CHAPTER 699: CHAPTER 694: CURRENT SITUATION OF THE FOREST

"Shut up first, then answer my questions honestly."

"Mmm!!"

Ronald once again controlled Orland with a verbal spell.

He could see that the man’s twisted expression hid something, suggesting he had many stories in his past.

But Ronald had no intention of chatting leisurely with Orland now.

He took control of Orland again and restarted the "lie detector" spell, then asked again,

"Tell me, where is your mother actually?"

"..."

"Ah... Mmm... I..."

Faced with this question, Orland’s body convulsed violently.

Although still under the control of the spell, he instinctively showed a strong resistance, and his response was unclear.

—A surprising situation.

Completely under the control of the spell, yet exhibiting such a reaction.

It was hard to make sense of this at the logical level of the spell.

"Sir, let me handle this."

Costate stepped forward at this moment, his expression neutral as he pressed Orland’s head to the ground, with just the right amount of Magic Power emerging.

He maintained this posture.

Orland, with half his face pressed against the ground, still convulsed, but now he could speak clearly,

"Right... right beneath our feet."

Hearing this, Ronald immediately extended the scouting of the "Fury" downwards. However, the feedback from the spell indicated that there was no human presence underground.

Ronald furrowed his brows.

The most direct choice now was naturally to continue asking how to enter underground.

But for some reason, recalling some details from earlier, he asked Orland an additional question:

"Did you know something about the explosion just now?"

Orland actually answered:

"It was... Rhein’s... executor, mother warned... me in advance, to be careful, but the explosion was... too strong."

"..."

Ronald almost subconsciously glanced at Costate.

Without a doubt, this so-called Rhein must be yet another organization connected to the Organic Encyclopedia.

When the maid first tried to reclaim the "Organic Encyclopedia."

Everything was still at an early stage back then, but only a few months had passed, and now, inside Yizi Forest, not only were there the originally existing forces and the continuously evolving mutant lives,

but also these organizations revolving around the encyclopedia had emerged.

And then they engaged in a very dangerous struggle.

"Sigh..."

He sighed, a sense of helpless fatigue welling up inside Ronald.

"How do you communicate with your mother and how do you enter underground?"

Slap—

Orland convulsed violently again.

But this time, pressed firmly to the ground by Costate, he could only thrash like a fish out of water, soon to be controlled again with increased force by the maid.

Then, Orland spoke again:

"Three entrances... the first... north of the forest... the second... at Tang’s residence... the third right below... my office building."

That was enough.

Ronald did not delve into other details but directly instructed Costate:

"Alright, let him go."

"Yes, sir." Costate immediately obeyed, releasing his hold, and then Orland resumed his vigorous exploration. At this moment, the man’s complexion turned green, clearly displaying an abnormal state.

Just then, Costate perfectly explained:

"This man’s body shows signs of biological modification, but as he disclosed information, the organ that was supposed to enhance his physique started releasing a toxin, a very unique security measure."

"..."

Ronald’s expression was subtly complex.

This style indeed carried the essence of biological transformation.

Contrasting it with the current situation in the Yizi Forest, it could be said to be quite fitting.

"Let’s move on."

With a brief sigh in his heart, Ronald led his two companions toward the ruins of the office building. Since Orland had emerged from this spot before, they were spared the effort of digging themselves.

Behind them, the voices of other Casters gradually reached their ears.

"Mr. Orland?"

"Did he just say that he knew about the explosion beforehand?"

"The explosion was carried out by Rhein’s executor!"

"But our leader knew and didn’t tell us!"

"A creature secretly siding with those plants, and you still trust him and call him leader?"

"Heh, I certainly don’t."

"..."

As Ronald descended underground, he didn’t even turn his head upon hearing these words.

Originally, if Orland could have been treated by these Casters, he might have been able to save his life.

After all, these individuals from various academies possessed numerous techniques.

It wouldn’t be surprising if their combined efforts could save him.

But given the situation,

it seemed unlikely that Orland would enjoy such treatment.

For someone who had joined forces with life forms other than humans and had even undergone a change of mindset, such an outcome was deserved.

Accompanied by Helle and Costate,

Ronald walked down a surviving staircase into the basement.

This area, despite the prior explosion, had remained remarkably intact; even the furniture was undamaged, clearly showing that the owner had prepared well beforehand.

The only problem

was that the simple basement showed no signs of further passages downward.

"..."

In the silence, Ronald surveyed the surroundings.

Following his usual habit, he began to deduce where below the basement a pathway might likely be concealed.

Behind a painting hung on the wall?

Under the carpet laid in the center of the room?

Or perhaps that conspicuous bookshelf mounted on the wall actually concealed a secret door?

Just as Ronald was rapidly contemplating,

Costate, who followed beside him, spoke up in a flat tone once again:

"Sir, the location is locked. I will forge the path."

Then, the maid drew her right leg back, supportingly bent her left knee, and under the fierce and powerful enhancement of Magic Power, she smashed her fist fiercely into the ground below her.

Boom!

In such a confined space as the basement,

the sudden booming noise was almost ear-splitting.

Yet, at the same time, as Costate had said, she forcefully carved out a path.

A strike strengthened by a specific spell

did not create fissures in the ground as a normal blow might.

The power, perfectly contained within a specific range, pierced a straight and clean passage directly through.

At this moment, Costate looked at the pathway she had created and nodded calmly:

"Sir, the depth below is substantial, I’ll lead the way."

Almost as soon as she finished speaking, Costate took a dive into this dark, vertical passage.

"..."

Ronald walked over and looked down.

Finally, he turned and picked up Helle, who clearly lacked the capability for vertical descent,

then jumped down as well.