r18novel Chapter 111 The Ominous Crow
Chapter 111 The Ominous Crow
Chapter 111 The Ominous Crow
I looked up and saw a black crow soaring in the sky.
This is an ominous sign.
Natalie has been seeing crows a lot lately, as if they're deliberately following her.
But if leaving all the misfortune to her could bring good fortune to the people she cherished, Natalie would rather be unlucky.
Natalie doesn't care about many people in this world, and there are even very few that she can keep in her heart.
Bourne, the curator, and Natalie sometimes think of them.
But the only people she truly missed were a pirate and her son.
Natalie often has sleepless nights when she reminisces about pirates.
As for her son, her heart was filled with anticipation and blessings.
She would sometimes imagine what Cathy would look like at different ages.
Imagine his clear eyes and sweet voice, and wonder if he looks more like his father or mother.
But no matter who he resembles, Cathy must be a handsome little boy.
If Natalie had been there for Cathy as she grew up, she would have heard Cathy call her "mother".
Natalie imagines that if her Cathy were a little more affectionate, he might even call her "Mommy."
Natalie longed, longed, longed to hug Cathy again and kiss his cheek once more.
However, Casey is now in danger.
Both Bourne and the curator were very powerful, and the pirate's "glorious" deeds occasionally reached Natalie's ears.
They don't need Natalie's prayers.
Only Cathy, her only son whom she cared about, was now in a precarious situation, his fate uncertain.
If luck could truly be exchanged, Natalie would like to transfer all her luck to her son.
May he be able to turn danger into safety and remain peaceful.
That day, just as Natalie obtained a clue about the mermaid and was preparing to pursue it, she heard the devastating news from Goringburg.
Although Natalie was disappointed that she couldn't immediately go and pursue her dreams, she didn't hesitate for a moment and decisively boarded the ship back to the Kingdom of Giants.
The inability to stand idly by and watch one's son in danger is probably every mother's instinct.
After spending half a month on the ship, Natalie finally returned to her homeland after many years.
They then immediately found a horse-drawn carriage and headed to the Lines Plateau.
Goringburg was devoured by demonic power; Natalie had only heard of a similar disaster once before.
That was a story Natalie told her when she was little, told by her master Ivan, the herald of Goringburg. The city of Gray had once experienced an incident where demonic power went out of control.
Natalie has reason to believe that this matter is related to Gray City.
The Zorc family and the Lines family have been at odds since ancient times, and the people of the Lines family are inherently treacherous.
If someone were to accuse them of deliberately framing the Lines family and Goringburg, Natalie would believe it was almost certainly true.
And assuming that Casey was not affected by the evil events at Goringburg, the Zorc family would definitely not have let it go.
Natalie must find Cathy and protect her.
As for dreams—
How could something like this compare to family?
The road was rough and uneven, and the carriage was also jolted and bumped.
If the wheel runs over a pebble, Natalie might even be thrown off her feet and land hard on her bottom on the hard wooden chair.
But she didn't complain at all, after all, it was Natalie who chose this path.
The ship Natalie was on docked at Hukou Port.
There are three routes from Hukou Port to the Linensen Plateau.
North Road, Middle Road, and South Road.
Hukou Port is a port in the northern part of the Weeping Gorge, so the southern route is naturally the longest and takes the most time.
Natalie couldn't wait to see Cathy, and she would definitely reject the South Route first.
The northern route is half the distance of the southern route and passes through the Lorraine Plain.
The roads in this area are wide and flat, which will make Natalie's journey much easier if she takes this route.
However, this route requires going around the Stone Mountains, which increases the distance.
Natalie ultimately chose the mid lane.
This road will traverse the Stone Mountains directly, providing the shortest route to the Lines Plateau.
However, the downside is that the mountain roads are steep and difficult to traverse, and there are simply too many uncertainties.
For the passengers in the carriage, every second was torture.
But in order to find Cathy sooner, Natalie was willing to endure the torment.
Natalie never expected that the carriage would move so slowly on this road.
She has been in the Stone Mountains for more than ten days now, but the summit is still far away.
If she had chosen the northern route, she would have already bypassed the Stone Mountains by now.
However, whether a path is easy or difficult can only be known by walking it yourself.
It is foolish to give up halfway and turn back.
Natalie only hoped that she could move faster when they started going downhill.
"girl?"
Natalie heard a call, leaned forward, and lifted the carriage curtain.
The speaker was the coachman, a thin old man with sparse hair, and the acne on the back of his head was easily visible from behind.
The driver glanced back at Natalie, then immediately focused his gaze forward:
"The roads in the Stone Mountains are difficult to travel; you must have had a tough journey."
Natalie replied, "I can manage."
"You are so strong, girl. Most women are hesitant and afraid to even leave their own villages and towns, but you asked me to take you across several complete regions. Even most men have never had such an experience."
"I have things I must do."
"I have no doubt about that, young lady. But don't worry, the road ahead will be much easier."
Natalie looked up: "What's wrong?"
"Ahead lies Windpath City. After passing through Windpath City, we'll travel a short distance further before crossing a mountain valley. From there on, the journey will mostly be downhill, and the road will be much gentler."
"Okay," Natalie nodded, "I understand, then I'll leave it to you."
"Hehe, it's alright. However, young lady, I suggest we rest and recuperate in Windpath City."
Why?
"While Windpath City isn't the central city of the Stone Mountains, it's definitely one of the most prosperous cities in the region. You can find everything you need there, and I can even find some good fodder for the horses."
You know, although we weren't feeling well along the way, it was this old guy who had the hardest time.
Natalie understood that this was a reasonable request, so she agreed:
"I understand. Let's rest in Windpath City for a day then."
Despite saying that, Natalie wished she could travel day and night without stopping.
But she also understood that even animals have their limits.
After about two more hours of travel, the carriage arrived at Windpath City.
At this point, only half of the afternoon had passed.
But Natalie had already promised the coachman, so she could only go into town for a stroll.
Before heading to the frozen continent, Natalie had traveled and explored various parts of the kingdom.
However, this was her first time visiting the Stone Mountains.
She remembered her father saying that the Stone Mountains were like a scar that would never heal for the kingdom.
It obstructs blood flow and also festers and festers.
However, Natalie couldn't quite remember her father's explanation of this description because so much time had passed.
Although her memory was hazy, Natalie had now personally arrived in the mountain city, and she felt that her father's words made some sense.
Even though Windpath was a rich land in the Stone Mountains, Natalie could hardly see any prosperity there.
The city wall is crooked and uneven.
The buildings within the city were scattered haphazardly without any planning, resulting in a maze-like network of roads.
Wherever you go, you're covered in thick dust or stinking mud.
While it is true, as the driver said, that all the necessary shops are there, anyone who has lived in other cities for a few years would not associate this place with the word "convenience".
As Natalie was looking down, picking a path through the mud at her feet, she suddenly saw a shadow flash across the ground.
Looking up, crows were flying over Windpath City.
Natalie frowned. Why are there crows everywhere?
Ravens are a harbinger of bad luck, and Natalie could only hope that nothing bad would happen to her in the city.
However, since she had decided to stay in the city for one night, Natalie decided to make the most of the time to recuperate her body, which had been suffering from the torment of the past few days.
Although Natalie is not yet thirty years old, if she does not pay attention to her health in time, old age will soon be creeping up on her neck.
She decided to find a nice hotel first, lie on a sturdy bed and sleep comfortably for a night to relieve the soreness in her muscles.
After making some inquiries, Natalie found a well-known local hotel.
The hotel looks unremarkable, even a bit old.
But when Natalie booked the room and arrived, she realized that appearances can be deceiving.
The room wasn't big, but the bed was quite large.
The mattress is not made of straw, but of thick wool.
Natalie pounced on the mattress, the soft fabric perfectly enveloping every inch of her skin, and she quickly fell asleep.
When she woke up, it was already completely dark.
Natalie felt a little hungry, so she decided to go to the hotel lobby to ask for something to eat.
The proprietress, who was in charge of serving, recommended stewed venison to Natalie.
She said Stone deer meat is firm and has a slightly sweet taste.
Natalie accepted the recommendation and ordered a glass of milk.
The food was served quickly, and the hungry Natalie couldn't wait to start eating.
Natalie deduced that the mountain people must have excellent teeth, and that the meat of the Stone Deer was not just firm, but incredibly tough.
She chewed dozens of times before she could barely chew a piece of stewed venison.
Therefore, she was forced to eat more side dishes such as shallots and carrots.
Suddenly, Natalie felt someone forcefully pull her hair, causing her to lean backward abruptly.
She quickly braced herself against the table and shook her head in protest.
After the other person let go, Natalie looked back.
It was a man dressed in lumberjack clothes, probably a woodcutter.
Natalie glared at him, put one hand into her pocket and reached for her dagger, while holding the other hand in front of her for defense.
"Tsk," the man clicked his tongue, "It's a woman!"
The people around them chimed in, "Hey, but she's a pretty girl!"
The man would yell, "Shut up, I'm not a pervert!"
Upon hearing these words, Natalie realized that the man's actions just now might have been due to a misunderstanding.
But Natalie remained vigilant and maintained her posture.
The man then said, "Miss, don't worry about it, it's a misunderstanding. I didn't mean to hurt you."
Natalie demanded, "Why did you pull my hair?!"
"Because of your hair color," the man said, "your hair is orange-yellow."
Those who inherit the bloodline of the Capello family all have orange-yellow hair, and Natalie is no exception.
In the past, Natalie was wanted by the kingdom, and her hair color was a very distinctive feature, so she always needed to dye her hair to cover it up.
However, since Natalie went to the frozen continent in recent years, she has never dyed her hair again.
She had only been back in the kingdom for half a month at this time, and was so eager to find her son that she hadn't had time to dye her hair.
Moreover, she felt there was no need to dye her hair.
Eighteen years have passed since her arrest warrant was issued, and even the most patient bounty hunter would have long since given up on her pursuit.
Therefore, Natalie felt there was no need to dye her hair anymore.
Indeed, the man before him had no idea that Natalie was the kingdom's most wanted criminal.
However, Natalie was curious about what the other person said.
Since he is pursuing a wanted criminal with orange-yellow hair, it proves that the wanted criminal has a bloodline similar to Natalie's.
She couldn't help but ask, "Who are you looking for?"
"No, it's not you. You're a woman."
"man?"
"To be precise, it's a boy—"
The boy, with orange-yellow hair, Natalie thought sharply, "Cathy!"
She quickly pressed, "What's the boy's name? Why are you looking for him?"
"I don't know the name, and as for why—" the man looked at Natalie suspiciously, "you don't even know this?"
“Nothing needs to be known by everyone,” Natalie said. “There are people who don’t even know the name of the current king.”
"Alright, I just don't know who the king is."
The man scratched his head, then told Natalie the answer.
"Consider this information as compensation for pulling your hair. I'm looking for a wanted criminal."
"What kind of wanted criminal?"
"I don't know, I only know that he was a boy with orange-yellow hair, and there was probably an elderly knight protecting him."
Natalie paused for a moment, then thought of another question:
"If we catch the wanted criminal, where do we collect the bounty?"
"Highland," the man said, "Lynes Highland, go to Gray City, find the Zork family."
Upon hearing this, Natalie took a deep breath.
Absolutely right, the one wanted is her son, Cathy!
Natalie was extremely anxious because her son was wanted by the police.
But her face was beaming with a joyful smile.
The fact that Casey is wanted by the police says at least two things.
Her son is still alive and has successfully escaped the Lines Plateau!
Accompanying Cassie was an old knight; could it be Bourne?
When Natalie and Bourne separated, Bourne was in his prime, but now he should be considered an old man.
But then it seems that Natalie has no need to return to the plateau, but where can she go to look for Cathy?
There are three routes to leave the plateau: a land route, a water route, and the iron chain device at the Iron Chain Fortress.
Natalie currently has too little information to narrow down the scope.
Therefore, she still had to go to the plateau first to gather intelligence.
Since leaving the highlands at the age of ten, Natalie has never returned to that region with its thin air.
Now that Gaolinbao no longer exists, her attachment to the plateau has diminished.
But for Cathy's sake, she had to go back.
Natalie gave the man three small silver coins as a tip.
Mermaids always repay kindness.
But she immediately took one back from the man's hand.
But he pulled my hair, Natalie thought, "Mermaids are very clear about their grudges."
Quickly finish this unpalatable dinner and then return to your room.
She needed a good night's sleep to conserve her energy for her journey as soon as possible.
The next morning, Natalie arrived at the city gate and urged the coachman to set off immediately.
Although the old man was somewhat reluctant, he had already received the money, so he yawned and set off.
"Gah~"
Outside the car, the cawing of crows could be heard.
"Bad luck!" Natalie heard the coachman mutter.
She shared the same attitude as the coachman; she also disliked crows.
At the same time, I noticed there were a lot of crows in the Stone Mountains.
By noon, Natalie suddenly felt that the carriage was moving much faster.
The driver said, "I wasn't lying to you, was I? We've already passed the valley, and we can make up for a lot of time on the rest of the journey!"
Natalie heard the coachman's shouts and the sound of whips cracking.
The carriage continued to accelerate—
suddenly!
Natalie realized the carriage was starting to roll, and she was falling towards the walls of the carriage!
She was completely disoriented and felt dizzy.
The train carriage suddenly stopped, and Natalie was forced to roll out of the carriage.
Natalie suffered numerous bruises from falls and collisions, but she had no interest in these minor injuries.
She realized things had gone wrong.
But what caused the accident?
"Gah~"
"Gah~"
The crows continued to caw.
Horses don't fall down for no reason, and the coachman was an experienced old coachman.
The road beneath my feet is much easier to walk on than before.
Natalie propped herself up and stood up.
She looked around.
The driver broke his neck and lay on the ground.
The horse beside it had a clean cut on each of its two front legs, from which blood gushed out, but the hooves were nowhere to be seen.
Behind the tall black pine trees scattered throughout the mountains and forests, men carrying weapons emerged one after another.
Natalie found two of the halberds, with drops of blood still clinging to their blades.
Although they were wearing armor, none of them were fully equipped with armor plates.
It's not that they're missing a helmet, but rather leg and shoulder pads.
Moreover, breastplates were mostly made of relatively inexpensive leather.
At this moment, Natalie finally remembered why her father called the Stone Mountains the King's Scar.
The region suffers from poor roads and inconvenient transportation, resulting in economic stagnation.
Another reason is that the complex terrain here provides countless places for people to hide, which breeds bandits.
These people in front of Natalie were undoubtedly bandits.
She knew these people wouldn't let her go; she had to escape.
Just as she was about to disappear into the woods, Natalie felt a sharp pain in her lower limbs.
"Ah~"
She screamed and fell to her knees.
Natalie turned her head and saw that a bandit had come up behind her and was sweeping the handle of his spear toward her den.
Before she could think of anything, two more bandits rushed up and pinned her to the ground.
Natalie realized—it was all over!
"It's a woman!" Natalie overheard the bandits' conversation.
"She's still very young! And she's very pretty!"
"That place seems quite big!"
"I'll go first!"
At that moment, Natalie felt someone pressing down on her, and a pair of large hands reached under her neck, intending to tear off her clothes.
"Gah~"
"Gah~"
The cawing of crows reached her ears again.
"Crows are indeed ominous creatures," Natalie thought, "the misfortune they bring me."
Although Natalie was terrified, she remained rational.
Those bandits would never let her go, and as a woman alone, she had no chance of escaping their clutches.
She had no way out.
Natalie recalled that more than ten years ago, she left the library in search of her mother, but she was unable to see her mother one last time.
Now, she is searching for her son, but given the current situation, she may not live to see Cathy again.
"Could it be...?" Natalie thought sadly. "The mermaid is destined to be alone?"
But at least—
Natalie struggled to free one hand and reached into her pocket.
Inside, there was a dagger hidden.
She certainly didn't have the ability to kill everyone here with a dagger.
However, she could use it to kill herself.
Not all thieves are worthy of possessing me, Natalie laughed scornfully. I belong to only one pirate!
Natalie steeled her resolve and drew her dagger...
At this time...
She felt a warmth.
Red rain poured down from her head, carrying a strong metallic smell.
Then, a head swept over Natalie's shoulder and rolled down the hillside in front of her.
The people behind them pressed forward completely.
Natalie turned around, and the person had become a headless corpse.
She crawled out from under the roof, sat on the ground, shook her head vigorously, and looked around, trying to see clearly that a sound had occurred.
A group of fully armored warriors surrounded the bandits from behind and engaged them in battle.
Rather than a bloodbath—Natalie believes—a one-sided massacre seems to be a more accurate description.
The bandits were usually killed within two or three exchanges.
Some warriors even used moves with extraordinary effects.
Natalie recognized it; it was martial arts.
Bourne said that those who can use martial arts are the elite among knights.
So, this group of fighters are all capable of matching elite cavalry?
Who are they?
This place isn't far from Windpath City, but it's just a mountainous territory. Can it really support such a team?
Before Natalie could figure it out, a figure suddenly appeared in front of her and easily snatched the item from her hand.
They seized the dagger.
Immediately, another soldier came up behind her, put her hands behind her back, and grabbed both of her arms with just one hand.
The large hand was very strong, and Natalie couldn't break free at all.
By the time she came to her senses, the hillside was already covered with bodies.
All the bandits were slaughtered.
At that moment, a warrior wearing bright armor walked straight toward Natalie.
The man was followed by two followers, and Natalie knew that he was likely the commander of this squad of soldiers.
"Gah~"
"Gah~"
The crows were still cawing.
Natalie looked up and saw the crow circling not far above.
At that moment, the crow suddenly swooped down and flew straight towards the man.
Just as it was about to collide with the man, the crow flapped its wings a few times, hovered in mid-air, and then slowly landed on the man's shoulder.
Natalie was astonished, her eyes widening in surprise.
A horrifying thought crossed her mind: Could it be that the crows that have been appearing around me these past few days are the same one?!
Natalie demanded, "Who are you people?!"
Before the man opposite her could answer, she heard someone behind her say:
"Commander, this bitch is pretty good. How about we let the brothers have a go?"
Natalie felt the cold steel sliding along the tear in her clothes behind her back, against her skin.
She turned around and glared at the other person through gritted teeth.
At the same time, the man referred to as "the leader" finally spoke:
"no."
"Why not? We've done it before."
"Sigh, this client is tough to deal with."
The man spread his hands, shook his head, and said...
"Who knows what those witches want this woman for? If your seed affects some factors in this woman, those witches might throw a tantrum, and their revenge would definitely give us a headache."
"Don't worry, I definitely won't put it in."
"I was just using an example," the man raised an eyebrow, "but anyway, don't get any ideas about this woman."
Upon hearing the word "witch," Natalie instantly understood why these people had appeared here.
They did come because of Natalie, but not to save her; they came to capture her!
The group at the witch's tea party probably noticed Natalie's little tricks and therefore wanted to capture her.
But what is their purpose?
We need to obtain the clues about mermaids that Natalie possesses.
Or is it that Natalie should be sacrificed to the Sea Divers to appease the anger of those monsters?
When Natalie landed, she heard that the sea divers who had narrowly escaped the witches' hunt were using their powerful witchcraft to attack all ships at sea in retaliation for this undeserved disaster.
Nowadays, no ships dare to cross the Weeping Strait anymore.
The permafrost continent has an extreme climate and scarce resources.
Once the air route is interrupted, there will inevitably be a shortage of supplies there.
All the wizards there probably desperately want the flight path to resume.
But regardless of the witches' motives, Natalie will definitely suffer if she is taken back.
According to the "leader's" description, he seems to have been hired by the witches.
Since their relationship is based on mutual interests, they can negotiate.
Natalie said, "Let me go. What did those witches promise you? I'll pay you double."
As soon as she finished speaking, Natalie heard the group of warriors burst into mocking laughter.
The "leader" also laughed.
This reaction puzzled Natalie:
"I can afford it; I am an aristocrat."
"Oh, oh, oh!" the troupe leader exclaimed several times. "Beautiful lady, I am by no means questioning your financial resources..."
However, please forgive me for declining.
Why?
"You just asked me who we are, but unfortunately my brothers interrupted you."
The commander spoke in a soothing tone.
"But I will answer you now. We are a mercenary group composed of freedom fighters. You may have heard of us. We are the Unswearing Knights."
Unswearing Knights—
Natalie gasped; she had heard of this name before.
Over the years, she hasn't just been traveling and sightseeing.
The group leader continued:
"We have never had titles, but we have always been able to hold our heads high and stand tall."
"We have never proven ourselves through combat, yet we possess strength comparable to elite knights:"
"We have never knelt down to pledge allegiance, yet we have repaid all our employers with absolute loyalty;
"We made no oath, yet we uphold honor more than any knight:"
"We are not knights, but we are better than knights;
"We are the Unswearing Knights."
If they are truly the Unswearing Knights, and Natalie mourns for herself, then I have no choice but to surrender.
We swear an oath to the Knights, and we will not return until our mission is accomplished!
The crow on the commander's shoulder suddenly flapped its wings and leaped into the air.
An ominous crow circles and ascends into the sky.
Only two ominous black feathers remained, drifting down into the mountains and forests, carried away by the wind.