Lord: I can see loyalty.

In the lord's mansion in Bordeaux village, Vio put down the report on the progress of the village's city walls and looked at a Brotherhood member who looked travel-worn.

"Speak," he said succinctly.

"My lord, we have found the exact whereabouts of Earl Felix as you instructed." The Brotherhood member spoke quickly: "He fled to Greystone, the southernmost town in the North, which is separated from the South only by a dry valley, and the local baron took him in."

Vio nodded slightly, but he wasn't surprised. When he received the news of the count's disappearance, he guessed that the count was probably not dead, but had gone into hiding.

"What about his brother Neil?"

The brotherhood member nodded slightly and said in a low voice, "Sir, the news about Sir Neil... is probably not good news."

"Just say it," Vio said, waving his hand.

"Our men found his trail deep in that desolate desert stretching to the east of the southern border."

"Deep in the desert?" Vio frowned immediately upon hearing this, for he did indeed recall hearing of such an ominous place.

Nearly two-thirds of the southern border of the Kingdom of Rovia is desert, and in the deepest part of the desert, it is said that apart from heat waves and swarms of giant scorpions, there is almost nothing to be seen.

After bandits had almost taken over all the villages and towns in the southern region, the residents were unwilling to set foot there, and the reasons were not as simple as just the harsh environment.

Vio's father, Baron Odom, once told him a story on the day he came of age: deep in the desert, there were once human inhabitants, and the place even prospered for a time because of the production of special minerals.

But this magnificent scene did not last long, until a being appeared beneath the sand dunes, who was hailed as a god.

Of course, in all the fragmented myths of the Southern Territory, this so-called god is more like an evil god.

"Isn't there a legend about that thing there?" Vio asked in a low voice.

"Yes, sir." The Brotherhood member bowed his head. "If you hadn't ordered a thorough search of every corner of the Southern Territory, we wouldn't have discovered that Sir Neil had taken refuge in that place."

He deliberately entered a place with legends of evil gods? Could this guy be a materialist warrior? Of course, in this world where magic exists, Vio wouldn't dare gamble that gods don't exist.

He stood up abruptly, walked slowly to the window, and gazed into the distance, towards the depths of the desert.

He naturally couldn't let this unknown threat remain. Although the guy was said to have been sealed away in various legends, who knew when he would be resurrected?

"Issue the order." Without turning around, he clearly issued the command: "In my name, issue a public notice throughout the Southern Territory: any information or records related to the 'Eclipse God' will be offered as a substantial reward, provided they are truly useful."

After a pause, Vio added, "By the way, also send people to the old archives at Kaville Fortress, and other places in the Southern Territory where ancient books might be stored, to search carefully, don't miss a single page."

"Yes, my lord!" The Brotherhood member nodded in acknowledgment and quickly withdrew.

Vio remained alone in the room, his gaze fixed on the direction deep into the desert. "Evil God?" he murmured the word to himself.

In various myths of the past, the stories also have prototypes or origins, not to mention in this world of swords and magic.

But whether it's some ancient evil creature or a true deity, he needs to find out its origins.

……

Kuoqiao Village, Central Market.

The midday sun made the giant bridge scorching hot, but around it, crowds gathered at the market bulletin board as if oblivious to the weather. A brand-new notice had just been posted by the militia, bearing the coat of arms of the Lord of Bordeaux.

"Ho ho! Lord, you're going to explore the depths of that desert!" A merchant wearing a turban read out the words on tiptoe with an incredulous tone.

The crowd immediately started buzzing with discussion.

As one of the earliest villages to pledge allegiance to Vio, Châteauneuf-du-Côte d'Or, thanks to its proximity to Bordeaux and its faster entry into stable development, has become the most prosperous place in the South besides Bordeaux and Cavill Fortress.

Its current size makes it more like a town than a village, and it has attracted merchants, artisans, and commoners from all over the southern region.

"I've long heard of your incredible courage, Lord, but I never imagined you'd be this bold!" An old craftsman exclaimed in amazement. "You know, even the fortress back then didn't dare send anyone near that area."

"That's right," a burly man who had served as a soldier at Fort Kaviel chimed in. "Back then, it wasn't uncommon for people to suggest sending a reconnaissance team in to investigate, but every time they were rebuked and sent back, told they were courting death or would incur the wrath of the higher-ups... Sigh, in short, they just couldn't go..."

A murmur of doubt and fear spread through the crowd. How could the people of the Southern Territory not know the story of that place?

But soon, as more eyes were drawn to the area below the notice, an even louder commotion erupted.

"A reward of ten silver coins will be given to anyone who provides verified and valid intelligence!"

"Just ten are provided? You didn't read that wrong, did you? Be careful, it also says below that you need to participate in the exploration..."

Seeing the generous reward, the crowd's fear lessened somewhat, turning into heated discussion and calculation. Ten silver coins—although their lives had already greatly improved under the lord's rule, and their monthly income could reach ten coins.

However, they can receive it simply by providing useful information, without suffering any loss themselves, and they can even gain a windfall.

The crowd began to quiet down as they racked their brains, trying to recall if they had ever heard any related words or vague stories from their elders when they were young.

On the periphery of the crowd, a figure stood quietly, seemingly out of place compared to the excitement or fear of the others.

He was wearing a gray-brown cloak with the hood pulled low, revealing only his chin. His gaze lingered on the notice for a long time, and his body shifted slightly involuntarily.

As the discussion reached its climax, with everyone speculating whether the lord was after a special mineral deep in the desert or searching for something else, the figure in the gray cloak turned around, silently left the bustling market, and headed towards the edge of the village.

His steps were steady and quick, with a hint of excitement. A wave of heat blew through his cloak, allowing people to briefly see his face.

It was an ordinary face, but its outline had several cracks that looked as if the face had been smashed, and its pupils were dull and lifeless... just like a dead person.