Tang Xizong trained his subordinates and created a clay figurine array, wanting to kill Tang Zhangwei, who was already injured.

This bastard is really going to take advantage of the fire.

The pore shrinks. "In what way? A witch's puzzle? ”

Eddie picks up two apples and throws one to Zod. He didn't pick it up, and the apple floated, slowly spinning in the air, still glaring at the witch.

"Sit down, magician, and stop being pretentious." She took a bite of the apple and chewed slowly. Zod sat down in a fit of rage. "I didn't want to scare him, he was scared enough. If he were told what the Night Stone really did, he might be afraid to use it, and Hell would have caught him without question. Yes, I warned him. I use a puzzle so he can comprehend it after passing through the passage. ”

Zod's firewood-like fingers grabbed the apple in the air. "Shit, Eddie, you don't understand. Richard hated puzzles, and always was. He saw them as an affront to integrity. He's not going to bother with them. In fact, he would not hesitate to ignore them. He took a big bite of the apple.

"He's an explorer, and that's what explorers do: they solve puzzles."

Zod held up a leaning finger. "The puzzles of life are not literal. There is a difference between this. ”

Eddie put the apple down, put his hands on the table and leaned forward. A hint of worry softened her countenance. "Zod, I'm trying to help that kid. I hope he succeeds. I lost a foot in the passage, and he could have lost his life. If the explorer loses his life, all of us will lose our lives. I don't want him to get hurt. ”

Zod put down his apple and waved it away with his hand, driving away his anger. "I know you don't want to cause harm, Eddie. I don't think so. He grabbed Eddie's hand. It's going to be fine. ”

"I'm an idiot," she said bitterly. "He told me he didn't like puzzles, but I never thought much of it. Zod, use the Night Stone to find him. See if he's already passed? ”

Zod nodded. He closed his eyes and lowered his chin all the way to his chest. He took three deep breaths, then stopped breathing for a long time. In the air came the low, soft sound of the wind in the distance, the sound of the wind on the plains: lonely, unforgettable. The wind finally died down, and the magician began to breathe again. He looked up, his eyes open.

"He's in Middle-earth. He has passed through the passage. ”

Eddie nodded, relieved. "I'll give you a piece of the beast's bone so that you can pass through the passage safely. Will you go after him? ”

The magician looked down at the table, avoiding her gaze. "No," he said calmly. "He's got to handle this on his own, and there's something else. As you say, he is an explorer. If we want to stop Daken Raha, I have to do something very important. I hope he doesn't get into trouble in between. ”

"Secret?" The witch asked, smiling.

"Secret." The magician nodded. "I have to leave immediately."

She pulled a hand from his palm and stroked his leathery skin.

"It's already dark."

"Yes," he chimed in.

"Why don't you spend the night here? Leave after dawn. ”

Zod's eyes widened as he looked at her from under his eyebrows. "Spend the night here?"

Eddie shrugged, stroking his palm. "Life here is sometimes lonely."

"Well," Zod smiled like a naughty child, "as you said, it's already dark. I guess it's a good idea to set off after dawn. He suddenly frowned, a deep wrinkle on his forehead. It's not going to be a puzzle for you, is it? ”

She shook her head, and the smile on his face returned.

"I take my Magician's Stone with me. Would you be interested? ”

Eddie smiled shyly. "I'm going to love it very much." She leaned back in her chair and took a bite of the apple.

Zod squeezed his eyebrows. "No clothes?"

The two of them marched on a wide, flat plain, the wind and rain dancing the long grass like waves. Trees are few and far between, mostly birch and alder that grow on both sides of the stream. Karen looked closely at the grass, they were already approaching the territory of the clay people. Richard followed quietly, not letting a hint of suspicious activity around him slip through his wary gaze.

She didn't like to take him to the clay figurines, but he was right. They had to know where to find the last box, and there was no one nearby except the clay figurines who could point them in the right direction. Autumn is almost over, and their time is running out. However, the clay figurines may not be willing to help them, and they are wasting their precious time.

To make matters worse, she knew that they might not dare to kill a Confessor, or even without the protection of a mage, but she didn't know if they would have the guts to kill an Explorer. In Middle-earth, she had never traveled without a mage's protection. None of the penitents have ever done such a thing, and it is too dangerous. Richard would protect her better than the magician delegated to him, Julian, but Richard should not be her protector, but her protector. She could no longer allow him to risk his life to protect her. He is much more important than she is in the task of stopping Raha. That's all that matters. She has sworn to protect the explorers with her life—to protect Richard. Never in her life has she done a single thing so wholeheartedly. If the time had to make a choice, it would have to be that she had to give her life.

On the path in the grass there are two wooden poles, one on each side. The wooden pole is wrapped in a belt dyed red. Richard stopped next to the pole and looked at the skull fixed at the top of the pole.

"Is this a warning us not to come closer?" He asked, stroking the skull of a wooden pole.

"No, it's the skull of their ancestors that they revere to watch over their land. Only the most respected people can be treated in this way after their death. ”

"They don't look scary. Maybe they won't be upset to see us. ”

Karen turned to face him, raising an eyebrow on one side. "One way to gain the respect of the clay figurines is to kill outsiders." She looked back at her bone. "But it's not an intimidation of other people. This time it's a tradition of theirs. ”

Richard took a deep breath and retracted his hand from the wooden pole. "Let's see if we can get them to help us so that they can continue to worship their ancestors and not be invaded by outsiders."

(End of chapter)