Chapter 1773: Ancient Fortress, Erasing Traces

"Isn't it bad to have outside attention?" Xierdalanna asked in return.

This—is wrong!

Xia Duo was instantly alert: "I almost let you muddle through! You have no evidence to prove that the assassin who killed High Elder Ankalita is related to the mysterious organization; you don't even know where the mysterious organization is!"

If Xierdalanna really had concrete information, wouldn't it be better to just make it public? Why would there be a need to raid some secret base on one's own?

"Ms. Xierdalanna, if there is no more sincerity, I think we can end this conversation!"

"Lord Xia Duo, since an assassination of a head of state has been carried out, how could it be so easy to leave behind evidence? I truly have no evidence, but I can be certain that the assassin is absolutely related to the mysterious organization."

Xia Duo shook his head, "Clearly this reason cannot convince me. Ms. Xierdalanna, you had better find someone else; I will keep your secret."

Having said that, Xia Duo prepared to end the communication. Only then did Xierdalanna finally panic a little, "Lord Xia Duo, wait a moment; allow me to explain the inside story in detail."

Xia Duo did not respond, just quietly watching the other party, seeing what other reasons the other party could come up with. However, at this moment, Xierdalanna's urgent appearance also made him believe the other party a little.

The so-called sunk cost is that after continuously paying, one does not want to give up and wants to continue using the payment to exchange for the result one wants. Here, the price Xierdalanna paid was the various pieces of information, whether secret or public, mentioned earlier.

It was just that Xierdalanna's true purpose was unknown. Even if he believed it a little, Xia Duo was not prepared to participate in the raid planned by the other party. Dragging it out now was just to make the other party reveal more information.

Why does this feel a bit like a scumbag? Unaccountably, Xia Duo's thoughts drifted.

And at this time, Xierdalanna had already begun to explain the so-called inside story of the assassination incident, "Just a short while ago, Siluwende discovered a secret military Ancient Fortress from the Aryvandaar period. Perhaps the 'Small Nations Alliance' you single-handedly promoted made Ankalita's ambition swell a bit, and he actually responded to Siluwende's invitation, preparing to secretly activate the fortress. The result, you already know: he was assassinated and died."

"A secret military Ancient Fortress from the Aryvandaar period?"

Xia Duo was shocked; this was simply an otherworld version of a nuclear arsenal. If it were really obtained by the Small Nations Alliance led by Evereska, it might truly change the situation in the Northland in one fell swoop.

It was no wonder Xierdalanna had been unwilling to tell the truth. The current Siluwende could be considered a vassal state of Yierlan. The Ancient Fortress discovered within Siluwende's territory naturally belonged to Yierlan.

Although Xierdalanna and Crown King Helien did not get along, in the face of Yierlan's overall interests, they still had common topics.

Of course, if it were truly confirmed that the fortress belonged to Yierlan, the contradictions that had been suppressed but not erupted within Yierlan might be immediately triggered.

Whether it was the reformist faction belonging to Crown King Helien or the conservative faction to which Xierdalanna belonged, neither wanted the fortress to fall into the hands of their opponents, but rather hoped it would be obtained for themselves.

There would even be disputes among the various Upper Families within the factions.

Xia Duo learned in the Projection Plane that generally, Aryvandaar military fortresses would contain standard War Magic Artifacts, which were immensely powerful and could fully serve as a trump card during a family's period of decline.

Like Comanso, generally speaking, an Upper Family either possessed a stable high-level Mage inheritance or held a powerful War Magic Artifact in their hands at all times.

If they had neither of these, then unfortunately, there was a high probability they would rapidly decline during the probing of other Upper Families. They might not fall completely into the mire, but they would certainly lose their past glory and honor.

What a pity, what a pity!

If Xierdalanna wasn't lying, then Xia Duo knew this news too late. If he could have known a little earlier, perhaps he could have found a few helpers to sneak over and steal the fortress.

"Ms. Xierdalanna, continue—"

"After confirming the existence of the fortress, Yierlan also dispatched an investigation team composed of ancient Scholars and high-level Mages, among whom one Scholar belonged to the Moonhorn Family."

Regarding her family possessing an ancient Scholar, Xierdalanna appeared extremely proud, even more so than she was about becoming a high-level Mage herself.

"Although I was not a member of the investigation team, in order to protect that family Scholar and to obtain intelligence at the first opportunity, I quietly followed behind the investigation team.

"There were other high-level Mages accompanying us, with purposes roughly the same as mine, only we were all hiding in the dark; we only knew that others were following, but did not know their specific identities.

"The assassination incident happened the day before the investigation team arrived at the periphery of the fortress. Although I did not see the assassination in progress with my own eyes, I personally saw Mages suspected to be from the Moonshadow Family cleaning up the scene."

Speaking of this, Xierdalanna suddenly looked up at Xia Duo, "I know you might still be suspicious, but I can swear in the name of the Lord of Radiance that I am not lying."

Although Elves do not worship the Lord of Radiance, and there is no relevant social disciplinary mechanism formed in their country, not every Elf is willing to be blacklisted by a god.

With Xierdalanna saying this, Xia Duo almost believed it for the most part, although this still did not change his intention to refuse.

Besides swearing in the name of the Lord of Radiance, Xierdalanna also took out a light green piece of paper from her storage device that looked very exquisite and was covered with fine gold patterns, displaying the front to Xia Duo. He saw that a passage was scribbled on it in Elvish—

"Mages suspected to be from the Moonshadow Family cleaning up the scene!"

"What does this mean?" Xia Duo asked in confusion, though he already had a faint guess.

Sure enough, Xierdalanna immediately confirmed his guess—"This piece of paper suddenly appeared on me; I myself have no relevant memory.

"I traced the history of this paper; it was indeed written by me personally, but going further, I cannot find any relevant memory, including what is recorded on the paper—

"The memory of seeing Mages suspected to be from the Moonshadow Family cleaning up the scene!

"Do you know what this means?

"Someone, in order to cover up this matter, used some extraordinary means to erase the memories of all those who knew, or more terrifyingly, completely erased a certain period of time in the past."

When saying these words, Xierdalanna's face clearly carried a trace of terror. Memory concerns the self; if it could be wantonly erased or even modified by others, it was simply a nightmare.

What Xierdalanna had experienced, Xia Duo had also experienced. Didn't that Green Vine Tribe he saw on the Langas Plain before have its traces completely erased by someone!

Not only were there no traces left at the scene, but even the traces in memory were gone.

Only Xia Duo himself still remembered, but others, including the Grey Eagle Tribe that had once had conflicts with them, had all lost their memories of the Green Vine Tribe.

And it was not just the loss of those memories; in order to fill the gaps in those memories, new memories were even derived. This kind of means, even if Xia Duo had only sought to remain unaffected, made him feel deep dread.