Chapter 2703: Cursed Fire and Burning Great Tree

"Flora has been completing the musical score you discovered in the hotel yesterday. The church side, led by Mr. Gerald Delong, the 'Master of Constructs' of the thirteenth ring, has completed the blockade of the Love Lake periphery."

Miss Dannister said, putting down the book in her hand:

"Also, Linda Bennett has woken up."

Including Xia De and Flora, a total of eleven people were rescued from the lake on Tuesday night. And so far, including Miss Linda Bennett, only three have woken up.

Miss Dannister obtained their photos and information through the academy's channels, and Xia De understood as soon as he saw those photos:

"Those three people who woke up, aren't they the three people we saw floating on the lake in the dream?"

"Yes, Dannister and I both think this shows that they were the three who were least deeply immersed in the dream at that time. As for the remaining 8 people, the church and the academy both believe that they will probably never wake up."

The man and woman other than Linda Bennett were not companions. Among them, 25-year-old George Kant is the son of Mr. Kant, the local police chief. Their family even has a distant relative relationship with the Bennett family.

According to young Mr. Kant's own statement, after he accidentally bought a pink necklace, he dreamed of this great lake in his dream, and then strangely wanted to find it.

When entering the forest last Sunday, young Mr. Kant suddenly felt that he knew the location of that lake, and then sank into the lake for some reason.

As for the woman, she is a student of the "Creekwood Town Music Academy," and her grade is even higher than Miss Bennett.

She claimed to have discovered a strange book in the school warehouse, and then did many things with a blurred memory until she entered the lake for some reason.

The church is still investigating the statements of the three, but at least all three have passed the mental appraisal, and it can be determined that their spirits have returned to normal.

The book that Linda Bennett knew about the secret of the Love Lake, Mr. Kant's necklace, and the female student's book have all been confiscated by the church. Out of caution, although the three were allowed to leave the church temporarily by name, each of them wore a charm that the church said was for "exorcism" but was actually used for positioning.

They are not allowed to leave the local area next, and their itinerary will be strictly monitored.

Letting them out so easily is not because the church has no place to live there, but because they want to determine whether it is a coincidence that these people came into contact with things related to the "mermaid." The church is quite worried about this. In the current eventful autumn, if another unknowable-level relic appears to cause trouble everywhere, it will make many things more complicated.

As for the charms used to track their location, they also have the function of "reporting to the police immediately after leaving the human body by a certain distance."

The two ladies introducing this follow-up to Xia De was not to praise the church's quick decision, but the new situation of the Bennett family:

"In order to thank the church for its help, the Bennett family wants to send Linda Bennett to the church to be a nun."

"What?"

Xia De, holding the cat, asked suspiciously:

"If I remember correctly, those noble women who fell into a disadvantage in family struggles, or were deeply involved in some scandal, would take the initiative to go to the church to be nuns to prove their innocence."

There is no choice for nuns in the Church of the True God to quit halfway. As long as you choose this path, it is impossible to leave the church. The steam age seems to be more open and free than in the past, but the religious atmosphere is still strong. After all, gods really exist.

"Yes, just like what you said.

Linda Bennett committed suicide several times for York Bronte, and now she is truly involved in a supernatural event. Plus our report to the church, which directly said that she had used the water of the Love Lake, she actually has no way out."

Flora grew up in Willendale and was quite familiar with this aspect of things:

"Linda Bennett now has no possibility of marrying out, so instead of letting her stay at home and be talked about, or even affecting the marriage of her sisters and brothers, it is better to let her go directly to the church to be a nun.

Although everyone knows what this means, at least this path is not the worst choice."

Xia De stroked the cat a few more times:

"There is a female elder in the Belindell family who is a nun in the church in Moon Bay. Miss Belindell took me to visit her. I remember Miss Belindell told me that going to be a nun is basically equivalent to being expelled from the family."

"It's not that serious... but there is definitely no inheritance right. This is to protect noble private property from being swallowed by the church. Well, it is indeed equivalent to being expelled from the family."

Flora nodded. As for why Xia De was taken to see the relatives of the Belindell family when he was in Moon Bay, she certainly understood that the Countess and her current self had their own thoughts.

But it happened that the Countess also brought people to the Love Lake to save her a few days ago, so she couldn't open her mouth to ask about this:

"There is no right or wrong in this matter. Since Linda Bennett used the water of the Love Lake, accepting punishment is what should be done.

Speaking of which, she should actually thank Xia De. If it weren't for Xia De defeating York Bronte, after Linda Bennett died, her soul would definitely have been imprisoned by that death disciple on the edge of life and death."

"Anyway, things locally are getting more and more complicated. I originally thought there were only tree holes and time travelers. Now it seems that there are dangers everywhere in this forest."

Xia De sighed:

"Today I want to talk to the hermits, thank them for providing information about the Love Lake, and also ask about the Tree Father's faith locally. Miss Dannister, you should go with me."

Because several visits to the hermits were made by Miss Dannister and him together.

The red-haired young woman naturally had no opinion, and the witch said:

"I'll stay behind to continue perfecting that musical score. When you come back today, I should be able to demonstrate the final effect to you."

"Then what musical instrument do you plan to write the score for?"

"Piano, I like piano the most."

Although the residence of the hermits was already known, Xia De and the two did not break in directly. Instead, they went to Xiaomi Ge Village as before, and after meeting Mr. Van Buren, the familiar hermit, they were led to the camp in the dense forest.

The hermits' camp didn't change much, but as autumn came to an end, the hermits were also hoarding food for the winter and rebuilding some houses:

"The snow this winter will be very heavy."

Mr. Van Buren said so.

Elder Davis of the 【Forest Hermit Group】 did not go out today, so he welcomed the two who visited again in the camp. After Xia De expressed his gratitude, he waved his hand repeatedly:

"Don't thank us, didn't you solve this matter independently in the end?"

He was quite wary of the power there and didn't want to talk more about the Love Lake. Xia De didn't continue this topic. He originally wanted to continue the topic of the Tree Father's faith, but Mr. Davis asked suddenly:

"Actually, we have also encountered a troublesome thing here recently. I don't know if you can help."

"Since the Hermit Group helped us, we will also help you."

The red-haired female warlock said. Mr. Davis nodded:

"Please follow me, this way."

Mr. Davis and the keeper Mr. Meloni took them away from the camp, but they didn't walk too far in the forest, and saw a temporary camp.

The camp was built around a pitch-black tree. There were two ring warlocks belonging to the Hermit Group in the camp. Seeing Mr. Davis walking over, they left here temporarily, so Xia De discovered the strangeness of that tree.

The tree itself was charred by fire, and at the bottom of the tree, a deer that was also charred was completely fused with the tree, as if they were one body before being charred.

Although the deer that should have died now still had activity, its middle body was integrated into the charred tree, and now the charred head and tail were still shaking constantly, as if wanting to break free from the trunk.

After Xia De and the four approached, the charred deer even opened its mouth and spat a flame at them, but the flame was immediately blocked by the ritual arranged by the hermits.

"What is this again?"

Xia De asked curiously, but Miss Dannister answered:

"A typical cursed creature. It seems that both the tree and the deer were burned to death by fire, but the soul of that deer was obviously twisted by some evil power, and then the corpse of the deer and the tree were forcibly kept active."

Mr. Meloni nodded unexpectedly, not expecting her to see it at a glance:

"Three days ago, the forest ranger responsible for patrolling the forest in the Hermit Group discovered this kind of thing, but not here, but at a position about 10 miles southeast of this position. They first discovered a small piece of burning forest, originally thought it was a normal autumn forest fire, but after extinguishing the fire, they found that it was something similar to this that ignited the forest."

"Similar? So you found many similar things?"

"Yes, as of just before you entered the camp, at least ten such trees were found in the northern part of the entire Vesta Forest. This one is the closest to us.

All similar trees are igniting the surrounding trees, but they only maintain the fire within a certain range, rather than spreading infinitely. Their power forms are extremely similar, and their appearance is also composed of charred trees and charred animals.

For safety, we arranged for people to look after those trees separately, and the news has also been reported to the local church. This young lady is right, not only the deer, but this tree also has activity.

Don't look at the fact that there are no leaves on the branches now, this thing will actually grow burning leaves, which is quite dangerous in the autumn forest." ===== CHAPTER 2704 =====