Chapter 721: City of Bones

Fendicasa is far too large for one group to search, so Solomon proposes the obvious solution: split up.

It isn't an entirely foolish idea. Every team is made up of elite members, after all.

Vicky, a Grand Knight, leads Solomon's group, which also includes two Battle Knights and five Knights.

Only Solomon and the two archaeologists lack extraordinary power. Everyone else is an extraordinary professional.

The Lady of Calamity's group is even more impressive.

She is accompanied by four Battle Knights, her beast-eared maid, and an archaeologist.

Henwell's group looks rather modest by comparison.

Besides Miller and his deputy, the group includes Philir, Danny, and two elite men from each of their teams.

Their assigned archaeologist is Abbas, the middle-aged man who has worked with them before.

Fendicasa is extremely remote. Every additional staging base complicates the supply line, and the expedition cannot afford to burn through its provisions.

Only a limited number of people can reach this place, and their time is equally limited.

If they want to explore as much as possible within that time, splitting up is their only choice.

The ruins are undoubtedly dangerous, but most of the explorers are extraordinary professionals with plenty of confidence in their own strength.

At least until they encounter a truly desperate situation, they trust in their own strength.

Henwell's group explores to the left and first enters a building resembling a military depot.

The remains of countless pieces of equipment lie scattered about, worn beyond recognition by the passage of time.

Many bones still lie within the thick-walled stone buildings, along with traces of battle across the walls.

The fighting in Fendicasa once reached the stage of street combat, with the two sides contesting the city house by house.

Henwell can only imagine how brutal the battle here must have been.

Peace Haven is designed along much the same lines.

If an enemy ever breaks into Peace Haven, especially one of the core cities in its various regions, fighting of this intensity will be inevitable.

Peace Haven's towns have been planned for military use from the very beginning.

If that day comes, its orderly streets and tall, sturdy buildings will become graveyards piled with corpses.

The sight leaves Henwell with mixed feelings. It is almost as though he is staring at Peace Haven's future.

Perhaps the cities of Peace Haven will one day suffer a war as brutal as the one that consumed Fendicasa.

The city may die, but it will take its enemies with it.

Apart from murals and fragments of artifacts, they find nothing particularly important.

Abbas alone is excited by such finds. Philir and Danny have little interest in them and grow increasingly restless.

They care far more about gold, silver, and treasure, and their patience is wearing thin.

After exploring several military depots, they finally reach a decorated building whose style differs completely from everything around it.

It appears to have served as the hub for the nearby depots.

Among the piles of bones near the entrance, Philir spots a glint and immediately hurries over with a lamp.

He soon cries out in surprise, drawing everyone's attention.

On a tall skeleton, Philir finds a pouch filled with gemstones of many colors.

He cheers, and the discovery lifts everyone else's spirits as well.

Henwell walks over and holds out his hand. "Let me see them."

Philir's expression stiffens and his face darkens. "I found them. They're mine. This is my loot!"

Henwell says nothing. He simply keeps his hand out and stares at him.

A vicious glint enters Philir's eyes during the brief standoff. Then he notices Miller nearby, one hand resting on his sword hilt.

Philir forces a smile and hands the pouch to Henwell.

After examining the gemstones carefully, Henwell passes them to Abbas. "Take a look."

Philir's anger mounts, but in a place like this, he has no choice but to swallow it.

Abbas turns the oil lamp up as high as it will go and studies the stones beneath its light.

After a while, Abbas looks up. "These... these don't seem to be gemstones at all. They appear to be some kind of artificial crystal."

Philir freezes. "They're worthless?"

Abbas shakes his head. "It isn't a question of whether they're valuable. We don't know what they're used for. Even if they aren't gemstones, they're still artifacts, so they should be worth a great deal."

Henwell adds, "They definitely aren't natural. They're manufactured energy crystals."

"Their design is completely unlike anything humans make. They're also clearer and somewhat harder, which means they can store more energy."

"I suspect they were a form of energy supply carried by the attacking force, perhaps something used by spellcasters of another race."

With that, Henwell tosses the pouch back to Philir. "Keep them safe."

"They're yours. If you want to sell them once we leave, come talk to me."

Philir carefully puts away the walnut-sized crystals. "How much will you pay?"

Henwell shrugs. "I'll only buy one. Sell the rest first. Whatever price they fetch, I'll pay twenty percent more for one of them."

Henwell heads into the building ahead of them.

Philir's discovery has raised everyone's enthusiasm, and they carefully search for anything of value.

Just inside the entrance is a corridor leading to a large hall.

The hall is still filled with bones, as are many of the surrounding rooms.

Before long, more people begin finding objects.

There are bottles of unknown purpose, a small and exquisitely made dagger, and even an ancient-looking shield.

Most discoveries, however, are merely small components that fell from larger objects long ago.

Just as everyone prepares to leave, a distinct tremor suddenly runs through the ground.

Abbas turns pale. "This is bad! The place is collapsing!"

Panic erupts at once, and everyone rushes outside.

Henwell frowns. "Calm down! This city was built as a single integrated structure. It won't collapse that easily!"

Danny, Philir, and the others ignore him. None shows the slightest intention of coming back for Henwell, either.

Miller says quietly, "Whatever is happening, we should move to open ground first."

Just as Henwell and the others reach the corridor, several screams come from outside.

They are followed by angry roars and the sounds of battle, instantly putting Miller and his men on alert.

They draw their swords and close ranks around Henwell and Abbas.

A moment later, Philir and Danny come running back in a panic.

Miller snaps, "What are you doing? Are you turning on us already..."

Before he can finish, Philir shouts, "There are things outside! They... they took Oakes! Jonah is hurt too!"

Miller immediately prepares to lead the others deeper into the building, but Henwell pushes past him. "Let's see what's happening from the entrance first!"

When Philir and Danny still hesitate, Henwell barks, "Fools! Grow a spine. We need to find out what's happening."

"And you need to rescue your companions, not cower in the back like cowards!"