Chapter 258: Trip to the Sorenson Mountains

(Midterms are coming up in a couple of days, so this is a bit short; I will update more on the weekend.)

"What is it? You're acting so jumpy. You’re usually quite composed, so what’s gotten into you today? Regarding that 'corruption,' I think I’d be quite happy to hear your thoughts. Perhaps I can offer some advice."

Moira, having noticed Evia’s uncharacteristic state, grew serious. She straightened the back of her rocking chair and watched Evia, who stood by the window gazing into the distance.

"I was just thinking about some of the peculiar properties of this 'corruption.' The simplest way to stop it from spreading is to provide it with life force. If the 'corruption' truly exists but hasn't produced a single ripple in all these years, then it must not be spreading. In that case..."

Evia turned around, voicing her thoughts, and then shared with Moira the information Horo had provided regarding the corruption spreading through the Sorenson Mountains.

As Moira listened to the details about the corruption and the Church of the God of Life, her brow furrowed, and her expression shifted into one of deep contemplation.

"Most of the characteristics your old acquaintance Horo described regarding the Sorenson Mountains are accurate. There is indeed a faction of Life God believers there, and the fact that dark elves reside there is also correct... Therefore, the information he gave you about the 'corruption' carries considerable credibility."

Once she finished thinking, Moira tapped her fingers lightly on the tabletop and voiced her assessment.

"But according to Mr. Horo, the corruption has already eroded a vast stretch of forest. If that were the case, the elves of Liaheim would have no reason not to have discovered it, right, Teacher?"

Evia stated the reason why she couldn't be entirely certain of the corruption's existence.

"No, it is possible. While the forest is of a certain scale, it still seems small compared to the Sorenson Mountains as a whole. Moreover, the elves of Liaheim, compared to those elsewhere, rarely pay attention to the Sorenson Mountains..."

"The elven race harbors prejudices. Those dark elves are not recognized as part of the elven race, which may be one of the few points where the elves' temperament is not so serene."

"Therefore, the elves of Liaheim would almost never intentionally focus on the Sorenson Mountains, where the dark elves dwell. If the initial corruption was contained, it is possible that no news would have leaked out for so long."

Moira, relying on her understanding of Liaheim, attempted to resolve the girl's doubts.

"Yes, Teacher, you are right. In that light, it is highly probable that the place of 'corruption' truly exists. Then, based on the characteristics of the corruption, what has kept it from spreading is almost confirmed."

Evia and her teacher exchanged glances, both confirming that they were thinking the same thing.

Life force. To stop the spread of corruption is quite simple; one only needs to sow life force along the border between the corrupted land and the normal world. What those reckless members of the Church of the God of Life were doing was killing all manner of living things, using the life force within their bodies to satisfy the corruption’s insatiable thirst for vitality.

So, what kind of entity could have been continuously providing the massive, ever-increasing amount of life force required by the corrupted lands of the Sorenson Mountains all these years?

The girl and Moira turned their gaze together toward the window, in the direction of the Sorenson Mountains. Between the mountains and the treehouse stood a colossal entity: the World Tree...

...

"Logical. The logic of this hypothesis is flawless. The only problem is that it is just a hypothesis. Sigh, I give up. How do I always end up in these messy situations? We have to stay in Liaheim to wait for the Sky Mechanical City, and this matter is tied to Horo's homeland; we can't just stand by and watch."

Wang Yu and Evia were moving quickly through the streets of Liaheim, following the map in their hands toward their destination. Wang Yu grumbled and complained about the pile of troubles surrounding them as he walked briskly.

"Yes, it is necessary to go and confirm it. It’s a pity that the Professor and Elder Gwen went to the Dwarven Kingdom together. We could have asked the Professor for help, and perhaps obtained the assistance of the elves, but as it stands, with the distance too great for communication, we have to do this ourselves."

Part of what Evia said touched upon a point that Wang Yu was very dissatisfied with in this world: the abysmal state of long-distance communication.

From the capital of Alastre to the borders of the two countries, standard magi-tech communication could bridge the distance. But any further, such as extending the range to the capital of Sevinthan, required a host of additional measures layered onto the devices.

As the distance grew linearly, the resources required increased geometrically. Beyond three hundred kilometers, virtually all means of connection failed. Only a few priests of powerful deities could accomplish communication through divine arts.

Wang Yu had also thought about why they didn't adopt the Earth-style base station network, setting up relays at fixed intervals to extend the effective range of magi-tech communication.

Later, he realized why. Earth achieved full network coverage because of a state of basic peace, where there was little fear of information being intercepted or exploited during transmission. But that wouldn't work in this world; with the endless array of witchcraft, spells, and even artifacts, intercepting that information would be far too simple.

The most important point of all was that Earth's network coverage had a premise that sounded a bit bizarre: there was nothing that could come through the network cable to beat you up—at most, a friendly officer might come to check your water meter.

But in this world, things could truly come through the "network cable" to beat you up. Not to mention what would happen if the magi-tech communication network were flooded with corrupting information, some void creatures and divine arts could actually use the "network cables" to travel.

Building a base station to connect to the magi-tech network was equivalent to putting a portal in your own home that could vomit out a horde of monsters at any moment. Who on earth would dare to do that?

If one could travel through network cables on Earth, whether full network coverage could be achieved would be a matter for debate.

Unfortunately, the straight-line distance between the Dwarven Kingdom and the elven capital of Liaheim was far beyond three hundred kilometers. And because of the existence of the World Tree, the elves generally did not believe in gods, so divine communication was also impossible.

If they relied on animal messengers to deliver news, the round trip would take half a month. Wang Yu and Evia had already confirmed that they could not reach Zig to seek help.

"Tsk, our status is that of outsiders. Although we have residency permits, given the general situation where the elves do not welcome outsiders, reporting this to the elven authorities likely won't garner much attention. After all, words are empty; we have no evidence to prove the truth of our claims."

Wang Yu clicked his tongue. The current situation was quite troublesome. The only strength the two could rely on was themselves and the few acquaintances they had in Liaheim.

As they talked, they reached their destination: a small cottage in the elven residential area.

"Knock, knock, knock..."

Wang Yu tapped lightly on the wooden door, and soon he heard footsteps approaching from inside.

"Oh, it's Mr. Wang Yu. It's been a long time since I've seen you two; I was just thinking of coming to find you. Is there something you need help with? Why don't you come in and sit for a while?"

The door opened, and Sif stepped out. Her delicate, quintessentially elven face wore a look of pleasant surprise. For the visit of Evia and Wang Yu, the elven woman they had once saved felt both a touch of surprise and joy.

"We won't come in to sit. We’ve come to ask for your help with something. It concerns some speculations we have regarding the Sorenson Mountains, and this speculation is likely related to some recent anomalies in the Origin Forest and the World Tree."

Wang Yu waved his hand, refusing Sif's warm offer with a wry smile, and explained their purpose.

Upon hearing Wang Yu's words, Sif's expression shifted rapidly from surprise to seriousness. Although she had moved past the trauma of her sister dying at the hands of a rampaging War Tree, it remained a scar in her heart that would never fade. Whenever the anomalies of the Origin Forest and the World Tree were involved, her attitude would change instantly.

"Please tell me. I will never refuse to help."

Sif said earnestly, pressing her hands, still damp with water, against her everyday clothes and wiping them clean.

Wang Yu stepped back to Evia's side, and the girl briefly informed Sif of the information regarding the "corruption" in the Sorenson Mountains and their speculation about the connection to the World Tree.

"I think we need a guide who can lead us through the Sorenson Mountains. After all, compared to this land, we are absolute outsiders. Sif, do you know anyone you could recommend?"

After the girl finished her summary, Wang Yu put forward the help they needed: a guide familiar with the Sorenson Mountains.

This condition was actually quite harsh. Because of the dark elves, most elves in Liaheim were unwilling to go to the Sorenson Mountains, and those familiar with the terrain were even rarer.

"Mr. Wang Yu, please wait a moment."

After hearing the request, Sif paused, asked Wang Yu and Evia to wait, and turned back into the house. A few minutes later, Sif emerged again, having changed her everyday clothes for the ranger gear she had been wearing when they first saved her.

"Elves familiar with the Sorenson Mountains are quite rare in Liaheim, but coincidentally, I happen to be one of them. When I was young, I practiced ranger skills in those mountains, and I know that the dark elves are not actually difficult to get along with. I can serve as this guide."

Fixing the longbow and quiver she held onto her back and sliding a scimitar into the holster at her waist, Sif informed Wang Yu that she was the guide they were looking for, capable of navigating the Sorenson Mountains.

"You've been a huge help."

Wang Yu thanked Sif.

"I still owe you a debt, and even without that, I couldn't just stand by after hearing this news."

"Then let's not delay. We'll go back to our place to grab some things and set off. The sooner we confirm the situation, the better."

Without hesitation, having secured a guide, Wang Yu and the others prepared to depart immediately.

When the three returned to where Wang Yu and Evia were staying, they were surprised to see a familiar figure standing at the door of the cottage, holding a medium-sized metal case.

"Teacher Moira, why are you here?"

"Aunt Moira."

Evia and Sif spoke at the same time.

"Hmph, dragging such a large box to where you live really took a lot out of my old bones. As for what you're about to do, I can't go with you. The only help I can provide for my two unrefined disciples and the child of an old acquaintance is these potions."

Moira spoke in a flat tone, slightly out of breath. She patted the box beside her and handed it to Wang Yu, who was the strongest among them.

"These concoctions are truly exquisite treasures..."

Wang Yu unlatched the metallic case, revealing tiers of vials nestled within the velvet-lined compartments. A cursory glance confirmed they were all remarkably practical, with more than a few of rare, precious quality—a boon that would undoubtedly serve them well.

"I have no desire to see my brilliant students or my useful ones meet with misfortune, and now, there is another child I have grown fond of... do not be reckless, do you understand?"

Moira shook her head, her tone casual, yet her words steeped in genuine concern.