"Mr. Knight, you might want to check and see if there is any crystallization phenomenon inside them."

Fang Hong followed the suggestion, used a dagger to cut open a branch, and indeed found crystallization inside. He placed the red powder in his palm, realizing it was crystal dust, essentially no different from those magic crystals.

Luo Yu's later magic guided reactor malfunction further confirmed this point.

During an casual inspection of his magic guided reactor, Luo Yu noticed the pressure gauge had risen. Although the differences between the two readings were subtle, it caught Fang Hong's attention.

After a thorough check, he discovered that it wasn't an issue with the pressure gauge but rather the ambient magic concentration affecting the reactor's reading. The magic concentration in the Blood Thistle Woods was noticeably higher than outside. Furthermore, after his tests, he noticed that the closer one gets to Aimumu Fortress, the more pronounced this phenomenon becomes.

This made Fang Hong recall the legends about the ancient castle—what exactly had happened there in the past?

However, such massive changes in magic often aren't invisible; they're like the collisions of campaign-level magic, often bringing about significant external changes. But looking at the distant gray-white castle—aside from being in disrepair, there seemed to be no signs of powerful magic left behind.

Yet he didn't mention this to others.

After all, besides Luo Yu, the others probably wouldn't understand what it meant, especially the woodcutters. Moreover, magic abnormalities in this world don't necessarily mean danger, perhaps simply indicating something historic happened there.

Besides, the Blood Thistle Woods anomaly wasn't formed overnight, and this forest had been like this long before they came here, with many others having explored before.

The group continued onward through the forest.

Soon, Elisa, who was scouting ahead, brought back news, having discovered traces left from a campsite in the woods.

Upon reaching the site, they found that it had been abandoned in the wilderness for several days, the originally cleared space now covered again by snow and shrubs, barely noticeable without close inspection.

Once he arrived, Elisa gently pushed aside the blood-like bushes, revealing several makeshift wooden stakes beneath. "At least five tents, Mr. Ade," she whispered to him. "The tent design indicates they're standard medium-sized tents available in the market, Stargate Port products—each can hold four to five people."

She pulled up one of the wooden stakes, handed it to Fang Hong, and added, "Natives usually prefer to make tents themselves to save money; this type of tent is most commonly used by Invokers. Back when Alice and I were Rain Listeners, we often used these small standard tents."

This is the advantage of having a Nightingale in the team.

Not to mention that earlier, when the Clockwork Fairy flew over here, it completely overlooked the campsite under the bushes. Plus, the Clockwork Fairy has magic power limitations, able to monitor battles but incapable of constant vigilance.

And to be able to deduce previous clues from these tiny traces is something even the half-baked 'Scout' Combat Artisan couldn't achieve.

On the other side, snow covered the remains of a long extinguished campfire, and the girl only needed to probe with her hand to tell him that the camp's owners had left at least three days ago.

However, even three days didn't match the time Kuisu's son left the Masongke Creek base.

He summoned Lady Kuisu to inquire about the people who set out with her son to this place, but she was unclear. "I wasn't in town at the time, only finding out afterward," Kuisu answered, her face tinged with worry.

"I heard it was a group from outside looking for a guide in town, and my son was chosen by them."

Fang Hong exchanged a glance with Elisa and the Catfolk, realizing how scant this information was. However, upon asking about their number, he learned the group consisted of only seven or eight people, clearly not matching the campsite's residents.

The camp's owners should be a recently arrived adventure group, predominantly Invokers.

He still found it peculiar: "Is the Blood Thistle Woods really that lively? Lady Kuisu, didn't you say not many people want to come here?"

Kuisu also appeared puzzled; as a seasoned veteran, she picked up a piece of charcoal from the campfire and realized Fang Hong and Elisa spoke the truth. "Indeed, I've been looking for people to enter these woods lately but never heard of such a sizable team already in the Blood Thistle Woods." She spoke while looking ahead, frowning slightly.

However, the camp held no more clues, and finding nothing else, the group moved on.

Though the Aimumu Fortress was visible from here, reaching the valley it resides in would take another two or three hours. Their journey to this place during the night alone took most of the day—

Fang Hong hoped to reach the abandoned ancient castle before noon, spending that day searching for people, then finding a safer place to camp for the night. The next day would be spent continuing to search, aiming to leave by the afternoon.

This way, they only needed to stay here for one night, minimizing potential dangers to the lowest level possible.

He also made an agreement with Kuisu for two days; regardless of whether they found anyone, they had to leave. Two days not only accounted for supplies running out but also coincided with the full moon.

Although by then, snowstorms might obscure their view of the moon from the castle.

...

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