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Join the ServerAfter what felt like an eternity, Gern finally saw the exit of the cave.
Unlike the heavy snow he had encountered on his way in, this side was bathed in bright sunlight, revealing rolling hills and cliffs stretching out below.
Gern instinctively shielded his eyes with his hands, allowing his vision to adjust and take in everything below.
In stark contrast to the snow-covered expanse he had left behind, the climate here was exceedingly dry, presenting a world entirely different from the mountain’s other side.
Gern was momentarily taken aback, then his attention was drawn to a subtle movement behind him.
These individuals had been trailing him for a while now. As an experienced devotee of the Heretic God Cult, Gern possessed extensive anti-reconnaissance skills.
He had long been aware of their pursuit. Yet, he had no intention of dealing with them, as he sensed no killing intent emanating from them.
Instead, their entire demeanor exuded a faint aura of righteousness, which was precisely why Gern had refrained from acting against them.
Furthermore, he was quite curious about their equipment. Despite their seemingly weak appearance, Gern was well aware of the power these items held.
In this world, besides the academies possessing such weaponry, only the Olga Kingdom—a place he had never visited—was known to have weapons of this caliber.
To be honest, he truly wished to witness the kingdom said to have been founded by the legendary God King. Thus, Gern found a suitable spot, sat down, and patiently awaited the arrival of those trailing him.
It was already noon. Having climbed for half a day, Gern felt a pang of hunger, so he immediately set up a small camp to prepare some meat.
After the ‘baptism’ at Theoviga Academy, Gern’s culinary skills had truly advanced by leaps and bounds. With his maxed-out wilderness survival skills from his previous life, he was more than adept at cooking.
Once the water in the large pot boiled, Gern retrieved the ingredients from his storage space.
These were the rations he had prepared earlier. Thanks to the properties of his storage space, the vegetables and meat wouldn’t spoil, allowing Gern to carry a plentiful supply for any eventualities.
He had intentionally cooked several portions, simply waiting for the group trailing him to finally catch up.
After an unknown amount of time, the water in Gern’s pot was almost entirely evaporated before he finally saw the burly middle-aged man leading the group.
“Hey, fellas, care for a bite?”
The leading strong man paused, slightly startled. He exchanged a glance with the soldiers behind him, then slowly stepped forward.
“Young man, you possess quite the skill, to have seen through our tracking.”
“Oh, it’s just a small trick, nothing worth mentioning.”
Gern spread his hands dismissively, adopting the air of a profound master. In front of these individuals, he could indeed be considered one.
The strongest among them was merely a first-tier knight, while the others hadn’t even reached the threshold of knighthood.
Such a small team, without the equipment they carried, might not have even made it this far.
After a brief exchange, Gern learned that they were an exploration team from the Olga Kingdom, and had come to this place in search of an artifact left by their predecessors.
It was rumored to be a long-handled weapon, an heirloom of one of the many generals who served under the God King.
“Young man, if you happen to see it, please keep an eye out for us. The Olga Kingdom will surely reward you handsomely.”
Gern nodded in agreement. With their brief exchange concluded, they went their separate ways.
****
Meanwhile, on another side, a crimson figure streaked through the air. When she saw the snow mountain blocking her path, she found herself in a predicament.
For her, the snow mountain was nothing short of a formidable barrier.
As a member of the Blood Race, she had little tolerance for severe cold. After circling the area a few times, she found no passable route.
Aivia’s expression immediately fell. There was no other way; she would have to find a safer path to cross.
****
Shifting perspective back to Gern, after parting ways with the Olga Kingdom soldiers, he walked alone through the heart of the vast desert.
All around him, as far as the eye could see, were endless stretches of Gobi desert and wilderness, presenting an extremely desolate landscape.
It felt as though he had stumbled into a desolate no-man’s land.
After walking along the small path for an unknown duration, and as dusk began to fall, he finally spotted a few small structures in the distance.
To call them houses would be an overstatement; these were, at best, oversized tents.
Observing the flickering lights within, Gern slowly approached and called out softly.
“Is anyone there?”
“Who’s there!”
A woman’s voice, filled with terror, emanated from inside the tent. Even through the canvas, Gern could sense the woman’s despair.
“I am a traveler passing by, hoping to ask for some water.”
Hearing Gern’s words, the woman’s voice inside noticeably softened.
“Where are you from?”
“I came from the Frozen Tundra Desert.”
“Are you human?”
“Indeed, I am.”
The tent flap slowly lifted a corner. Only when the woman inside saw Gern’s legs did she fully open the flap.
Inside the tent was a snake-woman, nearing middle age. Behind her, several young snake-children cautiously peered at Gern.
Gern found this somewhat amusing. He made a funny face to playfully scare them, which sent them scrambling back into the tent.
Seeing this, the snake-woman spoke with a touch of embarrassment.
“Please don’t mind them, sir. My children are shy around strangers.”
“No worries at all.”
Gern took the water offered by the snake-woman and drained it in one gulp. Then, he asked.
“Sister-in-law, are you raising these children by yourself?”
“No, it wasn’t always like this. My husband and I were together before.”
“Hm? Before?”
Gern caught the crucial detail in the snake-woman’s words.
“Alas, a few days ago, imperial soldiers came to the city. My husband and eldest son were conscripted into the army.
It was the same for other families in the village. Every male over fourteen years old had to join the military. My two younger sons were traumatized that day, which is why they…”
Hearing the snake-woman’s story, Gern felt a pang of guilt for his earlier actions. He bowed to the snake-woman and spoke.
“I apologize, I wasn’t aware of what had happened. I had only heard that there were recent wars in the beastmen territories, but I never imagined it had escalated to this extent.”
“It’s alright, it’s alright. I don’t mind.”
At this moment, the snake-woman noticed Gern’s attire, and her expression immediately stiffened.
“Judging by your clothes, you must be a student from Theoviga Academy, aren’t you?”
“Hm? How did you know?”
Seeing Gern’s reaction, the middle-aged snake-woman trembled, and the bowl in her hand nearly clattered to the ground.
Her gaze upon Gern immediately filled with a hint of disgust.
“Since you are a student from Theoviga Academy, please leave as quickly as possible. We cannot afford to get involved with someone from your academy here.”
Gern was even more bewildered now. ‘What was all this about?’ he wondered. ‘They had been talking so amicably just moments ago; why had her demeanor changed so abruptly?’
Just at that moment, a fiery glow rapidly approached from the distance.
When the middle-aged snake-woman saw this light, she instantly recoiled as if from a mortal threat, darting into the tent.
“They’re back! It’s all your fault! You brought them back, didn’t you!?”
“Ah? No, sister-in-law, please let me explain…”
But no matter how Gern called out, there was no response from inside. Seeing the fiery glow behind him drawing closer, Gern gritted his teeth, and a faint wisp of black energy emanated from his body.
Netherworld Steps!
In the next instant, he vanished into the shadows.
You’ve got to see this next! The Moon Reflected In The Water will keep you on the edge of your seat. Start reading today!
Read : The Moon Reflected In The Water
