Raymond quietly stared at the dancing flames before speaking.

"It’s odd."

The fire reflected faintly in his eyes as he continued.

"It’s as if they simply disappeared into thin air."

Neither Rowan nor Lyra answered immediately.

They had spent the entire day searching the assigned area.

There were no signs of Dark Beings.

No traces of cultists.

Not even the remains of a recent battle.

It was as though the reports they had received belonged to a completely different forest.

Rowan folded the map before placing it beside his backpack.

"Well, it doesn’t really matter."

He looked toward the dark forest beyond the campfire.

"We’re only responsible for this sector. If we don’t find anything here, there’s always a chance another team will discover something in theirs."

His tone remained calm and practical.

"There are over two hundred adventurers searching the border. Someone is bound to uncover a lead sooner or later."

Lyra nodded in agreement.

"Exactly. Worrying about something we can’t control won’t help us."

She stretched her arms before letting out a long yawn.

"I don’t know about you two, but I’m exhausted."

Rowan stood up and picked up his sword.

"We should get some rest."

His gaze swept across the surrounding forest one last time.

"I’ll take the first watch."

Raymond nodded.

"Wake me after your shift."

"I’ll take the last one," Lyra added as she crawled into the tent.

"Just don’t wake me too early."

Rowan chuckled.

"No promises."

The campsite gradually fell quiet.

The fire continued to crackle softly, its warm glow pushing back the darkness surrounding the clearing.

Rowan stood near the edge of the camp, his sword resting against his shoulder as he silently watched the forest.

Inside the tent, Lyra quickly drifted to sleep.

Raymond remained seated by the fire for a few moments longer.

His eyes lingered on the dancing flames.

Something still felt wrong.

Too quiet.

Too peaceful.

The mission itself seemed to have reached a dead end.

Yet, instead of feeling relieved, the uneasiness in his chest only grew stronger.

After a while, he let out a slow breath and finally lay down inside the tent.

Tomorrow—

Perhaps they would finally find the answers they were searching for.Raymond quietly stared at the dancing flames before speaking.

"It’s odd."

The fire reflected faintly in his eyes as he continued.

"It’s as if they simply disappeared into thin air."

Neither Rowan nor Lyra answered immediately.

They had spent the entire day searching the assigned area.

There were no signs of Dark Beings.

No traces of cultists.

Not even the remains of a recent battle.

It was as though the reports they had received belonged to a completely different forest.

Rowan folded the map before placing it beside his backpack.

"Well, it doesn’t really matter."

He looked toward the dark forest beyond the campfire.

"We’re only responsible for this sector. If we don’t find anything here, there’s always a chance another team will discover something in theirs."

His tone remained calm and practical.

"There are over two hundred adventurers searching the border. Someone is bound to uncover a lead sooner or later."

Lyra nodded in agreement.

"Exactly. Worrying about something we can’t control won’t help us."

She stretched her arms before letting out a long yawn.

"I don’t know about you two, but I’m exhausted."

Rowan stood up and picked up his sword.

"We should get some rest."

His gaze swept across the surrounding forest one last time.

"I’ll take the first watch."

Raymond nodded.

"Wake me after your shift."

"I’ll take the last one," Lyra added as she crawled into the tent.

"Just don’t wake me too early."

Rowan chuckled.

"No promises."

The campsite gradually fell quiet.

The fire continued to crackle softly, its warm glow pushing back the darkness surrounding the clearing.

Rowan stood near the edge of the camp, his sword resting against his shoulder as he silently watched the forest.

Inside the tent, Lyra quickly drifted to sleep.

Raymond remained seated by the fire for a few moments longer.

His eyes lingered on the dancing flames.

Something still felt wrong.

Too quiet.

Too peaceful.

The mission itself seemed to have reached a dead end.

Yet, instead of feeling relieved, the uneasiness in his chest only grew stronger.

After a while, he let out a slow breath and finally lay down inside the tent.

Tomorrow—

Perhaps they would finally find the answers they were searching for.Raymond quietly stared at the dancing flames before speaking.

"It’s odd."

The fire reflected faintly in his eyes as he continued.

"It’s as if they simply disappeared into thin air."

Neither Rowan nor Lyra answered immediately.

They had spent the entire day searching the assigned area.

There were no signs of Dark Beings.

No traces of cultists.

Not even the remains of a recent battle.

It was as though the reports they had received belonged to a completely different forest.

Rowan folded the map before placing it beside his backpack.

"Well, it doesn’t really matter."

He looked toward the dark forest beyond the campfire.

"We’re only responsible for this sector. If we don’t find anything here, there’s always a chance another team will discover something in theirs."

His tone remained calm and practical.

"There are over two hundred adventurers searching the border. Someone is bound to uncover a lead sooner or later."

Lyra nodded in agreement.

"Exactly. Worrying about something we can’t control won’t help us."

She stretched her arms before letting out a long yawn.

"I don’t know about you two, but I’m exhausted."

Rowan stood up and picked up his sword.

"We should get some rest."

His gaze swept across the surrounding forest one last time.

"I’ll take the first watch."

Raymond nodded.

"Wake me after your shift."

"I’ll take the last one," Lyra added as she crawled into the tent.

"Just don’t wake me too early."

Rowan chuckled.

"No promises."

The campsite gradually fell quiet.

The fire continued to crackle softly, its warm glow pushing back the darkness surrounding the clearing.

Rowan stood near the edge of the camp, his sword resting against his shoulder as he silently watched the forest.

Inside the tent, Lyra quickly drifted to sleep.

Raymond remained seated by the fire for a few moments longer.

His eyes lingered on the dancing flames.

Something still felt wrong.

Too quiet.

Too peaceful.

The mission itself seemed to have reached a dead end.

Yet, instead of feeling relieved, the uneasiness in his chest only grew stronger.

After a while, he let out a slow breath and finally lay down inside the tent.

Tomorrow—

Perhaps they would finally find the answers they were searching for.Raymond quietly stared at the dancing flames before speaking.

"It’s odd."

The fire reflected faintly in his eyes as he continued.

"It’s as if they simply disappeared into thin air."

Neither Rowan nor Lyra answered immediately.

They had spent the entire day searching the assigned area.

There were no signs of Dark Beings.

No traces of cultists.

Not even the remains of a recent battle.

It was as though the reports they had received belonged to a completely different forest.

Rowan folded the map before placing it beside his backpack.

"Well, it doesn’t really matter."

He looked toward the dark forest beyond the campfire.

"We’re only responsible for this sector. If we don’t find anything here, there’s always a chance another team will discover something in theirs."

His tone remained calm and practical.

"There are over two hundred adventurers searching the border. Someone is bound to uncover a lead sooner or later."

Lyra nodded in agreement.

"Exactly. Worrying about something we can’t control won’t help us."

She stretched her arms before letting out a long yawn.

"I don’t know about you two, but I’m exhausted."

Rowan stood up and picked up his sword.

"We should get some rest."

His gaze swept across the surrounding forest one last time.

"I’ll take the first watch."

Raymond nodded.

"Wake me after your shift."

"I’ll take the last one," Lyra added as she crawled into the tent.

"Just don’t wake me too early."

Rowan chuckled.

"No promises."

The campsite gradually fell quiet.

The fire continued to crackle softly, its warm glow pushing back the darkness surrounding the clearing.

Rowan stood near the edge of the camp, his sword resting against his shoulder as he silently watched the forest.

Inside the tent, Lyra quickly drifted to sleep.

Raymond remained seated by the fire for a few moments longer.

His eyes lingered on the dancing flames.

Something still felt wrong.

Too quiet.

Too peaceful.

The mission itself seemed to have reached a dead end.

Yet, instead of feeling relieved, the uneasiness in his chest only grew stronger.

After a while, he let out a slow breath and finally lay down inside the tent.

Tomorrow—

Perhaps they would finally find the answers they were searching for

his chest only grew stronger.

After a while, he let out a slow breath and finally lay down inside the tent.

Tomorrow—

Perhaps they would finally find the answers they were searching for.