Chapter Ninety-One: Discovery of Tracks
The setting sun slowly sank behind the verdant mountains.
The crimson sky over the valley looked as if a brush dipped in bl**d had painted it, while the fading light of the evening broke through the peaks above, spilling down to bathe the valleys and towering cliffs below me in a golden hue. The purple waters and azure trees glinted with that evening glow, layered mists making it all appear hazy, like a picturesque painting.
If you could ignore the occasional corpse peeking out from a patch of greenery, it would be quite the delightful scene.
I was flying, but not very fast, and I deliberately kept my altitude low, almost skimming the mountain valleys, searching for the bodies of knights in an attempt to find Margaret’s whereabouts.
I couldn’t feel the biting wind. Black flames flickered around me, shooting out silvery light that tightly encased my body.
In a way, it was a bit like losing a part of the “flying experience”—instead of that imagined feeling of freedom and liberation, I felt as if I were being gently lifted by a protective force. The difference from sitting on an airplane was that I could freely maneuver my flight path, enjoy a wide view, and let my body move fluidly with the ascent instead of being strapped to a seat, staring dreamily out the window while suffering from discomfort and persistent drowsiness that wouldn’t let me sleep soundly.
Flying was truly exhilarating.
If it were possible, I could just drift around aimlessly for three days and nights, glide through clouds, explore places I’ve never been, then find a spot to feast and sleep soundly before taking flight again—this ultimate experience was far more thrilling than any game, and I was a bit addicted to it… but now was not the time for such distractions.
I needed to hurry.
And I hadn’t forgotten that this irresistible power came from the black flames.
It was the power of the Abyss.
So, I couldn’t let myself become obsessed…
I shook my head in the flames, trying to stay alert.
The Abyss’s power was too tempting…
I didn’t even have to try; just by eating, I could become stronger. Strength would bring me countless convenient abilities—like a blade that could cut through anything, the power to create thousands of soldiers by myself, or to freely soar across the skies… and perhaps there would be even more enticing powers in the future. But the more appealing it became, the more wary I grew of this chaotic power within me.
Because I understood that everything gained without effort…those seemingly delightful rewards without any cost, eventually had to be paid back with a heavy toll—the principal and interest, all wrapped up in one nasty package… this was the unchanging truth of the world.
In both my past life and this one, irrespective of whether the world was advanced or backward, the same held true. The distinction lay merely in whether the people or products tempting you into traps were presented as “zero-cost” or “comfortable, interesting things”—the differentiation lay solely in the quantity of such “temptations” and their varying forms.
In my past world, probably about eighty percent of people couldn’t grasp this principle, and they would eventually become various flavors of a dish on a platter.
But I understood.
I understood, so I must remain vigilant.
Yet at times, forced by circumstances, I had to wield this terrifying power… like when I faced Teresa Monster, or earlier in the Abyss Mud, and now.
I had already flown out of the rolling valleys, with the Church’s War Chariot waiting below outside the gorge.
There should have been three War Chariots, but I only spotted two, both flipped over on the roadside. One was directly beneath me, while the other was a little further away, nearly disappearing into a grove ahead, but it was ultimately unable to escape the fate dealt by the Divine Miracle—that had to be some kind of widespread miracle, as someone had plowed up the entire ground in sight. Loose soil, rock, and mud surged from beneath the ground, transforming the once moss-covered stone path beyond recognition, the surface nearly obliterated.
What terrifying power…
I maneuvered the flames down to check around the two War Chariots and soon found the bodies of two coachmen and a Nun from the Saintess Class… but more of the fallen were Church Knights.
These corpses appeared to have been thoroughly trampled by some horrifying beast, their insides pressed out and launched several meters away, no longer human.
But it seemed one War Chariot had escaped…
I didn’t linger here, nor did I have time to deal with the bodies.
I flew into the woods, searching for quite a while before finding a few patches of ground trampled by wheels. The marks were already quite old, almost buried under leaves and dust, and surrounding them were numerous hoof prints.
Someone had chased after them… from the looks of it, they seemed to be headed toward the Royal City.
It only takes three days to get to the Royal City from here. If all went well, maybe Margaret had already fled back to the Royal City… that would be great… as long as she was in the Royal City, Bishop Nero shouldn’t dare to act recklessly…
If that’s the case…
But then my brows furrowed.
The situation at the Royal City wasn’t optimistic…
Leaving aside the Iron Guards outside the city, the new Abyss could still very much be inside. That little girl, she might have already tasted flesh… if I wasn’t mistaken, her current state likely hadn’t reached an irreversible point yet.
She still remembered me; she could still consciously cast illusions to try and communicate with me… she retained some reason as a Human, at least a little…
She hadn’t slaughtered the city…
But she had started to eat people…
Thinking of this, a surge of anxiety welled up within me.
No…
I need to hurry.
Before things spiral out of control, I must find Margaret and tell her what I’ve discovered, face the new Abyss together… if possible, I want Margaret to help me… let’s avoid jumping to conclusions and see if we can communicate…
That little girl called me “sister,” she might still remember me…
If time permits, perhaps we could make it.
If she could be like me…
If I could find a companion, someone who shared my experiences…
Even if she’s very young… at least, when I felt uncomfortable, scared, I would have someone—a person with whom I could speak without reservations… I could share the deepest feelings I’d buried in my heart, we could share our pains and weaknesses and strive to overcome together…
If it could be like that…
That would be wonderful…
I paused in the lush woods for a moment, gazing southward at the half-buried sun in the mountains.
Suddenly, the burning black flames in my sight gradually obscured the dim evening light.
Stop overthinking and get moving…
I took a deep breath, then bent my knees and jumped.
White light suddenly burst forth beneath my feet; my petite body soared into the air again, gliding low toward the south. Countless trees rushed past below, becoming a blur in my line of sight.
The speed of the black flames at full throttle was simply worlds apart from that of the Horned Horse, almost several times faster. But the expenditure was also enormous; I could feel the chaotic power within me rapidly depleting.
Fortunately, I had stuffed myself in the Abyss Mud earlier… otherwise, I’d be starving soon. And that would be a disaster…
I roughly estimated. At this rate of consumption, I could likely keep flying for… at least a day, that should be fine.
But that was under the premise of exhausting all the chaotic power… I couldn’t let it all run out; I had to keep at least half left, or I wouldn’t know what would happen to me.
So that meant half a day… I wonder if that’s enough? One step at a time, I suppose.
First, find Margaret…
…………
If flying around leisurely in the valley while searching for clues had been enjoyable, then flying at full speed was akin to an ordinary person trying to run a marathon. No matter how fit or excellent a marathon runner’s stamina is, to maintain a steady pace throughout, there’s one key point: persistence.
That’s how I felt now.
I’m so tired…
Even though I still had plenty of energy. The chaotic power inside me remained ample, but the prolonged flight was wearing me out. This exhaustion was mental because I had to constantly focus on controlling the black flames; every moment required effort, and if I let my mind wander, my speed would drop. Coupled with my lack of skill, I had to be wary of the ground below, making it feel exceptionally tiring, leaving me eager to find a place to rest or to slow down a bit.
But no…
I still hadn’t found Margaret.
I was flying quite high, maybe two to three hundred meters above the ground, doing so to get a clear view of the situation below. I couldn’t afford to wander along the ground searching for tracks—that would be far too inefficient; by the time I found something, it might already be too late.
I needed to fly as high as possible, ensuring I could see the ground without obstruction, allowing for a wider field of vision. As long as my direction was correct, this was the fastest way to search for people—I definitely wasn’t keeping an eye on Margaret.
From this height, the people below looked like ants, the smallest black ants… there was no way to distinguish between Margaret and Carlos among them; I was looking for the Church Knights.
The night had deepened.
Even if they were on the road at night, they would need to light torches. I didn’t know how many remained alive; surely a few hundred at least? If so, the glow from the torches would be noticeable in the darkness. At my current altitude, I would spot them immediately.
Once I found them, Margaret should be nearby.
The farther she was, the better.
This was a gamble. Betting that Margaret was indeed heading south without any detours. If she suddenly veered east or west halfway, I would lose her trail.
But I didn’t have any other options…
I couldn’t afford for the Royal City to be destroyed by the Abyss because I went to find Margaret, nor could I bear to think of not saving her just to rush to the Royal City… I didn’t want either outcome.
Complex feelings swirled within me.
All I could do was fly at full speed through the night sky and keep my eyes peeled.
Hope everything goes as I wish…
Before long, I spotted a string of firelight gathering on the distant plain, like a dragon’s tail appearing in my line of sight.
…There they are!
It was them! The Church Knights!
My heart leapt momentarily with elation, only to quickly pull back the smile erupting on my face, suppressing all my emotions while maneuvering the black flames to slow down and come to a halt, waving my hand to extinguish the darkness.
The white light was too conspicuous; I’d be spotted… I needed to sneak up on them.
Then…
As the flames receded, my body began to plummet swiftly.
The long-lost sound of wind filled my ears. I glanced at the seemingly moving group in the distance, unable to suppress a smile.
Nero the Chubby…
Are you there?
You ambushed me before and almost killed me… I need to make you feel that sting too.
