Chapter 184: Chapter 172: The Peculiar Red Squirrel and Preparations

It was too late and the boatmen had already retired for the night, so Roland had to walk home.

By the time he had washed up and laid down on his soft bed, the night was deep.

The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the window lattice, Roland slowly opened his eyes.

The significant increase in his Spiritual Attribute had dispelled all his fatigue. He sat up in bed as soon as he was fully awake.

"Good morning, Qiao."

"Good morning, Roland."

Hearing his name, Red Squirrel Qiao, who was standing by the window breathing in the fresh air, responded with a wave of his furry little paw.

Compared to his time in the Black Water Territory, perhaps due to a more comfortable life, he had clearly grown a bit rounder. With his fluffy fur, he could easily be mistaken for a small kitten from a distance.

And during these peaceful days in the River Domain, Qiao had gradually let down his guard, getting along well with Teresa, Bronson, Hobbit, and the others.

The Minstrel Galvis, in particular, always loved to tease him with all sorts of food, adding much-needed laughter to the once quiet courtyard.

Because of this, Roland hadn’t been keeping the Red Squirrel with him as usual, instead letting him stay in the courtyard to be looked after by the others.

However, Qiao always maintained a strange wariness, but only toward the Elf Maiden Avril.

Through his [Animal Companion] Trait, Roland could even catch a hint of aversion toward Avril in Qiao’s thoughts.

But the Red Squirrel himself couldn’t explain where this aversion came from; he would simply, subconsciously avoid the Elf Maiden during their daily playtime.

This left Avril, who loved small animals, quite disappointed.

"Whew..."

Only when the "whispers" of materials by his ear gradually subsided did Roland let out a long breath and stretch his body.

[Material Synesthesia] was indeed powerful, but he had yet to fully adapt to this suddenly acquired ability.

Just as he was getting dressed, about to go to the kitchen to prepare breakfast, a strange sensation seized him.

He noticed that in the room, besides the Secret Silver Longsword by his side, another presence was emitting an exceptionally "loud" "sound."

Following that Perception, Roland’s gaze finally landed on Red Squirrel Qiao, who was lazily lying on the wooden table.

’This is...’

Roland’s pupils contracted. He almost cried out in alarm.

After his experiment on the patrol Guards last night, he had discovered that [Material Synesthesia], true to its name, had a significant effect on inanimate "materials" like wood and metal. But for living individuals, his Perception was vague, or there was no reaction at all.

Yet at this moment, he could clearly "perceive" that within Qiao’s tiny body, abundant Magic Elements were surging like a river.

What shocked him even more was the affinity this squirrel showed for the Fire Element; it was as if they were a single, symbiotic being.

This natural, powerful Elemental Affinity even made his precious Secret Silver Longsword seem dull in comparison.

’How is this possible...’

Roland’s brow furrowed. He took a step forward, carefully cupped Qiao in his hands, and examined him closely.

But no matter how he looked, this was just an ordinary Red Squirrel, with no physiological abnormalities compared to others of its kind.

"What’s wrong, Roland?"

Seeing the solemn expression on Roland’s face, a confused Qiao scratched his furry head with his paw, his eyes filled with bewilderment.

"It’s nothing..."

After a moment of careful observation, still finding no external abnormalities, Roland gently shook his head.

He placed the squirrel back on the table, but his thoughts drifted back to his first encounter with him.

The dark, dense forest.

The mysterious Keel.

And the swift decay of the forest after the Keel was taken away...

’Could it be... the influence of that Keel?’

Connecting this to Qiao’s intelligence, which far surpassed that of an ordinary animal, a bold guess formed in Roland’s mind.

’Just a fragment of a leftover Keel could affect the ecology of an entire region?’

Recalling the terrifying Giant Dragon he had encountered in Wuxi Town, Roland gained a deeper understanding of the level of power it possessed.

And looking at the vibrant little creature before him, for the first time, Roland began to re-evaluate the Trait [Material Synesthesia].

Qiao, right here in front of him, seemed to have no connection whatsoever with a cold, lifeless thing like "material."

"Uh... Roland?"

Seeing the slight nervousness in the Red Squirrel’s eyes, Roland immediately relaxed his brow and gently rubbed his furry little head.

No matter what, even if Qiao’s Elemental Affinity was incredibly strong, he could never bring himself to see his little partner as some kind of "material" for forging equipment.

Pushing his messy thoughts to the back of his mind, Roland took Qiao into the kitchen.

As smoke gently rose from the chimney, it wasn’t long before a sumptuous breakfast was laid out on the table.

At Roland’s call, Galvis and the others gradually gathered and began to enjoy their breakfast.

"Teresa..."

Roland noticed the silver-haired woman’s face had clearly thinned a bit. He added some food to her plate and spoke softly.

"Your power is already very strong. There’s no need to rush."

"I understand. Thank you for your concern, Mr. Roland."

Teresa smiled faintly. After gracefully putting a bite of food from her plate into her mouth, she asked.

"Mr. Roland, Galvis mentioned yesterday that you had something to discuss with me?"

"Hey! Teresa! That’s not fair!"

Before Roland could answer, Galvis, who was sitting nearby, immediately started shouting in protest.

"How come you call him ’Mister,’ but you just use my first name?"

Having spent a long time together, everyone was already used to the Minstrel’s flighty personality, so no one paid any attention to his protest.

"It’s like this..."

Roland ignored the resentful glare Galvis shot his way and put down his knife and fork.

"I remember when you first arrived in the River Domain, you were on Trevor’s ship and passed through the Wailing Gorge, right?"

"That’s right."

Teresa nodded slightly, tucking a stray lock of silver hair behind her ear, her voice growing somber.

"That’s not a good place..."

Her gaze seemed to pierce through the dining table, looking toward that perilous stretch of water deep in her memory. Her voice carried a hint of barely perceptible gravity.

"It’s a narrow waterway squeezed between massive, nearly vertical black cliffs, as cold and gloomy as a tomb."

"The sea churns and roars within it, so narrow that large ships don’t dare risk entry. The entrance is littered with hidden reefs and broken rock pillars, like underwater fangs spread across the channel. The slightest mistake means your ship is destroyed and your crew is dead. But..."

Her tone shifted.

"Once you’re inside the Wailing Gorge, the water gradually calms, and the reefs and shattered rocks all disappear. It becomes exceptionally smooth. But..."

She paused.

"Although it’s some distance from the Land of Mist on the border of the River Domain, you can clearly see that fog-shrouded area in the distance... That place gave me a very bad feeling."

"I see."

Roland nodded slowly, digesting Teresa’s description, then asked.

"In that case, do you think there are any places inside the Wailing Gorge suitable for a large group to hide?"

"Hide?"

Although she wasn’t sure why Roland was asking, Teresa thought for a moment before answering.

"On the cliff walls on both sides, there are quite a few caves at a certain height above sea level. There are also several patches of very solid land that jut out of the sea as if from nowhere..."

Recalling those somewhat abrupt platforms, she frowned slightly and continued.

"So there are many places to hide. In fact, when we were passing through, Captain Trevor even spotted some docked ships and signs of human activity. But we weren’t disturbed at all on our way."

Before she had finished speaking, the Minstrel at her side raised his eyebrows smugly.

Roland, meanwhile, curled his fingers and began tapping rhythmically on the tabletop.

Amid the soft tapping, his thoughts raced.

’So, in other words, the only real difficulty in entering the Wailing Gorge is safely navigating the treacherous channel at the entrance, which is full of reefs and rock pillars. As long as we can get inside...’

Combining this with Teresa’s description, Roland made up his mind. He then laid out his entire plan to go and exterminate the Pirates.

Seeing that neither Teresa nor Galvis had any objections, he quickly finished the food on his plate, chewing and swallowing thoroughly before getting up and heading for the door.

Although the information Teresa provided was quite detailed, Roland still decided to have Hobbit dispatch a few of his most experienced crew members to scout the outer area of the Wailing Gorge more carefully.

For him, every adventure came with unknown risks. He could never be too cautious.

Besides, gathering the necessary supplies for the trip to the Wailing Gorge would take time.

And since the gorge wasn’t too far from the Royal Capital, the supplies should be ready by the time the scouting crew returned with more detailed intelligence. Neither task would delay the other.

With this in mind, Roland quickened his pace, heading toward the Knight Academy.