The snow crushed the branches and obscured the muffled sound of the wind outside, and the tent was quiet. It was nothing more than a makeshift shelter made of fallen pine branches, unlit, except for a few pairs of bright eyes immersed in darkness.

Fang Yu looked at the young man and said, "Let's talk about it." ”

Ban seemed a little hesitant, but he felt the calmness in Fang Yuan's words, looked up at this 'group leader' who was about the same age as himself, and seemed to be relieved in his heart, and exhaled lightly, and replied, "I suspect that all this has something to do with the Crow's Paw Temple......

After he finished speaking, he looked up again at Fang Yu and the sand night on the side, as well as Miss Nightingale, who had not spoken, and saw that there was no difference in the faces of the three of them, so he continued. His voice was a little low, as if he was quietly recounting a story: "Captain Ed remembers the day we met?" ”

Sha Ye was stunned for a moment, a trace of surprise flashed in her emerald eyes, she couldn't help but turn her head sideways to look at Fang Yu on the side, she originally thought that the other party would let her help find this person, and the two sides should meet for the first time, but she didn't expect that the two actually met. But she still held her breath and didn't ask.

Fang Yu didn't have any surprised look on his face, and only nodded slightly.

"I actually joined the Redeemed very early, no, Mr. Grey Whistle to be exact, they saved my life," Bane said, looking at the pine needles in the tent, "I narrowly escaped under the capture of the Grey Knight, but I was seriously injured and fell unconscious, but Mr. Grey Whistle and they happened to be in that area, and they were enemies of the Temple, and during this time they met me who was seriously injured and fell in the woods, so I took them and healed them. ”

"That's when I joined them...... Later, the Templars were cleared in the Artori area, and we were severely attritional, and our companions received news from the south that there was a large gathering of refugees in the Corvi area, so we crossed the Frost Mountains and came to the vicinity of Greyowl. ”

"Bane," Sandnight said suddenly, turning back and looking at him with bright eyes, "so you're not from Gulla, you lied to us, and you have nothing to do with Mrs. Jennys. ”

The young man replied to her apologetically, "I'm sorry, but it is. Old Lady Janice is a little delirious, and it was under her cover that I joined your camp with her, Miss Sandnight. You're a good man, but I may not be, I'm on the orders of Mr. Grey Whistle to see how the refugees are doing, and to lay dormant in the camp. ”

"So you've been watching in the shadows, you already knew there was a traitor in the camp, you knew that man was Grid, right?"

Bane didn't refute, nodded and said, "I should have contacted you a long time ago, Miss Sandnight, but I realized that there was another force in the camp, so I had to suspend the project for the time being. I didn't really notice it was Gred at first, but I was looking for them, and I even suspected you. ”

Sandnight silently looked at Bane. The other party was the same as when she was in the refugee camp before, and the young man she had the impression of seemed neurotic and sensitive, a little timid and afraid, she had never paid much attention to this person, but at this moment, the other party seemed calm and rational in his words.

"Forget it, that's your business," Sandnight shook her head, "If it weren't for you, Mrs. Jennice probably wouldn't have been able to get to Greyowl alone, and I'm not the master of the camp, so you're not doing anything wrong." ”

"Thank you for your understanding, Miss Sandnight."

But Sand Night only sighed softly, "I want to be alone for a while, Ed." ”

Fang Yu looked at her and understood that it was not easy to be kept in the dark, especially since the other party was a person who was quite assertive, otherwise he would not have broken with Momiji and them in the first place, and chose to stay in the Oak Knights. But the disintegration of Tapolis, the crisis in the refugee camp, and maybe even the small emptiness, coupled with everything at the moment, may have made the other party feel a little exhausted.

In the darkness, Bane asked softly, "Am I upsetting Miss Sandnight?" ”

"Not really," said Alyssa, "that young lady is a very strong man, and I think she only thinks of the people who died in that battle, and of those who betrayed, and you have done nothing wrong. Just let her be quiet and she'll recover. ”

Fang Yu looked back at Miss Nightingale in her team, when did she know each other so well?

But Alyssa turned around and winked at him, "I and Momiji talked a lot that day, the two of them have reconciled as before, everything is getting better, but people are always sentimental, especially ladies, in this eventful time now." ”

The smile in her eyes seemed to say that he would never understand a woman's heart.

But Fang Yu didn't have the heart to understand this complex theory, just analyzing the current situation took up most of his energy, but after listening to Alyssa's words, knowing that the other party was not a big problem, he no longer dwelled on it.

Seeing that the other party's figure had disappeared into the wind and snow, he turned around and asked Bane:

"Let's move on to Altori."

Bane nodded, "I have two friends, one named Cordier and the other named Golia, and that's their ID, but I don't quite know what their real names are...... We met in Aitalia, Cordil is a native in reality, and Gollydia is from Division 2, the Hill of the Giant Tree......"

"There are many theories about Altori's disappearance, but most of them are believed to be the work of drakes or shadow people - my friends and I have taken a fancy to the Adventurers' Guild to investigate the whereabouts of the missing people. After all, the person with Xinghui has disappeared inexplicably and his whereabouts are unknown, and such news has spread and has caused panic......"

Fang Yu listened silently, but he couldn't help but think of another missing case in his heart. It was about Miss Atira's brother, and the adventurers hired by Sylvid, who had also disappeared with Starlight, and were eventually found in the Traveler's Swamp.

The only thing that the two disappearances that occurred more than a year ago and now have one thing in common is that they both happened in the North. The first disappearance case was proven to be related to the wanderer, so what about these disappearances now, could it be that the wanderer has returned to this place?

But there is also another possibility, after all, the wanderer and the disappearance that happened here seem to be related to the filmmaker.

So what exactly is a filmmaker?

However, he did not ask these questions, and only listened to Bane continue: "...... In the course of the investigation, we gradually got some evidence and found that all the missing cases were related to a place called Snow Rock Manor. It is a castle south of Altoria, once belonging to an ancient family, but that family has long since disappeared into history...... The castle was later bought by a nobleman from Al Pakhin as a side property. ”

"We learned that the castle was usually tended to by only a few servants and guards, and Cordil thought that there might be a shadow lurking in it, and after we had enough evidence, we informed the Ravental Sanctuary and contacted the people of the Altori Adventurers' Guild to go with us to investigate the castle."

At this point, Bane paused.

"I didn't go with Cordil and Gollydia that day because of some personal matters, and they needed someone to contact them in town, so I agreed to stay in Altore," his tone became a little low, as if reminiscing about a terrible history, "I didn't expect it to be the last time I saw them, and they haven't been heard from since they left for that castle that day." ”

"What about the people of the Ravental Sanctuary and the people of the Adventurer's Guild?" Alyssa couldn't help but frown and asked, "Didn't they go to that place with your two friends, and they didn't come back?" ”

"I don't know," Bane shook his head, "but that's what you think, too, I went to the Ravental Sanctuary to ask about my friend, but the other party didn't know. But when I was on my way to the Adventurers' Guild, the Grey Knights suddenly appeared, claiming that I had been possessed by the devil and had betrayed my friends, and then attacked me. ”

"But I was lucky enough to get away with it......"

Bane looked up again and looked at them, "What happened after that, Captain Ed already knows. ”

Fang Yu was silent for a moment before replying, "Thank you, this information is important to us. ”

But Bane looked at him and asked, "Does Captain Ed also think there's something strange behind this?" ”

However, Fang Yu did not answer.

After all, before that, he could not say that he understood the cause and effect of these events, and it would be a little unreasonable to doubt the Ravental Sanctuary based on this. Although this is indeed the most effective way to defeat the other side -

Both fundamentally overturn the legitimacy of its existence.

The Ravental Sanctuary existed to fight Nicol Bolas, but if they collude with the dark Ones, the legitimacy of its existence will be wiped out in an instant.

But the repression of the Temple, and the repression of the refugees, do not say that there must be any conspiracy behind this, the Lord of the Storm was once a righteous god, different gods have different doctrines, some tolerant, some harsh, and a silent god is not without the possibility of returning.

It's just that he came to this place for some other reason.

The response given to him by the three goddesses, of whom Marlan's motive was the easiest to speculate - he was the chosen one of the righteous lady, and acting in the name of the former, she naturally had to give a certain promise to her chosen people.

And the goddess of nature had a relationship with him, and was a staunch ally of Marlan, so it was nothing to take a stand with the goddess of war.

As for Milella, it may be that he has returned a favor on Fenris Island, and Fang Yu thought about it, and his only contact with this lady was limited to this.

But the gods are gods after all, and Marlan sees him as a chosen person because he recognizes that his deeds can be done for him and carry out her teachings. The divine favor is not eternal, and the fundamental reason why he asked the righteous lady for help and was answered was because Marlan also agreed with his approach.

By analogy, Amea and Mirera should feel the same way.

However, if the Lord of the Storm, Adanrian, had returned from the abyss, and as one of the saints of the Ori lineage, he himself was an enemy of his followers, but it was in line with the teachings of the three goddesses Maran, Ameia, and Milella, and there was a clear contradiction in this.

Why did the three goddesses look up to themselves as hostile to the Crowtalon Temple?

"God works by the hand of men."

"So they don't tell us the answer, we need to find the answer ourselves."

"But the fact that the three ladies acquiesced to standing behind you at least means that the answer exists, doesn't it? While you may not know exactly what that answer is, Captain, the question itself is enough to be a guide—"

"If everything is clear, then things should be organized and logical in our opinion. But if there is something abnormal behind something, then it means that there is something hidden here that we don't know, and that may be where the answer lies. ”

It was what Sylvid had told him before he left Greyowl Town. At the same time, it was the beginning of that night's counterattack on the Ravental Temple, and all of this tactics were guided by all of them—from Greyowl Town to Gullah, from Gula to this place, every move they made was planned.

Since the rumored army of the undead descended south from the Longxiao Mountains, the four towns in the north have long lost contact, and all news in the north is chaotic. But judging from the reaction of the Crowclaw Temple, they did not rush to support the four towns in the north, but waited in the area of Gray Tree Ridge, who was the temple guarding against?

"Do you think there's a problem with the four towns of the North?" Fang Yu remembered that at that time, he asked Miss Ship Officer like this.

Sylvide only smiled lightly: "I don't know if the captain remembers the disappearance that happened in the Altori area." ”

Fang Yu asked rhetorically: "That also has something to do with all this?" ”

"I don't know if it matters," Sylvid replied, "but that's the anomaly we're looking for, isn't it?" I thought we could test it. ”

"How to tempt?"

"Take the initiative, take the cover of attacking in the direction of Gula, and then test in the direction of Gray Tree Ridge," the ship's captain pointed her snow-white finger on the map, "If the other side is close to the port of Gula, or is eager to destroy us, they will deploy all their forces in this area." ”

"But ......"

She paused, raised her head and looked at Fang Yu with a whimsical look: "If in such a situation, they still divide their troops to defend the area around Gray Tree Ridge, then what does the regiment leader think they are guarding against?" ”

Fang Yu fell silent: "What if they really think that we will attack Gula Harbor?" ”

"Two possibilities," Sylvid replied with a light tap on the map with her knuckles, "First, Bud Black Feather is a rather cautious man, and I have reason to believe that he will guess some of our intentions and plan ahead. On the other hand, even if he really didn't do this, then we can take advantage of the situation to take Gray Tree Ridge and go to the four towns in the north to see it in person. ”

"But what if not?"

"Then we've ruled out at least one answer," Sylvede replied softly, "and there's no such thing as a perfect example when making plans, and there's always a risk-taking." But the three goddesses have at least given us a possibility, which is already very certain. ”

"Secondly," she added, "it all depends on the fact that the Captain can defeat Bard Black Feather." ”

Fang Yu was silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "I'll try." ”

And this trial, there are many things that have happened since then.

He came back to his senses and looked at Bane in front of him before he replied softly, "Perhaps, but it's too early to talk about all this." In fact, the other party's previous description has given him considerable confidence, because Sylvid rarely judges a thing wrong, at least in the general direction.

Bard Black Feather was indeed in such a situation, and was still sending troops to Graytree Ridge, so everything seemed to indicate that the cautious caretaker seemed to be worried about something. And now that there are more details to support this speculation, the rest seems to be just waiting for them to verify it.

Outside the shelter, the wind and snow had gradually subsided, and the night seemed to have entered the deepest moment, Fang Yu silently took out his pocket watch, flicked the cover of the watch with his thumb, and glanced at the time on it.

Almost just before dawn—

"All in all," he replied, "take the place first, and then talk about anything else." ”

……

At the last moment before the morning, the wind and snow stopped.

This is the end of this blizzard, and the whole north may see a period of sunny weather throughout the next week.

But it was clear in their hearts that the cessation of one storm was only the beginning of another, and that the great battle in the north, which had been suspended for several days, would soon begin again.

The redeemed who disappeared into the blizzard a few days ago will finally reveal their whereabouts, and the armies of the Ravental Sanctuary that have gathered everywhere will be ready once again—if not in Gula Harbor, then soon in Greyowl Town.

But in the darkness, where the eyes of the people were not looking, an army of thousands of men was quietly and silently marching in, and the gray cloaks, and the silver armor hidden under each cloak, made a rustling sound between the marches.

But the snow and the silent woods absorb all the sounds, making the night seem silent and peaceful. Under the cover of the darkness were rows of solemn-looking knights, with their swords held high, and their banners and spears rolled up like a marching forest, slowly moving among the cedars.

Under the metal mask, a thin white gas spewed into a white mist, and one after another sharp eyes pierced through the mist, staring at the towering black walls of the Gray Tree Ridge Fortress thousands of kilometers ahead.

With everyone's steps, the dark stone wall slowly advanced between the trees, as if it were an ever-changing picture. At the end of each queue, the chief knight occasionally used a deep voice to maintain the distance between the ranks.

The army soon followed the cliff to the edge of the forest, and then stopped.

About three o'clock in the morning -

Fang Yu closed the lid of the watch, put it in his arms, glanced into the forest, then turned back and pulled down the goggles.

"Ed."

A deep voice came from the crystal in his chest.

That's the sound of Momiji:

"We've arrived near the fortress."

A silver construct flew up from behind Fang Yuan, who silently stared at the heightened field of vision, and replied:

"Ready for action."

……