Chapter 588 - 586: Envy from Benovia
"The pollution should be reaching the border by noon today. It won’t be easy to resolve... I’ll inquire about the situation."
It’s now the morning of the second day since leaving the Recovery Temple.
After leaving the Elf Royal City and the Recovery Temple, Hilia received missed communications from various parties. Upon calling back to assure her safety, she learned of Vanessa waiting at the border with Ms Meilina for an incoming pollution situation.
She also incidentally heard that Benovia had come along.
"I need to tell Benovia about this pollution situation; maybe she knows how to solve it."
Before heading to the source of the pollution, Hilia contacted Benovia.
"Hilia?"
Benovia’s projection appeared in front of her, looking at Hilia with a puzzled expression.
"Benovia, did Ms Meilina say you’ve arrived at the border?" Hilia asked.
After leaving the Recovery Temple yesterday, Hilia contacted Vanessa and learned about Ms Meilina’s situation.
She also asked Vanessa to tell Ms Meilina that the pollution in the Elf Forest is quite peculiar and not to let her guard down.
"Yes, I received an epiphany from the Gods, so I came," Benovia said openly, trying to observe Hilia’s expression through the projection.
But obviously, that was impossible.
"An epiphany from the Gods?"
Hilia couldn’t help but look toward Rose in her heart.
But Rose showed no reaction.
So Hilia asked, "What did the Gods say?"
"They just told me to come over and incidentally taught me some life magic, granting me the capability to deal with special contamination."
"That’s great, then I’m relieved."
Hilia felt that there was a strange undertone in her words.
"By the way, are you currently in the Elf Forest, Hilia?" Benovia asked curiously.
Hilia nodded: "Yes, I’m in the Elf Forest, preparing to inspect the situation at the source of the pollution."
"That’s wonderful! Once the pollution source is dealt with, I can go back to reading," Benovia said happily.
Hilia replied, "It’s not that simple; this pollution is very peculiar, and even I find it difficult to dispel... I’m just going to take a look."
"You’re the lucky one who received the Gods’ blessing, Hilia; surely, you can resolve it," Benovia blinked.
Hilia remained silent for a moment and chose to bypass that topic: "Anyway, what did Ms Meilina say? Last night, I told Vanessa’s mother to ask Ms Meilina not to underestimate this pollution. Did she have any reaction?"
Benovia thought for a moment and shook her head: "I didn’t notice any special reaction; she seems quite confident, as if she could solve the pollution without me."
"Without you? Is she planning to send you away?"
Hilia couldn’t help but recall the Elf Elder following Elina, the one called Candia, who impressed her greatly.
No wonder, a Tier Six yet only capable of acting as someone else’s bodyguard.
The key is, even as a bodyguard, failing poorly.
Benovia said: "Not at all, I actually hope she’s really confident and doesn’t want me to intervene, so that I can just stay in my room, but..."
Benovia sighed, "Ms Meilina dismisses the pollution on one hand, saying it’s easily solved, but pulls me out to follow along with her."
"Isn’t that good?"
"What’s good about it? Not being able to slack off isn’t good at all."
"You always want to slack off; what if you lose your selection as Holy Daughter?"
"So what if I lose it? Look at everything I’ve done; none can compare to yours. Sooner or later, instead of continuing to vie for it, might as well just lie flat."
Benovia reasoned easily, leaving Hilia speechless.
After chatting with Benovia for a while and learning about the specifics over there, Hilia disconnected and flew towards the pollution source.
Before long, Hilia arrived at the source.
Today marks the fourth day of the pollution outbreak; the northern part of the Elf Forest has been completely taken over. The pollution is also soon to spread to the Beastman Empire, Star Spirit Forbidden Land, and Ista Empire borders.
After raging for so long, the pollution here at the source has finally slowed down a bit from its peak velocity, having passed the highest flow rate. If things go accordingly, it will slowly deplete and eventually stop.
But by then, the entire Elf Race along with the Star Spirit Forbidden Land would likely have been engulfed by the wave of pollution.
If the Elf Race had cooperated properly earlier, Hilia feels the situation now would have been much better.
At least it wouldn’t have spread so quickly.
Even with her and Elina continuously purifying, they cannot completely curb the pollution’s rampage, but they can at least restrain a part of it.
"Although I despise the Elf Royal Family’s conduct, spreading this pollution will harm innocent common folk, who have no resistance to it. Those near the pollution source can hardly resist, let alone those even slightly outside..."
Hilia murmured to herself, glancing at the pollution source, where an Elf encampment had appeared.
She quietly approached, noticing that many elves were risking their lives to observe and research the pollution.
While watching, she suddenly noticed elves being hurled out from the enormous crack of the pollution source.
Like being launched cannonballs, these elves crash heavily onto the ground and are promptly grabbed by waiting ground elves, fleeing toward the temporary encampment.
Hilia sensed the Protective Array of the encampment, realizing this array could resist pollution but couldn’t block others from entering and leaving.
Nevertheless, she chose not to disturb these elves.
"Judging by their actions, they must have received orders from the Elf King, risking their lives to establish the camp and research the pollution at the root source..."
Admiration appeared in Hilia’s eyes.
She could feel that besides primarily Tier Four Mages, there were quite a few Tier Three and Tier Two Mages in the camp.
Tier Two Mages are mostly crippled upon contact with the pollution source, so they wear special clothing to mainly maintain the camp.
Despite that, it’s still very risky.
No matter their thoughts, appearing here makes Hilia feel they are far greater than those of the Elf Royal Family.
After some thought, Hilia sneaked into the camp to silently cast Purification Skill on the elves emerging from the pollution source, allowing the glow of purification to discreetly enter their bodies, safeguarding their core areas.
Afterward, Hilia quietly left the camp, not alerting anyone, and then circumvented them, reaching the other end of the pollution source.
Staring at the seemingly bottomless pollution source deep hole below, Hilia took a deep breath, leapt, and dove into the hole.