Chapter 377 375-The Route
Bounty Hunters had a certain status in City 32, organizing affairs with remarkable speed.
The streets of the city were deserted.
Only patrolling Bounty Hunters and their subordinates moved through the darkness, nerves taut, afraid of missing any suspicious figures.
Residents hid in their homes, holding their breath, listening to every movement outside.
Even those leaving the city were subject to inspections by the Bounty Hunters.
Not everyone was willing to comply, but the Bounty Hunters were wise enough to know their place.
If someone was stronger than them, they would let them pass quickly; if weaker, they would conduct a thorough search.
A handsome man stopped at a checkpoint.
A Bounty Hunter blocked his way, his expression slightly astonished – it was rare to see a man more charming than a woman.
Tall and well-built, with sleek and powerful lines.
His features were fine and symmetrical, revealing a hint of determination and confidence in his brow.
His eyes were deep and bright, as if they could peer into one's soul, exuding an enchanting charm.
"What are you doing in the city?"
The man replied with a magnetic voice, "I'm an Urban Wanderer, roaming around."
The Bounty Hunter frowned slightly, scoffing, "An Urban Wanderer like you?"
The man's hair was black and thick, neatly groomed, emitting a refreshing fragrance.
Such grooming was uncommon among Urban Wanderers.
Yet the man chuckled softly, "That's my dream. Don't you accept it? Don't you have dreams of your own?"
The Bounty Hunter's mouth twitched downward, his expression slightly annoyed.
He thought to himself: "This must be some rich young master from another city, completely unaware of the hardships of the world, dreaming of being an Urban Wanderer... He probably has powerful people accompanying him. You'd better not to provoke him."
With this thought in mind, the Bounty Hunter said resignedly, "Go ahead."
The man smiled subtly, his curiosity evident as he asked, "What's happening here? I heard sounds of battle…"
"Don't ask what you shouldn't," the Bounty Hunter replied gruffly. "Just leave quickly and don't delay my work."
The man's smile grew more charming. He nodded slightly at the Bounty Hunter, then walked out of City 32 with a confident stride.
Once the man was far enough away, almost out of sight of City 32's walls, his complexion suddenly turned pale, and he spat out a mouthful of glistening golden blood.
The golden blood spilled on the ground, igniting into golden flames.
"Finally escaped. No one would have thought I'd leave the city so conspicuously." Wiping the blood from his lips and clutching his chest weakly, the man muttered to himself.
This man was Ethan, wearing the [Mask of War God Tribe].
Although Ethan could still walk, he had sustained severe injuries.
He suffered significant internal injuries, and his body was gradually breaking down.
However, the Golden Divine Dragon Blood within him started repairing his body the moment it began to collapse.
In this cycle of destruction and repair, Ethan could feel his body deteriorating.
This was Ethan's current weakness.
Ethan had many tactics at his disposal, from the [Soul of War] to the Dragonblade's [Fury Addiction], each capable of boosting his combat strength multiple times.
However, Ethan's own physical endurance hadn't reached the level required to handle such increased combat intensity.
Thus, bearing the brunt of Batou's attack was extremely taxing for him.
Using offense as his defense was always a forced approach.
When Batou unleashed his powerful energy, even a slight tilt towards Ethan's upper body was almost too much to handle.
Ethan guessed that Batou's strength must be around the 11th-rank.
His current physical strength was only at the Cocooning phase, roughly around the 10th-rank, making him no match for Batou in terms of bodily strength.
If it weren't for the chaotic scene allowing him to use a space portal for short-range teleportation, followed by donning the [Mask of War God Tribe] to make his escape, his body might now be decaying in City 32.
His complexion was pale and weak.
His eyes revealed a hint of pain and helplessness.
The most pressing issue was that he didn't know how to expel Batou's power of deity from his body.
That surge of deity power was like a wild beast rampaging on a barbaric battlefield, exceptionally domineering and terrifying.
It constantly battered Ethan's body, causing him unbearable pain. Each breath he took was an agony.
His body gradually lost the strength it once had, and he could feel his power of deity slowly ebbing away.
Ethan mustered his energy, determined to find Lana and the others first.
Under the Mother-Child Wraith Tree, a place all too familiar, Ethan paced. He circled the tree several times but found no trace of Lana and the others.
"Could it be that they never made it out?" A twitch involuntarily seized Ethan's eyelids, a bad omen.
This was troubling news. Given his current physical state, a trip to City 32 would undoubtedly spell disaster.
"Lana, where are you?" Ethan furrowed his brow and called out softly, his voice deliberately modulated to be neither too loud nor too soft.
Suddenly, the Mother-Child Wraith Tree trembled, its bark peeling away unexpectedly.
Lana emerged from within the bark.
"Are you Ethan?" Lana stared at Ethan, disbelief written all over her face.
Ethan's mouth fell open slightly as he watched Lana and two others step out from the tree's skin. "What happened to you?"
"We were being chased. I used an Illusion to merge us with part of the Mother-Child Wraith Tree, evading our pursuers," Lana explained, her gaze lingering on Ethan's face, now more handsome than before.
She couldn't help but ask again, "How did you change like this?"
Ethan shook his head slightly, speaking softly, "Remember this face of mine. From now on, I'll be meeting people with it."
Lana nodded slowly, but Daphne noticed the strained vigor in Ethan:
"Ethan, are you hurt?"
Ethan managed a forced smile, "I'm fine, don't worry."
Daphne's eyes held evident concern, but Ethan deftly changed the subject:
"Did you find the route to the nearest Orderly City?"
"We did," Lana said, unfolding a parchment.
The parchment bore a map of a small region, exquisitely detailed. A red line was drawn across it, starting at City 32 and ending at City 78.
Ethan furrowed his brow, puzzled, "Why are we heading to City 78?"
"Master, that's the nearest city to City 32," King explained slowly from the side.
He and Ethan were connected at the soul, and it was King who first realized the handsome stranger was Ethan.
"Shouldn't City 31 or City 33 be closer to City 32?"
"Master, it's not like that. Each city exists in a different space. Sequentially, City 31 and City 32 might seem connected, but spatial travel is different. Through years of exploration by Urban Wanderers, it's been found that City 78 is the closest to City 32."
"I see!"
Ethan now understood that the spatial world and numerical order were different.
Spatial connection doesn't necessarily mean proximity.
"This route seems challenging."
Ethan examined the map, noting the red line passing through several marked dangerous areas, and couldn't help but frown slightly.
"Yes, Master. We need to cross the Shadow Forest, Serpent Swamp, and the Broken Lands to reach City 78. Of course, there are other minor troubles on the way, but these three places are particularly noteworthy."
Ethan nodded slightly, looking at the map.
Even if it was difficult, they had to get to City 78.
Alvin had used his power of deity to drive away Phito, saving Daphne and even helping her resolve the major threat of Phito.
Now he was imprisoned in City 0. If Ethan didn't help, his conscience wouldn't be clear, and his path of cultivation would be hindered with obstacles.
Most crucially, there was a deity pact between Alvin and Ethan.
If he failed to deliver the divine crystal to Alvin, he would attract the attention of the deity, possibly inviting punishment.
It was very likely that his strength would stagnate, making any further progress impossible, let alone the prospect of becoming a deity.
"What are you thinking about?" Lana, noticing Ethan's silence, took the initiative to ask.
"I'm contemplating the long and perilous journey ahead. I need to properly sort out the gains I've made recently," Ethan said, gazing into the distance with a serious tone. "The experiences and learnings from these past days, especially from the battle with the Bounty Hunters, have been immense..."
Lana nodded gently and proposed, "How about I set up an Illusion for us to rest and recuperate for a few days?"
"That would be perfect," Ethan immediately agreed, seizing the opportunity to fully heal his body and expel the rampaging force within him.
Lana swiftly enveloped Ethan and the others in her Illusion, demonstrating her increasing proficiency.
Ethan, feeling the familiar presence of the Mother-Child Wraith Tree.
He murmured to himself, "Peggy, look after us a bit. We're comrades in arms, after all."
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