Sitting behind Ashley, Randall looked at the crowd scattering like ants on the ground and shouted into the wind, "Won't we be discovered if we just fly to Tero like this?"

“The enemy troops heading towards the city are all fleeing. All the watchtowers and observation towers have been abandoned. Even if the enemy sees us, they are too busy to attack us.”

Ashley controlled the griffin, swiftly soaring over the mountains and flying straight towards the edge of the forest.

After flying for more than two hours, the Valkyries chose a quiet forest northwest of Taro City and slowly landed on the ground.

Having just tumbled off the griffin's back, the minotaur Burville lay sprawled on the ground, gagging and trembling uncontrollably.

Kellogg glanced at Bulville, then turned and climbed to the nearest treetop to survey the surrounding terrain and activity.

Carol took everyone's equipment and rations from the griffin and asked Randall, "Where do we go next?"

“There is a small church in the northwest of Terro. Let’s go there first to find the contact person, who will take us into the city.”

Aldenan asked in surprise, "Go to church? Are you serious?"

Randall nodded: "Not everyone in the church hates the Dragon Kingdom."

Once all the luggage was unloaded, Valkyrie Ashley mounted her griffin again and said, "Alright, we can only take you this far. The rest is up to you."

Aldenan suddenly remembered something: "Wait a minute! I have a question!"

"What?"

"By the time our rescue operation was over, the city of Tero should have received news of the frontline defeat. With the entire city under martial law, how could we escape from the city?"

Randall explained, “There are two possibilities. First, the Alien Society has already prepared a safe house in the city. We can take all the scholars and just hide there and wait for the war to end.”

"What's another possibility?"

"If the war becomes intense and the situation in the city becomes unfavorable, the Alien Association will prepare a secret landing site in the city. During the chaos, the Valkyries will use the cover of night to bring us out of the city."

Ashley took the reins of the griffin: "Let's all pray that the second scenario doesn't happen. The chances of riding a griffin into a city under war and leaving alive are slim."

Aldenan opened his mouth, as if to say something, but the Valkyries had already mounted their respective mounts and flown into the sky.

Randall slung his pack over his shoulder and said to the other squad members, "Let's go. If all goes well, we should be able to enter Tero City tonight."

Walking past Aldenan, seeing his hesitant expression, Carol calmly asked, "What's wrong? Regretting it?"

The werewolf gritted his teeth and said, "You know what? When I was fighting in underground boxing rings, a highly respected senior once told me that the best way for a newcomer to quickly gain fame and power is to choose and defeat a strong opponent."

"If this mission is successfully completed, my status in the Crusader will undergo a dramatic change..."

Carroll interrupted Aldenan: "I've heard sailors say something on the docks: 'Before setting sail, instead of dreaming of legendary treasures, sharpen your sword first.'"

Aldenan rolled his eyes and shrugged helplessly.

Kellogg climbed down from the tree and said to the others, "I see the church, it's not far from here, but there's thick black smoke in the sky in that direction."

Barbara covered her ears and the light patterns with her cloak and headscarf, and asked in confusion, "Is there a battle taking place there?"

Kellogg said, "It doesn't seem like it."

Randall tightened the strap on his short sword: "From now on, everyone should be more vigilant and try to avoid unnecessary conflicts."

And so, the six-person team slowly approached the small church built on the outskirts of the city. The black smoke in the sky grew thicker and thicker, but they could not hear any unusual sounds.

Aldenan walked along, sniffing the wolf's nose and frowning as he said, "I recognize this scent, it seems like..."

Carroll stood on a low mound, looking ahead as he said, "Burn the corpses."

Randall pushed aside the branches and tall grass in front of him and saw a small church standing alone in the abandoned village at the end of the woods.

A huge cremation platform, ten meters square and made of trees, was built behind the church. A middle-aged man dressed in a priest's robe held a Bible in one hand and raised the other to the sky, loudly reciting prayers. Around him, many villagers who had come to pray were gathered.

"You all stay here, I'll go alone."

Randall pulled up his hood and slowly walked toward the priest from the edge of the woods.

Randall walked to the back of the crowd and waited quietly for the priest to finish the ceremony. Only after the crowd had slowly dispersed did he approach the priest.

Wearing a black robe stained gray, the thin, lifeless priest looked at Randall as he slowly approached and asked weakly, "Child, what can I do to help you?"

Randall said softly, "I come from the West, to follow in the footsteps of God."

The priest suddenly raised his head, opened his eyes wide, and said, “Whether east or west, or north or south, when you call upon the name of God in your heart, God will surely descend upon the world with the meaning of redemption.”

Randall nodded, then took out the cross that Abel had given him before he left.

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