Chapter 205 ·Finally Out

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍disgusting sensation of stepping on rotten flesh beneath their feet finally disappeared.

In ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍its place was slightly firm soil mixed with gravel.

Lilia ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍let out a long breath, expelling the accumulated stench from her lungs. After walking a few more steps forward, even the lighting became noticeably more normal.

“We’re ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍out.”

Little ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Red collapsed onto the ground with a thud. Her red cloak was no longer recognizable in its original color, now covered in mud stains and tree sap. She panted heavily.

Lilia ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍brushed off her skirt with visible disgust.

Turning back to look—

The Dark Forest behind them was still shrouded in a thick layer of gray mist.

At the very edge of the forest, several crooked dead trees still had a few semi-transparent grayish-white sacs hanging from them. These were clearly abandoned half-finished products of the Immortality Society, swaying gently in the breeze. The black liquid inside them continued to bubble, a nauseating sight.

“Leaving these things here is just asking for trouble.”

Lilia frowned.

Her obsessive tendencies kicked in.

“Bulara, you—”

She was about to order that free laborer around, but on second thought, that puppet only executed commands mechanically. If she really sent her to clean this up, it would probably turn into an even more bloody and grotesque mess.

Forget it—do it herself.

She raised her left hand and lightly rubbed her thumb and middle finger together.

Dozens of meters away—

The grotesque cocoons hanging from the treetops, along with the dead trees serving as their incubators, suddenly froze for a split second. Then, they began to disintegrate.

“……”

Little Red, who was sitting on the ground, opened her mouth into a perfect “O” shape. Any thoughts of slacking off instantly vanished.

She scrambled up with both hands and feet, quickly straightening her filthy red hood.

“Let’s go.”

Lilia was quite satisfied with the cleaning effect of her move.

She turned around, her gaze passing over the buffer zone ahead and extending toward the distance.

Wind.

A breeze carrying the scent of fresh grass blew straight toward her.

At the end of this eerie and terrifying Dark Forest, there was unexpectedly a vast, boundless grassland.

Waist-high purple-red magical grass rolled like waves in a violet sea under the wind, stretching endlessly to the horizon. In the distance, several magical beasts with enormous bone wings circled low in the sky, occasionally letting out long, drawn-out cries. Instead of sounding harsh, they added a desolate beauty to the open landscape.

Lilia froze.

Before transmigrating, even when she occasionally traveled, it was always to overcrowded tourist hotspots. When had she ever seen such untouched grandeur?

After transmigrating, it was even worse.

A place like the Palace of Eternal Night had nothing but black stone everywhere—its aesthetic was extremely monotonous and hardcore. The garden of that woman Hera was filled with man-eating plants, and her pets were three-headed dogs. After staying there for too long, Lilia had almost forgotten what normal scenery looked like.

“It’s really beautiful…”

Lilia couldn’t help but murmur.

For a brief moment, she even had the impulse to roll around in the grass or just lie down and take a nap. If she could have an ice-cold cola and a barbecue grill right now, the quality of life here would completely crush her days of toiling like a beast in the Palace of Eternal Night.

“So this is what freedom tastes like?”

Lilia took a deep breath—only to be choked by a gust of cold wind.

“Cough cough cough!”

That fleeting poetic sentiment was instantly shattered.

Bulara had somehow appeared beside her, those emotionless eyes staring straight ahead.

“The time limit given by Her Majesty is running short.”

Lilia rolled her eyes.

This damn puppet really knew how to ruin the mood.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Why are you rushing me?”

She waved her hand impatiently, stuffing that brief surge of sentimentality back down.

Raising her hand to shade her eyes, she gazed toward the end of the grassland.

There, a black shadow stretched across the horizon.

It wasn’t a cloud.

It was a mountain range.

A mountain range so tall it seemed capable of piercing the sky.

Even from this distance, Lilia could feel the overwhelming pressure it exuded. The mountains were entirely black, devoid of any vegetation, like the corpse of a colossal dragon sprawled across the earth. The peaks were perpetually shrouded in an unending black storm, with flashes of lightning tearing through the clouds.

The Sighing Mountains.

The natural barrier of the far northern Demon Realm. Beyond that range lay the so-called forbidden zone of life—the Black Sea.

“That’s the Sighing Mountains?” Lilia asked a redundant question.

She narrowed her eyes.

Ever since the fusion of the two seeds within her body, her perception of the world had changed.

Before, seeing something was just seeing it.

Now, when she looked at that mountain range, she could perceive something else.

It felt as if the entire mountain range was breathing.

Lilia frowned.

“What’s wrong?” Little Red immediately grew nervous, her ears standing straight up. “Is there food? Or monsters?”

“More troublesome than monsters.”

Lilia said softly.

She turned to look at Bulara, who had remained silent.

“Has there been any abnormal geological activity in the Sighing Mountains recently? Like… landslides? Or earthquakes?”

Lilia already had a rough guess in mind.

Could it be those lunatics from the Immortality Society again? First conducting bio-experiments in the forest, and now digging into mountains?

“Let’s go.”

Lilia made a decisive call.

She had originally wanted to relax on the grass for a bit, but clearly she didn’t have that luxury. If something really went wrong, that tyrant Hera would definitely pin the blame on her for incompetence.

“Pick up the pace.”

With a wave of her hand, Lilia took the lead and stepped into the sea of purple grass.

Though unwilling a hundred times over, Little Red could only follow with a tearful face under the intimidation of Lilia’s earlier “disappearance trick.”

The wind grew stronger.

The once gentle breeze now carried a sharp, cutting sting against their faces.

The purple blades of grass rubbed against each other, producing a rustling sound.

As they listened—

Lilia suddenly stopped.

Something wasn’t right.

This wasn’t the sound of grass brushing together.

It was too dense. Too rhythmic.

It sounded more like countless tiny feet rapidly crawling across the ground.

“Stop.”

Lilia barked.

“What is it now, ancestor? My legs are about to fall off—” Little Red’s complaint cut off abruptly, like a duck having its throat squeezed.

She stared at the ground in terror.

The once-solid soil was now bubbling like boiling porridge.

It wasn’t the earth moving.

It was countless nail-sized black beetles, their bodies glossy and dark, emerging from beneath the grass roots. They covered the ground densely like a black carpet, surging toward them at incredible speed.