A scholar in Rigal World once said: "Solving the problem is not the most difficult, the most difficult is discovering the problem."
If you can't even clearly understand where you went wrong, then all your efforts will be in vain. Therefore, sometimes it is inappropriate to act too hastily. Calm down, take two steps back, think and analyze the problem carefully, but you can get twice the result with half the effort.
Slow is steady, steady is fast.
After our Luoan girl mastered the skill of using magic to detect, she quickly became proficient in using it. Her strength is to concentrate on doing one thing well and abandon distracting thoughts. The controlled and low-frequency activation required her to improve the accuracy of her perception, which also resulted in Mira being unable to wield her sword in combat.
Based on this, Henry made fine adjustments to the formation. Aya, who had no fighting ability, stayed with her, and in front was Galeva who was holding a shield as a guard. The remaining few people were distributed in a fan shape in front, using their ears and eyes to help detect other threats.
But when they followed the direction of the fissure and spent several hours finally arriving at the supposed exit, what they saw in front of them was beyond everyone's expectations.
It was a clearing in the middle of the forest, covered with thorns and vines.
Ruined city.
"Is it from those guys before?" It was Lulu who asked. Because within a three-hour walking distance, it would be natural to make such a judgment.
But Henry shook his head.
What they were looking at was an arch composed of two thick round pillars. There were enlarged load-bearing parts at both ends of the pillars and there were deep grooves on the pillars - Kazuto and Yiren could not recognize each other, so they thought It is the construction of those alien horned beings, but the Rigar people understand it.
Because similar structures once existed throughout the land of Rigal.
"It's Laman's, is it a relic?" The moment Joshua touched it with his hand, the smooth porcelain surface collapsed, revealing the rough mixture of gravel and mud inside.
Henry leaned over and scratched it with the back of a knife to feel the hardness.
"It is indeed Raman cement." He judged.
This is an architectural structure that is no longer mainstream. It is very different from today's Rigal world, which uses bricks and stones to build thin walls and pursues tall and pointed architectural styles. It has many obtuse angles, thick walls, and many columns and arches.
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This is an architectural model cast in concrete during the heyday of the Lamanite Empire. Because it has a long lifespan and has left ruins all over Rigar with the expansion of Laman. Although most Rigarites cannot tell the details, they can They can all be recognized at a glance.
In the middle of the wall covered with vines is a huge arch. Walking along the stone path below that is also covered with strange weeds, no matter who you are, you can't help but hold your breath, as if you can't bear to disturb this place, which may have been maintained for thousands of years. of tranquility.
On both sides of the road are heavy houses with only one floor at most. Compared with the thin masonry buildings in Parnilla today, which often have two or three floors, the cement buildings of the classical Ramani era were too thick and heavy, so the houses were often built with higher heights. It looks like a one-story bungalow.
The house is like a square box with arched doors and wide open windows. The broken colored mosaic glass on the ground is still spotless despite the passage of time - because even dust seems to be non-existent in this space.
If you only take a cursory look at it, especially those from Rigar, you will think that this is just another ruin of the great Raman.
But this is obviously fundamentally different from the result that the wood used for windows and doors in the normal world will eventually decay over time.
The wooden window frames that were clearly dead have sprouted twisted sprouts. Tables and chairs have taken root and penetrated deeply into the cracks in the ground. The boundaries between life and death seem to have become blurred in this land.
There was a dark shadow like a puppy or kitten flashing in the corner, but upon closer inspection, I found that the book with a cowhide cover had legs. It seemed to be looking at the group of people with its non-existent eyes, and then quickly hid in the shadows like a frightened living creature.
Except for things made of minerals, those organic substances that have been made into objects seem to have overcome even death itself over the long years.
The strange sight once again reminded the group that this place did not follow the rules of the world they knew, but despite knowing the danger, everything was still so beautiful that they couldn't help but slow down to appreciate it.
They continued walking quietly along the stone road. When they came to the center of the abandoned city, they saw a fountain with a carved goddess statue. However, the spring water had long since dried up and was covered with vines and thorns. This was naturally the original reason. They are formed from the building structure, and if you look closely, you will find that they grow out of the wooden guardrails.
The long-haired goddess statue holding a spear in one hand and lightning in the other seemed familiar to Mira for some reason, but the black marble edge carved on the edge of the pool below was not the name of the nameless god, but seemed to be The inscription when this city was built.
"Res-Samno-Ik" the sage whispered the classical Laman language that had not been split into several branches like it is today, and several people beside him turned their heads to look at him.
"The king is buried here." Henry translated for them, and he frowned: "Is this something that happened in the first year of the founding of the People's Republic of China?"
"Because he's not the emperor?" Mira blinked. Most Rigal people have heard of Raman's history, and she has learned it specifically. The empire was not built in a day. In the early years, they were just a small kingdom.
There is instability and randomness in the inner space. It does have the concept of "distance", but it is not a complete mirror image of reality. Just like the Otolo rock dragon that we encountered before, it is not impossible for the ruins of Laman architecture from across the ocean to appear here.
But everything has a concept of "degree".
Just as rainy days are common, floods caused by rain must have prerequisites. Extremely heavy rainstorms that can cause floods often occur only once every few years, and they have obvious signs and characteristics.
In the same way, even in a strange place like the Inner World that does not seem to follow the rules of the real world, some principles are still common.
For example, small-scale stray entrants like theirs may not be uncommon. But the scale reaches such an extent that huge urban ruins are pulled into it.
It could only be intentional.
The pan-world grand art of the first year of Laman is far from the same level of stability as it is today. It was an era when the gods had not yet withdrawn from the mortal world. Druids once walked the world as guides, and the communication between the five races was stable and efficient.
Thousands of years later, the situation where intelligent races other than human beings are rare and rare was inconceivable to the people at that time.
But just like the flowers blooming all over the mountains and plains, the frogs croaking in the fields, and the dragonflies flying low in the sunset in the summer evening, such common sights will one day cease to exist.
Things that you think are indestructible and comparable to eternity always happen unexpectedly.
Much more fragile than imagined.
"Keep moving forward." But the stunning scenery couldn't make up for the troubles of their situation. There is not much fresh water left to add fossil grinding powder, and although the presence of amber makes them resistant to outside influences, mental erosion is not the only terrible thing about this space.
"I'm so thirsty." Galeva, who was carrying a large shield, complained. The young man's physique and endurance would have no problem withstanding this level of load, but the strange thing about the inner world is that it will The moment you notice it, your discomfort begins to amplify.
They were dragged in in the evening when they were preparing to set up camp and rest. This physical exhaustion could not be recovered after being dragged in, even if they rested. The ground seems to have some weird power, and more energy will be absorbed every time you take a step forward.
The moment they entered the ruins, everyone felt the surroundings getting hotter.
It seems that not only this ancient Lamanite city, but also the hot and humid climate of the southern part of the Morbigas coast where the Lamanite Empire once was has been swept into it. Therefore, although the fossil powder components ingested were still enough to maintain their spirits from being eroded, the feeling of thirst was getting worse step by step.
Although the fountains are exhausted, there are some ancient ditches on both sides of the city that still flow with fresh water that looks very clear, cool and sweet.
They are tempting, and the more you look at them, the more sweet and cool they feel like they are spreading on your tongue.
But the water here is not drinkable.
The result of Galeva and Lulu's inquiry to Henry was not beyond their guess.
"People who drink this water will suffer from limb necrosis, blindness or loss of certain senses. No matter how much it looks like water, it is not the water that ordinary people think of."
Even if no monsters appear to attack them, this is definitely not a suitable place to live.
There are flowers, trees, air and flowing water. But it's all so different, everything is distorted.
The common sense and experience that humans are familiar with are difficult to use here. If there are no protection measures, the most fortunate result of the accidental intruder will be death.
Cross the Fountain of the Gods and pass by the towering Archon's Hall with 11 pillars. On the steps at the entrance to the hall lay the corpses of soldiers wearing bronze armor and holding large shields. The arms exposed under the old-style Raman short-sleeved gown were clean and smooth without any muscle attached, as if they had been gnawed carefully and cleanly by some tiny insect. Coupled with the huge gap in the chest and abdomen that opened from the inside out, the group just looked at it from a distance and felt shuddering.
The road continued to stretch forward, and the haze of huge concrete buildings and walls made the path ahead even narrower than it looked. The heat was wearing down the patience and physical energy of the group. The moment the sweat dripping from the heat under their armor and clothes fell to the ground, it quickly bubbled up and turned into smoke and disappeared, as if it had fallen on a hot surface.
And when they finally arrived at the place where the exit should theoretically be, what appeared in front of them was so weird that it was difficult to understand.
This is a building similar to the previous Archon Hall but full of statues - a temple building from the Gulaman era.
But it's not complete.
This incompleteness does not mean that it has been damaged due to the passage of time, but that it is only half a seat in a literal sense.
From the front end of the left side - that is, the direction of the path where the group came in - to the end of the right side, the entire temple looked as if someone had cut it cleanly with a huge sword that was over a hundred meters long. The internal passage structure is clearly visible from the outside, and even the bodies and clothing of the people next to this huge fracture are cleanly disconnected.
But these people should not have suffered much, because when all this happened, they were probably already dead.
In the middle of the square temple is a towering stone platform, and these ragged corpses with shackles on their necks and wrists are placed on the steps around the stone platform according to certain rules.
There were grooves carved into the steps, apparently to draw blood.
"Are they all slaves?" The mood of Rigar and his party was relatively stable, while Ling, who had never seen all this, turned pale.
"Well, human sacrifice." The sage's tone was still calm. He led the team forward, and the group walked towards the height of the stone steps.
"I can feel the call." Even if she no longer uses magic to detect, Mira can already feel the connection between herself and Mitya when she gets close to here. It is obvious that they are walking in the right direction.
"What on earth is this?" The pale-faced Miss Doctor turned around. In the half of the huge temple they could see, there were probably thousands of corpses piled up.
This is not a casualty of war, but a deliberate slaughter.
"There are some in the Kingdom of the Moon, too." Henry turned around as he stepped onto the steps. His already deep facial contours in the shadows inside the temple formed a clear contrast with his eyes that exuded cold blue light.
"The king who pursues eternal life will not hesitate to touch taboos in exchange for eternal rule."
"Such stories are not uncommon for humans no matter where they are." He looked at the victims who had become skeletons. Although the original eye-catching features disappeared because they were no longer covered with flesh, they became more slender and lighter. Or it can still be seen on the shorter, thicker and more solid frame.
A shackled corpse.
None of them were human.
Longevity itself may be a curse, especially when you live with beings who live far shorter than you do.
People will envy beings who are stronger than themselves, envy will turn into jealousy, and jealousy will turn into obsession.
Nothing drives a person mad more than asking for something but not asking for it.
It's just something that happens.
"It's so cold." Mira put her hand into the top of the stone altar, and what came from it was that the night temperature of Crescent Continent was still in winter.
"We should go." The sage said.
They ignored the corpse that was dressed in rich clothes but had turned into a skeleton like the slave below, and stepped unscrupulously on the stone platform that might once have been the most noble forbidden area.
The obsession with eternal life brought these people here. The huge sacrifices and the use of forbidden magic opened a path that King Laman thought would lead to the eternal dynasty.
Eternity may exist, just as their skeletons have survived in this space for thousands of years and are still as white as jade. If most of them have been weathered and decayed in this world, here they can continue to exist almost forever.
But mortals who pursue eternity will always forget one fact.
When you return to eternity, your personal will will disappear with it.
No matter how famous a king he is or how powerful a priest he is.
They will all become insignificant in the face of eternity.
This is common.
The hot feeling and the ever-present heavy pressure on my chest disappeared the moment I stepped onto the stone platform.
The dazzling light of the blood moon was replaced by the soft bright moonlight. When they returned to the living world, almost everyone felt that their internal organs were doubled.
Even Joshua, the strongest swordsman besides Henry, couldn't help but kneel on the ground and empty out the little contents of his stomach.
"No, I didn't expect that."
"The urge to vomit will make me feel at ease one day." The Luoan girl wiped the corners of her mouth and struggled to get up. The unicorn, who sensed all this and was anxious, came over and rubbed her.
Her words are also the feelings of others. When they are in the inner world, they always have an experience as if they are not awake, and many things cannot be clearly felt.
I can’t explain it, but it’s very depressing and uncomfortable.
So when I returned to the real world, I felt the natural fatigue, discomfort and hunger as the night wind blew.
Although not all experiences can be called beautiful and comfortable, they make people feel truly alive.
"Teacher?" Mira called to the back of Henry, who squatted on the spot after coming out.
"I'm hungry." She said this, and the sage stood up and shrugged: "Okay."
He took another look at the small white flower he was holding in his hand. It grew in the small area where they came out, so it was severely injured when the group of people escaped.
"It's not good." Henry dropped the harmless little flower and raised his head to look at the bright moon in the sky.
"I hope you can arrive in time."
