Pillar of Yita

”Who are they?” He looked in that direction and suddenly asked.

The team captain glanced back before answering, ”Mr. Tang’s daughter, who just arrived at Stargate Port today. She came sightseeing with her classmates—she’s the girl over there.”

”Mr. Tang’s daughter?”

”That’s the target’s cousin.”

Ambassador Liao glanced over again: ”How do these three know each other?”

”Not sure yet,” the team captain shook his head. ”Wait for news; teams three and four are handling it.”

”Protect these people,” Ambassador Liao nodded, then added a reminder, ”Recently, North America is closely watching. You know they never play by the rules, so be wary of them making any sudden moves.”

The team captain nodded at this.

Just then, a tall white man emerged from the crowd. He showed his credentials to the action team at the perimeter and walked through the crowd.

This white man was tall and rugged, wearing a trench coat. His walk was quite imposing, and from afar, he gestured to Ambassador Liao.

”Ambassador Stepan.”

”Liao,” the Russian Ambassador to Stargate gestured to Ambassador Liao, ”There’s a small issue; let’s have a quick meeting.”

”What’s up?”

”The Americans are here too, along with the Europeans,” the Russian Ambassador to Stargate replied with a slightly serious expression.

Ambassador Liao paused slightly and frowned.

He took a final look in the hall, where Tang Xin, Sicape, and the other person were getting up to leave. Sicape settled the bill, glanced at the two girls, and then smiling slightly, extended a hand: ”Nice to meet you, my name is Valeriya.”

This was her newly chosen Russian name.

She had originally planned to leave Stargate Port and live in Russia with Kroid for a long time but was unexpectedly delayed at the port due to some reasons, staying for several months.

”Tang Xin.”

”I’m Ai Xiaoxiao.”

”Your name is Tang Xin?” Sicape’s extended hand paused slightly.

She looked at this girl, slightly surprised—could it really be such a coincidence?

...

In the afternoon, the temperature gradually rose.

The shadowy woods intertwined with the shimmering lake surface in the distance occasionally appeared in Fang Hong’s vision.

The lake surface emitted an enchanting deep blue under the sunlight, shimmering at the topmost layer, while the mist faded into the distance, revealing emerald-green islets on the lake, and the distant ridge, like a lightly drawn line.

A pale blue outlined the horizon.

After entering the lowlands, Odin quickened his pace, leaving Fang Hong panting and sweating behind him. After walking for a while, a forest path appeared ahead, winding along the lakeshore, separated by several rows of trees.

It led into the obscure unknown, where distant Cuiye seemed dreamy, lush vegetation covering the vision.

The winding path seemed to have been artificially maintained, with wooden planks laid down, though moss grew and clusters of fiery red mushrooms sprouted on them. Fang Hong noticed a signpost by the road ahead—

But it was covered in moss, and the writing was indiscernible.

He finally caught up and asked, ”What is this place?”

Odin glanced at him and replied, ”We’re almost there.”

”Almost there?”

Fang Hong was at a loss for words at Odin’s vague response but was used to it and had learned how to converse with him, so he asked back, ”Where exactly are we going?”

”To find someone.” Odin pushed aside a cluster of Heath leaves, ahead came the sound of trickling water. There, another small river joined the lake, and the path formed an arch bridge—a place where the path was otherwise covered with moss and mushrooms, long neglected.

But this wooden bridge was well maintained and even clean, with exquisite railings and carvings, exhibiting some Elven style.

But Elves were rarely seen here.

The two crossed the wooden bridge, and the road ahead opened up, with the forest receding from the riverbanks, allowing bright sunlight to shine down from above.

Fang Hong looked up and saw a bright red roof atop the green canopy ahead, with a pointed arch roof and red-scaled tiles, reminiscent of Elven style. There were also some peculiar sounds coming from behind the distant forest.

He listened for a while and realized it was the sound of a waterwheel.

He couldn’t resist asking, ”What is this place, and whom are we looking for?”

”This place is called Nevade,” Odin replied.

”Nevade?”

Fang Hong was curious, ”How come I’ve never heard of this place.”

”Quite the attitude, Eteliria has so many places, so many unique people and events,” Odin responded, ”have you heard of them all?”

”More than half.”

Odin turned back to grab his Great Sword.

Frightened, Fang Hong turned to run, he couldn’t help it; he couldn’t beat the other after all.

Besides, the warrior Ten Kings’ motto was simple: act first, don’t overtalk; when words failed, fists and swords came into play, akin to the Big Catfolks who loved to argue. Unfortunately, Fang Hong couldn’t defeat either of them.

But he wasn’t exaggerating, knowing half of the Invoker affairs, while Miss Tata knew half about the Natives, together making up the more than half, seemingly without issue.

However, he secretly asked Miss Tata, finally finding out what this place was. Nevade was a Fairy-owned inn, well-known in the Southern Region.

But very few actually knew its specific location.

Most only knew it was by the Long Lake, nestled within dense forests, yet didn’t realize it was actually beneath Holy Bow Peak, within the southern Forest.