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墨書 Inktalez
The sudden appearance of a face made Freya stand up abruptly, a primal sense of crisis putting her on high alert.
A faint breeze began to gather around her.
"What’s wrong, Freya?"
Seeing Freya suddenly tense up, everyone followed her gaze to the window, only to find a pure white owl perched there, its large eyes fixated on the food by the campfire.
Perhaps sensing the attention from the group, the owl let out a strange call and quickly flapped its wings, flying away.
"An owl?" Rand frowned slightly at the departing owl, puzzled as to why Freya was so alert.
Once the owl disappeared into the night, Freya seemed to snap back to reality, the energy particles she had gathered slowly dissipating.
"Is this your first time on an outdoor mission, Freya? Why are you so nervous?" Lal asked with a strange tone.
"It’s not… I might have just seen it wrong," Freya replied, slightly pursing her lips at Lal's teasing tone, her gaze sweeping over Lena, who was still leaning against Aishebun.
The girl was munching on food that Aishebun had handed her, her eyes dreamily fixed on his face, resembling a girl who was falling in love.
However, Freya clearly remembered that the pale face she had seen earlier belonged to this girl sitting across from her; it was just…
'Maybe I really did see it wrong.'
She shook her head slightly and returned to her seat.
The campfire occasionally crackled, the warmth contrasting sharply with the chill outside.
Perhaps it was Freya's earlier actions that broke the previous silence, as a few people began to chat about various missions they had undertaken in the past.
Freya tore at the rabbit meat in her hands, quietly listening to their conversation.
Outside, the White Mist had gradually thickened to a certain extent, and the trees nearby were no longer visible through the window.
Although she had some doubts about her earlier illusion, nothing had happened with the Screaming Dust that Lani had released. From this perspective, the owl from earlier didn't pose any real danger.
"You won't believe what I was hunting on my last mission. It was a Hundred-Eyed Demon, a creature close to an Official Wizard. If it weren't for Mentor Edith Skoda showing up just in time, I might have died out there," Nikola lamented. "But that mission did earn me thirty Magic Stones, so I guess it was worth it..."
"The Hundred-Eyed Demon is a subterranean monster raised by Belukodifort. Although this organization doesn't usually interfere with our academy, your acceptance of that mission might mean our academy is considering Belukodifort as a hostile organization," Rand analyzed while stroking his chin.
"Who knows? Anyway, I won't be going back there again, even though it's a decent Resource Point... What a pity."
Upon hearing Nikola's words, Freya slightly raised her head and gently addressed Rand.
"By the way, Senior Rand, Abyssal Lake is also considered a Resource Point for Elgreen Academy, right? But why aren't there any apprentices stationed here long-term?"
As they walked along, Freya had already noticed the various Fire Element Demonized Creatures and herbs produced in the area surrounding Abyssal Lake. While these resources weren't particularly high-grade, they were not easily found for lower-level apprentices.
The Bear Pelt she carried in her pack could likely be exchanged for half a Magic Stone in the Trading Area.
"I'm not entirely sure about that either; I only know a little bit," Rand said with an awkward smile upon hearing Freya's question. "It seems that Abyssal Lake was previously chosen as a station by some apprentices from various academies. However, there was an incident here where most of the apprentices mysteriously disappeared near Abyssal Lake. Those who managed to escape to the academy were raving mad and incoherent."
"Has the academy not investigated?" Freya frowned slightly.
Unexplained disappearances might be a troublesome matter for ordinary people, but for wizards, even the most minute traces or related items can provide clues. Even if someone seems to have vanished without a trace, the cause can often be found through a retrospective spell.
"There has been an investigation, but nothing was discovered. Even when the Official Wizard came, there were no leads. The Abyssal Lake was deemed a low-level Resource Point and was abandoned by the academy. So aside from apprentices who need to complete tasks or ordinary hunters, this place is usually deserted," Rand explained carefully.
"Oh, I see..." Freya nodded gently, lowering her head to eat without saying more, though her mind seemed to be elsewhere.
Soon, everyone finished dinner and each found a spot in the room to take out their belongings—some read while others meditated.
Freya spread out a thick blanket and lay down on it, closing her eyes as she entered a meditative state.
With the protective barrier already set up, there was no need for anyone to keep watch.
As Freya meditated, she gradually slipped into a half-dreaming state.
The Crimson Snow Bat is active during the early morning and daytime, so the others also refrained from staying up too late to rest well.
Before long, the room was filled with the sound of even breathing.
Time passed unnoticed until a thick white mist enveloped the entire wooden cabin like a white cloth.
Even in the darkness, one could clearly see the white mist rolling around the cabin in an irregular manner.
'Crack, crack.'
A crisp voice suddenly echoed in the room, causing Freya to stir slightly in her sleep and immediately open her eyes in alertness.
The sound resembled someone walking barefoot in a puddle, right at the entrance of the wooden cabin.
Freya turned her head to look towards the door. In the dim light of the campfire, she noticed that the wooden door had been opened at some point, and a thick white mist was rolling in like some kind of liquid, spreading into the room. But other than that, there was nothing else.
Watching the mist slowly flow inside, Freya frowned slightly as a faint chill filled her body.
She glanced around; several people were sleeping soundly under their blankets, their breaths coming out in even rhythms.
Not wanting to disturb them, Freya walked to the wooden door and closed it again.
The incoming white mist quickly dissipated in the warmth of the campfire.
Just as she turned around to return to her spot, Lena's pale face suddenly appeared right in front of her, with barely an inch between them, as if they would touch if either moved forward even slightly.
In that instant, Freya felt as if her breath had stopped. A cold and shivering sensation crept up her back because she saw Lena's ghostly white face so close, with a pair of pitch-black eyes devoid of whites staring intently at her. (To be continued)
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