The group then continued along the main road toward Rommon.
Because of what had happened earlier, everyone unconsciously quickened their pace.
They traveled along the damp main road, skirting the Giant Python Swamp to the south of Rommon.
As time passed, the dark clouds in the sky slowly multiplied, gradually obscuring the entire sky.
The swamplands on both sides of the road were quite desolate. A perpetual cyan mist that hung over the swamp blocked out most of the sunlight. Gnarled, twisted black trees grew in the marsh, and viewed through the thin fog, they looked like eerie human figures.
Reeds growing in the water lined the road. The stagnant water flowing through the muck gave off an astonishing stench, and sometimes you could even spot the white bones of strange animals.
It was said that deep within this swamp lived Snake-men and cannibalistic Lizardmen.
In the past, Colin had heard of this and treated it as nothing more than an interesting tidbit.
However, after traveling with the members of the Gray Squad, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the Snake-men deep in the swamp were probably plotting some world-ending conspiracy.
After hurrying along like this, Rommon soon appeared before them.
Peering ahead through the thin swamp mist...
"Something feels off. Last time we were here, was there this much smoke to the east?" Kase sniffed the air. "And there’s this weird stink, too. You guys smell that?"
Colin squinted, peering carefully ahead.
"I see a whole bunch of Mercenary Corps banners still hanging on the city walls. Besides, we’ve seen plenty of merchant caravans on the road. It should be fine."
"Mr. Colin, we should hurry," Orelia said, a little anxious.
The group then headed toward Rommon.
They passed the shantytown huts built around the swamp and made their way to Rommon’s East Gate, the very place from which they had seen black smoke billowing.
Upon arriving, Colin and the others instinctively slowed their pace, staring in disbelief at the scene before them.
Of the three walls encircling the city, the two outermost layers had been torn open. The clusters of buildings between the walls were completely flattened, with shattered wood and rubble strewn everywhere.
Amidst the rubble and debris lay heaps upon heaps of corpses.
Most of them were humanoid creatures clad in red-and-black armor, while another portion, dressed in colorful attire, were clearly the bodies of Rommon’s Mercenaries.
Many of Rommon’s Mercenaries were now clearing the ruins.
Humans cleared the corpses and refuse from the ruins, while sturdy creatures like Ogres and Centaurs carried everything out of the city to be incinerated at a collection point two kilometers from the walls.
On a small hill opposite the breached wall stood more than ten counterweight trebuchets and a large, wrecked encampment of tents, where there were also many bodies.
The trebuchets were covered in many white handprints and didn’t look like they were of human make.
’Could the Hobgoblins from the Endless Wilderness have charged out?’
With that thought in mind, Colin led the others on a slight detour to enter the city through the South Gate.
As they walked through the city gate, Kase spotted a notice posted on it and tugged on Colin’s sleeve. "Hey, look, little bro Colin! Hauling corpses over there pays three Gold Coins a day! That’s way more than hauling sacks at the docks!"
"You’re really crazy for money. I’m definitely not doing that. If I get sick, I’ll have to find a Priest." Colin slapped his hand away.
"But we’ve got Pointy Tail with us, so we won’t have to spend extra money. We’d definitely carry them way faster than normal people, and maybe even earn a bit more."
"We still need to ask about the Monastery, Mr. Kase," Orelia said sternly.
Kase’s bravado faltered. "I was just sayin’."
Hearing this, Colin was reminded of the Ogres he had just seen carrying corpses... ’Speaking of which, those guys wouldn’t sneak a bite while they’re hauling them, would they?’
A shiver ran down his spine at the thought.
Colin quickly led the group through the streets and alleys, heading for the Church of Morninglord.
When they arrived, he saw that the number of Guards at the Church had dwindled significantly. Even the Crossbowmen on the low walls were gone.
Only two Plated Guards holding Axe Spears remained, standing at the entrance.
Colin walked up and showed them his ring.
Before he could even open his mouth, one of the Plated Guards said hurriedly, "Are you the reinforcements from Thousand Masts City? Please, come in! You’ve arrived just in time. We’re terribly short on people right now."
Hearing this, the ominous feeling in Colin’s heart grew even stronger.
He gave the guard a smiling nod, then strode quickly toward the White Eagle’s office.
Compared to the outside, the inside of the Church was even more deserted.
The wooden door to the office was ajar. Colin went up and knocked first.
"Come in."
After hearing the reply, Colin pushed the wooden door open and led the others inside.
Sitting behind the desk was the same old knight of the White Eagle rank he had met last time. Now, however, the dark circles under his eyes were much more pronounced, making him look even older and more haggard.
"Hm? Mr. Colin, is it?" The White Eagle looked at the newcomers with confusion. "Forgive my rudeness... but the reinforcements from Thousand Masts City can’t be just the few of you, can it? Hasn’t Mr. Helder finished handling things in the south yet?"
"I’m not actually reinforcements. I’m here to report a problem."
"Hm. Go on."
The White Eagle took a deep breath, as if bracing himself. He then pointed to a corner and said, "You can sit on the chairs over there."
Kase immediately brought over a few benches for them to sit on, while Colin reluctantly recounted everything he had recently seen and heard, as well as his suspicions about the White Dove Monastery.
After finishing, he asked, "Have you received any support from the White Dove Monastery recently?"
"There was definitely support, but..."
The White Eagle frowned, then let out a long sigh and leaned back in his chair. His entire face began to turn red, bit by bit, like an overheating machine.
"Never mind. Let’s take care of a few minor details first."
He sniffled, then pulled open a desk drawer and took out a half-full money pouch.
Then he scraped around the bottom of the drawer for a long time with a CLINKING sound, digging out two more Gold Coins and stuffing them into the pouch.
He said, "There are about fifty-odd Gold Coins in here. It’s not much, but it’s a token of our appreciation. The intelligence you provided back then was a great help, letting us know about the Hobgoblins in advance. Otherwise, Rommon’s losses would have been far more severe."
"About the White Dove Monastery..." Colin said, accepting the money pouch as he spoke.
It was a rather large pouch. Judging by the feel of it, it contained a little more than fifty coins, likely padded out with some loose Silver and Copper Coins.
This suggested that resources here were stretched thin.