Chapter 693: Scratch Marks
Chapter 693: Chapter 693: Scratch Marks
This scratch mark doesn’t look like it came from a human hand. It’s more like the claw of a carnivorous animal.
"Are there wild animals in Devil’s City?"
"Not a blade of grass grows there, and there’s no running water. If there were wild animals, what would they possibly live on? Besides, after we entered Devil’s City, we never saw any wildlife. Not even an ant or a bird. Actually, places like this—these ’devil’s cities’—exist all over the world. There are several in our country alone. As far as I know, they have them in both The Southward and Frelia. They’re natural landscapes formed by unique topography, complex geographical conditions, and harsh climates."
Evelyn Ford nodded. "That’s right. I’ve read about these places. Devil’s City has always been surrounded by fantastical legends. One rumor claims it’s a lost ancient kingdom, with the restless souls of its people still wandering the land. They say that anyone who enters, no matter where they’re from, struggles to ever leave. Another rumor says it’s a gateway to another, magical world."
After Evelyn finished speaking, she realized the other three were staring at her intently.
"What is it?"
"Evelyn, where did you read all that?" Ryan Rowe couldn’t help but ask.
"In all sorts of novels from over ten years ago, or on forums and message boards. You guys haven’t heard these rumors?"
Ryan Rowe shook his head. Flynn Hansen frowned. "Does that mean ghosts are real?"
"Rather than ghosts, I’d say it’s more likely an issue with magnetic fields, causing hallucinations or jumbled memories."
"But if it’s just hallucinations, how do you explain these scratches on my body?"
Flynn Hansen revealed his arm, showing them a puncture wound that was still healing.
"My teammates and I didn’t get into any fights. And there’s no way a human could have caused this kind of wound. If it’s not ghosts in Devil’s City, then it must be wolves."
Staring at the puncture wound on his arm, Evelyn Ford felt her skin crawl.
The wound looked like a cursed symbol, like a bottomless abyss.
A voice in her mind told her, ’Stay away from Devil’s City. Don’t be curious.’
"Keep those wounds dry, or they might get inflamed and start to fester. In any case, we’re going around it. Whatever is inside Devil’s City is none of our business."
Ryan Rowe nodded in agreement. "Evelyn’s right. Captain Hansen, with a wound that serious, you should wear more layers. If it gets inflamed, you’ll run a fever. We have to look after our health out here in the wild."
"Thanks for the concern. The wound doesn’t hurt, and I have medicine. So, are we going to keep traveling tonight, or find a place to rest and set off at dawn?"
"Of course we’re finding a place to rest. Traveling in the dark is asking for trouble."
After their chat, the four of them continued on their way. Evelyn Ford and Ronan Kendrick fell a bit behind. They exchanged a look, already knowing what the other was thinking.
"Ronan, about Flynn Hansen’s injuries—what kind of animal do you think made those marks?"
Ronan Kendrick’s brow furrowed slightly. "They look a lot like they were made by wolf claws. Wolves are animals that can survive in the harshest environments. Flynn Hansen said nothing grows in Devil’s City, but if the place is huge, what he saw might have just been one barren corner of it. I have another theory as well."
Ronan Kendrick met Evelyn Ford’s eyes and said slowly, "Do you remember that tribe of savages that captured Quincy and his group?"
Evelyn’s brow twitched. "You’re saying there are savages in Devil’s City?"
"It’s just a theory. When we killed those savages, I took a good look at their physical traits. They were all very tall, male and female, with long arms. Their fingernails were as hard and sharp as wolf claws. Most importantly, the puncture wound on Flynn Hansen’s arm looks like someone jabbed a finger in and gouged it out."
Ronan Kendrick reached out and grabbed Evelyn Ford’s arm.
"Flynn Hansen’s wound is on the outer part of his arm. Like this." He demonstrated. "See? When I grab your arm this way, where my thumb presses down is in the exact same spot as his wound."
It was a moment of sudden clarity for Evelyn. She had to admit, Ronan was far more observant than she was.
"Why savages, and not normal humans?"
Ronan Kendrick chuckled. "It could be normal humans. But for a normal person to gouge a hole in someone’s arm like that... unless they have Inner Strength like a character out of a wuxia novel, it’d be nearly impossible."
"I have another theory, too."
Evelyn looked at Ronan, and he understood her meaning in an instant.
"Failed gene-edited humans."
"Do you think that’s possible?"
Ronan smiled and nodded. "We can’t rule it out."
Theories were one thing, but Evelyn didn’t have an adventurous bone in her body. She wasn’t particularly curious either, and besides, her sixth sense was screaming at her that Devil’s City was dangerous.
They spurred their horses to catch up to the other two. They were still on the Khoros Steppe. As evening fell, the fog began to thin, revealing dilapidated earthen houses in the distance. A few crooked utility poles stood nearby, tangled in creeping vines. The rain had tapered off, but dark clouds pressed down from above, promising a heavy storm either tonight or the next day.
"Hansen, you sure this is the right way?"
"It is. See the red cloth on that utility pole up ahead? It’s a marker we left on our way back."
Ryan Rowe gave Flynn Hansen a thumbs-up. "Not bad, kid. You’ve got a few tricks. No wonder I kept seeing red cloth along the route. So they were trail markers! Why are you only telling us now?"
A smile finally broke through Flynn Hansen’s usually stern face. "We were worried the cloth would weather away, so wherever we tied one, we also left a mark in red paint. If I remember correctly, the marker up ahead is named ’Broken House’."
The four of them rode up to the utility pole. The sharp-eyed Ronan Kendrick immediately spotted a rock at the base of the pole with the two words "Broken House" written on it in red paint.
"The marker’s over here." Seeing that Ryan Rowe and Evelyn Ford hadn’t spotted it yet, Ronan Kendrick swung himself off his horse and nudged the large rock with his foot.
"Well, I’ll be." Ryan Rowe sounded excited. He dismounted, walked over to the stone, pulled off his gloves, and traced the two crookedly painted words.
"We stayed here for a night back then, in that earthen house up ahead."
Leading their horses to the earthen house in front, Flynn Hansen went inside. The house was full of cobwebs, and there were even two snakeskins.
"Let’s get moving. The wind has died down. We’ll push on until we reach the Serena border, then we can find a place to rest."
They had to make it into Serena before nightfall. They could admire the scenery on the way back.
Evelyn felt like her rear was being bounced raw from the ride. ’When we stop for the night,’ she thought, ’I’ll have to go into my space and put on some ointment. My thighs are probably rubbed raw by now. But I’m tough. I’ll be fine by tomorrow.’
At eight in the evening, dusk began to fall, and the fog rolled in again.
The border between Serena and Khoros was just ahead. The four of them pushed on with a final burst of energy, heading for the boundary marker.
Seeing the red cloth tied to the boundary marker, Evelyn Ford and Ronan Kendrick high-fived in celebration. Ryan Rowe and Flynn Hansen couldn’t help but smile too.
"Finally, we’re done traveling for the day."