Not to mention that he failed to infiltrate the research institute of the Black Magic Monastery, Hunter Craik was still alive when he left. When everyone returned to the camp, he had become a skeleton archer, standing obscenely on Nao Behind Mi, the weak soul fire looked like it might be extinguished at any time.
Thea's eyes widened, staring at the skeleton archer with almost no trace of flesh on his body. The white bones were even covered with some black rune marks.
"Why did he suddenly turn into a skeleton?" Siya asked.
She had a good impression of the hunter who looked worried when he set out, but she didn't expect that he had turned into a skeleton archer in the blink of an eye.
After Surdak explained to Siya, the mermaid girl sighed softly.
Like Aphrodite, she didn't expect that the hunter Craik was actually an outside line of the Black Magic Priory Research Institute, specializing in providing them with outside intelligence. And his wife and son were taken away by the Black Magic Priory. The Black Magic Priory is currently conducting a series of operations. This method of using family members as hostages can better ensure the loyalty of these outsiders.
However, it was due to Surdak's reconnaissance operation that Craik failed to pass on the information in time, but was discovered by the investigators of the Black Magic Hermitage, who intercepted and killed Craik on the way.
After daybreak, Suldak led the heavy armored infantry regiment and continued marching deeper into the mountains.
This time without Crake leading the way, although the mountain road became less easy to walk, we headed directly towards the Black Magic Priory Research Institute.
There are two magicians in the team, Thea and Aphrodite. Although one is a naga and the other is a succubus, both of them have magic handles and can fly in the air on magic handles.
In fact, Surdak has always wanted to ask Siya what it feels like to fly in the sky!
After all, she is a naga. Flying in the sky has always been something only birds can do. Now she can also take a short flight on a magic harpoon.
Compared with the broader sky, how different is the sea where she used to live?
Now that the team has magicians who can detect in the sky, and the heavy armored infantry regiment enters the mountains, Surdak doesn't have too many worries, and the army goes straight to the depths of the mountains.
This time, the bearded Edgar came from Mukuso with the most elite heavy armored infantry regiment. The logistics regiment didn't even have time to organize, but for Suldak, this was nothing. After all, he was in Pudu Mountain. In the sulfur mine camp, all kinds of supplies are fully prepared, which are enough for temporary emergencies.
The heavy armored infantry regiment walked in the mountains for more than half a day. From a distance, they saw a green wall built on the top of the mountain opposite, and watchtowers were built around the wall.
In order to confirm whether this building complex was the research institute of the Black Magic Monastery, Thea and Aphrodite flew over at the same time to investigate.
The two of them walked around the castle built on blue rocks, but found no signs of magician activity. Instead, they found a large number of archers on the castle watchtower.
Moreover, there are a large number of infantry soldiers in this castle with few high-rise buildings. It looks like it should be a lord's private domain.
Sure enough, at the foot of this mountain ridge, the scout team of the heavy armored infantry regiment discovered a neat row of boundary markers in the forest. Almost every five hundred meters there was a block marked 'Count Penny's private domain'. In addition,
, the boundary monument also engraved that this territory has existed for more than 300 years.
And a group of cavalry was waiting next to the boundary monument. Seeing Suldak approaching with a heavy armored infantry regiment, an officer riding a horse lifted the visor on his helmet and faced Su
Erdak and his party shouted from a distance:
"You can't go any further. The territory ahead is Lord Petunia's."
Suldak turned back and asked Siya: "Why haven't I heard the name of this Earl in Luyint City?"
"This Earl Penny should not be a noble from Luyint City!" Thea frowned and thought for a moment before saying to Suldak.
"You mean we have reached the boundary of Luyint City?" Surdak turned his head and looked at the boundary markers between the woods and said.
"That seems to be it."
Thea jumped down from the magic handle and said to Suldak.
Surdak rode forward and said casually to the officer: "My people found traces of the Black Magic Hermitage nearby, so they kept following the clues. We didn't
I found any residence nearby, and when I saw a group of buildings here, I wanted to come over and check it out..."
"We don't know anything about the Black Magic Monastery, but if your army wants to step into our place, it must get permission from Lady Petunia. Otherwise, we will think that you are invading us, and we will have the power to fight back.
power..."
The officer didn't want to talk to Suldak at all and directly handed over a string of official language.
Surdak nodded and waved to the army behind him.
The bearded Edgar immediately asked the infantry soldiers of the heavy armored infantry regiment to camp in this woodland without taking another step forward.
"Do you know what kind of punishment the lords of the Tarapagan area will face if they have an affair with the Black Magic Monastery? Once verified, they will be punished for the crime of rebelling against the Legion!" Surdak faced that person.
The lord officer standing next to the boundary monument said.
The officer said without fear: "We have not received any notification from the military here."
While talking, another group of swordsmen came from the opposite castle in the woods. The army on the opposite side increased to 700 people, 500 cavalry and swordsmen, and more than 200 archers. Now the two sides were at the boundary monument.
There was a confrontation nearby, with no intention of retreating.
Suldak did not forcefully rush into Count Penny's territory, but led everyone back to the camp to rest.
…
Back in the camp tent, someone had already boiled a pot of boiling water outside.
At this time, someone actually helped Surdak make a pot of black tea. Surdak held a cup of hot tea before asking Thea and Aphrodite:
"How about it? Did you find anything unusual about that castle in the sky?"
Aphrodite shook her head and said:
"No, the castle looks normal from the outside. There are nearly a thousand troops stationed in the castle. Currently, most of the troops in the castle are sent to the border monument, and there are also some civilians. There is a large valley on the other side of the mountain.
Wheat fields, there are many farmers in this castle, at least several hundred."
Surdak glanced at Thea, and she also agreed with Aphrodite's statement.
But Surdak soon discovered a problem.
"You mean there are nearly a thousand troops stationed here?" Surdak asked Aphrodite.
Thea and Aphrodite nodded at the same time.
Suldak turned to the bearded man and asked: "Edgar, what do you think is a reasonable number of troops stationed in a manor with hundreds of farmers?"
Bearded Edgar was once a high-ranking officer of the rebel army in the Ganbu plane. He once managed five camps of the rebel army. Regarding the problem of Surdak, he could immediately find the problem.
"There will be no more than two hundred people, so that this manor can be affordable..."
Edgar answered without thinking.
Surdak nodded and concluded:
"They don't seem to have any problems, but they block us here and don't let us go over to investigate. That's the biggest problem."
He glanced at Aphrodite and said:
"The officer who came forward was just a first-turn swordsman. In order to confirm my guess, I plan to go to the castle with Aphrodite tonight to investigate."
Siya, who was sitting aside, immediately said:
"Duck, take me with you this time."
Siya's eyes widened and she acted like I was very useful.
Surdak thought for a moment and then agreed:
"You can go if you want...but you must always stay with me and you cannot act without permission."
After hearing what Suldak said, Siya hurriedly agreed: "Okay, I promise..."
…
Surdak had to wait until dark before he could move.
Before that, while there was still some time, in order to prevent Luyint City from worrying about his safety, he asked Aphrodite to cancel the summoning spell.
In a pale purple glow, Surdak passed through the Void Gate and returned to the castle of Luyint City.
Returning to the castle restaurant, the entire room seemed empty. The long indigo wood dining table was decorated with exquisite tablecloths and flowers, but it seemed that no one was eating here.
When Surdak walked out of the Void Gate, he happened to see four maids carrying dinner plates and chatting in low voices along the way. He walked out of the kitchen, passed the main dining room, and went upstairs along the outer corridor.
, it seems that it should be sent to the bedroom.
Hathaway and Beatrice usually dine in the living room outside the bedroom. The coffee table there is very suitable for two or three people to dine together.
Suldak chased after him, took the silver plate from a maid, and asked them a few questions in a low voice. As expected, these delicacies were prepared to be delivered to Hathaway and Bea.
Inside Therese's room.
So Suldak followed the four maids and walked into the bedroom carrying the dinner plate like a waiter.
Hathaway and Beatrice were in the living room outside the bedroom. The former was sitting on the sofa and looking at a pile of documents, while the latter was reading a biography of the Ranger.
The two were even chatting without a word.
Hathaway asked the maid to put the dinner on the coffee table without raising her head. When Suldak came over, Hathaway realized that something was wrong. The sense of oppression was not something that a maid could have at all. She raised her head suddenly
, only to find that Suldak was placing the dinner plate on the coffee table without saying a word.
"Duck, you're back!"
Hathaway stared at Suldak with surprise and said.
Suldak quickly stood up straight, opened his arms and gave Hathaway a big hug. Beatrice also cheered, jumped up from the sofa with bare feet, and threw herself into Suldak's arms.
"I just took the time to come back to report that I am safe, so as not to worry you. I will have to return to the abandoned mining area later. We found a hiding place of the Black Magic Hermitage there, but it has not been confirmed yet. It must be there.
The stronghold of the Black Magic Priory..."
Suldak told Hathaway what was happening in the mining area.
The three of them sat on the sofa, enjoying dinner and chatting about the situation in the abandoned mining area.
Suldak originally planned to recruit a group of knights from the guard camp in Luyint City to support the scene, but after having a dinner, it was too late to go to the guard camp to mobilize the knights.
He could only write a few notes with his own hand, stamped his seal on them, and asked the steward to send someone to the city hall of Luyint City.
After all, the Archon of Luyint City disappeared inexplicably for a day, and the city hall must have been in chaos.
Suldak had a dinner carefully prepared by Hathaway in the castle, and then returned to the camp before it got completely dark.
…
Under the darkness of night, Suldak led Thea and Aphrodite through the dense forest, bypassed Lord Penny's army guarding the boundary monument, and sneaked into the forest here.
As for why he brought Siya with him, Surdak actually had a very simple idea.
Once encountering an irresistible danger, both Thea and Aphrodite could easily escape from danger under the cover of night by riding on magic harpoons. This was the reason why he was willing to bring Thea out.
For himself, as long as Aphrodite can leave safely and immediately revoke his summons, he will return to Luyint City through the Void Gate.
The biggest advantage of this kind of battlefield summons is that once in danger, you can quickly evacuate from the battlefield.
It is actually not too difficult for the second-level powerhouses and succubi to walk through this forest. Siya is following behind Surdak. Sometimes when encountering difficult mountain roads, Surdak will carry him on his back.
A short walk from Seiya.
Because the three of them had extremely clear goals, they didn't stop to rest much along the way.
After successfully climbing a rock in Suldak, he saw the green wall of the manor. Perhaps it was because there were no too tall buildings in the entire manor at the top of the mountain.
This time Aphrodite relied on her wings to fly quietly to the top of the watchtower.
On the watchtower, there were originally four soldiers keeping vigil. These four people were on the top platform of the tower, quietly discussing tonight's monotonous dinner...
Aphrodite flew up silently, with a huge eyeball floating above her head. The eyeball looked at the night watch warriors one by one. The warriors barely made any struggle and fell down on the watchtower.
.
Surdak climbed up the watchtower along the outer wall, carrying Siya on his back.
The three of them squatted on the watchtower, observing the manor in the night.
Both Surdak and Thea were blessed with insight, and Aphrodite could see at night. Day or night had almost no effect on them.
As expected, more than half of the manor's space is occupied by legions. Inside the exceptionally neatly built dormitories, there are still some soldiers coming in and out...
Opposite the military camp is the residential area of farmers, and their houses are much simpler, but these are also houses built of bluestone.
At night, the atmosphere in the entire manor seemed a little tense.
Everyone walks very fast...
At this time, Aphrodite had already selected one of the four night warriors. After waking him up from hypnosis, he charmed him, and then on the watchtower, he began to question the people inside one by one.