109: Chapter 109 is really great!

The curtain of the tent was lifted.

Geer, the Tribe Priest, slowly walked out from within.

He was as gaunt as a tree trunk drained of moisture; his skin clung tightly to his bones, making it nearly impossible to discern his once elderly but sturdy frame.

He continued forward, every step appearing to require all his strength.

Step by step, he wobbled through the tribal camp.

The camp was very quiet; besides the whistling wind, there was no other sound. All the clansmen had left, following Kalun.

Geer walked to the center of the camp, where a rough, waist-high stone platform stood.

It was the place where generations of priests held ceremonies and communicated with their ancestors.

He stopped by the stone platform, gasping for breath with great effort; his chest heaved violently like a worn-out bellows.

He didn't sit down immediately. His cloudy eyes looked into the distance, as if trying to pierce through the scorching air and the vast distance to see the moment they burst out of the passage and entered the streets of New City.

After confirming the direction, he finally allowed himself to relax. Leaning against the totem stone platform, he slowly, bit by bit, sat down.

Once settled, he raised his head again, his gaze still fixed in that direction, though his eyes were somewhat unfocused.

Every orc in the tribe, face after familiar face, began to flash before his eyes.

There were old partners who had hunted side-by-side with him in their youth and had long since returned to the ancestors' embrace, and cubs who had giggled and played by the tribal bonfire, stumbling as they learned to fight...

The images shifted, finally freezing on Kalun's face.

Kalun was the disciple he had raised and taught by his side since childhood; the youth was clever, resilient, and possessed a deep sense of responsibility and love for the tribe... he was a tribal priest even more excellent than himself.

The corners of Geer's mouth curled upward extremely slowly, bit by bit.

A faint but exceptionally peaceful smile blossomed on his gaunt, skull-like face.

Kalun would do very well.

He believed it.

He would lead the remaining clansmen to survive in the new world.

It might be difficult, there might be bloodshed, but the blazing flame would not be extinguished.

They would find a new home, relight the bonfire, and make the tribe flourish once again.

That was enough.

Slowly and contentedly, he closed his eyes.

The last faint heaving of his chest gradually stilled.

In the distance, the wind of the Crimson Flame Plain remained scorching, swirling with gravel as it swept across the deserted camp.

It swept past the tent from which no one would ever emerge again, and past the gaunt body by the stone platform, facing the distance and resting in peaceful stillness.

...

"Ha... ha..."

A few dry, raspy, and violent gasps.

Karuge used his one arm that could still move to drag the half of his body that was completely unresponsive and limp as mud, crawling upward bit by bit.

Beneath him were rough, scalding crimson rocks; their sharp edges dug in painfully, but he couldn't feel much.

The power that had been forcibly surged and then rapidly decayed within his body had long since drained everything; even the sensation of pain had become dull and distant.

He had only one thought left: get up there and take a look.

Digging his fingers into the rock crevices and bracing his elbows against the protrusions, he used the last of his strength to finally peek his head over the top of this small rocky hill.

His vision suddenly opened up.

The scorching wind blew against his face; he saw it.

At the end of that open ground was the "mirror" with a soft, flowing halo.

The exit of the passage was clearly visible.

And at the passage was the dark, surging torrent of their Blazing Flame Leader Tribe.

The orcs of their Blazing Flame Tribe and two other tribes were intermingled, waving weapons, riding mounts, their faces overflowing with ecstasy, longing, and a near-manic excitement.

They were charging recklessly toward the portal that represented the "New World."

It worked...

It really worked.

Karuge grinned, thick blood foam spilling from the corners of his mouth.

The sacrifices weren't in vain; Geer's, and his own... none of them were in vain.

He leaned against the rock, his chest heaving violently; every breath pulled at his shattered ribs and internal organs, bringing sharp stabs of pain.

Yet he couldn't help but let out a low, intermittent laugh.

He had said so.

They had won.

Suddenly, his gaze froze.

At the periphery of the human camp, he saw several familiar figures.

They were young warriors from his tribe; they seemed to have broken away from the main charging force and were looking around anxiously, peeking about as if searching for something.

Were they... looking for him?

The moment this thought crossed his mind, Karuge almost instinctively jerked his body back, hiding in the shadows on the back of the rocky hill.

He couldn't... he couldn't let them find him.

He looked down at his broken body—the ruined arm, the legs that were completely unable to stand.

Let alone fighting, even normal walking was a luxury. In his current state, what could he do in the new world? He would just be a burden holding the tribe back.

The new world should be challenged by the new generation.

Just like many years ago, when his leader and Priest Geer handed the tribe over to him when he was young.

Thinking this, Karuge's lips curled into even more of a smile.

He no longer looked toward the passage, nor did he listen to those boiling shouts.

He propped himself up with his hand, forcing himself to sit somewhat upright.

Then, bit by bit, he began to move slowly and staggeringly in the opposite direction of the passage exit.

Everything was just as they had initially expected; they had won.

It really was... wonderful.

...

The magnificent "fireworks" continued, bursts of crimson light exploding in mid-air like an unending celebration of death.

Gu Changming watched for a while and, feeling it was about enough, sat down where he was.

Of course, he continued to look up at the flickering passage entrance, maintaining a basic level of vigilance. Just in case there were any unexpected stragglers.

He had indeed been a bit puzzled before. In his memories of his previous life, he hadn't heard any news about foreign races rushing out of the Secret Realm here at Shouju Camp.

When he first saw the beast tide, he really suspected if he had accidentally triggered some chain reaction by bringing the Mimic Beast for testing.

So that's how it was.

Everyone who rushed out turned into fireworks.

Afterward, Tang Ningfei's organization would likely seal off the information and clean up the scene.

The truth behind these magnificent yet eerie scenes would probably soon become internal archives known only to a few.

Gu Changming's thoughts wandered aimlessly.

Suddenly, the scene before him flickered.

It wasn't a change in light or shadow, but more like a screen with a bad signal; the image gave an extremely brief but definitely real jerk.

"Hmm?" Gu Changming's brow furrowed slightly, and night erosion fell into his hand once again.

At the moment those orcs' bodies exploded, he clearly saw translucent text, like a watermark, flash by amidst the bursting flesh and energy light:

[Violating rules by leaving the Assessment grounds, execution of erasure in progress...]

A penalty? Gu Changming wasn't surprised.

It was just that...

Gu Changming's gaze followed a small extra point of light that appeared higher up in his field of vision, near the sky, following that prompt.

Gu Changming concentrated, focusing his vision there.

Was that... a person?