Chapter 87: The Deadly Wicked Land (Part One)

All that met their eyes was a world of pure, blinding white. Once Ye Ran and Pandora stepped beyond the Wall of Desolation, only snow remained—the land and sky indistinguishable in the endless white. Heavy snow blocked the paths, and outside the Wall, ice covered everything. Even the dense forest ahead was draped in silver.

Aside from the wardens of the Wall, there were no traces of humanity here; it was as if they had left the world of men and entered a barren void. They had walked scarcely two miles when Pandora dismissed their convoy. She and Ye Ran strode side by side through the snow, each step crunching beneath their feet. At times, Pandora would scoop up a handful of snow, laughing softly as she brought it to her vivid lips and blew it into a shimmering spray.

Ye Ran glanced at her—how could anyone take this woman for a witch? She seemed nothing more than a playful girl.

“So this is Xisai? It’s my first time—” He didn’t finish his sentence; his expression froze, eyes fixed on the snow-laden trees ahead.

Several short, dwarfish beings were hiding behind the trunks, watching Ye Ran and Pandora. At first sight, Ye Ran felt an unspeakable discomfort. These were not the deft, forge-loving goblins or dwarves he had heard of. These gnomes were marked by red blotches, their hideous faces twisted into grotesque grins, their eyes—twice as large as a man’s—bloodshot and wild.

Some dragged axes behind them, others hefted hammers, and a few carried sacks that squirmed with unknown contents. Most revolting was a burly gnome gnawing on the head of a wild boar.

When they looked at Ye Ran and Pandora, there was no hint of admiration or longing for beauty—only the cold, predatory hunger of a hunter eyeing its prey.

“Blood gnomes—vile creatures,” Pandora muttered, her disgust clear.

Blood gnomes were perhaps the most despised beings on the continent. Known as “the Bloody Dwarfs,” they were nothing like ordinary goblins or dwarves. Though far less powerful than trolls, their brutality and savagery surpassed even those monsters. Worst of all were their blood-soaked methods of slaughter—everyone who saw them avoided them at all costs.

Blood gnome eyes, veined with crimson, sized up their “prey.” But Pandora had no patience for waiting. She let her whip hang at her side and strode lightly toward the gnomes.

Blood gnomes, though savage, were no fools. The fear of higher demons was instinctive. The leader gestured sharply, and the whole pack vanished into the woods.

Pandora sneered at their retreat, but when Ye Ran tried to dash after them, she seized his hand. “Boy, why chase after them?”

“There are people in those sacks,” Ye Ran replied.

The gnomes had been carrying bags larger than themselves, and the struggling forms inside were clearly not wild beasts, but humans.

Pandora chuckled. “You mean to save them?”

“Of course.”

“Those sacks are filled with the barbarians who live in Xisai. They are blood gnomes—the sworn enemies of trolls. They fight to the death over food every few days. Every day, some are captured, some are killed. If you save them every time you see it, when will we ever reach Mount Eses?”

Ye Ran frowned. “Even so, I can’t just stand by and do nothing.”

He had barely spoken when a thunderous roar erupted from the forest. A towering, nearly three-meter-tall figure burst forth, knocking the blood gnomes to the ground. The sacks they carried were scattered.

“A troll?”

The skin, the stature—there was no mistaking it. A forest troll.

The troll wielded a spiked club, and with a single swing, smashed one gnome into a pulp. The rest, enraged, leapt at him, but their numbers could not make up for the disparity in size. After a brief scuffle, they scattered into the woods.

The troll bellowed twice, fierce and wild, grabbed a fallen sack without even looking, and shoved it into his maw. Blood poured from his mouth, and the screams within were abruptly silenced.

After devouring half a corpse, the troll belched in satisfaction, gathered three more sacks, and leapt back into the trees. But just then, a violent gale swept through the forest, carrying with it a black, sinister aura.

Snow and wind swirled, obscuring the woods. The troll watched as the storm blotted out the towering trees. Within the blizzard, a colossal black shape grew larger—two massive, leathery wings unfurled, exuding a dreadful demonic power.

With a terrified growl, the troll turned to flee, but it was far too late. The winged demon swept through the storm, seized the troll in iron pincers, and with a resounding crack, tore it apart midair. Blood and gore rained down as the monstrous shadow devoured the troll’s upper half before vanishing into the depthless forest with the swirling snow.

It all happened in an instant. When Ye Ran reached the woods, he found only chaos.

Troll, blood gnome, and human remains were mingled in a grotesque tableau. Ye Ran felt a wave of nausea at the sight.

“So this is the daily bloodshed of Xisai?” His face was ashen.

Pandora shook her head and laughed. “Boy, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Blood gnomes, trolls, wraiths, demons, barbarians—all dwell on these lands. This is nothing but petty skirmishing. Because of the Wall of Desolation, you’ve lived in a cradle your whole life. This—this is the true world.”

She covered her mouth, laughing softly.

Ye Ran looked back at the sinuous, frozen dragon of a wall, standing tall against the winds and the evil races of Xisai, shielding the East in peace and safety. For so many years it had stood there, admired and revered, but how many truly understood the brutality of the lands beyond?

Ignoring Pandora’s mockery, Ye Ran buried the corpses of troll, blood gnome, and barbarian alike. By the time he finished, dusk had fallen.

With so many demons roaming Xisai, Pandora avoided summoning her infernal box, not wishing to attract attention. Instead, she and Ye Ran built a fire in the woods.

Deep in the forest, the snow never ceased. Night fell like a black shroud, making the already shadowy woods seem even more forbidding. The fire crackled, casting flickering light over Ye Ran and Pandora’s faces.

Through the flames, Ye Ran could see hungry, bloodthirsty eyes watching from the darkness. Occasionally, howls and screams echoed through the forest, constant reminders of the peril they faced.

Though weary, Ye Ran tended the fire, unwilling to let it die. Pandora merely leaned against a tree and closed her eyes.

“Sleep, boy. In Xisai, demons fear no other race. In another day, we’ll reach Mount Eses.”