Chapter 116: The Demon Hunt Begins!

As the sun rose once more, Anya Village faced its third shift change of the day. The night is when ambushers prefer to strike, and the two-hour rotation system had proven most effective in practice, ensuring safety while preserving the warriors' combat strength. Soldiers coming off duty returned to the guardhouse, weary and exhausted, while outside the village, near the trees, a new group of warriors fresh from their morning training was just arriving. The tired soldiers and the energetic ones brushed past each other, exchanging greetings and lighthearted jests. An air of ease hung in the atmosphere; Anya Village had not encountered an attack in several days. For these ordinary soldiers, being able to rest after over twenty days of high-frequency combat was a true blessing.

This sense of ease, however, did not reach the upper echelons of the guardhouse. When the morning light shone into the third-floor conference hall, the two highest-ranking commanders at the Anya combat site were both looking troubled. Anya’s expression was a mixture of anxiety and suspicion, while Lambert’s was one of pure, bewildered confusion.

"The third wave of scouts has returned, yet there is still not a single clue. Lord Lambert, where on earth could these Void Demons have gone?" Anya asked, unable to contain her impatience—asking Lambert, yet also asking herself.

This question had plagued them for three days. Logically, after the "zombies" were wiped out, the Void Demons should have launched their offensive. To counter these pure spiritual entities that seemed capable of infiltrating anything, Lambert and Anya had made extensive preparations. Yet, as the days passed, the Void Demons’ offensive left no trace at all. It was no wonder Anya was growing anxious, restless, and worried.

After all, morale is a fickle thing; it surges with the first drumbeat, wanes with the second, and is exhausted by the third. Even the most careful preparations and perfect plans, if they lose the window of opportunity, can become a fatal weakness. Furthermore, such an abnormal reaction from the Void Demons naturally invited all sorts of dark speculations.

"Anya, don't rush," Lambert said. He possessed great composure, still smiling lazily. Compared to Anya’s agitation, his languor carried a hint of insouciance and cynicism.

Seeing this, Anya felt dissatisfied but could not bring herself to argue with him. She merely pressed her lips together and gazed through the window at the distant, azure sea. The seascape under the morning light should have been incredibly beautiful and magnificent, yet to Anya’s eyes, it held a hint of obscure gloom.

In the past, one could not see such a wide view of the sea from the conference hall; at most, only a corner of the water was visible. It was only because the village buildings had been mostly destroyed during the Void Demon invasion that this guardhouse, which was not particularly tall in the past, had become the only high ground in the entire village.

Just as Anya was lost in memories of the past and a deep hatred for the Void Demons and Night Demons, Lambert suddenly leaped up with a light grace and walked out of the hall, deep in thought. He intended to go out and see for himself exactly what had gone wrong.

***

"Hunting Void Demons?!" As soon as Theresa proposed her idea, all those capable of speech expressed their astonishment. However, the tone of each was entirely different.

Pedia was simply surprised, the Little Wolf and the Little Eagle were more delighted than shocked, but the Book Spirit, beyond surprise, was filled with indignation.

"Tessa, have you lost your mind? Two days ago, you said we shouldn't go hunting randomly. What’s possessed you to suddenly act so crazy today?" The Book Spirit flew frantically through the air, seemingly trying to burn off more of its anger through the exertion.

Theresa waited patiently until it had finished its tantrum before speaking slowly: "Our group and my elder brother’s party headed in completely different directions, yet both encountered Void Demons. This means there is a possibility that there are at least two or more portals in this Void Realm. Either there are Void Demons coming in through different channels, or the team of Night Demons we encountered earlier had some internal issue, causing some Void Demons to break away and wander throughout the realm. Regardless of which it is, it points to one thing—"

Theresa paused deliberately. The Book Spirit, already hooked by her analysis, jumped up and urged her to continue.

Seeing that she finally had its attention, Theresa smiled slightly and continued: "It means that scattered Void Demons definitely exist in this realm. As long as we send out hummingbirds for wide-range reconnaissance in advance and prepare for battle beforehand... I believe we can definitely remain invincible!"

This conclusion was immediately accepted by everyone (and every beast). For a time, they were all eager to find a boat and set off.

In truth, Theresa had not reached this conclusion in a rush. Ever since the Little Wolf and Little Eagle had fought the two Void Demons, she had been pondering the idea of "hunting Void Demons." Unfortunately, the intelligence at the time was insufficient, the Little Eagle and Little Wolf were too excited, and the Book Spirit was too opposed, so she had kept it to herself.

Now, having synthesized the information brought by Pedia, Theresa’s train of thought had cleared up. Not only did she deduce the feasibility of "hunting," but she even had a plan for how to locate the Void Demons! Otherwise, searching for scattered Void Demons in this vast Void Realm would be no different from looking for a needle in a haystack—such a mindless task was not something Theresa would do.

Returning to the small boat and settling Pedia and the Snow Wolf, Canis, Theresa pointed in a direction and had the Little Wolf and Little Eagle lead the way, while she herself began crafting more hummingbirds with all her might. To better pinpoint the location of the Void Demons, the existing hummingbirds were simply not enough.

Ever since she had mastered the "Soft Technique," Theresa clearly felt an improvement in her alchemy efficiency. Under the guidance of the technique's principles, her spiritual power became as docile as a sheep. With a single thought, she could achieve subtle control with great ease. That sense of fluidity, where everything obeyed her will, was enough to make one fall in love with the process of alchemy—a feeling that everything was under control, as if she could accomplish anything she set her mind to, which naturally fueled an endless sense of confidence and exhilaration.

This fluid feeling was not only felt by Theresa; Pedia, as an observer, could also perceive it. In his eyes, Theresa’s alchemy speed was much slower than before, but this did not mean her ability had regressed; rather, it had reached a state of "returning to simplicity." Every movement seemed perfectly timed, requiring no wasted effort to achieve the best result. Watching her, he couldn't help but sigh softly.

He had witnessed almost the entire process of Theresa learning alchemy. It was he who had encouraged her; it was he and Achill who had prepared most of the materials she needed; and many of her finished products, successful or failed, were absorbed by the O'Brion family. Over these short two years, he had watched her grow step by step. He knew the hardships better than anyone, and now, seeing Theresa progress to such a degree, he felt both immense gratification and a touch of heartache—heartache for her effort and persistence.

***

The midday sun shone through the gray mist, but its heat had long been dissipated by the eerie fog, and even the light was dim and hazy. Lambert sailed his small boat alone. The boat was very limited in length and width, enough for only two or three people. Such a vessel would normally be better suited for calm waters, but due to his peculiar preference, Lambert had insisted on it. On the boat, he did not use any oars, sails, or other tools for acceleration, yet the vessel cut across the sea according to his will, moving as swiftly as a peregrine falcon.

Entering the mist, Lambert finally saw the place for what it was. The fog was not as dangerous as he had previously thought; rather, it was calm and serene, like still water. If not for the fact that its existence was tied to the Void Demons, most people would likely enjoy hiding in this gray mist during the summer to escape the direct glare of the sun.

Under Lambert’s guidance, the boat surged forward like an arrow released from a bow, leaving a long, white wake on the sea. After sailing for several hundred meters, Lambert suddenly stopped in an empty stretch of water. With a playful smile on his lips, he stood there, seemingly immersed in something particularly delightful.

Suddenly, he thrust his hand out, his fingers curled into claws, and he grabbed hard at the empty air, pulling back sharply. A phantom, letting out a "squeak," was dragged out from the gray mist. The phantom resembled a wisp of gray smoke, lacking a solid form. Caught in his hand, it twisted frantically, like a gray ribbon.

Lambert held it, laughing heartily, and muttered to himself: "I was just worrying about not having anyone to lead the way. You little fellow came just in time."

As he spoke, he used both hands to knead and fold the "gray smoke" into the shape of a small bird. He then released it, and the "gray bird" darted away as if fearing it would be destroyed if it were even a second late. The moment the "gray bird" shot off, Lambert steered his boat to follow closely behind. Furthermore, as he ventured deeper into the gray mist, his figure began to fade, and before long, Lambert had completely vanished from the boat!

Yet, the seemingly unmanned vessel continued to cut through the gray mist with rapid precision.

***

"Awoooo—" A long, mournful wolf howl echoed across the vast gray desert. White moonlight gathered in the sky; the full moon shone bright and silver... Faced with such a beautiful scene, however, two little fellows with no appreciation for aesthetics were jumping up and down, cursing the "wolf."

"Damn it, they beat us to it again!" The Little Eagle was so angry it flapped its wings, whipping up a small tornado that sent gray sand scattering in every direction.

Seeing this, the Little Wolf snorted indignantly and grumbled: "Next time, I’m not letting him use that knight skill. It's such a waste of good loot."

As it spoke, it cast an aggrieved glance toward Theresa. Finding the "prey" was Theresa’s credit, and she was naturally the one to assign the targets. That Pedia and Canis were able to take down the "Void Demon" first was, of course, due to Theresa’s "inside information." It was no wonder the Little Wolf felt aggrieved.

Theresa watched and listened from the side, merely giggling, saying nothing.