Chapter 134: Aftermath of Disaster

“Ling! Nina!” Wu Qingsong called out loudly as soon as he was able to move.

To him, if anything happened to them, no amount of treasure would mean anything to him.

“Wu!” Ling popped out from a mound of sand not far from him, while Nina softly responded from behind.

“Thank goodness you’re both okay,” Wu Qingsong breathed a sigh of relief. 

The book lay at his feet, hitting him like a stone would.

They had been forcibly pushed into a corridor behind by the shockwave caused by the falling debris, with an onslaught of sand nearly burying them alive.

“What about Sacker and Xeila?” Wu Qingsong thought of them only then.

“I’m here,” came the catwoman’s voice from not too far behind him, tinged with sadness. “Sacker… Sacker must be dead.”

The temple was nearly completely filled with sand, leaving only a small gap at the edges. In such conditions, even with Ling’s ability, digging Sacker out before he suffocated was impossible. Besides, the loose quicksand meant that as they dug, more sand would inevitably fall, making rescue efforts futile.

Sacker had no chance left.

The three of them didn’t know what to say. Nina tried to get up to comfort her, but she shook her head and stepped away.

“Let’s go,” she said to Wu Qingsong and the others. “If we don’t leave now, we’ll have no chance once those gaps are filled.”

Ling took the lead as they hurried back along the gaps between the sands and the temple’s edges. The area beside them was already filled with sand, which continued to surge in. It wouldn’t be long before the place was completely buried.

Quickly, they ascended to the platform that previously required a rope to reach. Much of the sand had spilled into the adjacent corridor, but the wall and the massive stone door ultimately halted its advance.

Looking back, Wu Qingsong saw that the once vast and towering temple had vanished, replaced by endless darkness and the ceaseless whisper of shifting sands.

Sacker’s followers were both shocked and grieved by his death. Xeila confirmed his death as an accident, and given everyone’s worn and dust-covered appearance, there was little left to discuss.

After a night’s rest, they embarked on their journey home, heading directly towards the Nars Oasis to the southeast, following Xeila’s suggestion.

The journey was marked by silence. The sand thieves grieved for their fallen leader, unsure of their future path. Nina, too, seemed lost in thought, speaking little beyond what was necessary for daily exchanges. Though they had gained treasures far exceeding the value of a single soldier, the loss of a faithful companion inflicted a wound no wealth could mend.

Only Wu Qingsong’s houndmen quietly buzzed with excitement, speculating about the value of their haul from the expedition.

Beck believed that even a third of their haul would fetch several thousand gold sols, merely based on the weight of the gold and silver, without considering their antique value. If treated as antiques, the loot could easily reach tens of thousands of gold sols. Another houndman argued it should be valued at over a hundred thousand gold sols.

Their debate escalated until they were both red in the face.

“Quiet!” Wu Qingsong intervened, reprimanding them. “Can’t you show some restraint? Is this really the time for such discussions?”

The extensive caravan halted a few miles from Nars Oasis, seeking a sheltered and concealed spot to set up camp. Nina and her team discreetly returned to inform those who had stayed behind to join them and dispatched messengers to call for additional support.

Days later, dozens of wolfmen with horses arrived stealthily at the location, marking the moment of departure.

“How do you plan to return?” Nina asked.

Wu Qingsong was torn.

During the past few days, he had been diligently learning the script from the book alongside Xeila. The Batiz script, unlike the Elven alphabet, was an intricate amalgamation of pictographs and letters, each symbol bearing a unique significance. The language of the priestly class was particularly arcane and challenging, almost cryptic in nature. Even Xeila, a descendant of the Batiz kingdom, could only partially decipher it through guesswork.

His desire for magic made him realize he should seize every opportunity to learn, aiming at least to grasp the basics.

But he also knew that parting ways with Nina this time meant not knowing when they would see each other again.

In this world, unlike the modern era with its phones, internet, and video calls, where vast distances seem insignificant and meeting someone could be as simple as boarding a flight, traveling from Esola to the territory of the Silver Moon Wolf Clan meant a true expedition over mountains and rivers. Even if the remnants of the insectoid tide were completely eradicated, allowing for the mountain smuggling paths to be reopened, a one-way journey would still exceed ten days. Opting for the northern route or the southern waterway would extend the trip to at least twenty days.

Furthermore, as leaders of their respective forces, opportunities to leave their territories for such a long period were rare.

“I’ll come to Esola to see you once I’ve settled things here,” Xeila suddenly said.

“Really?” This understanding gesture took Wu Qingsong by surprise, filling him with joy.

“You don’t want me to?”

“Of course not. I couldn’t be more welcoming,” Wu Qingsong quickly replied. “In that case, I’ll take the southern route this time.”

Nina let out a quiet sigh.

She had, of course, already discreetly learned from Ling about her rescue. She knew of Wu Qingsong’s efforts, how despite Sacker’s discouragement and interference and facing the threat of death, he had tirelessly worked to pull her back from the brink of death. Moreover, Wu Qingsong’s heartfelt expressions after she awoke, along with his unwavering care and concern, had for the first time truly stirred her heart.

The previous unexpected confession had left her confused, yet she managed to quickly regain her composure after Wu Qingsong’s departure.

However, Ram’s revelations later made her feel as if she had completely understood Wu Qingsong’s character. While she harbored a mix of slight annoyance and disappointment, a more profound sense of relief emerged, alongside a feeling of anger and injustice on Ram’s behalf.

After all, they had both harbored dreams of marital bliss and raising children, even making early vows to let their future children grow up together, just like them.

If Ram truly ended up with Wu Qingsong, it would mean that she had given up on those dreams, a sacrifice that represented the ultimate loss for a woman.

She was willing to align with a womanizing ally. After all, the majority of her allies faced far graver moral shortcomings. For a politician, personal virtues were often sidelined and easily overlooked as long as they didn’t cross her bottom lines.

Yet, the thought of her dear friend being sidetracked or misled was unbearable.

She repeatedly confronted Ram, asking whether Wu Qingsong had mistreated her or if her actions were sacrifices made for political reasons. Should that be the case, she would rather sever ties with such an ally, teach him a hard lesson, and go their separate ways.

But Ram’s responses consistently contradicted her suspicions, eventually leading to an argument between them.

When she visited Tannar to confront Wu Qingsong, she was initially fueled by anger. Yet, Wu Qingsong’s subdued demeanor and his generous offering of treasures to the Silver Moon Wolf Clan mollified her rage, prompting her to conceal it.

Fine, if you’re genuinely willing to be with Ram and treat her sincerely, then I’ll forgive you. Moreover, I’ll do everything within my power to support your happiness together. But, should you dare to mess around and cause Ram pain, I assure you, you will regret it profoundly.

She was meticulous in moderating her approach, keen not to prompt any misjudgments from Wu Qingsong. In a way, she was both assessing and challenging him, gauging whether he truly deserved to be with Ram.

But now…

Something felt amiss.

She continually reminded herself.

No matter the circumstances, betraying Ram was unforgivable. And above all, one must never lose sight of their mission, their duty. As a daughter of the Silver Moon Wolf Clan, as the Moon’s Daughter, she could never be with a half-elf.

Yet, inexplicably, she found herself unable to keep her once calm and straightforward demeanor toward Wu Qingsong.