Cornflower Witch

Chapter 229 The Candle Gate
Dark Mist Mountains, Iron Walls and High Cliffs

After obtaining the revealing powder that could detect the hidden 'gray mud', the base began to operate in a tense but orderly manner.

First, under the commander's arrangement, the sick and unwell personnel were separated into 20 different areas, and no longer interacted with each other.

Daily meals will be delivered to various areas via hanging baskets. The staff preparing the food are all members who are not infected with 'sludge'. Furthermore, the kitchen and central medical room are strictly disinfected with 'discovery powder' to locate and clean up 'sludge', preventing the spread of infection.

After stabilizing the situation and preventing repeated infections, the 'Blazing Sun' type of extraordinary individuals within the base began disinfecting and cleaning all areas and spaces of the Iron Wall Cliff.

After cleaning each room or corridor, they would temporarily seal off the area and wait three days. If there were still no traces of plaster after spreading the 'manifestation powder', it meant that the area was indeed clean.

And so, thanks to the powder that could detect 'plaster', the entire base began to stabilize little by little and was gradually brought under control and cleaned up.

After resting and recovering, the team led by Hiltiya stayed at the camp for two days. Once everyone was back in good condition, she led them back to the 'Iron Cliff' camp to assist in the work.

Considering that Sylvia and the others are all Tier 2, the commander assigned them to the logistics department, allowing Sylvia to assist in the deployment.

Four days later, a new batch of grain was transported from the town of Tideng to the Iron Cliff to replenish the supplies there.

A week later, support from Woodland Headquarters finally arrived. It was a team of doctors and purifiers, most of whom came from the Holy Lamp Society, White Scroll Herbal Pot, and Ash Rose.

“I understand sending the ‘Holy Lamp Association,’ which is skilled in identifying objects by light, and the ‘White Scroll Herbal Pot,’ which has many physicians. But what’s with the ‘Ash Rose’?” The commander looked at the documents and letters given to him, his voice displeased.

"'Ash Rose' means that if we lose control, they will clean up the entire base," the scholar advisor beside him replied, adjusting his glasses, already knowing the answer.

“Those ‘Ash Rose’ members, dressed in gray robes and stationed on the cliffside mountain path, are the last line of defense. If we cannot eradicate them and stop their spread, they will use the ‘Annihilation’ ritual to raze the entire base to the ground.”

"The association is really well-prepared; they probably even wrote the announcement to help us clean up the mess in advance," another knight remarked, shaking his head.

"They announced to the public that their stronghold in the Dark Mist Mountains had been attacked by an unknown force and completely destroyed. Then they sealed it off and found another location to establish an observation post."

"Although I understand, I still feel uncomfortable with this feeling."

"Alright, that's enough. The representative from 'White Scroll Herbal Pot' is arriving." The commander tapped the table, quieting the meeting hall for the moment.

A few minutes later, a group of doctors dressed in white and wearing white bird masks arrived, led by a silver-haired girl.

These members were all shrouded in white robes, their faces covered by white bird masks, with purifying and filtering herbs rolled up in their beaks to prevent the 'ash mud' from seeping into their bodies.

"...This is the conference hall," Siltia introduced to the new doctors.

Because she can see the tiny, hidden 'plaster' and is not afraid of its harm, and because she was also one of the first to participate in and make the 'manifestation powder', she has an exceptional understanding of this strange life form, 'plaster'. After the medical team arrived, she was the one to introduce the situation on behalf of the people inside 'Iron Cliff'.

The group of members dressed in 'white scrolls and herbal pots' stood still after arriving in the hall. The one in the lead bowed slightly and saluted the commander sitting at the head of the table.

"I am Zelarin Greenwind, currently the plague patroller of 'White Scroll Herbal Pot,' and I am leading the team to support 'Iron Wall Cliff.'" This white-robed physician is a 'fifth-tier' physician with the affinity 'Radiant Moon Green Honey.' He is knowledgeable and experienced. When he announced his name, the commander sitting at the head of the table also quickly stood up.

"So it's you. Please have a seat."

Zelarin Greenwind's name is known and spread throughout the woodlands. He has extensive experience in healing and had participated in the battle to defeat the cave dragon forty years ago. He treated warriors corrupted by the dragon's evil flames, removing toxins and was skilled at neutralizing various poisonous contaminations and curses.

The white-clad physician nodded slightly and sat down in the lower seat facing the crowd, while the group of white-bird physicians behind him continued to stand beside him.

In the subsequent meeting, his medical team inquired in more detail about the spread of 'lime' within the Iron Cliff, as well as the origin of the 'lime' and the time of its first discovery.

"...So it seems that this is a brand new monster that mutated from the depths of the Twilight Sea." He analyzed as he gradually learned about the situation.

"Because 'distortion' has polluted the Twilight Sea, the creatures that live and grow there are constantly changing and distorting, and things that we do not know or have never seen before are always being born."

"Presumably, this is a completely new species that escaped from among them."

"Now that we understand the situation, please rest assured that I will work with the team to develop an effective treatment as soon as possible."

"In addition, the 'Holy Lamp Association' that came with us will bring more testing methods and ways to isolate the spread of infection, ensuring that the whole process proceeds effectively and stably."

……

On the other side of the iron wall and high cliff.

Accompanied and led by Dorothy, members wearing masks and carrying candles moved through various parts of the fortress.

They placed specially made candles in the passageways and doorways, and pasted notes covered with writing on them.

'We beseech the Spirit of Eternal Radiance and the God of Everlasting Burning Light, that Your eyes may watch over us, and that no wicked or evil person may enter this gate.'

Candles were placed on the threshold, their soft glow illuminating the paper strips on the surrounding walls and doorframe. Then, a hazy, glowing eye opened above the threshold, watching over everything inside and out.

【Candle Gate】; A door lit by this ritual is impermissible to any invisible, ghostly, malevolent, or tiny creature, unless they recite the words inscribed on the door frame.

The 'plaster' does not understand human speech and has no intelligence, so it is naturally unable to pass through this door. If they were to pass through along with human clothing, they would be burned and illuminated by the bright flames, revealing their forms.

With the assistance of members of the 'Holy Lamp Association', the entire Iron Wall Cliff was sealed off and divided up. Even if someone was infected with 'ash mud', they had ways to identify it.

Inside the snow-covered fortress, lamps and candles were lit, burning day and night, illuminating every tiny, dark corner. Flowing golden flames poured from the candles, flooding the rooms and corners like water, beginning to cleanse the environment.

(End of this chapter)