Chapter 1092: Chapter 61: Return to the Interlayer
“I saw Margaret.”
Lu Li felt the necessity to inform the Holy Light Squad of his discovery.
Even though it was in a ghostly form.
Kiluat instinctively asked, “The underground city? How did you end up there?”
“It was the promotion trial.” Fudote answered for Lu Li. “He failed the trial and then attempted the promotion trial.”
Kiluat was still at a loss with the news Lu Li brought back: “What do you mean by you saw Margaret… What was it?”
Lu Li explained the process of the promotion trial, describing his encounter with Margaret’s spiritual body in the Inner World.
“She’s still alive… She didn’t die…”
Kiluat murmured to himself, eyes gleaming with tearful sparkles under the glow of the fireplace: “Did she talk to you?”
Lu Li shook his head, as Yege poured a bucket of cold water at that moment.
“Then it might not be Margaret.”
If it were Margaret, she wouldn’t have left without saying anything.
“Maybe she couldn’t speak? She must’ve recognized Lu Li, otherwise why throw the treasure over.” Naxi didn’t think so, or perhaps his heart leaned more towards Margaret still being alive.
Regardless, Kiluat had to witness the truth with his own eyes.
“Lu Li, Yege, Naxi, Fudote, I want to explore the underground city… to find Margaret.”
The others did not respond, waiting for Lu Li to make a choice.
“This is your squad.” Lu Li said.
Margaret’s soul preservation wasn’t as simple as it appeared – the underground city hadn’t just turned her into a shell, but all the villagers in the Inner World were twisted outlines of a nightmare, only Margaret remained beautiful and pure, her soul separated from her body.
Did the underground city lord intentionally preserve Margaret’s soul?
Before returning to the underground city, Lu Li replenished the Sequence Potion stocks, opening the treasure clay pot, inside were several vials of Sequence Potion number ninety something, and a set of Homogeneous Tarot Cards.
The Homogeneous Tarot Cards were just what they needed. Fudote took the Tarot Cards, proficient in their use, and performed divination on their upcoming adventure.
Fudote asked Keanu Aite to draw a card, but hesitatingly, Keanu Aite refused, leaving the choice to Lu Li.
Lu Li picked a card from the deck, and Fudote turned it over.
The yellowed card depicted a figure of the Hierophant wearing a gem-studded crown.
“The Hierophant, the card of hope. We are helping a certain entity, symbolizing that the outcome is shrouded in hope, or the actions we are about to take will receive positive feedback.” Said Fudote, as the Hierophant card in their hand burned away like oil paper, leaving no ash.
Representing that their journey would be blessed by the Hierophant card.
And with this set of Homogeneous Tarot Cards, one card was permanently lost.
“The Light Tarot Cards… we got lucky.” Fudote said.
The Light Tarot Cards amplify the effect of the card corresponding to the selector. The smaller the event, the shorter the time, the better the effect. For instance, if the selector draws The Empress Card based on an impending action, The Empress bestows delight of harvest. But if the selector draws The Empress Card for the future, the delight of harvest will be diluted by time.
Therefore, there were only a few inexpensive Sequence Potions in the treasure jar, most of the value was replaced by the Light Tarot Cards.
“What about the task of retrieving the treasure?” Naxi thought at this moment.
Yege answered indifferently, “Don’t bother with that egotist, apply for task failure, anyways, Lu Li already passed the trial.”
Eight credits, eight squad points, and an unknown friendship was aiming to take away the Light Tarot Cards? Yege beside Lu Li sneered.
Merchant Anthony brought back some Sequence Potions, unfortunately no number 19 Potion. With supplies gathered, the Holy Light Squad no longer lingered and set off towards the Shadowy Interlayer.
“Without the Shadow-Hiding Potion, how will we enter the underground city to contact Margaret?”
The Holy Light Squad discussed the details of their mission.
Kiluat looked towards Lu Li, as he was the only one who had entered the underground city.
“First, let’s attempt to contact the underground city.”
Aside from Margaret’s demise, the underground city hadn’t shown obvious hostility.
For instance, when Lu Li emerged from the Inner World, the underground city lord allowed the uninvited guest to leave without doing anything, even exempting Lu Li from being desired.
It either indicated it could think, or something behind Lu Li was more fearful.
Neither theory prevented a trial contact.
A few minutes later, they arrived at the entrance of the underground city, maintaining the simple covering left by Lu Li when he departed.
The underground city lord hadn’t done anything to this gap leading to its territory –
This validated Lu Li’s conjecture.
Just in case, they each took a Guardian Potion and a Revealing Potion, as Fudote released black insects, placing one on each person’s shoulder.
Apart from observation and surveillance, the black insects had abilities similar to the Revealing Potion.
“I’ll go first.”
Kiluat gripped his shield tightly, entering the underground city through the gap first, followed by Lu Li, Yege, Naxi, and Fudote.
Lu Li approached the edge, overlooking the underground city village below, which unbeknownst to him was filled with villagers, gathered in forms of ink stains, assembling into words.
[We are waiting for you to return]
“Who are you.”
The teammates were astonished, while Lu Li calmly inquired, echoing in the underground city.
[They call us the lord of the garden]
The villagers, numb to change, displayed words.
“Why wait for me.”
[We need help and you come from the Great Tree able to help us]
“You know the Great Tree?”
[The guardians of the Great Tree left treasures making my land a hunting ground whereas you are different without slaughter we can cooperate]
Kiluat and the others exhibited odd emotions, while Lu Li remained calm, as cooperating with anomalies wasn’t new to him, and wouldn’t be new again.
“How do you want to cooperate.”
[The land needs vitality we need smart connections reestablished with the old sewers]
“We are looking for someone.”
[Is it her]
Words were missing a part, as Margaret’s shell emerged at the forefront.
Kiluat could barely contain his tears, tightly clutching the shield,
“Yes.”
[As compensation she is returned to you]
Margaret, who left the village alone, approached the Holy Light Squad listlessly.
“And her soul too.” Lu Li said.
The gathered villagers’ words suddenly started to change incessantly –
[She is our beloved]
[She is our leader]
[She is our mind]
[She is our hope]
[She is our treasure]
“Where is she.”
Lu Li interrupted the changing words.
After a brief pause, the villagers retreated, revealing the muddy path leading to the underground city’s core.
Lu Li stepped forward.
“Lu Li…”
Kiluat hesitated to speak, griping the shield and followed, while others followed suit.
Beneath the Revealing Potion’s glow, Margaret’s soul, like a fluorescing beacon, sat on the stone platform, gazing towards them, nodding lightly at Lu Li.
“Margaret!”
Kiluat couldn’t help but call out.
“Kiluat…”
No sound emerged, apart from her name, they couldn’t discern the speech from Margaret’s lip movements.
“The underground city wants to keep you, are you willing?” Lu Li asked.
Everyone understood Margaret’s response from her lip movements.
“I am not willing.”
Lu Li turned to face the accompanying villagers: “She will not stay.”
The numb villagers rustled, and the Holy Light Squad expected an inevitable battle, but Margaret’s shell walked forth, arriving in front of the stone platform.
The underground city agreed to their “unreasonable” demands.
Margaret’s indifferent cheeks showed amazement, raising her palm to touch the shell—straight through.
Her body refused her.