novelhk Chapter 557 Investigating the Anomalies of the North Wind Barrier
Chapter 557 Investigating the Anomalies of the North Wind Barrier
He didn't turn around, but simply turned his face toward the direction from which the sound came.
The profile of her face was clearly visible in the light from outside the door, and her jawline was taut.
He remained in that position, like a statue, neither leaving completely nor looking back—a subtle gesture indicating that he was listening, but had made his decision and would not change it.
The old man sat behind a long table, the lamplight casting his shadow on the wall.
The shadow was huge, two or three times larger than a real person, and projected onto the wall like a mountain.
A mountain-like shadow enveloped the entire wall, as if it were not the projection of a person, but a barrier stretching across the long river of history.
His expression was not very clear in the light and shadow, but the weight in his voice was evident.
The weight wasn't in the volume, but in a heavy, pressing feeling in my heart, as if every word had been carefully considered before being uttered.
"You are very strong," the old man said, his tone serious, not polite or perfunctory, but an objective evaluation of a young man from an old man who had seen many people.
When he said those three words, he didn't look up at Lin Tian. His gaze was fixed on the table, as if he were talking to the table or to himself.
Because he knew that some things were useless to say, but he still had to say them.
"But a level one main city is not comparable to a level two main city."
In a level 2 main city, you'll mostly encounter wild monsters and high-level magical beasts; it's different in a level 1 main city.
The enemies there are not wild monsters or magical beasts, but all races.
They have their own civilization, their own army, and their own rules.
They won't give you a one-on-one chance, and they won't talk to you about the rules.
The old man paused here, as if waiting for Lin Tian to process the information, or as if giving himself a chance to pause.
Lin Tian was silent for a moment.
He didn't turn around, but he could feel the old man's gaze fixed on his back.
That gaze was like a very thin needle, piercing a certain spot on the spine. It didn't hurt, but you could clearly feel it—it was an old man measuring a young man's shoulders with his eyes, seeing if he could bear the weight that was about to fall on him.
"I know."
He said.
Two words, not many, but enough.
The meaning is clear: I understand what you're saying, but I still want to go.
He stepped out of the council chamber.
The boots made a soft sound as they stepped onto the threshold, and then the person stepped into the light outside.
Behind him, the old man sat quietly for a while, then sighed softly.
The sigh was so soft that only he could hear it.
There might be a hint of helplessness in his sigh, or perhaps a hint of relief—young people refusing to listen to advice is something every generation of elderly people has to face; he is not the first, nor will he be the last.
[System Notification: You have accepted the advancement trial "Investigate the Anomaly of the North Wind Barrier".]
【Mission Objective: Go to the North Wind Barrier (300 miles north of Star Moon City), investigate the cause of the barrier's anomaly, and resolve the problem.】
Specific objectives include, but are not limited to: reaching the location of the barrier, investigating the cause of the cracks in the barrier, eliminating the overflowing high-level magical beasts, and restoring the barrier's sealing function.
【Quest Rewards: 2,200,000 Experience Points, 5,000 Gold Coins, 5000 Starmoon City Reputation, Level 1 Main City Access Qualification】
Note: Level 1 main city access is the core reward of this mission. Obtaining it will unlock Level 1 main city teleportation privileges and related quest lines.
[Task time limit: None.]
However, it is recommended to complete the task within seven days to prevent the barrier's condition from deteriorating further.
Current barrier integrity assessment: 62%, and it is still decreasing at a rate of approximately 1.5% per day.
Seven days later, the completion rate will drop below 50%, at which point a large-scale monster overflow event may occur, significantly increasing the difficulty of the mission.
Lin Tian glanced at the mission details to confirm that no information had been missed.
He kept the suggested seven-day timeframe in mind—it wasn't a hard requirement, but if he wanted to resolve the issue before the barrier completely deteriorated, it would be best to complete it within this time window.
He turned off the notification and continued walking forward.
As he crossed the front yard, the sound of the fountain was louder than when he arrived. Perhaps the water pressure had changed, or perhaps his footsteps had triggered some mechanism. The water gushed out of the center of the stone emblem at a noticeably faster speed.
The sunlight shone directly down from above, casting a clear shadow on the ground that stretched forward, as if guiding him.
He walked forward stepping on his own shadow, the head of the shadow always half a step ahead of his actual position, like an impatient guide.
Lin Tian pushed open the heavy ironwood gate of the City Lord's Mansion, and the deep rumble of the door hinges spreading through the streets and alleys.
This time, he didn't turn back or pause; he simply stepped over the threshold and into the street outside.
Without pausing for a moment, he walked steadily toward the north gate of Xingyue City.
The trees lining the stone path swayed gently in the morning breeze, their leaves rustling just as they had when he left, as if he had never left this place, or as if he had been gone for a long time.
As they walked into a quiet alley in the north of the city, Lin Tian had a thought, and two figures appeared at the same time.
Celia slowly emerged from the shadows on the ground, her black robes still spotless, her shadow succubus form light and silent.
The moment she appeared, the surrounding temperature seemed to drop by one or two degrees—not due to a skill effect, but rather a change in physical sensation caused by the natural spread of shadow energy.
She merely raised her eyes slightly, sensing all the presence within a hundred meters. Only after confirming there was no threat did she withdraw her gaze. Without uttering a word, she quietly landed half a step to Lin Tian's side, maintaining her accompanying posture.
Xiao Bai leaped out of the pet space, its dragon body stretching out in the air.
Its body, originally as thick as an arm, swelled slightly under the blessing of the Frost Lord's talent. Its silver-white scales gleamed with a cold light, and each scale had a faint icy blue halo around its edge.
The forked horns on its head had grown longer than before, their tips sharp as two short swords, exuding the majesty of a high-ranking magical beast.
It emitted a low, soft hum, not loud, but with a strong penetrating power, bouncing back and forth twice in the alley before dissipating.
It then flapped its wings and took off, circling above Lin Tian's head, acting as an aerial scout, sensing all unusual movements along the northern route.
One person, one succubus pet, and one dragon mount/pet—without any extra communication, they formed an extremely coordinated battle formation.
Their coordination no longer required words; a glance, a gesture, or even just a change in their breathing was enough for the other two to make the correct response.