151. In Bell, Belfast, the most prosperous place on the Allen Peninsula
Their departure went unnoticed.
Leaving the city of Ryalstan, we stepped into the snow that could bury our calves. Under the gray and gloomy clouds, there was endless white snow.
The filth of the earth seems to be purified.
Gliding through the snow, close to the Heide River, the flowing river has not yet frozen, and ice has accumulated on the river banks.
But soon the entire river will be frozen.
It was extremely cold, and even several layers of clothes could not stop the wind blowing into my bones. The cold wind was like a dagger cutting into my body.
But it's better than driving in a snowstorm. Although it's bitterly cold, it won't be hard to breathe, the wind will make you unable to walk, and the snow will soak into your clothes.
Ophelia's scorching heat brings warmth while melting the snow, revealing ugly and obvious trails.
Caterina felt that Ophelia had joined at the right time. Otherwise, the journey in the ice and snow would cost them half their lives.
After traveling a certain distance along the Hyde River, the cracks in Ophelia's body suddenly flashed.
"The city...chasing...is coming."
Lu Li stopped suddenly and looked behind them.
The castle-like thick stone walls and building spiers of Ryalstan City were looming under the clouds. He didn't see the weirdness in the city that Ophelia said, but the path that Ophelia melted formed a conspicuous arrow pointing towards them.
"Go quickly."
Looking back, Lu Li pulled out his boots that were stuck in the snow and ran forward.
"I...hold on."
Ophelia wanted to stop Weird, but Lu Li refused.
"You go ahead and help us melt the snow."
At this time, it is more useful to distance them than to hold them back. A few dozen centimeters of snow is enough to slow down their running speed by half.
Ophelia came before everyone, baking the snow with her fiery heat.
The running crowd followed behind, stepping on the ground melted by Ophelia.
The sleepy eldest sister was awakened by the jolt and was almost thrown off. She hugged the cloak tightly to prevent herself from flying out.
Not long after, the running crowd vaguely heard what sounded like a strong and fanatical scream behind them.
During this period, Lu Li turned around, but still couldn't see anything. Only the loud and approaching roar indicated that the existence was approaching, getting closer and closer.
"We're almost overtaken!"
Katarina yelled and gritted her teeth to prevent the cold wind from pouring into her mouth.
The roar was so close that they could almost hear the sound of the snow being trampled. The next moment, Ophelia from the front returned and rushed behind everyone.
It collided with something, and erupted behind it as hot as lava.
Ophelia's cry came.
"Keep...running!"
Everyone ran forward crazily, even the snow could not stop them.
Snowflakes like flakes fell from the sky, and when the black shadow of Rielstan City no longer appeared, Ophelia returned.
The heat radiating from her body flickered with the dark red lines, leaving behind pale footprints like lava.
"They...retreat."
Even if it's weird, I don't want to stay too long in the frozen snowfield.
"In the future, don't use force arbitrarily unless necessary."
Lu Li faced Ophelia, who was gradually regaining her unstable strength.
Ophelia's rough breath worsened.
“When…when…get married?”
Before returning to normal and heading on the road, Lu Li asked the merchant to bring some pairs of dry boots to avoid frostbite on his feet.
Everything went smoothly on the return trip. Except for the raging snow and the hut in Poido Village that seemed to have been rummaged by something, they encountered no further trouble.
Two days later in the afternoon, they returned to the southern coast of the Main Continent, retreated the boat into the freezing water with floating ice, and returned to Andrea who was waiting for them.
In the cold sea breeze, Andrea broke through the waves and returned to the Allen Peninsula.
…
A cold snap has also hit the Allen Peninsula.
The sea water has not yet frozen, but the sea breeze containing moisture is more unbearable than on the Main Continent. Katarina feels like her exposed face will be cut.
Andrea returned to the landing point a few miles away from the port of Himfast late at night and waited until daybreak to set off.
Worried about being bewitched by nightmares again, Pusius stayed up all night, like a devout believer praying quietly that the light thief or the fog tide would not come at this time.
The prayers worked, and after dawn, the strange fog quietly faded away, revealing the snow-white earth.
Lu Li and the others rowed ashore and headed towards Himfast.
A few hours later, the outline of the rolling log city wall appeared at the end of the snow-falling land.
Returning to the collapsed wooden wall, Catalina asked Lu Li for artifact fragments and wanted to enter alone to test whether the pollution was still there.
"Need not."
Lu Li took out the fragment of the artifact and walked towards the wooden wall holding it.
The sanity counter did not sound, and Lu Li felt that the invisible filth around him that was being purified and poisoning the earth was being eliminated by the strange power of the artifact fragments.
After crossing the wooden wall and entering Himfast, the sanity counter remains silent.
Catalina tried to keep up, but was no longer disturbed by the contamination.
Wherever Lu Li, who was holding the fragment of the artifact, passed by, the pollution disappeared.
The people outside the wooden wall followed Lu Li, came behind him, and walked into the snow-covered Himfast together.
Himfast was annihilated in sacrifice, and the remaining pollution made it impossible to enter even the weirdest places.
So when they entered the city, all they saw were empty streets, quiet street corners with statues, and ruins that had caught fire due to neglect.
The white snow buries the gloom and gray, and the clean and peaceful city does not look like a horrific place where hundreds of thousands of people are buried.
rustle
Walking through the snow on the empty streets, the black steam car parked on the side of the road reflected Catalina's looking face.
In the shop windows, goods and clothes were hung intact on the shelves, and wooden racks were still stacked in front of the building that had been repaired at that moment. It seemed as if countless residents would walk out of the corners at any time, clear the snow and let the streets return to bustle.
The church, the tree, the brown car, they are looking for anything related to these three.
Lu Li, who was walking in front, walked firmly towards the towering spire that could be seen even outside the city.
They passed through Himfast without any hindrance and saw many mottled and snow-covered landmarks, including
Arrive outside the cemetery of the west church, where the towering spire church is located...
"Why come here?"
Catalina got no answer.
Lu Li climbed over the low fence and entered the cemetery.
They felt that Lu Li's mood was not right, so they looked at each other and followed him.
There are trees outside the tombstone path, quietly witnessing everything that happened to Himfast. Their presence makes these intruders feel peaceful.
At this time, Lu Li in front suddenly quickened his pace and left the trail.
Catalina wanted to follow, but Ophelia stopped her: "Don't disturb... him."
Looking at Lu Li's retreating figure again, he stopped in front of a tombstone deep in the cemetery and stood quietly.
[R.I.P]
[Anna Bessie]
They saw a line of names written vaguely on the tall tombstone.
There is also the bottom of the tomb where the earth has been dug up, and the snow-covered bones scattered around the tomb.
