(New Year's greetings to everyone, how is the New Year, I hope all friends are happy in the new year)

"It's really not right. Catherine frowned, "The gate is open, but there are no guards, no villagers come in or out, and the people patrolling the wooden walls are gone." ”

"It's normal, the monster invasion is over, and the mercenaries don't need to patrol every day like before. Lina said: "As for the fact that there are no villagers coming in and out, it is normal that it is almost dark now, and it is almost time for the villagers to go home for dinner, who is still shaking around at the entrance of the village." ”

"It's almost time for dinner, but what about the smoke?" Catherine pointed to the sky above the village with her chin, "not a single one." ”

Lina also became serious, and quickly adjusted her mentality and entered a state of vigilance: "It seems that there is indeed a problem, let's go over and take a look?"

"Let's go. Catherine took out her shield, stretched out her hand to pat Vivien awake, and briefly explained the situation, and the four men, each armed with a weapon, cautiously approached Spindle Village.

"It's very wrong, the inside and outside doors are open, which is not in line with the safety rules of the forest border, and it is so quiet that you can't hear any sound at all. Catherine cautiously walked through the first gate: "It's as if all the people in the village have disappeared." ”

"Oops, I feel the remnants of the magic fluctuations. Vivian also said with a heavy face: "It's been half a month, but the residual fluctuations are still obvious, let me see, well, at least three Legendary mages are involved, I don't think the situation of the people in the village will be very optimistic." ”

"Magic fluctuations?" Catherine seemed to think of something suddenly, and with the utmost vigilance, she quickened her speed and quickly crossed the inner gate into the interior of the village, and as soon as she crossed the gate, she heard a roar full of hatred: "These bastards!"

Villagers can be seen everywhere on the streets of the village, but they have been dead for a long time, and their bodies have fallen to the ground in various positions, apparently unprepared for the sudden collapse of their daily activities. Catherine turned over a corpse uneasily, but unfortunately, just as she feared, a face of extreme age appeared in front of her, and the result was the same every time she turned over a corpse.

"It's them again, damn it. It wasn't Catherine but Lina who broke out first, and Lina herself felt a little strange, but found that Catherine didn't have much anger on her face, just a cold expression: "Sister, are you okay?" ”

"It's fine. Catherine shook her head: "It's no longer time for anger to solve the problem, it's a declaration of war, and it's also to tell us not to meddle." It's a pity that they don't understand that knights will never be afraid of war. ”

"Declare war, don't declare war, put it aside. Pannis said in the corpse-strewn street, "Dora, they're back first." ”

"It's broken, Dora. Although Catherine was always angry with Dora's habits, when she heard Pannis's words, she raised her shield and ran towards the temporary residence of the mercenary group, leaving the other three people in hot pursuit. Hurriedly pushed open the door of the temporary house, fortunately there were no corpses, but many things had been knocked over, and in the middle of the living room there was a solid wooden chair that had been twisted into pieces, and from the fragments of the seat, the traces of Dora's whip sword could be clearly seen.

"Dora. Catherine whispered the name of her former friend, half-kneeling in front of the splinter of the chair and stroking it gently, her head hanging low so that her black hair covered the side of her face to hide her expression, and only her slightly trembling shoulders betrayed the uneasiness and anxiety in her heart.

"Are you leaning on that chair, my dear senpai?" a familiar voice suddenly sounded from outside the door, Catherine turned around, and Dora's tall shadow was cast into the room from the door. Against the sunset, you can see that Dora's worried face still has a hint of a playful smile, and she teased Catherine: "I'm really sorry senior sister, I knew that you liked this chair so much, so I wouldn't have broken it that day to vent my anger." ”

"You guy. Catherine's tense shoulders slowly relaxed, "What the hell is going on here?"

"Actually, I don't know, we only came back three days before you. Dora slowly walked into the room and nodded to the others: "This is how it was when we came back, including our thirty or so main members, and none of them were alive. I checked and didn't find any clues, except for this one. ”

Dora snapped her fingers, and the phantom fox following her pulled out a memory crystal and handed it over.

"Engrams, is this another trick?" Catherine sneered and activated the crystals, "I'd like to see what he has to say this time." ”

"It's been a long time since I've seen you, and I'm very happy to see you again. In the image projected by the crystal, the long-lost mage Sandy did not even wear a hood this time, standing on the street, with corpses lying all over the ground behind him: "Presumably the guests still remember me, do you still like the dinner I provided?"

"Last time my servants offended you, I punished them for you as a small gift for you. But I am disappointed that you have no sign of wanting to return the gift, which makes me very sad, because to forget to return the gift in this way is to lose the identity of a noble person of status and power. Sandy made a very realistic expression of disappointment, sighed and said: "But I also understand the honorable ones, after all, living in the jungle for a long time, it is inevitable to miss some habits of understanding, and I believe that you did not mean to." Therefore, in order to prevent you from having a bad reputation for losing your identity, the contemptible people decided to take this village as a gift for the time being. It's a bit rude to take matters into your own hands without notifying you, but for the sake of your reputation, I'd rather bear the notorious reputation of being rude. You don't have to thank me, that's what I'm supposed to do.

After a slight pause, Sandy stroked his chest and bent down to salute: "Then, time is running out, the contemptible person will retire early, I hope you won't mind because of this." I also hope that in the near future, I will meet you again one day, and then we will sit down with you and have a good chat. “

The projection of the crystal flickered a few times, and finally disappeared, Catherine stared at the place where Sandy disappeared for a long time, and then asked Dora with an ugly face, "Where did you find it?" "It's in this room, this living room. Dora stamped her foot in place and placed it on the ground in the center, in a small red box for conspicuousness. How about it, senior sister, do you have any ideas?"

"Before entering the village, Vivien had said that there were at least three different legendary mages left here. Catherine said: "This news is serious. ”

This shows that the other party is not doing these things in his personal capacity at all. Dora's face became even more gloomy: "It must be a group operation, and it is unbelievable that three legendary mages can be gathered in this group." ”

"Inform the guild, it's not something we can handle anymore. Catherine frowned and said, "Although I am very unwilling, it is best to leave this matter to the guild as the main person in charge, and we will assist from the side at most." ”

"It's been notified. Dora said, "I sent the Shadow Wolf back to report to the leader, the leader should be coming, and he will be responsible for informing the guild." It just so happens that you can meet the head of the regiment, and there may be opportunities for cooperation in the future. ”

"Forget it, no need, I'm going to leave right away and rush back to the capital of knowledge. Catherine said.

"So fast, aren't you going to rest for a night before leaving?" Dora said in surprise, "You haven't rested in a safe environment for a month, can you still hold on?"

"Hold on, no problem. I need to hurry back and report it to the Adventurers' Guild, and Vivien will also report it to the Mage Guild, and the Guild will come forward and work with the Mercenary Guild to find the murderer. Catherine turned to Lina and Vivien and smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry, everyone, we don't have time to rest, let's go right away." ”

"No problem, it's the same when you go back and rest. Lina and Vivien said, "We're still holding on, ready to go." ”

"Okay. Catherine nodded gratefully, and suddenly turned back to Dora and said, "By the way, there is something I need to tell you about this adventure and about our guide Elard. ”

Catherine leaned in and recounted the matter as it was, and the expression on Dora's face kept changing until Catherine finished speaking for a long time, and then she came to her senses: "Thank you, senior sister." However, compared to the destruction of the village, these can be put aside for the time being, and when the matter is over, I will inquire about his whereabouts in the mercenary circle. He actually played tricks on our heads, and we must not let him go easily. ”

"I'm just keeping you informed, and I don't have much hope of finding him. Catherine explained, "All right, everything is clear, let's go now." ”

"Then senior sister, be careful on the road, I wish you a safe journey. Faced with the right matter, Dora didn't dwell on it much, and replied simply.

"You have to be careful, it might still be dangerous here. Catherine nodded, turned around and said, "I'm sorry, I can't rest, let's go now, let's go home." ”

"Go home, go home. The girls did not complain, and turned around and walked away as usual, without any dissatisfaction or nostalgia.

"Go home?" Pannis chewed on this sentence and suddenly smiled: "It's okay, let's go home together." ”

Failure, pain, sadness, frustration, disappointment, hesitation, for all these wounds, perhaps the word "homecoming" is always the best cure, but for Pannis, how long has it been since he heard this simple but not simple phrase?

"Okay, ha, go home. Pannis exhaled a breath in his chest, and walked out with the girls facing the sunset, still muttering softly: "After so many years, any strange person dares to jump out and step on my head, interesting, really interesting." ”