Even though the distance made it impossible to capture specific details, just the sight of that dense arrangement, which was so overwhelming it caused discomfort, was already incredibly shocking.
Sanders stared silently for a moment, “It seems that infiltrating Black Castle without alarming these undead won’t be easy.”
Difficult, but not impossible.
For instance, Angel could use the “Gate Model,” or Sanders could employ the Nightmare Substitute. Both had a chance to enter Black Castle. However, the castle seemed quiet for now, but who knew what the situation inside was? If it were peaceful inside and they used Spell Techniques to enter, it would be tantamount to an invasion without declaration.
Sanders thought for a moment, “Let’s resolve the issue with Popota first, then I’ll see if it’s possible to contact someone from Black Castle.”
Angel nodded in agreement.
The graveyard where Hua Que was supposed to be was actually very close to Black Castle, even reachable by a winding path from outside the cemetery to the castle atop the hill.
By the time they arrived at the graveyard, the undead had already made their presence known.
However, compared to the number of undead at Black Castle, there were far fewer here, and under the cover of the Art of Illusion, they made their way straight to the deep well in the cemetery.
Yet, before stepping into the deep well, Angel furrowed his brow.
Next to the well, he caught sight of some faint footprints that certainly weren’t made by the undead.
Recently, someone had entered the well? Or was it just someone passing by this well inadvertently?
With doubts in mind, they arrived at the bottom of the well.
The well was dry, devoid of any moisture. The ground was very dry, thereby preserving the row of footprints quite intact.
“Someone has been here,” Angel said softly.
“Not only have they been here, but they also seem to have done something,” Sanders said as he looked into the dark passage ahead, seemingly already perceiving the situation deeper in the subterranean pathway.
A minute later, Angel silently observed the Illusionary Realm not far away.
When he had left, Angel had set up an illusion of a girl’s boudoir for Hua Que and left several Magic Crystals as an energy source to sustain the never-ending illusion. Now, the illusion was still intact, untouched. However… the innocent girl who once wore a light yellow dress had vanished.
The footprints they had discovered earlier also extended outside the realm of illusion. It seemed to point towards one thing: Hua Que’s disappearance was inseparably linked to those footprints.
“This Illusionary Realm is well crafted,” Sanders remarked softly: “Integrating a Nightmare Illusion with a Magic Pattern design and using Magic Crystals as an energy source to maintain its existence between reality and illusion, is quite a clever approach.”
Sanders didn’t comment much on the girlish decorations within the Illusionary Realm.
While Sanders praised the design, Angel’s gaze remained locked on the footprints on the ground, hoping to find some clue about Hua Que’s departure from them.
Since he had promised Popota, he naturally didn’t want any complications at the last moment.
Moreover, Angel himself had a fondness for Hua Que.
“The length and width of the footprints are not large; they should belong to a woman.”
“The prints are deep, unable to control body strength? Probably an ordinary person or maybe a beginner Talented One?”
“The energy reaction has almost entirely dissipated, I can only deduce a vague time frame from objective conditions… Let’s see, she’s a head shorter than you, petite in stature, probably appeared within the last two months,” Sanders added, his eyes emitting a faint glow, evidently using the Technique of Dispelling Delusion to trace back the truth by following the faintest clues.
“Could someone from Black Castle have taken Hua Que?” Angel speculated, since those who came to the graveyard were usually disposing of bodies from Black Castle. All of Black Castle’s inhabitants were women, and any men there were outsiders, which matched the scene’s conditions.
“I don’t think it was an abduction,” Sanders shook his head at this point, he pointed to the Illusionary Realm, “The Illusionary Realm you set up hasn’t been damaged, and the Magic Crystals used as a power source haven’t been taken either. What do you think, between a little girl’s soul and Magic Crystals, which is more valuable?”
Discounting Hua Que’s identity in life, the value of her soul might be higher than one or two Magic Crystals, but not by much. If the person intended to take Hua Que, they wouldn’t have left the crystals.
“You mean to say… Hua Que wasn’t abducted?”
“It’s hard to say, but why don’t you enter the Illusionary Realm and check? Maybe she left a message?” Sanders pointed at the Illusionary Realm.
Angel’s eyes brightened, as he indeed had created paper and pencils for Hua Que to draw with, perhaps she really did leave a message?
With that thought, Angel hastened into the Illusionary Realm.
Pushing open the pink door, the originally gloomy and cold atmosphere was instantly replaced by warmth. Melodious music reached his ears, and upon closer inspection, it came from a music box on the table, which was slowly turning. The ballerina on the music box danced non-stop.
Thump, thump, thump—
A team of mahogany soldiers bearing drums crossed the wooden floor, their drumming clear, moving in unison to Angel’s side, circling around him, as if welcoming the master home.
The bird toy floating above the pink bed flapped its wings and chirped merrily.
The chimes of the wind bells stirred softly.
It was a beautiful and fantastical girl’s bedroom filled with the colors of a fairy tale.
All these settings within the Illusionary Realm were arranged by Angel back then, just to amuse Hua Que. Looking at it now, the vast pink bubbles were actually quite embarrassing.
However, at this moment, Angel was not concerned with these trivial matters, but instead focused his gaze on the desk covered with children’s books.
Each book was placed very neatly, and the order had been rearranged, indicating that Hua Que often flipped through them.
From underneath this stack of children’s books, Angel pulled out a thick booklet.
On the cover of the booklet was a self-portrait in a childlike style, with a row of slightly immature words written above: Record Book.
At the front of the Record Book, there were two hand-drawn fresh flowers.
Angel’s eyes lit up, “Indeed, there is a discovery!”
Angel turned over the “Hua Hua Record Book” with some excitement, and he was stunned the moment he opened it.
Because on the first page, there weren’t any words, only a picture of Hua Que facing a young boy. The background of the picture was set in a dark cave.
The boy in the painting had blond hair and a pair of azure blue eyes.