Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 1400: Strange Traces Found?
The Cloud Whale Sky Island, like a cautious behemoth, slowly descended from the dark blue and pale green mist. Corrosive air hissed at the edge of the pristine domain erected by Ietta, as if countless unseen tongues were licking the barrier. Ringo unfolded the map provided by Cheryl; the edges of the parchment curled slightly in the damp, decaying air.

“The first location, Sulfurfire Canyon.” He pointed to a twisted mark on the map, the winding, serpentine route allowing one to imagine the canyon’s complex terrain and harsh environment just by looking at the paper map.

This canyon, named after sulfur and fire, is a geothermally active area. It is said that even the rocks breathe. Members of the Jihad Army once detected "incredible energy fluctuations" here. They also discovered a kind of morbid and beautiful corrosive crystal growing in the rock walls deep in the canyon. Between the crystals, a deep red light can be faintly seen flashing regularly like a pulse. Its ominous appearance is very easy to associate with the blood of the legendary evil dragon.

Due to the high temperature, hot air, and corrosive acid, the member found it difficult to go deep and explore further. However, according to him, when the scorching wind subsided briefly, he would sometimes hear a thumping sound coming from the end of the canyon, as if there really was a huge, slowly beating heart inside this strange, rugged rock mountain.

The various strange phenomena made it the prime suspect. Since it was their first exploration, Ling didn't follow the initial plan of dividing the group into several teams to explore separately. Instead, he led a team himself, along with several calm and collected members, such as Xino, the Countess, and the accompanying support members, Yanor and the dark elf Kalia. With Ietta's help, the group landed on the surface and proceeded cautiously. As for the Cloud Whale Sky Island and their companions, they remained floating in the sky, in case of unforeseen circumstances.

The air was thick with the pungent smell of sulfur, making it feel like you were on the edge of a volcano about to erupt, each breath a burning, stinging sensation. Thankfully, a certain magical alchemist was there, thoughtfully creating gas filters and protective gear against the acid fumes, thus sparing them from the torment of breathing.

On a side note, the alchemist, in order to test the effectiveness of the props, had Ietta temporarily release the barrier so that she could personally experience the harsh external environment without any protective measures. She only stayed for three minutes before retreating in a sorry state, complaining that the smell was "like boiling a thousand failed alchemical cauldrons and rotten sea urchin entrails together for two hundred years." She then hurriedly went to take a bath, becoming the first member to suffer trauma during this exploration, albeit psychologically.

"Watch your step," Yanor calmly reminded him. "The rock structure here is very unstable."

As if to prove his point, a fist-sized boulder broke off from the rock face, rolled into a hissing crack, and vanished instantly. Whether it fell deep into the crack or was simply evaporated by the heat, it seemed to symbolize the danger of this area.

The crumbling rock formations created an extremely unstable swaying sensation, and the occasional glistening white gas gushing from the cracks suggested that several streams of scorching acidic liquid might be buried beneath these protective shells. The group cautiously advanced towards the suspicious locations mentioned in the report. Countess Neville was the first to discover unusual energy fluctuations hidden beneath a seemingly ordinary rock wall. The dark elf Kalia stepped forward to investigate, gliding towards the rock wall like a shadow, her footsteps so light they didn't even disturb the loose stones. Just as her slender fingertips were about to touch the brightly colored crystals, the ground suddenly trembled violently—

"Kalia, back off!" Yanor shouted urgently.

The cracks spread across the ground like a giant, awakening python, and scorching acid, carrying steam, gushed forth from the earth, tracing deadly arcs through the air. Hino reacted swiftly; with a swift stroke of the blade of the Holy Lance White Thorn against the nearby rock face, he deftly chipped off a massive boulder and slammed it heavily into the crack from which the acid was gushing. The acid hissed horribly upon contact with the rock, and the contact surface was likely riddled with holes, but thankfully, it had been stopped.

A dark figure leaped lightly out of the hot mist. The dark elf girl landed steadily and shook her head: "There's nothing we're looking for behind us, but there is a rich deposit of red sulfur ore. I estimate that the abnormal energy fluctuations mentioned in the report are an explosion caused by the reaction of the red sulfur ore with the acidic substances in the air. As for the so-called dragon blood... it is undoubtedly a product of the decomposition of the red sulfur ore after the explosion and combustion."

Atorica is a region known for its underground mineral resources, and most of the members of the Holy War Army come from various mines and quarries. Therefore, they have a basic understanding of the various minerals buried underground in this land, and even combatants like Kalia can talk about them in great detail.

In any case, the first search ended in failure, but that's perfectly normal. It's impossible to find something every time you go on an adventure. What you thought was a treasure was just a rumor, and the truth behind the rumors was nothing more than commonplace things. The expectation in your heart eventually turned into a deep sense of disappointment... If you can't accept this reality, then you're not suited to embark on this path.

On the way back, Kalia made a point of thanking Hino. Although with her skills, she might not have been in danger, the fact remained that the young knight had come to her aid in time. Moreover, her strength amazed the dark elves. Although they already knew that she had defeated her companion, the giant mercenary Gordan, through sheer physical strength, rumors were never as shocking as seeing it with one's own eyes.

Despite their initial setback, the group continued their exploration. For the next few days, Cloud Whale Sky Island wandered the Dark Cloud Abyss region, searching each location marked on the map provided by Cheryl. Although from the sky the mist-shrouded area appeared desolate and monotonous, deeper exploration revealed breathtaking sights worthy of attention: from the serene, crystalline caverns beyond the canyon to the twisted, spiraling rock pillars resembling a dragon's spine; from the lifeless, fluorescent, pale green algae-covered Darklight Lake to the naturally formed, arc-shaped corridor connecting the inside and outside of the abyss…

Everything was impressive. Even Ovira, who was initially very disgusted with it, couldn't help but leave Cloud Whale Sky Island after listening to the descriptions of Ling and the other explorers. She personally participated in an operation and lingered over certain sights with surprise and amazement.

Unfortunately, although the journey went smoothly without encountering any major problems, the most important exploration task remained unresolved.

The entrance to the Crystal Cavern is hidden behind a massive crevice on the other side of the Sulfurfire Canyon, easily overlooked without a precise map. In stark contrast to the decaying and filthy environment outside, the cavern is an eerily silent crystal world. Huge clusters of crystals, like plants, hang from the ceiling and grow from the ground, intertwining and refracting a pure, shimmering light, illuminating the entire space with a dazzling, radiant glow, as if stars had fallen to earth. Without seeing it with one's own eyes, it's hard to believe that such a scene could exist deep within a world desolate and barren. Legend has it that the Holy Grail once transformed a desert into an oasis; thus, creating a pure paradise in a barren wasteland seems not so difficult. Perhaps it was with this thought in mind that Cheryl included it on her list.

However, after exploring the cave, no trace of the Holy Grail was found. Instead, an extremely rare water source was discovered, proving that the cave's unique topography and scenery were naturally formed. Perhaps an ancient underground river flowed through the cave, and under extremely stable geological conditions and over countless years, minerals carried in the river slowly precipitated, rose, and crystallized, eventually forming such a large crystal formation. The hollow crystalline structure inside effectively absorbs external sound waves, thus creating this eerie, quiet atmosphere. Although they found nothing, the cave's beauty was breathtaking, making it a precious resting place during their journey. The group rested there, washing away the fatigue of their exploration. Ovira even used her paintbrush to record this rare beauty, the only solace of the trip.

After leaving the Crystal Cave, the Cloud Whale Sky Island headed towards the third marked location on the map—a strikingly conspicuous cluster of spiraling rock pillars. From the air, the area resembled exposed nerve endings on the earth, with hundreds of thick, grayish-white rock pillars twisting and rising from the ground, spiraling towards the misty sky, resembling the spine of a giant dragon. This undoubtedly brought to mind the evil dragon named Nidhogg. Although it had perished, both the Holy Grail and Nibelungen were imbued with the dragon's resentment. Powerful forces possess the ability to distort reality and alter the environment; therefore, it was indeed possible that, subtly, it had sculpted the natural landscape into the shape of a dragon's skeleton.

However, this argument was also refuted after on-site verification. The bard Edwin, after careful research, pointed out that the formation of the spiral rock columns was essentially no different from the formation of weathered rock columns in the burial ground. The only difference was that the latter was formed by wind erosion, while the former was formed by fog erosion. As for the seemingly frightening dragon bone shape, it can only be explained as a coincidence, and this feeling is only present when viewed from a high place. If viewed at eye level on the ground or from a distance, it will appear no different from other ordinary rock columns.

The next stop was Darklight Lake, a desolate body of water lying in a low-lying area of ​​the Abyss. A persistent pale green mist shrouded the lake, and shimmering, deathly green algae, resembling rotting seaweed, drifted slowly with barely perceptible ripples. Legend has it that explorers who risked their lives to venture into this area once witnessed a massive black shadow lurking in the lake. Because the ecosystem of the Darkcloud Abyss itself couldn't support powerful predators, let alone magical beasts, the identity of this creature sparked much debate. However, no one was willing to risk their lives like that explorer to find out, and it gradually became an unsolved mystery until today, when the arrival of Ling and his group finally unveiled it.

Of course, there was no particularly surprising answer; it was indeed a magical beast, an ancient creature known as "Kaletter." Resembling a giant ray with a wingspan of up to ten meters, its translucent body almost blends into the waters of Darklight Lake. Pale green fluorescent algae cling to its surface, flickering as it moves, making it appear from afar like a ghost rising and disappearing from the lake. Despite its enormous size, this magical beast does not rely on magic for growth. It feeds on fungi and inert elements that thrive in the lake and can survive periods of food scarcity by hibernating, thus enabling it to survive in resource-poor regions.

Ling and his companions lurked behind the rocks by the lake, observing for a long time before finally confirming that the creature had no connection to the Holy Grail and deciding to leave. A minor incident occurred during their journey: the werewolf girl, Selena, perhaps due to excessive excitement, inadvertently startled the Caretir in the lake. The Caretir surfaced, roaring and threatening the uninvited intruders. However, Ietta merely manipulated the Cloud Whale Sky Island to sink a short distance, assuming a charging stance, which terrified the Caretir, who fled in terror, likely not daring to show its face for some time.

No one took the matter to heart, but Leticia specifically sought out Serena, made a few sarcastic remarks, and asked her if she wanted to learn some stealth techniques from her. Serena, knowing she was in the wrong, chuckled twice without refuting or agreeing, which left the little bat somewhat annoyed.

“If you want to get along with people, be nicer,” Medine said to Leticia. “Don’t always be so fierce, or they’ll think you’re really angry.”

The little bat vehemently denied it: "I never intended to get along with her!"

"Sigh, stop being so stubborn. Didn't you hear what Alice said? Being arrogant will ruin your life, Leticia."

"I'm not being arrogant!"

……

Finally, the group arrived at the last location marked on the map: a naturally formed rock corridor spanning both the inner and outer sides of the Abyss. Passing through this corridor would lead them into the deepest part of the Dark Cloud Abyss, an area never before reached by anyone. However, viewed from the sky, the corridor appears to be a continuous arc, with almost no straight sections. Its winding and twisting nature, coupled with various hidden openings and passages within, virtually eliminates the possibility of traversing the corridor by normal means.

In other words, it was the power of Ieta's monarchy that allowed them to create a region unaffected by corrosive acid mist, and the existence of the Cloud Whale Sky Island completely ignored the various obstacles on the ground, which enabled the group to pass through the corridor without any danger and reach its core area.

No one had passed through, which meant no one knew what lay beyond. For a team dedicated to uncovering ancient legends, this mystery and the unknown held even greater promise. Therefore, everyone was filled with anticipation for this final destination, but the outcome of the exploration surprised everyone.

They still hadn't found the Holy Grail, but they did discover some strange traces.

It looks like... a man-made object.

Give me some cats