The wide-open greyish-blue gate, the stone steps leading all the way down, the sea dotted with patches of golden light, and the pervasive brightness once again entered the eyes of
As members of the previous exploration team, this wasn't the first time they had seen this scene, but their souls were still deeply shaken, and they instinctively held their breath.
Derrick, carrying the giant hammer "Roar of the Thunder God," stood at the very front. He was two meters tall, with broad shoulders, and remained silent.
After nearly a minute, Liaval spoke tentatively:
"Elder
He was a Sequence 5 Guardian, nearly two and a half meters tall, with slightly disproportional hands and feet.
Derrick stared at the sea rippling with patches of gold for several seconds before saying:
"Wait a little longer."
By this time, several days had passed since he had opened this gate. He had led the exploration team back to the City of Silver carrying the ashes, characteristics, and sealed artifacts of the Chief and Elder Lovia. Using that secret, he had gained the trust of the current Chief of the "Council of Six," Wait Hildmon.
This time, Derrick was leading twenty Beyonders from the City of Silver to act as pathfinders, to grope for a safe passage and confirm the situation outside.
On this matter, he had rejected Mr. "The World"'s proposal to use the "
Hearing Elder Derrick's reply, Liaval, Cantus, and the other pathfinder team members said nothing more. They each took a step back and continued to admire the beautiful view.
They were still somewhat distrustful of Derrick Berg. After all, he had close ties with an outsider, and both the Chief and Elder Lovia had died during the previous exploration, leaving only this "Sunless" and that outsider alive. If not for the "Council of Six" choosing to trust Derrick, they would definitely be feeling hostility and resentment rather than wariness right now.
An unknown amount of time later, the sea dotted with patches of golden light was suddenly shrouded by darkness.
Deep within the darkness, a faint mist could be vaguely seen. Within the mist were a black church with a spire and all kinds of buildings, giving a feeling that was both real and illusory.
Derrick and the others were no strangers to the darkness. Instinctively, those who had the power of light emitted it, those who had tallow candles lit them—busy but not panicked.
It was only when the entire team of twenty-one was protected by light that they looked in confusion at the town in the mist and the shadowy figures of pedestrians, unable to understand what was going on.
This was not the darkness they were familiar with.
Just then, Derrick, whose body naturally emitted a pure radiance, raised his left hand and said in a low voice:
"Move out."
Before the team members could respond, he took the lead, stepping through the gate and down the outer stone stairs, delving step by step into the darkness.
Liaval, Cantus, and the others exchanged glances, gritted their teeth, and, not wanting to fall behind, closely followed the newly appointed Elder of the "Council of Six," Derrick Berg, as they walked out of the
In the impenetrable darkness, they finished descending the steps. Suddenly, their vision brightened, and they saw an orange-red glow and a stretch of black, monastery-like buildings.
"Is this the outside world?" Cantus looked around cautiously and curiously, finding that they had unknowingly arrived opposite the "
"No." Derrick compared the current environment with the descriptions from Mr. "The World" and Lady "The Hermit," then nodded slightly. "We need to wait here for a while. You can find a place to rest on your own."
This "Sunless," who no longer had the slightest trace of rawness, calmly arranged everything.
Liaval glanced at the black monastery with its tightly shut gates and asked with a hint of puzzlement:
"Don't we need to explore here and find the exit?"
"No need." Derrick shook his head.
The members of the pathfinding team didn't ask any further questions. They didn't rest either, simply standing where they were, waiting patiently.
As time trickled by, one blinding beam of sunlight after another suddenly shone into this world, turning everything a brilliant white before quickly fading and vanishing.
Derrick, Cantus, and the others instinctively looked around. They once again saw that golden sea and felt a terrifying aura that made them dare not look directly at it.
However, unlike before, they were now on an island. Behind them were clumps of strange, huge, golden plants with smiling faces. Their state, completely devoid of any sense of corruption or mutation, made every single member of the City of Silver's pathfinding team sincerely experience the joy that life brings.
"We really got out… What a different world…" Liaval, Cantus, and the others couldn't help but sigh deeply in their hearts.
They immediately confirmed a fact: Elder Derrick had not betrayed the City of Silver. His cooperation with the outsider was truly aimed at leading everyone away from that cursed land.
"Elder Berg…" Cantus mumbled for a moment before saying, "Thank you."
Derrick nodded slightly, his back ramrod straight.
Liaval didn't express his inner apology like Cantus did. He glanced left and right, then changed the subject and asked:
"Elder Berg, how do we leave this place? Build a boat?"
"Build a boat" was a phrase that only existed in their history books, and it sounded exceptionally strange and unfamiliar when spoken now.
"There doesn't seem to be any materials for building a boat here…" Cantus and the others immediately surveyed this small island, finding no trees or other plants.
Derrick shook his head again: