Chapter 589: A New Day — The Gravely Injured Candace

With uneasy hearts, Su Yuan and the others quietly crept into Aaru Village.

They walked up beside a few houses and peeked inside through the windows…

But one room after another—there were no signs that anyone was living there.

“T-This… this is way too scary…”

Paimon trembled all over, clinging tightly to Aether’s side.

“Don’t tell me Aaru Village has also fallen, just like Sumeru City? Is that why everyone disappeared?”

“Yeah… and if no one is here, how are we supposed to stay the night?” Aether frowned.

“Are we supposed to just break into someone’s house and use it ourselves?”

“That… might not be very polite…” Kirara answered awkwardly.

Just as the group was feeling lost and unsure what to do, a nearby door suddenly opened.

Two young boys peeked their heads out, waved, and called:

“Ah! It really is you, Traveler!”

Aether looked at the two children for a moment before saying:

“You’re… Ebeid and Hilmi?”

“Hehe, we didn’t expect you would still remember us!” Ebeid and Hilmi said happily.

“Oh! I remember now! You’re the two kids who raced Aether before!” Paimon added.

“So, Ebeid, Hilmi—what exactly is happening in Aaru Village? Where did everyone go?”

Aether asked straightforwardly.

“Because things have been really dangerous lately, Candace has been leading everyone in the village to fight monsters each night,” Ebeid explained.

“They usually don’t come back until the next morning…”

“And each time they come back,” Hilmi added sadly, “There are always a few fewer people…”

“Why am I still so small… why am I so weak…” His voice trembled.

“I want to help protect the village too. I don’t want to be the one who is always protected…”

Hearing the children’s explanation, everyone finally understood why the village was empty.

What kind of monsters could require Candace to lead so many people in nightly battles?

Unfortunately, Su Yuan and the others had no idea where Candace and the villagers were fighting.

If they had known, they would definitely have gone to help.

“Traveler, everyone… you must be tired from traveling. Why don’t you come rest at our house?”

Ebeid and Shilmi offered kindly.

Su Yuan exchanged a glance with Aether.

Both nodded.

“Alright. Given the situation, we can only rest for now.”

…

The next morning, sunlight poured through the window into Su Yuan’s room.

The desert sunlight was harsher and more intense—it woke Su Yuan instantly.

Feeling the familiar sting in his right palm, Su Yuan knew a new day had begun.

He lifted his right hand and looked at his palm, hoping that today’s information prompt would offer something useful.

[First of all, congratulations on surviving your twenty-sixth night.]

[Currently available information:]

[Skipped irrelevant details…]

[76. Those who do not abide by the rules will be considered “enemies” of Aaru Village…

Candace is the guardian of Aaru Village. If anything threatens the village—she will never let it go.]

Su Yuan nodded at this prompt.

So this was likely the condition for Candace’s Eerie state.

It matched almost exactly what he had suspected.

He would inform everyone later so they could be careful.

[77. If possible, you must obtain the power of the Devourer of Divinity (the Dendro Dragon Sovereign), even if only for a single moment.]

Su Yuan frowned slightly as he read the latest information prompt…

Once again, it was the kind of clue urging him to obtain the power of a Dragon Sovereign.

But the biggest problem was this:

Natlan was located to the west of the Sumeru desert, while Apep, the Dendro Dragon Sovereign, was located to the north of the desert…

If he wanted to obtain Apep’s power now, he would have to take a detour.

And most importantly—Apep’s attitude toward humans was not exactly friendly.

If he went to meet her with no preparation…

Would she really be willing to share her essence, allowing him to wield even a portion of a Dragon Sovereign’s power?

So after thinking it over, Su Yuan decided to postpone this task.

He would first head to Natlan—the Nation of the Night— retrieve the information on his left palm, and only then consider seeking the power of Apep.

[78. Be cautious. The Nahida who has been corrupted by the Eerie now knows that you have entered Sumeru, and she will try everything she can to prevent you from leaving. However, the current Nahida seems unable to leave Sumeru City.]

Reading this line, Su Yuan felt cold sweat slide down his back…

Why… Why would Nahida know they had arrived in Sumeru?

Did one of the Eremites reveal their presence?

He quickly realized the truth:

“Nahida” possessed the ability to read minds.

Even if the Eremites had no intention of betraying them, there was no hiding anything from her.

Fortunately, the prompt also said that “Nahida” was currently unable to leave Sumeru City—likely due to some sort of restriction.

That would explain why only Sumeru City had fallen completely.

She wouldn’t show up personally in the desert to stop them— but she would send others, or use indirect methods.

They would have to be prepared.

[79. After surviving the twenty-seventh night, new important information will be unlocked.]

“So tomorrow we’ll get new important intel… I hope, this time, the word ‘important’ will actually mean something.”

Su Yuan sighed, got out of bed, tidied his clothes, and stepped outside to share the new information with his companions.

But the moment he opened the door— He saw Candace returning to Aaru Village, covered in blood, supported by others.

She was gravely injured.

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