The Croaking Frogs Forest outside Kounsai City had a warm and humid climate. The river network brought abundant water, and the dense trees blocked the sunlight. All these conditions made the entire forest appear very dark and humid. Moss and mushrooms grew everywhere.
At most, it was slightly better than the swamps that were difficult to step on.
Moreover, there were all kinds of colorful frogs here, and the entire forest got its name from that.
In the afternoon, when the sun was at its brightest.
Accompanied by the incessant croaking of frogs, an adventure team composed of six fully-armed elite combatants was slowly advancing along a small stream in the forest in a search formation.
They were equipped with firearms, crossbows, longswords … They had everything they needed. Insect repellent, tightly tied cuffs, waterproof rain boots, and cloaks. They were clearly a group of experienced forest combat experts.
"Captain, do you think the ladies who have been missing for a week at the earliest and three days at the latest are still alive?
Even for adult males who have not received professional training, it's not easy to live alone in this forest for a week without any injuries.
Just the lack of clean water and food causes dysentery, and it's enough to take away half of a man's life. "
A short-haired young man who did not use a firearm and instead held a bow and arrow scanned the forest with his eagle-like eyes. He was slightly discouraged by the fruitless search after a long time. He could not help but softly ask the captain, who was a few bodies away from him.
"You also know that their chances of survival are not high. What else do you want me to say?
I actually hope that these missing girls were kidnapped and not lost by themselves or dragged away by wild beasts. Although they might experience some terrible things, their chances of survival are at least higher.
Besides, since we've taken the money, whether they're dead or alive, even if it's just confirmation of their deaths, we have to bring it to their families. "
Captain Titus, who held a longsword and was also the only official Knight in the team, turned around and glared at the young man. Then, he reminded him not to be distracted, lest he miss out on key clues.
The short-haired young man quietly avoided a small green snake on the treetop beside him and glanced behind him.
"That … Captain, those two people are still following us. Should we chase them away?"
Captain Titus also vaguely glanced back.
Dozens of meters behind them, a young couple, a handsome man and a pretty woman, were holding hands and stepping on the rocks by the stream, strolling leisurely in the forest.
Furthermore, when they were being cautious and vigilant against all dangers in the forest, they even had the leisure to whisper intimately to each other from time to time. His noble hunting attire, which was obviously expensive, was clean and tidy, but he did not even bring a decent weapon with him.
Especially the beautiful girl who was being held by the tall young man. She was like a deer jumping from one rock to another from time to time. It was like they were on a date.
As a middle-aged single man, Titus wailed in his heart like a defeated dog.
"It's not right for the two of you to be so lovey-dovey. Bah bah … It's you who were so careless in the forest. You're being irresponsible to yourselves!"
Because this was really not a place for an outing.
A city-state was mainly made up of the main city and many subsidiary villages. Outside of the city, most of the places were mountains and wilderness. Kounsai was no exception.
Especially during this period of time, there were young female tourists who went missing outside the city one after another. On a certain level, it was already somewhat jittery.
In this era, there were definitely no low-income people who could travel far away like weeds that no one cared about. The families working together still put some pressure on the consul of the city-state.
However, Kounsai, which was like a utopia, did not have any wars all year round. The economic structure was also very simple, and the response of the administrative system was very sluggish.
For a long time, they were unable to give the families of the missing people a reasonable explanation. They only posted a missing person notice in the city and an announcement that no one was allowed to enter Croaking Frogs Forest alone.
This was how the city-state appeared to the outside world. No one knew what the real situation was, and ordinary people did not have the ability to question a consul.
Therefore, after receiving a request from the families of the missing girls nearby, their small team entered the place where the missing girls were most likely to encounter an accident after they were seen leaving the city — Croaking Frogs Forest.
In fact, there were many warning signs on the side of Croaking Frogs Forest that said "Ferocious beasts inside, no entry". Captain Titus did not understand why the girls wanted to come here.
Under normal circumstances, even if there were no wild beasts, the desolate forest alone was enough to scare away the delicate young ladies.
Unless they felt that there was no danger here? Or did they have something they 'thought' to rely on?
After pondering for a while, Titus said to the young man beside him.
"They should be the young masters and young ladies of noble families.
Don't worry about them. We're not carrying out a secret mission. It's safer to keep them under our eyes.
Daron, you're in charge of looking after them. Don't let them run around and get lost. "
"Hahaha, Captain, you're such a good guy …"
.....
Behind the adventurer team.
"Hersey, be careful, be careful. Don't fall."
Olivia looked at Elvin, who had been protecting her by her side and could not wait to carry her away. She put her hands on her slender waist and rolled her eyes at him in dissatisfaction.
"Hey, us women are strong creatures who can bleed for seven days every month and won't die. What's last night's small incident? Don't look down on us! "
Looking at Olivia, who no longer called herself a girl, Elvin tapped the tip of her nose in amusement.
"Who was the one who lazed around in bed this morning and caused us to leave the hotel in the afternoon?"
The girl's face turned red as she spat and scolded softly.
"Bah, animal!"
Elvin was embarrassed by her words. He scratched his head and quickly changed the topic.
"Ahem, the money tree of the Four Seasons Hotel didn't perform today?"
When they passed by the hotel lobby, they heard a few young ladies arguing at the entrance of the theater. The performer was not the Dolphin Prince Vidas.
The hotel's attitude was polite and firm. The Dolphin Prince's opera was only performed once every three days. No matter how much the love-struck young ladies made a fuss, it was useless.
"What's that phrase you mentioned before? Yes, hunger marketing is pretty good.
The cat's eye stone did not react. This proves that the Dolphin Prince did not use any mental enchantment sorcery. It's his own charm. "
Hearing Olivia's praise for the handsome Dolphin Prince, Elvin smiled faintly and did not think much of it.
After completing the qualitative change of a man's physiology and psychology, he no longer cared about such trivial matters.
A man with a wife would no longer be interested in competing with someone of the same sex in terms of appearance.
Before they entered the forest, they happened to meet this group of armed men who were also entering the forest. They looked experienced. Anyway, the Flesh and Blood Ritual did not record the specific location of the candidate creature's host, so they might as well follow them around.
They did not even care about the purpose of the adventure team. In the human countries of the Old Continent, except for the kingdom guardians, a rank-3 Transcendent was enough to do whatever they wanted.
If they revealed their identity, even the local consul would have to receive them personally.
At present, it had been three to four hundred years since the record of the Snake Man, Hiberkrit. Moreover, as a creature, it was naturally capable of moving. It was even possible for it to run to other places.
Just as Olivia had said, who knew if they would find it after searching for a long time?
At this moment, the only thing that Elvin missed was Milan's powerful divination skills.
The seagulls had been released, but unlike the open sea, they could only search inch by inch in the forest. For the time being, there was no good news.
Suddenly.
They heard a surprised cheer in front of them.
"Captain, I found it. It's a woman's handkerchief with Miss Nala's name embroidered on it.
The route is correct. It's really here. "
"Speed up!"
Elvin and Olivia looked at each other.
"Let's go and take a look."
.....
Close to the dark and damp inner layer of the Croaking Frogs Forest.
Beside a clear pond hidden by the forest, there was a circle of people wearing dark green robes and hoods. There were a total of five of them, tall, short, fat, and skinny.
In the pond in front of them, huge translucent frog eggs were densely packed together. In each egg, there was a young woman with at least above average looks curled up and sleeping with her eyes closed.
Looking at the twenty young women who had finally gathered, a short and fat man in a green robe breathed a sigh of relief.
"Fortunately, the Frog God only wakes up once every ten years. Otherwise, we don't know where to find so many suitable brides to sacrifice to the God."
In this world, beautiful women were also a precious social resource. To be able to gather all these while minimizing the impact to the greatest extent was already a Herculean effort.
Among the other four, a magnetic and pleasant male voice suddenly sounded.
"Don't be disrespectful to the Frog God. If there's a gain, there's a price to pay. Think about what we've gained from the God, not what we've lost. "
"Yes, yes, yes … You're right."
The short and fat man in the green robe who spoke first knew that he had misspoken and quickly apologized. However, he had a different attitude in his heart.
"It's easy for you to say that. How can it be as easy as you to get suitable sacrifices? As long as you wave your hand, countless infatuated women will throw themselves at you like moths to a flame. "
However, as he said, they were all people who had received gifts from the Frog God.
Whether it was ten years ago, twenty years ago, or thirty years ago, they all had the same impression of this ancient God. It was a big frog with a golden crown on its head. Part of its body was made of flesh and blood, while the other part was made of green moss, mushrooms, and branches.
As long as one knelt down to it and promised to pay the price, their wish would be granted.
However, although the "Frog God" was called a God, it was more like a beast without much wisdom. On the contrary, the crown on its head was very magical. It could see into everyone's heart and fulfill the wish of the person who prayed the most.
Of course, there was a limit to wishes. Extreme beauty, powerful strength, incalculable wealth, long lifespan, and so on. It was indeed like a fairytale world in Kun Sai, but as soon as they left this place, they would immediately be distorted and changed.
No one wanted to try it out for themselves.
Now that the ten-year deadline had arrived, they, who were originally small fry at the bottom of society, had become respectable people in the city-state because of the gift from the Frog God. Of course, they had to unite to protect their common interests.
Even the lifelong consul of Khun Sai was not allowed to know this secret!
Suddenly, there was a slight movement in the forest not far away, which caught the attention of the five people.
Another person in a green robe spoke lightly.
"Hehe, we really have guests. The money spent on bribing the City Guard was not wasted."
Although this person was the thinnest, he was the "old man" who had received the opportunity to make a wish thirty years ago. His background was unfathomable, and he was the leader of the five people.
"Mike, take the Oracle and greet them. The bride of the Frog God is ready, but the rations for the Frog God are not enough. Let's get rid of them to fill the gap. "
"Okay."
One person stepped out of the ranks and ran out like the wind.
Behind him.
Croak, croak, croak …
Amidst the continuous thunder-like croaking of frogs, a large group of at least thirty to forty frogs with long yellowish-green moss on their bodies, which were larger than cows, rushed into the forest.
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