Path of light

Chapter 247 248. Blackwater Swamp

In order to avoid passing through the territory of Lord Alves, Instructor Nora chose a circuitous and difficult road to return to Padstow City.

Guide Margery saw the direction of travel drawn by instructor Nora on the map, and his face was almost wrinkled, like a ball of crumpled draft paper...

"If we go this way, it will not only take twice as long as the original route, but it will also be very risky. Even without the drag of the caravan and the mixed elves, we will ride at full speed on horseback. It is estimated that it will take at least three weeks to return to Pad. Stowe."

"On this road, we will go west along the Griffin Mountains until we reach the edge of the Blackwater Swamp, and then we will turn north..."

"Although we don't enter the Blackwater Swamp, even the edge of the Blackwater Swamp is full of countless poisonous insects and high-level monsters. How many adventure groups in Padstow City want to dig out a piece of cake in the Blackwater Swamp. It's a pity that nine All of them failed, so the Blackwater Swamp is also called the Death Swamp by the elves in Padstow City. Nora, do you really plan to take the three students on this path?"

Guide Margery said to instructor Nora.

According to his original intention, he wanted to pay a tax and go directly through the territory of Lord Alves and return to Padstow City.

This road is safer and easier to walk.

Guide Margery saw that instructor Nora was not moved at all, so he said to her again:

"Otherwise we go east. Although the distance is longer, the journey will not be so dangerous."

Instructor Nora still shook his head and said:

"If we go then, the distance we need to walk will be more than three times the distance we are walking now. It is really too far. We have to return to Castletown before school starts anyway, and who can guarantee that we will be driven away? The natives who go deep into the Pajisto Plateau will not move around on the edge of the plateau. Meeting those natives with only one brain is more troublesome than meeting any monsters, and they are still a bunch of poor people!"

"I am relatively familiar with the conditions in the swamp area, and I also agree to walk through the Blackwater Swamp." Instructor Eleanor said proactively.

Seeing that the other instructors in the adventure group didn't have any doubts, Guide Margery could only compromise.

"Well, since you insist on passing by the edge of the Blackwater Swamp, let's try it." Guide Margery said through gritted teeth.

He was actually very afraid of walking through the Blackwater Swamp, and he didn't even want to recall that nightmare-like road.

But now that the employer insisted on going to the edge of the blackwater swamp, Guide Margery had no choice but to agree.

But that face was full of worry...

…

In this way, the adventure group only stayed in the Barrier Village for one night, and then, under the leadership of the guide Margery, they walked westward along the boundary markers on the edge of the valley.

In order not to enter the territory of Lord Alves, Instructor Nora asked the adventure group to go west almost following the boundary markers.

This time the adventure group did not travel with the caravan. All members rode horses, so they walked a long way along the boundary markers before camping and resting.

Along the way, the adventure group never left the shadow cast by the Barrier Mountains.

On the fifth day after leaving the barrier village, the adventure group was attacked by griffins again, and the two attacks almost happened on the same day.

In these two gryphon hunts, Instructors Nora, Eleanor and Virgil showed almost perfect cooperation.

The three instructors restrained the griffins from the front, while Instructor Gru, Magician Scarlet, and Miss Christine opened fire from behind, leaving behind the corpses of two adult male griffons very easily.

Unfortunately, the fur of this thing is so cheap that everyone has lost a lot of interest in hunting.

The adventure group was always walking in the shadow of the Griffin Barrier Mountains, until the jungle in front of them suddenly became less dense. There were lush aquatic plants in the large jungles, countless waterholes connected with large circles and small circles, and there were many piece of bush.

The mud between the grass showed a dark color, and the guide Margery reined in the reins again, asking everyone to stop.

Seeing the vast space outside the jungle, countless puddles, grass, silt, and shrubs have formed an endless swamp, and occasionally a few ash willows can be seen.

There is no dry soil here, just dark silt.

It is difficult to pull out the boots once they step into them, and the black mud also exudes a strange smell, mixed with some fish smell. Every time you take a step forward, you will feel that maybe with this step, the boots will remain in the footprints.

Instructor Nora jumped off the horse and took two steps forward alone.

When she stepped forward, she stepped into the mud, and her entire thigh was submerged in it. Even though Instructor Nora stretched out her strong hands, she almost fell into it.

However, this swamp was completely silent, and even birds did not fly over the swamp.

"This is the edge of the Blackwater Swamp." Guide Margery reminded him.

Roy followed behind. When he jumped off the horse, his shoes stepped on the grass...

Although there is no water here, if you step on the grass with your feet, within a few seconds, there will be a pool of water in the footprints.

Instructor Eleanor did some reconnaissance in this complex environment, and then told everyone very happily that, as expected, the boundary monument buried by Lord Alves could no longer be found nearby.

There is no doubt that he will have walked out of the territory of Lord Alves before he knew it.

Instructor Nora looked very excited, but she did not enter the Blackwater Swamp from here.

Instructor Nora asked Guide Margery to lead the adventure group back until they found the boundary monument on the west side of the jungle, and then continued north along the route of the boundary monument.

…

The adventure group retreated back the same way until they could barely see the smelly pool in the swamp. There were only grasslands and a small patch of trees connected to each other. Then they found a boundary monument in an obscure place.

This is the intersection of the jungle and the blackwater swamp. Under the grass is some rotten and soft mud.

Solid ground can only be found where trees grow, but these places are often where small beasts and poisonous insects gather.

Roy discovered that the elf warriors who buried the boundary monument did not bury the boundary monument in the swamp for safety reasons.

At least the place where the boundary monument was buried was within the scope of the jungle. Nine horses lined up in a row, led by instructor Eleanor, and walked cautiously into the desolate forest.

Seeing that the adventure group did not really enter the Blackwater Swamp, Guide Margery secretly wiped the sweat from his face.

He let out a sigh of relief. This road was at least better than he thought.

"We will encounter many low-level monsters along the way, but I believe everyone will look at the problem rationally and not blindly chase the low-level monsters that escaped into the Blackwater Swamp..."

Guide Margery warned the instructors in the adventure group with a serious face.

The instructors lowered their heads, frowned, and looked at the wet shoes on their feet.

When everyone lifted their feet, they found several leeches lying on the surface of one boot.

Guide Margery led the horse at the front of the group.

After staying away from the Griffin Barrier Mountains, we finally walked out of the territory occupied by the Griffins...

There are many monster resources on the edge of the Blackwater Swamp. Wind foxes and magic antelopes can be seen almost everywhere. From time to time, you can also see some dire wolves following the one-horned bison.

This place belongs to the jungle and is close to the blackwater swamp, so there are a large number of low-level monsters living there.

Elves never set foot in the Blackwater Swamp. Magical herbs are everywhere here. Digging for some magic herbs is as easy as digging wild vegetables!

Of course, high-level magical herbs such as sun grass and blind grass are still very rare.

The adventure group hunted many low-level monsters along the way, including the cunning wind fox and the lightning-fast magic antelope...

If instructor Nora hadn't urged everyone to hurry up every day, maybe the adventure group would have gained more.