8. Black Tide
"You say, just speak!"
Gil readily agreed, as if he saw a way out for himself.
Xia Yi directly asked, "I heard that in many cities of Golde, disasters have occurred, right?"
"Disaster? What do you mean…?"
"Are you really unable to understand the Miss's words, or are you pretending not to understand?" Sera glared at Gil.
This scared him terribly, as if his soul was about to fly out.
"Sorry, are you talking about the Black Tide?!"
Black Tide?
This was the first time Xia Yi had heard this term.
"Explain in detail," Xia Yi commanded.
"Alright! Actually, in recent times, many coastal cities in Golde have implemented a policy of banning the sea at night, not allowing anyone to approach the sea in any form, no excuses allowed. If discovered, they will be directly thrown into the dungeon!"
Gil paused.
"That's because a mysterious disaster called the Black Tide occurred in Golde. It is said that at night, darkness from the depths of the ocean will ascend to the shore and surge into the cities, devouring all life. Wherever it goes, no one survives."
Xia Yi felt that the disaster Gil spoke of was very similar to the information she had.
So, the disaster she needed to investigate in Golde was this Black Tide.
"This isn't a legend? It sounds rather mystical."
"Miss, this is a real disaster! Many cities have been swept by the Black Tide at night, and the next day, the cities would become dead cities, with no living creatures left, not even dogs would remain, possibly bustling the day before, and ghost towns the next."
Gil spoke with certainty.
"Many cities in Golde are suffering from such disasters!"
Xia Yi felt there was something strange about Gil's statement.
Even dogs would vanish into thin air?
"What you just said was 'disappear'… not 'die,' right?"
"Yes, that's the terrifying part of the Black Tide. In cities swept by the Black Tide, all living creatures will evaporate, leaving no corpses behind."
"Why is that?"
"Sorry, I don't know. This is all information I learned through channels on the street; I haven't experienced it personally." Gil shook his head.
Xia Yi listened to the information provided by Gil.
This indeed answered some of her questions, but it also brought more doubts.
She glanced at Gil, who now looked terrified and on the verge of a mental breakdown under pressure, clearly without the strength to lie. He only wanted to divulge everything he knew in exchange for a chance to live.
"Do cities that have experienced the Black Tide suffer from it a second time?" Xia Yi asked further.
"Eh, that… it seems they really don't. Strange, why is that?" Gil was stumped.
Xia Yi noticed that this might be a key point.
There was another puzzling doubt.
Why could the Black Tide ensure that all life in an entire city was devoured?
If a disaster really occurred, surely many people would flee. How could none survive?
"Are you sure no one has survived the Black Tide?" Xia Yi was very puzzled.
"None, Miss. It is precisely because no one has survived the Black Tide that it is considered a terrifying disaster in the hearts of the people of Golde."
Gil spoke, unconsciously starting to complain.
"Those foreigners who enter Golde, claiming to want to help Golde, turn a blind eye to such disasters. No matter how the people of Golde plead, they won't offer any help!"
Xia Yi and Sera exchanged glances.
It seemed that this was the limit of Gil's knowledge.
"Aren't you afraid that the Black Tide will also occur in Seaside City? You could choose to flee, hide inland, and then you wouldn't have to worry about the Black Tide, since it only occurs in coastal cities."
"Miss, the reason the population of Seaside City is so small is that most have already run away. But I think, even if you flee inland, you'll be caught and conscripted into the army, and the outcome will be much the same… Those who stay have basically given up hope."
Xia Yi pondered.
Indeed, the local people she saw in Seaside City all had the same look, and it was for this reason.
This was in line with the dragon clan's plan.
If they could eliminate the Black Tide, they could become heroes of Golde, gather the people's hearts, and then expel the invading foreign forces…
By then, the dragon clan gaining the faith of the people of Golde would be inevitable.
"Is there anything else you need to ask, Miss?" Gil asked cautiously.
"Oh, nothing much. Have there been any strange occurrences in Seaside City recently?" Xia Yi asked casually.
Actually, she already knew what she wanted to know.
There was no longer a need to continue interrogating the leader of the Penguin Gang.
Gil replied, "Strange occurrences? If I have to mention something particularly odd, it would be that some time ago, a group claiming to be students from the Laurel Academy entered Seaside City."
…
"Why did we have to come to the nation of Golde of all places? There's civil unrest everywhere here. If we weren't students from the Academy, we might have already died on the road!"
At a certain seaside location in Seaside City, a group of people dressed in student uniforms gathered together.
These young-looking individuals were all dressed in white student uniforms, each with the same badge pinned to their chest, depicting a laurel tree.
This was the emblem of the Laurel Academy.
The Laurel Academy was located in the northern part of the Rhine Kingdom, near the center of this landmass.
However, the Laurel Academy was somewhat special.
With a long history, the origins of the Laurel Academy were varied and debated, but it was certain that the academy had existed since ancient times, even longer than the ancient Rhine Kingdom.
Many students who graduated from here left a significant mark in history, thus the academy enjoyed a high reputation in this land.
Although the academy was now on the land of the Rhine Kingdom, it had a certain degree of autonomy.
Not only humans studied at the Laurel Academy, but also members of other races.
Graduating from the Laurel Academy was akin to having a gold-plated signboard, full of value.
"You should know, if we can complete the research project 'The Black Tide of Golde,' do you realize how many credits we could earn? Graduating wouldn't be a problem at all. Risk always comes with opportunity! We've already come this far, are you thinking of regretting now?"
Another student rebuked the one who was complaining.
"But…"
"Are you afraid of dying? There's no need for that. Don't forget, who is leading our research project this time?" The students of the Laurel Academy were quite proud.
Everyone's gaze followed his line of sight, looking over.
They saw a beautiful human female standing on a sea rock, gazing into the distance.
The teacher's uniform of the Laurel Academy hugged her shapely figure, and black silk stockings covered her long, white legs. Her jet-black hair flowed like a waterfall in the sea breeze.
"She is one of the most outstanding direct disciples of the Sword Saint, a candidate for the Holy Sword wielder, Teacher Hill!"
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