NEC Chapter 65: Lookout Mountain Camp

The Crimson Corridor posed no real difficulty for the current team. Since the elf clan had opened this ground passage, they naturally didn't want to waste precious combat power here.

What now roamed the roads were only ordinary magical beasts and skeletal remains weathered by time, scattered across the ground.

An elite guard squad was sufficient to clear all troubles along the way.

They encountered no travelers on the road. Unless it was a capable team or a particularly urgent emergency, most people were unwilling to take this route.

After all, the gloomy jungle was no benevolent place. Why not take a safe floating airship?

For Chen Mo, the real challenge was the journey itself.

Due to the need for light and swift travel, he had to abandon all bulky equipment like the weather station, collection instruments, and solar panels, taking only the memory cards.

Paven keenly caught the reluctance in Chen Mo's eyes. He arranged for his subordinates to dig a deep pit on a hidden hillside by the roadside, carefully burying those instruments.

"Don't worry, after this battle, I'll personally come back to help you retrieve them! They won't be lost!"

Then there was the skeleton Little White, which had always served as his "storage container" and "spearman" and certainly couldn't be left behind. Paven additionally arranged for a warrior to carry Little White and its bundle while marching.

Various magical beasts slain along the way, seeing Chen Mo's interest, were all carried by subordinate warriors.

Even according to Chen Mo's requests, Paven arranged for scouts to collect some plants not found outside along the route.

This somewhat drew resentful looks from the warriors. After all, they had abandoned even their own defensive equipment, yet repeatedly delayed for some person of unknown origin's preferences.

But ultimately they dared not be angry nor speak out.

Not only did the young countess obviously show favoritism toward Chen Mo, but also because of Captain Paven's attitude.

Paven's choice was also simple, Chen Mo had contributed a Skylark to the team.

This thing had been gathering dust in Chen Mo's hands for a long time without finding use. Now when he brought it out, it was like a dimensional reduction strike.

When Captain Paven first saw clear ground images from several kilometers ahead on the handheld platform, the swordsman was so excited he nearly knelt down.

What was this? This was an ultra-long-range mage "reconnaissance eye," and it was self-mobile too.

As a military man, Paven knew too well the importance of reconnaissance. With this "super scout," his confidence in successfully returning to the Emerald Duchy swelled dramatically.

For the next four days, the team struggled through the depths of the Gloomy Forest.

Ancient trees blocked out the sky, dappled light spots struggled through the thick canopy, falling on ground covered with rotting leaves and slippery moss. The air was thick and humid, permeated with the mixed scent of earth, decaying wood, and faint blood.

The guards advanced silently. Each encounter with low-tier magical beast ambushes was accompanied by brief shouts, the sound of blades cutting air, and the dying wails of beasts.

The team was like a sharp blade, forcibly carving a crimson path through the dark curtain that had been silent for countless years.

After four days of trekking, everyone was about to reach the exit of the Crimson Corridor.

Then, what they saw on the Skylark platform made Captain Paven's face darken.

The exit of the Crimson Corridor was located at Green Radish Pass in the Greenspine Kingdom. This road might not see a single person for an entire year, so there was no need for supply camps to exist.

Lookout Mountain City, which managed this area under the Greenspine Kingdom, previously only stationed a tiny outpost here with a few soldiers for monitoring.

When someone passed through, they would ask about their origins, preventing strong individuals from crossing without notice.

But now, in the Skylark's high-definition camera, rows of thick wooden stakes had been erected in front of the checkpoint, forming a sizable temporary military camp. Six tents rose from the ground, guards with long spears patrolled back and forth in the camp.

High watchtowers were erected at both ends of the exit, archers with bows on their backs leaned lazily against the top railings, their gazes occasionally sweeping the quiet jungle.

As the Skylark's reconnaissance distance gradually closed, an archer in the front row of the watchtower looked up and alertly raised his bow.

The Skylark swayed, quickly pulling up while rapidly retreating.

The sentry on the watchtower on the other side of the road looked around, found nothing unusual, and called out loudly, "What's wrong?"

"There was a strange bird, its shape seemed off."

"What are you nervous about over one bird? Those pointy-ears raise all sorts of weird things. What's to fear? They won't come out anyway."

"I always feel uneasy, like something in this forest is watching me..."

"Ha! What a coincidence!" The opposite sentry laughed heartily, "Every time I return to the city, don't those big girls and young wives also peek at me from corners? Get used to it, get used to it!"

Back in the Gloomy Forest, the several leaders of the Cloudmist Domain, plus Chen Mo as an external guest minister, huddled together head-to-head, watching Chen Mo continuously enlarge the images on the gimbal screen until the emblems on the sentries' chests showed basically clear outlines.

"It's the regular army of the Greenspine Kingdom. That little shield hanging below should be troops from Lookout Mountain City."

Paven once again looked with complex eyes at the Skylark drone sitting quietly on the ground.

This thing could not only conduct real-time reconnaissance but also record and replay, and even freeze and magnify. Using this in military campaigns was simply outrageous.

"By visual estimate, at least one infantry company, roughly 120 people." Paven quickly assessed the enemy situation, "According to Greenspine's military system, company commanders are generally second-tier professionals. We can fight them."

He pointed to the narrow mountain pass guarded by two watchtowers on the screen, "But the trouble is the terrain! They occupy absolutely advantageous terrain and have watchtower early warning."

"That open ground in the middle offers no concealment! I can charge through, but the brothers behind me..." Paven shook his head, "Absolutely not."

"So, I'll charge alone first. If I can disrupt their defense, the guard squad will immediately follow up."

Upon hearing this, the faces of several Cloudmist leaders became solemn.

Chen Mo looked at the fortifications on the screen and couldn't help but speak, "Isn't there room for negotiation? Perhaps we could try... buying passage?"

Old Locke beside him coughed heavily and took over, "The lord of Lookout Mountain City is a vassal of the Zircon family."

Well, then there was no need to negotiate.

"Um, I've always wanted to ask, isn't it said that Lady Frost... Your Highness has elven elders? Are they in this Gloomy Forest? Could we temporarily hide there?"

Captain Paven shook his head somewhat helplessly, "Very difficult. When the elf clan discovers foreign races entering the Gloomy Forest, they generally kill first and examine later, often driving magical beasts and those strange plants to attack. Begging for mercy is useless."

"The only way to safely enter elven territory is to submit an application at the elven outpost at Red Tree Highland, explain the reasons, wait for the elven council of elders' approval, then enter the Gloomy Forest along their designated route."

Chen Mo rubbed his temples and raised one final question.

"If, I mean if, you fail to break through, what happens? What do we do next?"

Paven smiled bitterly, "If I can't break through, that means there are also high-tier professionals in their team, so I don't know if I can return myself."

"If I can return, we'll find another opportunity and figure something out. If... if I can't return..."

"You immediately retreat to Crescent Moon. The terrain there isn't as treacherous, perhaps there's still a chance to evacuate and escape."

"When that time comes, everyone to their own fate."

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