Chapter 398: Sharing News

"It worked well." Zura nodded with a smile. "Her condition improved considerably just from eating three portions."

"I see," Soren muttered, thinking, ’Then I should cook for her again. And add some healing elixir to improve its healing effects.’

"...Do you want to meet her?" Ethea asked as she swallowed another scoop of stew. "I can arrange a meeting if you like. In fact... she actually mentioned wanting to meet you."

Zura chimed in, setting her spoon down as a playful smirk spread across her face. "You have no idea, Mr. Soren. Our Lea is a total cunning fox. She charmed my poor student completely and got her to start calling her ’Big Sister’ on their very first meeting! Now the two of them are practically as close as real sisters."

Ethea flushed slightly, giving Zura a look of mild protest, though a fond smile remained on her lips. "I didn’t force her or anything. She was just very sweet and easy to get along with."

"Is that so?" Soren chuckled softly at the exchange and offered Ethea another spoon of stew. "Then I suppose I will definitely have to meet this new little sister of yours soon."

"Mm." Ethea smiled brightly and added mentally. ’Let’s meet our sweet little sister together.’

’...Yes, our little sister,’ Soren chuckled and took a few spoons himself.

"By the way, did anything worth mentioning happen when I was in seclusion?" Soren inquired. Although eleven days wasn’t that long, anything could have happened in the outside world in that time.

"Nothing that directly affects us or is worth getting concerned about," Zura answered, taking a sip of water. "Though if you just want some interesting news, there are a few things going on."

Soren nodded, gesturing for her to continue.

"For starters, the freshman entrance exams will be starting soon," Zura explained, leaning back a little. "The entire campus is going to be incredibly busy and lively over the next few weeks with all the new applicants rushing in from all over the continent."

Soren nodded quietly in agreement. ’A new class of freshmen means a new batch of prodigies and geniuses. Perhaps I can find a few talented individuals worth investing in when the time comes.’

As the thought crossed his mind, a familiar face unexpectedly surfaced in his memories, prompting a quick smile. ’I should probably drop by and meet him again, too.’

"...I heard there are quite a few remarkable prodigies among this year’s batch. Several prominent noble houses and renowned Awakened have sent their youngest talents here. The competition is going to be far fiercer than usual. Besides, the summer vacation will end by the end of the entrance exam. So the upper-year students should start returning soon as well."

She took a few bites of her food, letting the news settle for a second before continuing. "Speaking of news... are you interested in Hunter-related matters as well?"

Soren raised his eyes to meet hers and nodded. "Go on."

"First, it’s related to the Obsidian Abyss," Zura said, her expression turning solemn. "One of the strongest Guilds in Khorvath Continent, Black Moon, is assembling a massive expedition party to head into the depths. Publicly, their stated motive is to explore the deadly gate, recover the fallen explorers’ remains and belongings, and bring peace to the unsettled spirits trapped inside."

Soren raised a brow, his interest piqued instantly. Since Ryan had told him the Tower of Apocalypse might be the key to uncovering the truth behind everything, he had suspected other 9th Circle Gates might be related in some way, too. So any information about them was useful for him.

"However, rumors circulating through the upper circles suggest otherwise. Word is that they uncovered the location of a powerful artifact, said to guarantee a cultivator’s progression straight into the 9th Circle without bottlenecks or failure."

"...Allure of becoming a Paragon must be quite high," Soren said with a thoughtful hum. "Though seeking it inside the Obsidian Abyss is nothing short of reckless. I heard that gate is far more deadly than even the upper floors of the Tower of Apocalypse."

"I agree with you," Zura nodded grimly, resting her chin on her palm. "Navigating those abyssal depths is outright suicidal. But I think I know why they are doing it."

"Oh?"

"The Guild Master of the Black Moon is the one who needs that treasure. He has been stranded at the peak of the 8th Circle for over two decades now, and his bottleneck refuses to budge. To make matters worse, he also has a serious injury from an old battle, and his remaining lifespan shrinks noticeably with each passing year, leaving him with no other choice but to make one last desperate gamble."

"...Desperation makes even the wisest leaders act recklessly," Ethea remarked gently, her eyes reflecting a faint sadness for the man’s plight. "He is putting not only himself but numerous lives in danger as well. And even if he manages to reach the treasure, he might get backstabbed by his own ambitious subordinates, or find rival factions and evil forces lying in wait outside to butcher him and steal the treasure the moment he steps out. And... if it ends up falling into the hands of evil, it will bring nothing short of a catastrophe to the entire continent or even the whole world."

"Indeed." Zura narrowed her eyes. "The bloodbath waiting outside the gate will likely be far worse than the monsters inside."

"...I think the powerhouses in the region must know this too and will probably make their own preparations," Soren said calmly, setting his teacup down. "And that Guild Master isn’t probably a fool either; he undoubtedly foresees the ambush and has contingencies in place. Let’s hope nothing bad happens, and it resolves without spilling over to others, including us."

"Agreed." Zura nodded. "In fact, it’s better if they get scared and cancel it altogether or at least postpone it until they are better prepared."

"We should definitely keep an eye on the news about it, then," Ethea chimed in softly, her eyes turning toward Soren.

Soren made a mental note to monitor the developments surrounding the Black Moon Guild’s expedition before looking back at Zura. "And what about the other news you mentioned?"

"This one is actually related in a way," Zura replied, leaning in slightly. "The Emperor himself made a rare public appearance and delivered a grand speech about eradicating the Outcasts and all evil organizations lurking in the shadows. He publicly rewarded several high-ranking individuals and groups who actively participated in the recent extermination, and at the end, he announced that the Empire will soon launch a widespread purge against any remaining evil factions within its borders."

"I see," Soren muttered, slightly surprised. "But... won’t making such a grand public announcement just alert those evil factions in advance?"

Zura nodded in agreement. "I thought so too. It seems foolish to announce a strike before carrying it out. Now, those groups will either go into hiding, flee to neighboring nations, or worse, get desperate and commit atrocities out of spite. But since it is the Emperor behind the decision, there must be more to it than meets the eye. Well, I hope so."

Soren nodded thoughtfully, resting his chin on his hand. "Perhaps there is a deeper strategy behind it... Like the public threat could be a ploy to force hidden factions into making a careless move."

"...You might be close to the mark, dear," Ethea said thoughtfully, a soft gleam of intelligence in her eyes. "The Empire took over a week to make this public announcement after the initial extermination of the Outcasts. That delay suggests they were actively using that time to seal off borders and lay traps across the border and key regions. By announcing it now, they leave the villains with nowhere to run except directly into those prepared nets."

She paused, taking a gentle sip of the tea Soren held for her before continuing.

"This must have been a direct warning to local lords and leaders to heighten their security and stay vigilant against desperate retaliation too. And beyond that, the Emperor undoubtedly wanted to boost the public’s morale and reassure the citizens that the Empire stands firm."

"..." Zura stared at Ethea for a moment, her eyes wide with admiration, before her face suddenly broke into a brilliant, cheeky grin. "Hehe, so smart~ As expected of my bookworm bestie!"

Without missing a beat, she leaned across her seat and threw her arms around Ethea, pulling her into a tight hug and affectionately rubbing her cheek against Ethea’s.

Soren couldn’t help but smile at the lively sight, taking another sip of his tea as the dining room filled with their familiar banter.

Ethea flushed softly under the sudden physical affection, though her lips curled up into a fond, teasing smile. "Perhaps you should have spent more time reading books instead of sleeping during classes back then, Zura."

Zura pulled back just enough to puff out her cheeks, replying without batting an eye, "Hey! I read books too! Just... not as much as you..."