout Oberstein, and no one dares to take it on." The Order Officer replied.

Tyrion nodded, "Make a proclamation forbidding anyone to approach the Lime Mountain Range. I will report this matter to Sea Stone City. Until things are clarified, that area will be designated as a forbidden zone."

Sea Stone City is the capital of the Noen Kingdom, as well as the center of power.

Tyrion could no longer handle the issue there, and his intuition told him that there might be severe problems involved, necessitating reporting to the King.

"Understood, I’ll handle it right away." The Order Officer quickly drafted the proclamation and had it posted throughout Oberstein.

At this time, rumors about the Lime Mountain Range had already spread across Oberstein.

Indeed, there was no need for Tyrion’s announcement as even ordinary people, not to mention adventurers, dared not approach that place now.

Anyone who went in vanished without a trace, and who would carelessly go there.

Some bold adventurers believed that the larger the storm, the bigger the fish, and thought there might be treasures inside.

Considering themselves chosen ones, extraordinarily powerful, they plunged into the Lime Mountain Range, only to disappear as well with no news.

After the news of Lime Mountain Range spread, adventurers in other cities heard and began journeying there.

Among them were powerful beings like Initial-tier Casters.

The existence of such levels was practically the pinnacle of adventurers’ strength.

They had encountered bizarre occurrences before and understood that there were many places that ordinary people could not easily tread.

Only Formal Casters like them could explore the mysteries of such places.

To ordinary adventurers, it was a dead zone, but to them, it was an opportunity.

Many Casters knew that such places might well be ancient ruins.

The dangers within were naturally beyond what ordinary adventurers could resolve.

Oberstein, at Asuna’s house.

Lins sat inside, hands covering his face, tears streaming through his fingers, his body trembling uncontrollably.

Asuna went to the Lime Mountain Range half a month ago and hasn’t returned yet.

Shadi hasn’t come back either; their entire adventuring team disappeared in the Lime Mountain Range.

Lins didn’t pay much mind initially; Asuna often took ten days, half a month, or even a month for tasks without returning.

But then the Lime Mountain Range news came out.

No adventurers who entered have returned.

Under such circumstances, not coming back, everyone understood what that meant.

It’s highly likely they would never return.

Lins never anticipated this day would come.

In his eyes, although Asuna was a bit annoying as an older sister.

He always admired his sister, though—strong, intelligent, talented, a powerful Caster.

Lins diligently trained as a Knight, with Asuna as his role model all along.

He aspired to be as strong as his sister, free from living under her shadow forever.

Lins never thought that such a powerful sister would disappear in what appeared to be an ordinary Lime Mountain Range, unlikely to return.

The note on the table was still there, which read: "Eat the pastries while they’re fresh; they spoil easily in hot weather."

The pastries remained, initially untouched out of reluctance, now because he couldn’t bear to eat them.

Those were the last items Asuna bought for him.

The pastries had long spoiled; Lins still hadn’t thrown them away and didn’t even dare to touch them.

At this moment, Lins was filled with endless regret and guilt.

Some things are only cherished when lost.

Because when it was there, you never felt its presence.

Lins looked at his Longsword, his gaze filled with newfound determination.

I want to become strong.

He didn’t rashly charge into the Lime Mountain Range.

Because even someone as powerful as his sister didn’t return, going in recklessly meant he, too, would likely never come back.