**Chapter 605: Silver Summit**
Gramorn is one of the main cities in the southwestern part of Prit and serves as the capital of Hand County, located in a broad mountain basin at the transportation hub of Hand County.
Due to the predominantly mountainous terrain in the southwest of Prit Island, Hand County is also characterized by its mountains. The only large plain in the entire county is the basin where Gramorn is situated. The land here is primarily used for cultivation, with agriculture and light industry being the pillar industries. Additionally, due to its proximity to Twinkling Star Lake, the largest lake in southwestern Prit, there is also a modest fishery output.
Although Gramorn is the largest city in Hand County, its total population pales in comparison to a large metropolis like Tivyán. With a smaller population and the absence of heavy industry, the environment here is notably better than in most cities in Prit, even the surrounding rivers and lakes have minimal pollution.
During the day, birds soar in the clear blue sky, and only a few carriages traverse the tranquil streets of Gramorn. At a roadside café, Doro is leisurely savoring a local specialty coffee. Across from Doro, sitting at a table, is Nephnis, whose expression clearly shows a hint of worry as she watches Doro enjoying her coffee. Slowly, she begins to speak.
“What… Miss Doro, are you saying that the Eight-pointed group has already arrived? Have they gotten ahead of us?”
“Yes… The lake next to the city is shrouded in spiritual bl**d Mist at night. That bl**d Mist is very thin, and in the dark, it’s virtually invisible to the n*ked eye unless extraordinary means are used for exploration.”
“I’ve encountered this bl**d Mist before; during the assassination case of Barret earlier in the year, I briefly unbound the Red Tier with the Eight-pointed, who possesses such an ability.”
Setting her coffee cup down on the table, Doro responds calmly to Nephnis. As she listens to Doro’s words, the seriousness on Nephnis’s face deepens, and she cannot help but murmur, “The Eight-pointed Red Tier… This is bad, Miss Doro. It seems we are one step too late; they’ve gotten there first.”
Nephnis’s tone is grave, while Doro’s expression remains composed. After placing her coffee cup down neatly, she slowly sits back, then begins to speak thoughtfully.
“The Eight-pointed’s actions are quicker than ours; I anticipated this. After all, their influence extends throughout Prit, so it’s normal for them to secure a position before us. However, there’s no need to be overly anxious. Securing an advance does not guarantee ultimate victory. As long as the Mirror Moon Temple has not been located by them, we still have a chance.”
As Doro speaks, Nephnis pauses for a moment before continuing, “So, Miss Doro, you mean to say… the Eight-pointed group hasn’t found the temple yet?”
“Exactly. I’ve been observing Twinkling Star Lake for two consecutive nights. The bl**d Mist from the Eight-pointed has appeared on the lake’s surface both nights. If those guys had already succeeded, they wouldn’t waste their spirituality on such a place and would have long returned home.” Doro continues, and as she speaks, Nephnis blinks, then asks, “So, the bl**d Mist has blanketed the lake for two nights, meaning… the Eight-pointed are using the bl**d Mist to monitor the whole lake while also searching for the temple?”
“That’s correct. Those bl**d Mists are essentially the bl**d of the Eight-pointed Red Tier extraordinary beings, and they’re part of their bodies. Once you touch these bl**d Mists, they will be instantly detected by the Eight-pointed Red Tier, and they can even permeate the bodies of enemies, affecting them from within.”
Doro explains this to Nephnis, and in fact, as she hears Doro, Nephnis’s expression grows even more anxious.
“The ability to create a bl**d Mist that covers such a large lake for surveillance feels somewhat similar to what we encountered in Moncala… But if the entire surface of Twinkling Star Lake is shrouded in bl**d Mist, just how much bl**d does an Eight-pointed Red Tier possess?”
With a clear look of concern, Nephnis speaks to Doro, and upon hearing this, Doro raises her eyebrows slightly, as if recalling something.
The bl**d Mist produced by the Eight-pointed Red Tier bears many similarities to Edward’s Water Mage mist, such as being incredibly difficult to detect, capable of sensing information within its coverage, and even damaging enemies by having them inhale it.
However, there is a fundamental difference between the two. The mist produced by the Water Mage is essentially ordinary water vapor infused with spirituality, whereas the bl**d Mist of the bl**d Dark Red Tier is part of the extraordinary being itself. In terms of sensitivity to perception and operational efficiency, the bl**d Mist is superior. However, in terms of coverage and overall manipulation quantity, the Water Mage’s mist is stronger, and based on Doro’s encounter with that Spider Fang Priest, the bl**d Mist should also have functionalities beyond just vapor.
‘Regardless, the amount of bl**d Mist the Eight-pointed can produce should be significantly smaller than that of the Water Mage’s vapor because one uses moisture from the air while the other has to release its own bl**d into mist. It seems that the scale of production for the Eight-pointed Red Tier’s bl**d Mist shouldn’t surpass that of a Water Mage like Edward.
‘Yet, the scale of bl**d Mist released by the Eight-pointed every night is astonishing, enough to completely cover the surface of Twinkling Star Lake. Although the concentration of the bl**d Mist in the air is relatively low, the surface area of the lake is vast, exceeding even that of the entire Gramorn city area. While a Red Tier bl**d Dark extraordinary being may have an exceptional bl**d volume, can they really produce enough bl**d Mist to cover such a large area?’
Thinking of this, a bad premonition arises in Doro’s mind; the scale of bl**d Mist produced by the Eight-pointed exceeds her expectations, approaching what Edward originally released in Moncala.
‘In any case, the idea of a single Red Tier bl**d Dark producing so much bl**d Mist seems a bit exaggerated. Could it be that the Eight-pointed has already deployed some ritual in the corner of Moen, expanding their abilities? But the Eight-pointed and I should have received the news about Gramorn simultaneously; they shouldn’t have had much longer to get here than I did. Do they really have time to set up a ritual of this scale? Or could it be that… there’s more than one Eight-pointed Red Tier in Gramorn?’
Doro contemplates this possibility, and as the thought crosses her mind, her expression darkens, causing her to freeze momentarily. Seeing Doro’s reaction, Nephnis prompts her, “What’s wrong? Miss Doro, is there something serious?”
“Ah… Nothing for now, just considering some可能 grim possibilities that lack corroborating evidence.” Doro replies to Nephnis, quickly changing the subject. “In any case, our current goal is to find a way to locate the temple before the Eight-pointed group does. The clues to finding the temple are likely hidden among those riddle-like prayers. Since the Eight-pointed have chosen to block the lake at night, it’s clear they believe that the so-called Mirror of Glahomir refers to Twinkling Star Lake, which matches my viewpoint. If we can decode the other content in the prayers, we will likely find the location of the temple.”
“By the way, Nephnis, you’ve been collecting information in the city these past couple of days, right? Have you discovered anything?” Doro directly asks Nephnis, who has prepared a response.
“Actually, I was about to tell you this. Recently, I have also been searching for leads related to those riddle prayers. Knowing that you were collecting information in the city, I specifically chose to look in areas away from the city to see if I could find anything fruitful. In the end, I made a discovery in a small town to the south of Gramorn.”
“A small town? What did you find?” Doro asks with interest. Nephnis continues, “At the edge of that town, I found an earthbound spirit, an elderly ghost who was bound to the world because of longing for his son, who had gone away for work and never returned. Since he did not h*rass anyone, no official extraordinary being managed him. I found him through local eerie rumors. According to what I learned, he was born over a hundred years ago and grew up near Gramorn, so he is very well acquainted with the circumstances of this area. I assured him that I would help him transcend, in exchange for some valuable information.”
“Oh… A ghost born in this area a hundred years ago, interesting… What did you inquire about from him?” Doro says, intrigued, as Nephnis continues.
“I broke down the contents of the riddle prayers and sequentially inquired about each part. He had no knowledge of terms like Scythe Gate or Longbow Gate, but when it came to the Mirror of Glahomir, he directly pointed out that it refers to Twinkling Star Lake; he previously called this lake the Mirror Lake.
“Besides the lake, another important clue he knew about was the ‘Silver Summit.’ According to the ghost, there is a mountain near Twinkling Star Lake called ‘Cave Silver Mountain.’ It is said that there used to be a silver mine in that mountain, but before he was born, the silver had already been completely mined out, leaving only the unsealed mines leading inside the mountain.
“When that elderly ghost was small, many people would enter that abandoned mine to look for unextracted silver ore to sell. They reportedly had good luck and could find ready-made silverware on the mountain. However, due to the extreme danger of those abandoned mines, many who tried to pan for silver ended up dying inside due to accidents. Finally, the local municipal government closed off the mine to prevent further accidents, and after that, the mountain was renamed to Observation Lake Mountain, seemingly because the views of Twinkling Star Lake from the mountain’s summit are particularly good, hence the name change.”
Nephnis recounts to Doro in detail the information she collected through her ability to communicate with spirits. As Doro listens, a hint of interest appears on her face, prompting her to recall the map of the area around Twinkling Star Lake in her mind.
“Observation Lake Mountain, huh…”
…
Twinkling Star Lake, referred to as the Mirror of Gramorn, is bordered by the Gramorn city area on one side, with mountains embracing it on three others. Among the various hills surrounding Twinkling Star Lake, Observation Lake Mountain undoubtedly stands out.
Observation Lake Mountain is located to the west of Twinkling Star Lake and is one of the higher peaks among the surrounding mountains. Despite its height, its gentle slope on one side makes it quite easy to climb. Coupled with its not-so-distant proximity to Gramorn city, the mountain’s summit has become an excellent viewpoint for admiring Twinkling Star Lake. After the mining operations were abandoned and the mines sealed, this mountain’s primary function is to provide an excellent viewing platform for the citizens of Gramorn and visitors from afar, hence its name became Observation Lake Mountain.
In the afternoon, under the clear blue sky, many well-dressed citizens gather at the modest wooden observation deck atop Observation Lake Mountain, enjoying the refreshing breeze and taking in the stunning scenery of the expansive lake in front of them. These citizens, belonging to the more affluent class, often visit as families to unwind together. Atop the observation deck, various small vendors sell trinkets and snacks.
Among the people observing the lake scenery, Doro’s zombie puppet is mingled in the crowd. From afar by the lake’s edge, Doro, using the vision of the puppet, gazes at the vast surface of Twinkling Star Lake, and her mind drifts into thought.
‘Is this… what is described in the riddle prayers, the so-called summit of silver? Indeed… from this mountaintop, I can almost see the entirety of Twinkling Star Lake, it is an exquisite viewpoint.
‘While I have located the Silver Summit, there are still no clues regarding the other contents. From this vantage point, though the view is beautiful, there are no abnormal signs; it is just an ordinary lakescape, and the so-called Invisible Gate and Scythe Gate are nowhere to be seen… I can see nothing related to them…’
Doro ponders within her heart. Deep in her thoughts, she focuses her attention back on the tranquil surface of the lake.
‘In the past few days, I have made a number of fish zombie puppets using fish bought at the nearby fish market to search the depths of Twinkling Star Lake during the daytime, but I still haven’t made any discoveries. Besides lake sand and water plants, there are some ancient silver relics buried at the lake’s bottom, but they lack any traces of spirituality; they are all ordinary items…’
As she considers this, she initially thought the Mirror Moon Temple might be submerged at the lake’s bottom, but after searching through the depths thoroughly over the past two days without finding any clues, she had no choice but to give up that idea.
‘No clues outside the lake, and nothing inside either… Could it be that the secret of the Mirror Moon Temple can only reveal itself at night? But… at night, the whole lake is under the Eight-pointed’s surveillance and blockade. How can I search for anything on the lake at night?’
Rubbing her chin, Doro sits down on the grassy bank by the lake, falling into a deep thought. It is clear that the Mirror Moon Goddess, as the Night Sky Empress, symbolizes the night and the moon as the lord of “Shadows,” and her temple is naturally more closely related to the night. To truly unveil the secrets of the Mirror Moon Temple, Doro must search Twinkling Star Lake at night. However, the Eight-pointed, realizing this, have also chosen this time to commence their actions.
If Doro cannot break through the Eight-pointed’s blockade over Twinkling Star Lake during the night, her investigation will become exceedingly difficult to continue.
