Chapter 61: The Kids Are Scared Stiff

Regardless, Mervant still managed to complete the sled and harness within two days. And since he was making it for himself, he could adjust the harness's fit and comfort as he worked.

Alas… The image of a saw-wielding horse appeared in his head again.

Meanwhile, the others were also kept busy during these two days.

Liu Ji was busy caring for the psychological wellbeing of the little potatoes. Ever since witnessing Yaine burn that terrifying monster to a crisp, these potatoes had become rather withdrawn.

Currently, Liu Ji couldn't be certain if they were more scared of the monster or Yaine, but the little potatoes huddled together in the basket all the time, refusing to come out… though the only exception was when there were leftovers to eat.

The others had only recently discovered that the potatoes could actually eat. And this method of eating—smearing food on their bodies instead of using mouths—left everyone giving Liu Ji strange looks as if wondering if he could eat the same way.

Yaine and Osar continued to try and capture more swamp monsters. During the two days, Yaine developed two more advanced traps though yielded nothing. At one point, Osar, in a desperate move, stuck his hand into the swamp as bait, much to everyone's alarm, but nothing happened either.

It seemed the swamp monsters were utterly cowed and didn't dare have a peep, let alone appear.

Girunini had been acting strange lately, often standing alone on the stone wall, her eyes glowing a faintly red as she scanned the swamp. When asked what she was doing, she would only reply that she was confirming something but hadn't gotten any results yet. Worried she might end up like Osar, Calidora had been keeping a close eye on her.

With Mervant's sled finally ready, it was time for everyone to depart. They restocked supplies, packed up, and used the map and the bridge ruins to orient themselves before boarding the sled.

To ease the burden, Mervant made the sled long but not too big, allowing them to lie down if needed. Spreading his wings, Mervant strapped on the harness.

Hmm… Everything about this just feels wrong…

He glanced back at Liu Ji and raised a thumb. Liu Ji understood the signal and handed the basket of potatoes to Osar. Then, he gradually turned transparent until he became completely invisible.

Moments later, a liquid mass coalesced into a vaguely human shape. While elemental spirits are inherently formless, Liu Ji preferred a humanoid form for better control over the element.

With a push of his hands, a stream of water appeared beneath the sled, moistening the swampy terrain ahead. Liu Ji also enveloped the sled's base in a layer of water to make it slide more smoothly.

Logically speaking, it ought to make the movement smoother. In any case, Liu Ji had done what he could, and the rest was up to Mervant.

Mervant took a deep breath and shook his head to rid his mind of the saw-wielding horse. Then, he spread his wings, pulled the harness, and lifted off.

————

————

The journey to Swirling Mire City went much smoother than expected. While they did encounter monsters attempting to attack with black tendrils, Yaine's quick dispatching of magic kept them at bay while no dangerous entities like the one from before showed up.

Mervant, however, was exhausted. Despite Liu Ji's helping him lubricate the path, protruding plants and rocks caused quite a lot of disruption, resulting in him having to take frequent breaks from time to time.

Calidora offered to help, but as everyone predicted, Mervant stubbornly refused. Her offers only made him push himself harder. Eventually, Calidora stopped suggesting it and focused on casting blessings and speed spells on Mervant, which ironically sped up their journey.

In just five days, they crossed the vast swamp, arriving at the rumored entrance to Swirling Mire City—Sacred Earth Deity Plaza.

According to information provided by Myza, a colossal statue of the Earth Deity Kaga, whom Earthwalkers worshiped, stood here. A massive hemispherical building, serving as a guest house for visitors, supposedly stood beneath the statue, with the great spiral staircase leading to the underground city inside it.

Myza mentioned that it used to be bustling, with a beautiful stone plaza filled with vendors selling exotic goods and food. Had he not been bound to the desert, he would have surely visited it often.

But… Liu Ji sighed, looking at the desolate scene before him. "You'd be disappointed if you came."

They had indeed reached the plaza, with its vast stone expanse and the hemispherical building still intact…

Just that the place was overgrown and in disrepair. The stone plaza was littered with cracks of all sizes, and there were two gaping holes in the hemispherical building, now covered by moss and vines.

As for the grand statue, only a single leg remained; the rest of it was missing.

The once vibrant scene Myza described was nowhere to be found. Not a single living creature was in sight, let alone vendors.

"It's really desolate, huh?" Mervant said, removing his harness and slumped to the ground, panting. "Sigh… Seems like the city below must be in bad shape."

"Indeed." Osar came to his side with a worried look on his face. "If the city's gone, we might have to leave right away."

"You big cat!" Mervant glared at him. "Can't you say something positive instead?"

"Haha, my apologies. I was just following your lead." Osar laughed, squatting down and handing Mervant a water skin.

With the abundance of water elements around, Mervant didn't hold back; he laid on the ground and poured water all over his face after drinking his fill.

Suddenly Calidora's alarmed cry broke the stillness of the place.

Slightly panicking, Osar scrambled to his back basket for a look. Inside, the little potatoes were lying motionless, eyes wide open, sprawling haphazardly.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read