Chapter 361: Surprise Attack! Battle!

The light shield that stood like an iron wall on the edge of the orange garden left Xia Nan and others helpless.

He could feel the strength of this wall made of pure energy.

On a purely physical level, with their current attack ability, they absolutely couldn't break the defense.

The field energy of 【Gravity Etching】 might be a little useful, but compared to the huge light shield that wrapped the entire town, with the combat technique level of 【Gravity Etching】 lv3, and only two remaining usage opportunities, wanting to blast a breach on it was undoubtedly a fantasy.

Considering the special ability of the 【Dream-Weaving Corridor】 to absorb the energy of the pastel gem, Xia Nan also tried to touch the light shield itself with his right hand wearing the ring after confirming safety.

And strangely, although the 【Dream-Weaving Corridor】 produced the same movement as when absorbing energy before, the silver-white ring on his ring finger trembled slightly.

But no mechanical voice prompting the charging progress rang in Xia Nan's mind.

It gave him the feeling that the energy density of the light shield itself was too low, and compared to the pastel gem, it was like the thin mist floating in the air and the clear water rippling in the bowl.

Completely unable to absorb.

"Damn it!"

Suoerding gripped his prism hammer and smashed it on the light shield as if to vent.

As the beard braid swayed, the ornaments on it rubbed and collided, making a crisp sound.

"What the hell is this?"

"It was clearly just an ordinary escort mission, why did such a strange thing happen?"

The muttering drifted into his ears, Xia Nan's expression remained unchanged, as if he hadn't heard it, just looking at the pink light wall in front.

Margaret comforted a few words, slightly easing the other party's mood.

Actually, the dwarf didn't have much complaint. As an experienced veteran adventurer, it was perfectly normal to encounter unexpected situations in tasks.

Now it was just being forced to be trapped in Yangjiao Town, and it was not a certain-death desperate situation.

At most, he vented a few words in his mouth because of his own personality, but his mentality was actually very stable.

There was no need for others to persuade him. After confirming that they couldn't break through the light shield with their strength, Suoerding raised his round shield again and topped the front of the team.

"How is it, what is our next plan?"

Hearing this, Margaret glanced at Xia Nan, and seeing that he didn't intend to express his opinion, she took over the conversation and analyzed:

"With this light wall blocking here, we should be unable to get out of Yangjiao Town for a short time."

"But if we just give up like this, it is equivalent to handing over the initiative to the enemy hidden in the dark, falling into an overly passive situation... which is not a good thing."

"Besides, with such a big battle, who knows if the other party is holding some special ritual? If it is a 'sacrifice' type, if we really let the other party continue, it is not impossible that we will be sacrificed as offerings at any time."

"Must take the initiative to attack!"

"At least... we must figure out who is hiding behind and making trouble."

For the three Xia Nan, after the first two plans failed—although the townspeople searched could be freed from the gem's charm, it was difficult to achieve effective communication in a short time because the influence was too deep; the light wall covering Yangjiao Town could not be broken by their existing strength.

Except for passively defending in place, expecting the light shield to dissipate by itself, or waiting for the support that didn't know when it would arrive, the only remaining final plan was to go to the center of the town, which was the location where the beam of light connecting heaven and earth rose.

It was foreseeable that the few people would likely gain something there.

But similarly, the degree of danger would also soar.

It's just that there was no one in the team who had any objection.

I have to admit, even if no one said it clearly, but when they walked out of the inn and saw the beam of light that was more dazzling than the moon in the sky,

everyone had already silently prepared in their hearts.

Smooth all the way.

From the orange garden on the outskirts of the town to the main street in the town, the few people didn't encounter any danger.

The originally somewhat crowded street was exceptionally open because there was no one, standing at one end, just one glance could see the corner at the end of the distance.

And the townspeople in the houses on both sides of the street showed no signs of appearing at all, estimated to be the same as the few they had dragged out of the house before, all had completely lost their sanity under the control of the pastel gem.

It is worth mentioning that for the sake of insurance, the three returned to the Cashmere Rust Nail Inn on the way.

Huolake, A-Fu, and the caravan members were serious and tense, but fortunately they didn't suffer any attacks, and the high-pressure collective atmosphere also made some caravan members who were originally exceptionally panicked and at a loss gradually calm down, and under the leadership of the two leaders, transported supplies as much as possible, or assisted in building defensive facilities.

It's just a pity that the few townspeople who had been relieved of the gem's charm influence with Xia Nan's help still couldn't restore the ability to communicate normally, and were just tied up and shivering in the corner.

After communicating some follow-up plans with Huolake and others, the few continued to move forward and soon arrived at the street where Huolake and the blacksmith had a dispute that day.

"I remember when Huolake and that blacksmith had a quarrel, he mentioned that the adventurer squad that sold him the pastel gem seemed to have obtained the thing through the blacksmith's channel, right?"

Holding the 【Ash Meteor】 straight sword, perception spread outward, while warning of potential dangers, Xia Nan couldn't help but recall the scene he witnessed that day and asked the two people beside him in a low voice:

"But looking at the attitude of the townspeople toward us... it doesn't look like they would be willing to hand over the gem to outsiders."

Hearing this, Margaret pondered for a moment, the dark gold braid swaying gently, and gave her conjecture:

"Perhaps when that adventurer squad came to Yangjiao Town, the influence of the pastel gem on the blacksmith was not yet so deep?"

"After all, look at Huolake. Although he was also charmed by the gem, he followed the caravan from the distant Niumu City to such a small place, but his own performance was far from so extreme, and he was even willing to take the initiative to take out the gem for display when camping halfway. The degree of influence was obviously lower."

"And after you helped him get rid of mental control, the other party quickly returned to normal, unlike the few townspeople just now, who couldn't even speak clearly."

"So... the pastel gem's mental control of people clearly has a gradual process."

"Only after being thoroughly brainwashed will they become its fanatics."

After listening to her, the dwarf Suoerding, who was at the front of the team, also gave his own thoughts.

"Actually, maybe it's not that complicated."

"It's just because that adventurer squad discovered the secret in Yangjiao Town first, and then relied on their own ability as professionals to sneak into a town resident's room and steal or forcibly plunder the other party's gem."

"After all, no matter how disgusted and resistant they are, they are just ordinary people who haven't mastered combat techniques. In terms of strength intensity and combat experience, how could they be better than those veteran adventurers."

Xia Nan felt that both of them made sense.

Nodding slightly, just wanting to ask further about their views on the pastel gem, his body couldn't help but pause.

The perception attribute as high as 11 points made him instinctively notice the danger the moment it was born. ===== CHAPTER 362 =====