After rolling for a certain distance.

Ronald and Catherine lay on the ground for quite some time before both standing up.

When they looked at each other, they found both their faces bruised and battered, looking rather miserable and somewhat amusing.

"When I jumped down, couldn't you have moved a bit aside?"

"Couldn't you avoid bumping into me!"

They both questioned each other almost simultaneously.

But then their eyes met, and hearing the emotions in each other's voice, they instinctively laughed together, eventually not discussing the issue anymore.

Except for lamenting over their clothes, which were forever left on the suspension bridge above.

Ronald and Catherine slightly tidied themselves up and immediately started walking along the suspension bridge, heading downwards to leave.

However, after a few breaths.

Though they could definitely jump onto the trees, they didn't descend from the trees connected to the suspension bridge directly to the ground.

Before stepping into the city engulfed by the dust beast.

Ronald hadn't forgotten the importance of surveying the environment in an unfamiliar situation, so he took advantage of the height his location provided to begin surveying the surroundings.

The situation was slightly surprising.

Although when viewed generally, the city looked somewhat shabby. But upon closer inspection, one would find it still maintained a high degree of integrity. Street layouts and the structural integrity of the buildings, these most important details still retained their former appearances.

Only replacing the original city center.

The black nucleus belonging to the dust beast appeared both peculiar and awkward.

"Ronald, have you noticed any problem?" Catherine asked at this moment.

Ronald succinctly voiced his thoughts:

"The city's overall shape is somewhat different from when we left, mainly due to damage causing many roads to be blocked — this should be the primary terrain challenge brought by the maze."

In just a few words, the rough outline of Hamono was etched in his mind.

Any more observation would just waste time.

So the two of them jumped down from the suspension bridge and finally reached the tree connecting to the ground of Hamono.

Continuing along the not-so-steep branches to reach the ground.

The moment they landed, they could still feel a clear rhythmic vibration underfoot.

This reminded them that they hadn't truly returned to the city of Hamono.

Instead, they were still within the body of the dust beast.

"In any case, the current goal is to approach that black core, let's head out!"

"Let's go."

After a brief chat, Ronald and Catherine began traversing the city turned maze.

Honestly speaking, this maze wasn't highly difficult.

Hamono is located within the city, and its layout itself considered facilitating people's movements rather than making things difficult for the residents, so the regions where one could walk and could not walk were distinctly clear.

Even though many ruins blocked the roads large and small, as long as they progressed roughly in the direction of the roads, Ronald and Catherine could still bypass the obstacles and continue moving forward steadily.

However, in their hearts.

They didn't view this phenomenon with optimism.

Cracking the maze easily is certainly a good thing, but one must understand that this is almost the final part of the entire maze, also the place near the dust beast's body core.

How could a maze in such a place be only of this level of difficulty?

Perhaps in unseen corners, this place hides a significant malice.

The atmosphere was slightly tense, but it didn't stop them from moving forward.

However, what followed was unexpectedly smooth; relying on the overall impression of the city, they moved from the city's edge inward during the next half-hour, covering approximately a third of the distance needed along the entire route.

But during such a long time, they didn't encounter any trouble!

The houses made of trees stood quietly on both sides of the road, yet under the green curtain, no typical forest birds, beasts, or insects came out to accompany them, only under the orderly vibrations, the maze seemed merely a static painting.

Walking here, Ronald and Catherine felt distinctly out of place and uneasy.

"Ronald, now I feel rather uneasy."

At this point, even Catherine was more alert than usual, and her expression was quite grave:

"Although it's my first time playing this kind of game with you, from our earlier experience, I know the rules of these mazes. This scene before us should absolutely not be the final scenario we will experience."

Ronald also nodded solemnly.

However, regarding this city with no reaction, he couldn't offer any more sophisticated insights at the moment:

"Yet it hasn't shown its fierce side."

"So before any danger arrives, all we can do is prepare…"

Plop—

But just as they were talking, a soft sound suddenly emanated in the still city. Amidst the serene backdrop, it stood out sharply, drawing attention.

Ronald and Catherine turned their heads abruptly in almost an exaggerated reaction.

But found there was only an ordinary-looking treehouse, not much different from other places in the city.

Catherine spoke first and offered quite a bold suggestion: 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"Why not take a look?"

Ronald pondered for a few seconds, and this time didn't refute Catherine's idea, instead agreeing with the suggestion.

After continuous adventures and breakthroughs in the maze.

These experiences were affecting their mindset and judgment about matters.

So even knowing the sound was abnormal, Kuo Na De still boldly decided:

"Then let's go over and see—that compared to continuing blindly traversing this city, getting to know where the crisis originates is a better choice, I think."

Though they've made a courageous decision, they haven't forgotten to maintain caution.

Before approaching the sound's source, they first surveyed the surrounding terrain.

Remembering clearly the current location and the most conspicuous urban landmarks before they headed together towards the direction of the sound.

What unfolded before their eyes was a house typical of Hamono.

Ronald pushed open the door to go inside, here still lingering with the chaos and panic of the owner before the war, this could be glimpsed from the slightly messy living room on the floor, and there was even a broken teapot shattered on the ground.

Besides this, they didn't find anything else capable of making a sound.

It seemed that the sound they heard was merely an illusion.

Inside the house, Catherine continued to curiously examine everything around.

While the more experienced Ronald had already crouched, focusing on the fragments of the shattered teapot on the ground.

Not long after, Ronald made a judgment, loudly reminding Catherine:

"Catherine, you should come over and see."

"Just now, someone or something was definitely active here, and it hasn't been long since they left!"