Chapter 324 - 265 Tracking Footsteps_1

Words : 2042 Updated : Oct 15th, 2025

Chapter 324: Chapter 265 Tracking Footsteps_1Regina helped with the introductions from the side. "This is Mr. Gaven, whom I previously mentioned to you. He is also from Thacel and hails from the Nort Family." "So you’re the Nort lad, how did you come to be here? How fares Baron Tessen?" Upon hearing of Gaven’s identity, General Kopofiel’s expression immediately softened noticeably. Meeting someone from one’s hometown, thousands of miles away, naturally brings a sense of warmth, especially when such encounters are driven by goodwill. "My father has fallen in battle at the Marching Mountains," Gaven’s face was tinged with a hint of sorrow, "The situation in Thacel deteriorated terribly; Nort Castle was besieged and fell to goblins. I decided to travel far for study, in search of knowledge on governance. I heard that life is not easy for the numerous Thacel refugees in the valley, so I wanted to secure a safe and prosperous place for my compatriots to live and work here first." Gaven unapologetically draped various grand moral mantles upon himself. You must brandish the sword that befits your adversary. Against someone like General Kopofiel, the sword of loyalty, patriotism, and selfless devotion to one’s country and people must be unsheathed. Searᴄh the NôᴠelFirё.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Needless to say, General Kopofiel regarded him with newfound respect after hearing this. Even Regina couldn’t help but take a second look at Gaven; she was moved to see that such a young man could possess such grand visions and such concerns for his country and people. "Tessen has raised a fine son indeed; he can rest without regret," General Kopofiel said, giving Gaven a thumbs up, "We can catch up on old times later. Our current priority must be to investigate the disappearances, discover their causes, and rescue the missing villagers." "The one daring enough to stir trouble under the General’s watch must be no ordinary individual. Please lead us to the village to examine the crime scene so we might uncover more valuable clues, perhaps even some personal articles of the missing people, unwashed ones," Gaven’s enthusiasm surged remarkably with General Kopofiel’s presence. "That’s easy; please follow me," General Kopofiel said as he turned his horse around and added, "The Watcher’s Call has sunk. The last watcher perished with it, and there is no longer a General Kopofiel, only a leader of refugees seeking a living in a foreign land." "Could you tell what happened?" Gaven couldn’t contain his burning curiosity, "Many saw your pirate ship enter the Storm’s Eye and vanish without a trace, how did you suddenly reappear here?" "It’s not anything mysterious," Kopofiel spoke nonchalantly, "Any larger Storm’s Eye is a water transportation gate, a public secret well-known among veteran captains. The Storm’s Eye we were forced into was the same, it carried us to the Sea of Fallen Stars. However, during the plunge into the Storm’s Eye, the Watcher’s Call was too badly damaged and only just made it near Giant Dragon Bay before it could no longer stay afloat and sank." General Kopofiel made it sound effortless. But even someone without seafaring experience like Regina could sense the peril involved. Can just anyone charge into a Storm’s Eye? Especially one that opens a water transportation door; it’s not something every ship or person can brave. It not only tests the ship’s endurance against the wind and waves but also the captain’s and sailors’ skills in navigating the seas. This piqued Regina’s curiosity about General Kopofiel’s background, and she couldn’t resist asking Gaven in a low voice, "Is Village Chief Kopofiel quite renowned in Thacel?" "More than just famous. Do you know why his warship was named Watcher’s Call? Or why he was honored as the last watcher?" The question from the other party hit Gaven’s spot of eagerness to talk, as it was a relief to discuss it, "Because he commanded the last battleship of the Royal Navy of Thacel, and as the Royal Navy perished thirteen years ago, he steadfastly continued to guard the coastal harbors of Thacel. Facing the siege of dozens of pirate ships, he did not hesitate to stand his ground." He and his crew wrote a threnody in the Thacel Sea Area that even the most stoic would weep for. When word of the Watcher’s Call’s misfortune reached the people of Thacel, the despair that filled their hearts far exceeded the anguish of the Royal Family’s exile, because their last protector was no more. Those pirates could now brazenly land and plunder, trample our territory. Just as anticipated, since the sinking of the Watcher’s Call, the pirates of the Islands of Nelanser acted with unprecedented audacity around Thacel—not just looting, but even directly seizing cities." After listening to Gaven’s account, Regina regarded him with solemn respect, "I had no idea that the village chief, Kopofiel, was such a venerable patriot. We were disrespectful before." Gaven added, "He and his Watcher’s Call have another legendary tale that people delight in telling about escaping from the pursuit of a ghost ship with a red prow. It is said that this ghost ship was not only full of gold and gems but also filled with Bound Spirits and even stranger things that rode men like horses." At the last remark, Regina’s eyes sparkled with curiosity, "Stranger things that rode men like horses? What are those? A type of new Undead Creature? I’ve never heard of such a unique undead before." Her reaction, coupled with her previous unique statement and defense about Ghost Manor Weizemay, made Gaven suspect that she might be a ghost enthusiast—otherwise, why such a keen interest? Nevertheless, he replied, "I’m not very sure, probably some Undead Creatures transformed from marine life, or corrupted beings... it’s hard to say." "Don’t listen to their baseless rumors. It was just a few Mind Flayer Binding Demons." Kopofiel said without turning his head. Although Gaven and Regina had lowered their voices, they were not far apart, and it would be hard for him not to hear them. "Mind Flayer Binding Demon?" Regina couldn’t help but burst into laughter, "So it really was octopuses riding on people, haha... What stranger things that rode men like horses turns out to be Mind Flayers, haha... " She had laughed only twice before remembering the disappearance cases at the Tesser Refugee Camp, which felt inappropriate. Regina forcibly restrained her laughter and repeatedly apologized, "Sorry, sorry, I was out of line." While they spoke, they had arrived at the Tesser Refugee Camp. When Regina first mentioned the term Tesser Refugee Camp, Gaven instinctively thought of poverty and destitution. Now that he saw it, that was far from the case. He guessed that this name originated from when the Thacel Refugees first arrived at Battle Valley. The life in Tesser Refugee Camp, although not wealthy, was definitely not so miserable as to bring tears. After all, the Valley was vast and sparsely populated, especially bordering the Comanso Great Forest. As long as one had some hunting skills, and a bit more industry, there was no shortage of game. Especially with Kopofiel, the seasoned soldier leading a group of sailors, their strength was further assured. Life could only be difficult if they wanted it to be. Given these circumstances, making them leave this new home to follow him to the Three Rivers Region would be an even greater challenge. "This is the Oer family home, one of the first households where the villagers disappeared. Six of them, and overnight, they vanished without a trace," Kopofiel stopped in front of a small hut made of earth and wood. Gaven, Regina and the Dog Demon, now the size of an ordinary Zuo Lang, squeezed inside. The house was not too small, but for a family of six, it felt exceptionally cramped, crowded with various household items, making it difficult even to turn around. Regina and the Dog Demon shook their heads after a careful perception check. There was no strong scent of magic in the air, which meant that the kidnapper hadn’t taken these people using the Ether Plane, the Shadow Plane, or a teleportation spell. It seemed more like they had been controlled and walked out on their own. Gaven exchanged a glance with Regina and thought of the same spell—Charm Human. If this was the spell used, then the list of suspects would be lengthy. Because the spell was only first-level, the threshold for casting it was very low. Many predators had a spell-like ability of the same name. "Please, Mr. Village Chief, take us to see some other families’ homes, preferably those who have just disappeared recently," Kopofiel requested. "Sure, follow me." Kopofiel led Gaven and the rest through several more households, all with similar circumstances. They all had disappeared at night, and it was always the entire family. "Did you notice?" Gaven whispered to Regina. "Notice what?" "The commonality among these missing families’ homes." "You mean how their houses are located more remotely?" "Not just that. Didn’t you notice how the plants near their homes seem more withered than in other places?" Gaven, although not a Druid, was very sensitive to the essence of various plants due to regularly enlightening trees over a long period. Reminded by Gaven, Regina nodded and said, "Indeed, that’s true. So, you have a new direction for your guess?" "I have a clue, but I can’t be sure. This kind of thing can’t be guessed wildly," Gaven suggested. "Let’s have Andrew try it. He has the ability to track over long distances. As long as the kidnapper hasn’t transferred these missing people through the Ether or the Shadow Plane, he would be able to follow their scent." "Then what are we waiting for? Let’s try it first." "Andrew, can you lock on?" "Locked on, follow me," the Dog Demon nodded and crawled out of the house. Gaven and the others didn’t dare delay and followed closely behind. The Dog Demon led them not toward the Watcher’s Call Mage Tower but the Comanso Great Forest instead. The Comanso Great Forest was the largest forest in Felen, both in the past and present. At its largest, it covered the entire Valley, Sambia, and Komeer. The Valley was the result of an agreement between Elves and Humans. But the Elves of Comanso were drawn by the Souls of the Eternal Gathering Island and began a great migration. That was the often mentioned Great Retreat of the Elves. Ninety percent of the Elves of Comanso heeded this call, leaving their beloved forest to other Sage Races. However, humans, apart from traveling along the few trade routes through the vast forest, still dare not venture deep into it. Aside from the various predators, humans simply do not possess the Elves’ superior forest memory, and venturing deep within was a sure way to get lost in the shadows of the immense trees. The Dog Demon’s destination was clear: the Comanso Great Forest. While on the move, Gaven asked, "General Kopofiel, have you been hunting in the Comanso Great Forest recently?" "That’s right. This time of year, the game is the fattest, and we organize the villagers for a communal hunt." "Did any of the missing families participate in the hunt?" "They all did." "During the hunt in Comanso, did you encounter anything strange? Or say, weird places, like ancient tombs or caves?" "This... I don’t think so!" Kopofiel wasn’t certain about the last question. The hunting scene was a bit chaotic, people were widely dispersed, and he really couldn’t guarantee what others might have encountered. "There was," the youth who had been silent until now spoke up. He looked to be in his early twenties, resembling Kopofiel by about forty or fifty percent, suggesting a father-son relationship. "What was it?" Gaven inquired urgently. "It seemed to be a tomb, an Elven tomb," the young man said, not quite certain. "At that time, we were driving a herd of wild boars into a trap when one of them stomped through the ground and fell into a hole, a cave. Since the cave was too narrow and deep, and we were busy with the other boars, we didn’t investigate further."

Chapter 324 - 265 Tracking Footsteps_1

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