"What is this place?"
Not long after, a head carefully poked out from under the hole. After making sure that there was no danger, he slowly uttered his sigh: "Is this the mission location we have been looking for?"
"Probably the inside of a certain room."
As another voice sounded, Duan Qing's figure suddenly jumped out of the edge of the cave, and then, together with the light sound of landing, entered the mysterious area discovered accidentally: "Look at this pattern... this It's obviously not naturally formed, right? There are also these wooden piles used as seats, and there is an upward passage... Huh?"
His voice paused, and his eyes became more and more surprised: "The materials for these things..."
"Is this inside the big tree?"
After speaking out for Duan Qing what he wanted to say, Xueling Huanbing, who also jumped out of the hole, asked in a low voice: "A hidden tree hole?"
"Look at the old bark, it must be like this."
Reaching out and touching the wrinkled walls, Duan Qing withdrew his gaze and said, "Someone used a dead ancient tree and made it into what it looks like now. Although judging from the current situation, This tree house must have been abandoned for who knows how long..."
"That means...there were people living here a long time ago?"
Slowly walking to the side of the tree stumps, Xueling Huanbing squatted down and carefully observed the neatly cut tables and chairs: "Live in this dangerous place?"
"I know you are not willing to believe this, but judging from the results... yes." Spreading his hands helplessly, Duan Qing pointed to the direction they just came from: "Including the secret passage we just entered... ...If I guess correctly, it should be something like an emergency passage dug out by the people who live here for some special situations."
"Then the cave we walked through before..."
"Of course someone else dug it out."
Brushing one of the tree stumps with his hand, Duan Qing sat down unceremoniously: "We didn't go through the front door of the house, but came in through the tunnel originally prepared for running away. Although we came in from Judging from the accumulation of soil in that tunnel and the upward passage just now, they may have abandoned this place for a long time...eh."
As if thinking of some possibility, Duan Qing, who was speaking loudly, suddenly stopped his movements, and then murmured to himself in a low voice under the strange gaze of Xue Ling Huan Bing, who was also sitting on the tree stump on the other side: "Speaking of which, I saw some scenes in the Void Library before..."
"……What did you say?"
"No, I'm talking about records." Duan Qing explained subconsciously: "In addition to the introduction mentioned by Shana before..."
"...Stop being pretentious, what exactly did you discover?"
Still did not answer Xue Ling Huan Bing's question immediately. Duan Qing, who was lowered in thought, slowly raised his head. His sharp eyes followed the scanning movement, passing through the carvings of different styles bit by bit around the ring-shaped tree house. , extremely simple furniture, and scattered ruins that have become unrecognizable after the erosion of time also appear in various corners under the wall from time to time, making it difficult to identify their original appearance and purpose. If you look closely, it was previously revealed by Duan Qinger The path discovered by people is actually paved with huge tree roots. The rotating upward surface has become much smoother due to long-term trampling, and then has been deeply rooted into the tree house due to long-term abandonment. Under the floor, some weapons and equipment that seemed to be made of metal and wood were lying quietly around the tree roots, but due to the passage of time, they were scattered into the same ruins, with only scattered Some of the white strip-like objects still retain their original appearance.
Although in Duan Qing's view, those white things... seemed to be some dead bones as old as this tree house.
"This old atmosphere...is older than the village under the Emerald Tower."
With a faint sigh, Duan Qing said something that even Xue Ling Huan Bing could understand. Then, with the other party's thoughtful reaction, he slowly walked to the pile of withered bones: "In addition, we were outside before The same ancient monsters we encountered, an answer is readily available... huh?"
As he spoke, he stretched out his hand, and while picking up one of the dead bones, an unexpected message prompted by the system flashed before his eyes.
[Bone long knife (ordinary)]
[Weapon power: extremely weak]
[Equipment requirements: None]
【Damaged. 】
[The ancient long knife is made of dragon bones, but it has become extremely fragile due to being left for too long. 】
"...Weapons made of dragon bones?"
Seemingly receiving the same message, Xue Ling Huan Bing, who was walking slowly, looked at the long knife in Duan Qing's hand and asked in a low voice: "Are they the so-called dragons outside?"
"I thought it was the withered bones left behind after someone died, but I didn't expect..." Duan Qing shook his head and muttered in a low voice: "If you have such a powerful production technology... No, no, before that, they The first thing to achieve is extremely powerful hunting skills...
"You mean... a powerful man originally lived here?"
"No, what I'm thinking of is what an old village chief said before."
Throwing down the long knife in his hand, Duan Qing suddenly ran towards the root of the tree. After running for a period of time, he followed the spiraling passage to the top of the tree house. The bright light followed him. Rushing out and once again shrouded in front of him, and at the same time, there was a picture gradually unfolding in front of him. There were all kinds of strange dragon-shaped creatures, just like flowers scattered on the forest floor, one by one they became form part of this picture.
"Our older generation also made things like bone guns..."
This sentence that he had heard at the foot of the mountain flashed through his mind again, and Duan Qing's whole body trembled involuntarily. The howl filled with all kinds of prehistoric atmosphere followed the movements of the migrating beasts again and again. The sound rang in his ears again and again. Xue Ling Huan Bing, who had also chased to this place, put down his intention to ask questions, and his eyes stayed on this equally shocking scene for a while, and then lowered his black eyes after a moment. With his eyes, he glanced at the ground that was very high away from them: "Is this...?"
"A thousand years ago, the ancient magic empire ruled the land of the free world. Their magical power and technology were powerful enough to become a nightmare for all enemies."
With a breath of vicissitudes in his eyes, Duan Qing retracted his gaze towards the land beneath his feet: "But the Magic Empire is not the entire history of this world. Before the era of the Ancient Magic Empire, there were still countless powerful people in this world, and they were all over the world. In every corner of the Free Continent, use your own hands and strength to survive the threats of nature and the same kind. The final result of the ancient magic empire dominating the world cannot be the reason why warrior-type professions are not as powerful as magic."
"History and records like to call that era the age of freedom." Duan Qing turned his head longingly when he said this, looking at Xue Ling Huan Bing's black gem-like eyes: "A place where all kinds of forces and systems are blooming. era."
"...Then what?" Xue Ling Huan Bing shook her head indifferently and asked, "What does this have to do with what we are seeing now?"
"This is the history set by the game Free World." Duan Qing slowly smiled: "And you wouldn't be so naive as to think...this is all that this history can be traced back, right?"
"You mean...?"
"Yes, the free era is not the earliest era. The earliest era is the barbaric era."
Pointing to the sight of a group of beasts in front of them being chased by large dragon beasts, Duan Qing replied with a smile: "That was an era when beasts dominated, an era when the ancient breath ruled the world, and trembling humans It was under the rule of that environment... that he gradually became a strong man in the free era."
"..."
"What we see now is probably from that era."
Looking at Xue Ling Huan Bing's expression that gradually became solemn, Duan Qing said in a low voice: "And..."
"This may be the last place in this free continent that still maintains the scene of the barbaric era."
***************************
"So... the former Dadel Village was actually one of the human villages inherited from the ancient barbaric era?"
Time came to noon on January 14, 795 in the New Calendar. Duan Qing and his two men, who had been escaping from various dangerous traps for two days, finally got some rest in the tree house and got food and food. After being replenished with water, they began to plan the next step: "Are their ancestors from here?"
"I don't know that, but at least they know what it looks like here."
Duan Qing, who was also packing his luggage, replied helplessly: "This tree house has obviously undergone a certain degree of camouflage, otherwise other beasts would have taken over the magpie's nest."
"The initial mission we received was to offer sacrifices. The specific mission content... was probably to pay homage to their ancestors." Xueling Huanbing still did not give up her idea: "Isn't this enough to prove their origins? "
"The key question is where the sacrifice was made."
Looking up at the huge ancient tree still extending upward next to the tree house, Duan Qing shook his head and replied: "Do they really know the existence of this place? How did they safely enter such a dangerous place before? ?If none of these questions can be answered..."
"The content of the mission of sacrifice may become the object of our suspicion."
In order to find the answer to this question, the two people started a new day's journey again. The new goal of exploration was naturally the huge ancient tree next to them that penetrated into the sky. Although they did not find a suitable route, fortunately, the two of them had already circled this huge forest, and the various records on the adventurer's map had also marked the most suitable direction for them: "...Here Well, there are fewer monsters here..."
"We have to avoid those green dragons. They are not easy to mess with at first glance..."
"The main entrance of the treehouse has already given us the answer. We just need to continue moving in the direction of these vines. Not only the green dragons, but also the hammerhead dragons with bones growing outside should not find us. .”
"You are gambling with their eyesight, although I also think they are all blind. When we passed this slope before, they didn't even notice us...Shh! Something is coming."
Time and time again, they avoided the threats of dinosaurs from all directions. Duan Qing and Xueling Huanbing completely acted like turtles this time, trying not to make any noise while looking for a way to climb the mountain. An ancient tree that looks like a tall building. With the help of the map and previous exploration experience, the two people quickly followed the artificial traces to find an entrance into the ancient tree. Then, surrounded by countless flowing water and rattan, they walked along the intricate tree trunk. Circle up. The threat of giant beasts from this forest still appears around them from time to time. Among them, there are also many dragons with powerful appearance, including a huge wolf-shaped monster with an electric light all over its body, and a tail and wings covered in poisonous mist. Surrounded by purple pterosaurs, these powerful individuals have their own territory and range of activities. They patrol back and forth along the path formed by the interlacing of tree trunks and roots and branches, just like guards stationed inside each floor of a high-rise building. They are also in the tree. Various other flying creatures were circling outside, constantly confronting each other.
Among them were countless flying dragons with wingspan that could cover a large area of the sky, as well as the ice-colored giant birds that Duan Qing and his two men had seen before.
"This should be the reason why they gathered here, right?"
Carefully bypassing a giant red dragon that was sleeping soundly in its lair, Duan Qing and Xue Ling Huanbing finally reached a higher point near the ancient tree, and then passed through a patch of trees. After the hole covered by the vines, I came to an ancient door. The slightest buzzing sound was coming from behind the door, mixed with many irregular crackling sounds. I leaned on the door and listened. Duan Qing, who had been waiting for a long time, then straightened up, then stretched out his hand and exerted slight force: "...No, it can't be opened."
"Isn't there the so-called altar behind this?" Xueling Huanbing asked in a low voice, "A holy place that many ethnic groups, including Del Village and Han'an Village, yearn for?"
"I don't know either, I don't have the ability to see through." Looking at the ancient door that was similar to the bark of the surrounding trees, Duan Qing also revealed a little helplessness in his voice: "There are still parts of this forest that are unknown. , God knows if this is the target point we are looking for..."
"When you accepted the mission before, didn't they give you any other mission items?" Xue Ling Huan Bing glanced up and down at Duan Qing's items and equipment: "Such as keys, magic gems, or passes... "
"What are you thinking about?"
Duan Qing turned around helplessly and waved his hand: "If there was such a thing, I would have taken it out long ago. What the hell is the pass..."
Click.
The crisp sound of unlocking suddenly appeared behind Duan Qing, interrupting what he had been saying in a low voice. Then, as the light flashed on the surface of a small buckler behind him, it turned into a systematic prompt sound.
【Ding】
