Chapter Nine, Departure

Two sharp-edged red stones suddenly shot forth, accompanied by a piercing shriek, passing over the heads of the new recruits and soaring diagonally into the air, striking the back of a mage in succession! The stones, enveloped in blazing flames, silently shattered against the surface of the "Holy Light Protection," but a gap was torn in the azure shield. Before the mage could react, another shriek echoed through the air as two more stones flew in without pause. This time, they directly pierced through the protection, entering through the back and exiting through the chest, instantly claiming his life! Before the mage could react, another shriek echoed through the air as two more stones flew in without pause. This time, they directly pierced through the protection, entering through the back and exiting through the chest, instantly claiming his life!

Sajia bit his lower lip, vigorously wiped the corners of his eyes, and slowly nodded before stumbling and running off. After just a few steps, he turned around and looked longingly at Kamule for a moment, then took off running into the distant forest. This time, he did not look back

With a crack, more than half of the new recruit's spine shattered under the immense pressure, and his entire body collapsed to the ground like a waterlogged clay figure, utterly limp and defeated

A pure, radiant beam of light surged upward rapidly, accompanied by a brief yet intense buzzing sound, directly confronting the dark shadow that had just pounced down.

"Left wing, spread out a bit more. Why are you all huddled together? Is it very cold?" Mendita shouted angrily. The sharp pain in his left eye continued to gnaw at his nerves like a venomous snake, and facing the endless thicket of thorns, both his strength and patience were rapidly depleting. Occasionally, he would curse the major general who issued the search orders under his breath, of course, only in his mind.

"Therefore, from now on, you must live on your own and take care of yourself." Kamray wiped the tears from his son's face, listened intently to the sounds around them, and said softly, "If you can survive, you must become strong. I do not need you to understand this now, but you must remember my words. Only by being strong enough can you live a better life and live longer! Now, hurry and go!" Only by being strong enough can you live a better life and live longer! Now, hurry and go!

Kamei suddenly raised his hand and pushed him away, delivering a heavy slap to the book: "Leave! Go right now! I am not your biological father; you must find your true family!"

The Qilizha Mountain Range, shrouded in the night, is always dark and desolate, resembling an ancient giant dragon coiled alone in the vast wilderness. The evening breeze sweeps through, stirring the dark sea of black rhino trees into rippling waves. The faint sounds of friction among the swaying treetops intertwine, creating waves of rustling that resemble the surging of tides, stretching endlessly for miles.

A low muffled sound reverberated, and dust swirled up from the ground. The mage lay on the ground, the protective shield surrounding him gradually dimming. The powerful impact created a tremor, seemingly bringing a moment of clarity. He turned his head to glance at his fallen companion, who was so close, and suddenly two dazzling beams of light surged from his hands, "I want you dead!"

"Open your eyes wide!" Mendita, with a vigilant expression, swept the blade of his sword, causing dense thorns to fall and scatter before him. "Do not be afraid! You are soldiers! This is the battlefield! If you sense anything amiss, respond promptly, and I will come to your aid at the first opportunity!"

A dazzling brilliance, more blinding than the scorching sun, suddenly flared up, and the broken thorny branches in the air fell like rain. The mage stared in astonishment as the beam gradually twisted and vanished, while the ball of fire drew ever closer, about to make contact. Even in this intensely bright light that was hard to look at, he clearly glimpsed a pair of ferocious blood-red eyes

Saka did not move an inch, tightly holding onto Kamure, with tears streaming down his face

A face more hideous than a demon, a mutilated body erupting with fierce flames, flesh and blood bursting and scattering, and corpses lying in pools of dark red blood... All of this seems to be right before my eyes. Yet at this moment, what is being sought are the vengeful spirits that escaped from that hellish fortress and the - illustrations -.

Kamray felt a pang of compassion in his heart as he picked up Saka and gently kissed his cheek, saying: "You are a man now, and you must not cry anymore. I know Saka is a good child who wants to stay by my side. However, you must survive; do not let the deaths of me and the uncles be in vain. Look at me! You must try to endure the pain now! Do you understand? Now, turn around and run, do not look back, just keep running... I will be here watching you... Hurry, go!" Now, turn around and run, do not look back, just keep running... I will be here watching you... Hurry, go!

Mendita suddenly let out a loud roar, raising his sword and leaping forward, charging directly at the shadow that was quietly approaching, "Be careful! He is right behind you!"

Witnessing the anguished cries of a companion, another wizard, frozen in shock and powerless, had no time to react. He floated in the air in a daze, only to be swiftly enveloped by a shadow that surged forward, arms gathered, and was violently hurled to the ground amidst the roar.

At the hillside approximately ten miles west of the Bianyun Fortress, there exists a particularly dense thicket of black rhinoceros trees. Among the thickets, thorns intertwine and gather, nearly covering the open spaces between the trunks. In the darkness, a small golden mole, not much larger than a mouse, emerges from the thorny cluster, standing upright, its nostrils flaring as it delicately sniffs the surrounding scents. Its body is covered in a layer of glossy, smooth brown fur, with a tail as fluffy as a broom. Above its small and delicate head are two disproportionately large eyes, giving it a rather endearing appearance. The hard-shelled chestnuts produced by the black rhinoceros trees are one of the primary food sources for the golden mole. In the Bianyun area, they seem to never worry about finding food.

As the relentless running continues, the breath becomes increasingly hurried, and the chest aches as if it might explode at any moment. The wind cuts across the face like a knife, filling the mouth and nose, drying the traces of tears. ... Saka's lips have been bitten to shreds, and in his mind, only the repeated echoes resonate: survive, grow strong, do not cry

The words of farewell still linger in Saka's ears, refusing to fade away for a long time

The outside world www.hetushu.com.com is already a dazzling expanse, as if day and night have abruptly completed their transition. Little Golden Flower, the mole, peered out with a hint of confusion, but soon turned its body around and burrowed deep into the cave. This was because the faint vibrations from the earth informed it that an uninvited guest was approaching

In the thicket of thorns directly ahead, there lay a grayish boulder, roughly the size of a tabletop. The new recruit caught a glimpse of it in his peripheral vision but had no interest to look again, exhaustedly maneuvering around it. Such massive rocks are common in the Qilizha Mountain Range. They silently occupy the gaps between the trees, only revealing their full form in the moment when the magical projectile illuminates the surroundings, resembling colossal beasts deliberately concealed in darkness. The new recruit, whose entire focus was on finding a foothold amidst the broken thorns, remained completely unaware that as he moved further away, the large stone behind him subtly shifted, and then, it opened a pair of hidden, crimson-tinged fierce eyes.

Kamelei shook his head and said, "I’m sorry, Saga, I can no longer fulfill this promise I made to you. Because... because I am about to die, just like Wika."

The new recruits moved slowly and mechanically, having already recited the prayer for light countless times in their hearts, hoping that the target of the search would stay as far away from them as possible. The two mages, enveloped in protective auras, also appeared unenthusiastic, merely maintaining the illumination spell in the air and flying lightly with the team. Their companions, after using the "Wind Control" spell to glide down the mountain path and swiftly searching along the edge of the swamp, ascended straight into the high sky. Under the moonlight, the vast Gobi Desert appeared desolate and expansive, faintly tinged with a layer of bluish hue, offering an extremely broad and open view from above. A few mages merely glanced around before gliding down like great eagles, joining Mathis's team to search upward from the foot of the mountain. No one believed that Kamray would venture deep into the Gobi, as he not only risked self-detonation at any moment but also had his son by his side.

"We will walk together, you promised, to always be by my side." Sagar grasped Kamray's hand, his face filled with anxiety and fear

A dozen or so new recruits on the left side nervously widened the distance between each other, trembling yet helpless. The one at the farthest end was so exhausted that he could no longer lift his sword; the relentless chopping motions had caused every joint in his body to ache. Blood had long since soaked his thighs, cold and viscous against his skin, resembling the skin of a snake. Overwhelmed by a moment of unceasing terror and regret for enlisting, he gasped for breath as he moved his feet, hoping to escape this damned situation as soon as possible.

Sajia's face immediately swelled up, yet it seemed as if he had not heard Kamulei's words at all: "Father, can I stay here? I am not afraid of death; I just want to be with you"

Sakason let go, staring blankly and said: "I don't want you to die. If you die, what will happen to Sakason?"

Kamei stared blankly at his small, frail figure gradually disappearing into the darkness, tears slowly streaming down his tiger-like eyes: "Good son, this is what a man should be like..."

"From now on, I can no longer accompany you," Kamrei said as he placed Zaga on the ground, squatting down, his large, broad palm gently stroking Zaga's face. "Keep heading north, through the densest part of the forest. Do not descend the mountain, and absolutely do not return to Bianyun. If you get hungry, climb a tree and see if there are any eggs in the bird's nest. I believe you still remember those days a few years ago when there was no food to eat. Search as carefully as you did back then, leaving no tree unchecked, and you will not starve." I believe you still remember those days a few years ago when there was no food to eat. Search as carefully as you did back then, leaving no tree unchecked, and you will not starve.

Two blue-robed mages, gliding slowly between the narrow thickets, exchanged a glance and simultaneously let out a cold laugh

Saka was running incessantly, breathing heavily as he ran

The continuous bursts of magical illumination in the forest made dozens of pursuers feel that the night was no longer chaotic, and the extent of the mountain range seemed far less vast than imagined. However, this eerie and dense forest, akin to a nightmare, presented a reality filled with crises and terror for everyone trapped within it; this was just the beginning

He ran very quickly, through the jungle, navigating the gaps between the thorns, never pausing for a moment. The terrain of this mountainous area was as familiar to him as the lines on the palm of his hand

The new recruit, feeling a faint pain in his scalp, turned around in astonishment, only to see a massive shadow covered in thick thorns leaping high, stepping onto his shoulder, and soaring into the sky like a specter

Bang ! ! !

Mendita's roar did little to alleviate the psychological burden on the new recruits. This team, composed of over twenty survivors, had been slowly advancing in a dispersed formation since entering the jungle. Despite two mages in the air continuously casting large-scale illumination spells, the tangled thorns on the ground made their progress exceedingly difficult, reducing their speed to a crawl. Having witnessed the hellish scenes of slaughter, each new recruit remained deeply immersed in a fear that penetrated to the bone, unable to extricate themselves. They moved stiffly, swinging their broad swords to slash at the thorns, their legs already bloodied from the sharp thorns, yet they felt no pain whatsoever.

The little golden mole turned its head, cautiously peering for a moment, then swiftly darted up the trunk of a large tree. Just as it agilely climbed to the crown of the branches, a burst of white light, accompanied by a sharp scream, suddenly exploded in the air, releasing millions of meteors trailing fiery brilliance, cascading down into the forest. The little golden mole was so startled by this sudden change that it lost its wits, hurriedly jumped down the trunk, and stumbled back to the cave hidden beneath a nearby rock.

In the distant background, faintly, an unusual sound could be heard. Kamrei wiped his cheek with the back of his hand, chuckling self-deprecatingly, as a cold murderous intent gradually emerged in his gaze

After escaping from the fortress, Kamrei carried him on his back, moving swiftly. It was only when they reached the mountainside that he allowed Saga to leave on his own.