After years of investigating the Plane of Dreams, Hao Ren had developed a habit of never letting go of any seemingly coincidental clues, but he would never easily regard these clues as solid evidence. He compared the date provided by Becky and the date of the end of the Lockmarton incident in his mind and found that the two were on the same day. But this did not mean that the two events were necessarily related. The universe was vast, and the probability of coincidence was not high, but it was not small either.
It was just that this kind of coincidence still caught his attention and made him pay more attention.
"What's the problem?" Becky asked curiously when she saw the change of expression on Hao Ren's face.
"It may be a coincidence," Hao Ren said honestly. "The time of the energy pulse in the Gloom Mountains was the day we opened the prison of Collow."
He had shared his adventure in Collow with Becky, who knew about Lockmarton.
"It may be a coincidence," Vivian frowned slightly. "But what happened in the Gloom Mountains is still very concerning, especially when we are preparing to arrange a group of 'survivors' to pass through the Wall of Reality. This change is really disturbing. There are many relics of the ancient Magic Empire there, and some of the people we are going to bring are also survivors of the ancient Magic Empire. Maybe there is some 'connection' between the two."
"Now, everyone in Holletta is the 'remnant' of the ancient magic empire." Lily disagreed with Vivian's view. "They have no problem living here. Why would something happen to a few people who just came back from Earth?"
"Anyway, I think we should go to the Gloom Mountains," Hao Ren said. "I am also very interested in the ancient Magic Empire. If they left any research materials and records about the belief of the goddess, it will be of great help to my research."
"I can give you an answer now," Ophra said. "Although the investigation of the Gloom Mountains is led by the royal family, in fact, the ruins have always been a place frequently visited by all kinds of adventurers, mercenaries, and nobles. Now the investigation team has blocked several areas with the most frequent energy outbursts, but I think if it is you … it will not be a problem to go in."
There was a subtle smile on Ophra's face. "And I think many people are probably eager for you to go and have a look."
Hao Ren and his team had once solved the threat of the apocalypse that enveloped Holletta, uprooted the planet's internal First Born organization, and saved the country from the muzzle of the guardian giant's battleship. Although the civilians did not know the details, the kingdom's upper echelons knew how capable this group of 'world-saving experts' were. In fact, if Hao Ren took the initiative to go to the Gloom Mountains, many people in the kingdom would be more than happy. It was like a national veteran doctor coming to the village for a free clinic!
Sure enough, as Ophra said, Hao Ren's request to go to the Gloom Mountains was immediately approved as soon as it was submitted. The whole process was arranged as if the patient's family had already prepared the banner and was waiting for the veteran expert to come to the clinic for free.
Becky grumbled at home that she had nothing to do. She had downloaded a few new movies, so she had no time to play games, read novels, catch up with Hao Ren, and even drink. But when it was time to set off, she still shamelessly tagged along with Hao Ren. Hao Ren asked her curiously, "Didn't you just come back from the Gloom Mountains?"
"I haven't gone on an adventure with you for a long time," Becky said matter-of-factly. "I'm itching to see you guys bragging about your achievements in text messages all day long. Just think of it as bringing me along."
Hao Ren was amused by these reasons, but in the end, he still brought the female mercenary along. He knew that Becky had a restless personality, which could be seen from the fact that she could not stand the loneliness after being a noble for less than two years and joined the knights to fight for military exploits. This former mercenary, who had already entered the upper circle of socialites, still had a heart that was as white as snow and could come and go like the wind. She was just waiting for something exciting to happen to stimulate it.
With the help of Marshal Ophra, Becky easily adjusted her schedule in the knights. Two days later, she came to the Gloom Mountains in the southeast of the kingdom with Hao Ren and the other two.
The Gloom Mountains, which was next to the southeast border of Holletta, was the kingdom of the mountain elves on the other side of the mountains. This mountain range, which stretched to the southern hills, was not as majestic as Dragonspine Ridge, but it was a natural barrier and treasure house. It isolated many threats on the other side, including the mountain elves and orc tribes. At the same time, it also provided the best source of potions and magic minerals for the southeast of the kingdom. These resources produced in the relatively safe area at the foot of the mountain were enough to feed hundreds of thousands of people.
Generally speaking, the Gloom Mountains did not refer to the entire mountain range, but a part of its middle section, which included three peaks and a large number of rugged mountains, as well as dense jungles and unexplored areas between the mountains. This area was the most dangerous part of the Gloom Mountains, but also the part with the most treasures. Many relics of the ancient Magic Empire were still lying dormant in the depths of the mountains. Some adventurers even said that the energy-gathering towers in the depths of the mountains were still producing precious solidified magic crystals and elemental crystal nuclei. This was almost a crazy temptation of wealth. However, behind the crazy wealth was also a terrible danger: the relics of the Magic Empire were powerful and mysterious, and had been out of control for tens of thousands of years. Any relics found in the Gloom Mountains basically had security facilities that would attack intruders indiscriminately. Every year, they would add at least two digits of black boxes in the registration book of the Mercenary Association.
Mercenaries and independent adventurers who died on the way would be marked with a black box in the annual membership statistics and removed the next year.
These were the information that Ophra gave to Hao Ren before he set off. Some of the stories about mercenaries and adventurers were told by Becky along the way.
Recalling the scattered knowledge, Hao Ren looked at the dark forest. The mountain range, like its name, had a gloomy and dark tone. Not knowing whether it was due to the special local soil and environment or the magic energy left by the ancient Magic Empire, the plants in this area were particularly lush, and the most luxuriant was a kind of tree called Shadow Fir. This plant with dark green leaves painted the entire mountain area with a layer of dark color. Even in the areas that were not covered by the forest, most of the exposed rocks on the mountain had a dark gray color, which seemed to be connected with the dark clouds above the mountain range all year round. It was particularly depressing at first glance.
When they were still some distance away from the Gloom Mountains, the MDT sent a telemetry report of the energy level. "More than 30 active energy points have been detected in the range, and there are hundreds of suspicious dormant reactions — irregularly distributed throughout the Gloom Mountains. My radar has also detected very strong feedback waves when scanning the three peaks. I suspect that the three peaks have been artificially modified, and their rock composition is far different from the natural soil and rocks. "
"What a place full of 'treasures'..." Hao Ren could not help but sigh. He then told the others what the MDT had detected.
"In ancient times, the Gloom Mountains used to be the border and buffer zone of several Magic Empires," Becky explained. She had read this information after she accepted the mission about the Gloom Mountains. "Most of the legends are incomplete, but many of them point out that the Ancient Magic Empire had a series of joint research institutions in this mountain range. At that time, the Magic Empire had reached its peak, and the mortals had gone further and further in exploring the truth of the world. Finally, no single Magic Empire could continue to advance, so they began to unite to study some more terrible and powerful forces, and the Gloom Mountains was one of their largest experimental sites. Do you see the glimmers in the sky? The glimmers cut off the Gloom Mountains, including the three peaks, from the entire mountain range. They can be seen from a distance. The glimmers are the ancient energy barrier called the Lorissa Wall. Many scholars in the kingdom believe that the barrier was released by an ancient elven ruin in the mountains, and Lorissa is the name of the elven mage emperor. You can imagine how powerful the Magic Empire was at that time. "
Hao Ren looked up and saw the glimmers that Becky mentioned. It was floating behind the clouds, and at first glance, it looked like a hazy sunset hiding in the clouds.
Had it not been for the information, Hao Ren would not have thought that the glimmers were the energy barrier that enveloped the entire mountain range and had been in operation since 10,000 years ago. It was still blocking the wandering energy in the Gloom Mountains.
"The experimental site of the ancient Magic Empire..." Vivian's voice was a little shaky. "We neglected such an important place..."
"Our investigation at that time was far less in-depth than it is now, and the secrets exposed by the First Born and the guardians had completely diverted everyone's attention. Everyone was busy paying attention to whether there were any remnants of the First Born and the guardian giants on the planet." Hao Ren shook his head, sounding a little regretful.
Becky also shook her head. "That's not all. More importantly, even if there were relics of the ancient magic empire, it would be difficult for you to find anything useful. No matter how powerful the mage emperors were, they were just flesh and blood. No matter how strong the things they created were, they were just easily weathered stones and metals. What could be left after ten thousand years? What is left in this mountain range is only a large amount of wandering ownerless energy, the weathered ruins, and the rumored 'ancient treasures'... "
The mercenary said, shaking her head helplessly. "I almost believed it when I was still a mercenary. But when I came to take a look, hehe..."
(It's past noon!)
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