Chapter 59: The Icy Clues and a Grim Discovery

Roalsa then led the group into the breeding grounds.

Before they stepped inside, Roalsa had thoughtfully distributed a set of heavy coats to each person, specifically for warding off the biting cold.

Upon entering the Ice Slime breeding grounds, the immediate sensation was one of intense cold; everyone, save for Aldoran, instinctively pulled their clothing tighter around themselves.

A closer inspection revealed the breeding grounds were populated entirely by knights, bundled in their heavy coats, diligently clearing away the accumulated snow.

Qing Yu observed the area, roughly estimating its size to be equivalent to a standard football field, its interior entirely composed of solid ice and thick layers of snow.

Stepping into it, the soft, white snow easily engulfed more than half of one’s leg, making every single step an arduous endeavor.

For Aldoran, the shortest among them, advancing proved an insurmountable challenge; ultimately, Thrud had to lift Aldoran onto her shoulders, which finally resolved the predicament.

What truly astonished everyone, however, was Eden, who effortlessly navigated the snow-covered surface, moving with remarkable stability while cradling a slime.

Given that their most pressing task was to unearth clues, their astonishment was fleeting; they soon followed the knight who had emerged earlier, heading towards the location where the evidence had been found.

The wall encircling the breeding grounds bore only a single crevice, just wide enough for one person to pass through, with no other discernible signs of damage.

It was through this cleared opening that the bandits had gained entry to the breeding grounds.

Beside the crevice, someone had painted a dragon motif in crimson pigment.

“Speaking of which, if someone were to try and capture them, would these slimes not react at all?”

Qing Yu inquired, watching Roalsa crouch down to examine the pattern.

“Slimes don’t make any sounds, you see.

Moreover, artificially bred slimes are incredibly docile and completely non-aggressive; no matter who touches them, they will respond with friendliness.”

Eden then draped himself onto Qing Yu’s back, the slime he had been carrying now pressed softly between Qing Yu and himself.

Its texture was delightfully squishy and smooth, and combined with Eden’s sweet voice, it evoked in Qing Yu the distinct sensation of being embraced by a beautiful young woman.

With his soft, delicate skin, fair and petite frame, charmingly refined features, and his cheerful, lively, and empathetic nature, coupled with a physique that seemed delicate and easily toppled, Eden was, for the women of this world, nothing short of the ideal boyfriend.

It was little wonder Eden was so widely adored.

“By the way, is there anything particularly special about Forest Slimes and Ice Slimes?

Among all the breeding grounds, why did that group specifically choose these two?”

Roalsa gently touched the vibrant crimson dragon motif with her fingertip, then brought it to her nose, sniffing intently.

Her eyes instantly sharpened with alertness.

Standing beside Roalsa, Olivia listened to the knight’s report, oblivious to Roalsa’s subtle shift in expression.

Only Liliya, waving a hand dismissively before her nose and declaring, “What a horrid stench,” took a few steps back.

The guide beside them pondered for a few seconds, then offered the group a brief overview of Forest Slimes and Ice Slimes.

“Forest Slimes prefer to live in forests and have extremely stringent environmental requirements; even the slightest change in their living conditions can lead to their demise.

Typically, they are entirely deep green, with leaf-like patterns on their bodies, and possess a lively disposition, readily bonding with other species.

However, due to the toxins contained within their bodies, almost no creature willingly approaches them too closely.”

“Toxins?”

Before anyone else could utter a word, Aldoran leaped from Thrud’s shoulders, posing the question first.

“Indeed, Forest Slimes contain potent venom; a single drop is sufficient to kill hundreds of people.

Thus, they require an extremely rigorous processing procedure before consumption.

Even after treatment, residual toxins remain within the Forest Slimes, so the consumer’s magical resistance must also be very high.

Even we, when catching them, must wear specialized gloves.”

“Are there any benefits to consuming Forest Slimes?”

Aldoran pressed on, convinced that food so perilous yet sought after by countless individuals must possess some unique quality.

However, the guide’s immediate response shattered Aldoran’s conjecture.

“Regrettably, no,” the guide shook their head.

“Forest Slimes are served as food purely for their exquisite flavor.

Perhaps you are unaware, esteemed guest, but Forest Slimes are also known as a delicacy fit only for the gods.”

“In that case, what is the price of a Forest Slime?”

“They are exceedingly expensive; on average, a single Forest Slime can fetch a price of three gold coins.”

“I see.

Then, besides yourselves, are there others who sell Forest Slimes?”

“No, we are the sole vendors of Forest Slimes in Alastor.

In fact, ever since the last theft from the Forest Slime breeding grounds, not a single Forest Slime has circulated in Alastor’s markets.”

Aldoran lowered her head, sinking into contemplation.

It was inconceivable that a band of bandits would steal Forest Slimes—creatures notoriously difficult to breed and brimming with potent toxins—without a compelling reason.

Some significant gain must have been driving their actions.

Yet, what sort of gain could it be?

There had been no news of Forest Slimes circulating in the market, and the magical resistance of common folk was insufficient to enjoy such food.

So, what exactly were they after?

“What about Ice Slimes?” Seeing Aldoran lost in thought, the energetic Liliya spontaneously took up the conversation.

“Ice Slimes typically appear blue-white, possess hard bodies, and similarly demand extremely stringent environmental conditions.

Generally, minus ten degrees Celsius is their ideal temperature; if the temperature rises even slightly above zero, it will cause them discomfort and can easily lead to their death.

However, their price is very low, usually around thirty copper coins per slime.

They are commonly consumed in the summer as a cooling food; eating just a little can keep a person cool for an entire day by accumulating a certain amount of cold energy in the body.”

“Hmm…” Liliya fell silent.

She disliked pondering such mentally taxing matters; simple hunting or similar activities brought her far more joy.

After ten seconds of thought, Liliya tossed the question to Qing Yu and flew off by herself within the breeding grounds, treating it as a warm-up.

Qing Yu, too, found himself in a quandary.

The current season was autumn, the weather cool and pleasant, negating any genuine need for Ice Slimes.

Furthermore, Ice Slimes demanded extremely specific environmental conditions, and Alastor’s temperatures certainly didn’t dip below freezing.

Even if the bandits managed to steal them, it seemed they would gain little advantage.

So why, then, had they stolen these slimes?

“Everyone, if you would, please come over here!”

Just as everyone was deep in thought, Olivia’s shout immediately drew all attention to her.

Olivia stood with a knight in one corner of the breeding grounds, where the snow had been carefully excavated, revealing a slightly yellowed piece of paper.

Upon it, the familiar dragon motif was once again emblazoned.

This time, however, beside the dragon motif, there was an added red smiling face, and beneath the smile, a single sentence:

“Care to try capturing us?”

Roalsa also rose and walked towards them.

“Might I ask what this motif signifies?” Roalsa inquired, arriving beside Olivia, her hand instinctively resting on the hilt of her sword.

“This is their insignia; they consistently leave such a design at every crime scene, each one emblazoned with words meant to provoke the Knights’ Order.”

Olivia picked up the paper, scrutinizing it carefully.

She appeared utterly unconcerned by the bandits’ provocation, her expression perfectly serene.

“What do you all make of this?”

Roalsa, as before, once again poked the pattern on the paper with her fingertip and sniffed it.

“Blood.”

Aldoran merely cast a glance at the motif, instantly deducing the answer.

“Precisely, it is blood.

The pattern we found on the wall earlier was also drawn with blood.”

Olivia handed the paper to the knight beside her, clapped her hands, and then faced the group.

“What are your thoughts?”

“Were any clues discovered during the previous theft of the Forest Slimes?” Aldoran did not answer directly, instead posing a counter-question to Olivia.

“We managed to roughly delineate the bandits’ operational range.

However, due to the rugged mountain terrain and insufficient manpower, we searched for half a month without discovering any trace of them.”

“We only found a few dead Forest Slimes.

Yet, following the direction indicated by the Forest Slimes led only to a cliff.

Beyond that, we found no other clues whatsoever.”

For a moment, the entire breeding grounds fell into silence.

Olivia could not be entirely blamed for their inability to uncover more.

Alastor, being a colossal metropolis, required an astronomical number of knights dispatched daily to maintain order.

When factoring in the myriad trivial matters they handled, alongside the sheer immensity of the mountainous forests surrounding Alastor, searching for a band of bandits was akin to finding a needle in a haystack.

“Commander! Commander! Over here!”

In the midst of the quiet, a knight’s voice broke the silence, drawing everyone’s attention once again, and they quickly made their way to the knight’s side.

This time, the discovery was no longer a small item like a patterned note.

It was a corpse.

The body lay buried deep within the thick layers of snow, already stiffened by the extreme cold.

Her eyes were wide open, her mouth torn, with frozen foam clinging to her lips.

Her limbs were fixed in a twisted posture, conveying an expression of extreme terror.

A mass of red hair, flecked with yellow, fanned across her face, firmly matted to her forehead.

Olivia and Qing Yu reacted simultaneously, shouting out first:

“It’s her!”

Indeed, this was the woman Qing Yu had seen before, leading a white horse.

For Olivia, this was the woman who, just five days prior, had confidently accepted her bounty, vowing to eradicate every bandit.

The others were startled by their synchronized reaction, and Qing Yu and Olivia exchanged a look.

Neither had imagined the other would know this woman.

“Um, Sister Olivia, may I ask who she is—” Finally, Qing Yu was the first to speak.

“She was the one who accepted my bounty earlier, claiming she could round up all the bandits within three days.”

“Did she… fail?” Roalsa waved a hand, beckoning two knights.

“Take her back to the Knights’ Order.

Have our finest medical knight conduct the examination.”

“I had merely assumed these bandits were engaging in petty mischief, never imagining they would commit such an atrocity.

Indeed, I was too careless…” Olivia sighed, an air of profound resignation about her.

She gently pressed a hand to her chest, then halted the two knights who had begun to lift the body, preparing to depart.

“Return at once and send someone to the nearest city, Stucci, to request aid.

In my name, petition the Stucci Knights’ Order for one hundred knights to reinforce Alastor.

This must be accomplished within three days.”

Having issued her commands, Olivia raised a hand.

“Continue to intensify your efforts.

Ensure everything is cleared before dinner.”