Chapter 389: Heading to Silvermoon City

Reese firmly believed Helag was alive, but she hadn’t expected his return so soon.

Helag’s last known location was deep in the polluted zone, a place where returning usually took years.

After Helag reassured Reese of his safety, she felt relieved, no longer considering a journey to the polluted zone, but simply waiting for his return.

Helag then caught up with Reese about events following his departure, gaining a general understanding.

After his teleportation to the polluted zone, Seranthiel began investigating the slum incident.

The incident had significant impact, with vines spreading across 70-80% of Silvermoon City, causing sinkholes and building collapses.

After thorough investigation, Seranthiel finally understood the purpose of the array beneath the slums.

Learning the array’s teleportation function, everyone was shocked.

If activated, the array would have sent all of Silvermoon City to the Abyssal Plane.

Not only that, but it would open a stable planar passage, allowing Abyssal entities to reach the wizard plane.

Such an event would have dire consequences.

No one expected Franz, seemingly low-key in the slums, to be plotting such a monumental scheme.

Seranthiel then launched a thorough investigation, capturing all of Franz’s associates without exception.

However, a troublesome issue remained: many slum residents were either passively or actively becoming Abyssal cultists.

Many were unwittingly led to worship the evil god, unaware of their allegiance.

After much deliberation, Seranthiel decided to treat those thoroughly indoctrinated as cultists.

For those not fully converted, they used potions to cleanse Abyssal influences, gradually restoring them to normalcy.

Though labor-intensive, this spared many lives.

Conventional cultist treatment would have resulted in mass executions in the slums.

Such actions were unacceptable in the Land of Dawn, even drawing criticism from other wizard organizations.

Additionally, many didn’t intentionally become cultists, prompting Seranthiel to change its approach.

With so many in the slums, including the elderly and children, mass execution was unfeasible.

Subsequent investigations suggested the slum residents were Franz’s intended “sacrifices.”

Helag’s intervention disrupted Franz’s plans, preventing his scheme’s success.

Regarding Helag, Seranthiel issued alerts across the Land of Dawn, but received no responses.

When Helag’s location was traced to the polluted zone, Pruis and others doubted his return.

When Helag’s signal vanished, most assumed he was dead.

However, he wasn’t declared dead, only missing, so his rights weren’t revoked.

Typically, such cases waited decades before revoking rights.

Helag’s return within months meant his rights remained intact.

After updating Reese, Helag replied to other messages.

Those still messaging him were close contacts.

No messages came from the Barren Lands, as they were unaware of events.

Reese hadn’t informed them of Helag’s disappearance, only contacting Asna, Shatia, and others.

Reese’s belief in Helag’s survival stemmed from Asna and Shatia’s continued existence.

She knew they were Helag’s contracted servants; their survival indicated his.

Reese deduced Helag was alive in the polluted zone, driving her determination to find him.

If Helag lived, there was hope of rescuing him.

Each passing minute reduced Helag’s chances of survival.

However, Seranthiel refused to send many into the zone for one liquefied wizard, leaving Reese powerless.

The slum cultist investigation continued, but Helag’s case was closed.

Three days later, Helag boarded an airship to Silvermoon City.

During the wait, he dined with Brad, forming a connection and exchanging communication stone contacts.

Using Brad’s influence, Helag borrowed books on the polluted zone from Silver Beach’s library.

Normally, Helag lacked the clearance, but Brad’s help bypassed restrictions.

Helag recorded the information for later study.

“Mr. Brad, let me know if you visit Silvermoon City,” Helag smiled.

Brad waved from the airship deck, “Don’t worry, I’ll expect a meal from you in Silvermoon.”

Though their acquaintance was brief, they got along well.

Despite being a second-level wizard, Brad was down-to-earth, treating Helag as an equal.

He found Helag’s vast knowledge impressive, even humbling for a seasoned wizard like himself.

“I wonder how this young man acquired such immense knowledge…” Brad mused as the airship departed.

Helag stood by a large window, watching Silver Beach shrink below, contemplating many things.

He was in a luxurious, spacious room, the airship’s most opulent suite.

Such a suite was expensive, especially for a long journey, costing a fortune.

Helag initially avoided extravagance, preferring to save magic stones for cultivation.

To him, external comforts were irrelevant; a small room sufficed.

However, Brad’s connections secured the suite for a mere 2,000 magic stones.