Chapter 22 Part I

There was a faint fishy smell in the rain, which was the smell of blood. It covered the mountains and the earth, turning the land into a huge lavender carpet, spreading towards the horizon as far as possible.

After three full days of trekking in the dark mist, they left the most severe area of the undead plague, as the undead army devastated all the creatures along the way. The undead legions from the Northern Rift had officially begun a large-scale invasion and dispersed into the hinterland of the continent. The dilapidated villages and towns are unobstructed, houses collapsed, and the villagers who once lived here happily all became walking corpses.

Hugh tried to ask for help from Dole, the first city on their way but failed. The city lord had obviously received the news of the fall of the Golden City. He closed the door tightly and refused to allow any outsiders to enter the city to avoid any plague. Under Hugh's negotiation, Lord Dole provided them with a horse and a little food.

So Hugh took Joyce on the road again, and another territory that he passed through also ruthlessly rejected them. And for the third and fourth cities, the lord ordered guards to fire arrows at them, urging them to leave as soon as possible.

Joyce was always a little bit confused. He didn't know the points of Hugh seeking support from every city, but he believed Hugh would protect him. Along the way, Hugh always remained silent for a long time. Except for the little expectations of the future when he first escaped, he often didn't say a word all day.

A horse carried Hugh and Joyce across the plain, towards the village at the end of the mountain range. All the way to the east, the distance from the Golden City was getting farther and farther. Joyce was a little worried. He hasn't felt Alex's existence for a long time. His brows were tucked tightly, and he was leaning against Hugh's arms, still full of melancholy when he slept.

The village opened the wooden gate, Hugh jumped off the horse, and hugged Joyce down.

One big knight and one tired priest, all wearing cloaks, Joyce was still a little sleepy, leaning on Hugh, staggering when he dismounted.

"Who is it?!" the village guard asked.

"Traveler!" Hugh replied, "From the west!"

This is the last stop to leave the hinterland of the mainland. There is a large lake not far away. On the opposite side of the lake is the Krian demesne, guarded by the descendants of the King of Heroes for generations. And further north, there is a vast prairie, and the nomadic Sosa has occupied the northern prairie.

Entering the village of Krian, there were people everywhere, exchanging news from the Golden City. Joyce wanted to ask but was stopped by Hugh with a gesture.

"Don't reveal your identity to anyone." Hugh reminded in a low voice.

Finally, they came to Krian Village, outside the village was a prairie, and the end of the prairie bordered the Northern Rift.

"The Pope is dead!" someone shouted in the tavern: "The bishops are finished too, this is an era when the true gods have fallen..."

A group of drunks made a noise.

"Fuck the Holy See!" Another drunkard put the beer glass on the table and said arrogantly: "I don't have to pay taxes anymore."

All of a sudden there was a roar of laughter in the tavern.

Hugh and Joyce walked in, bringing in a smell of fishy rain.

"Let's stay here temporarily," Hugh said in a low voice.

"Okay." Joyce nodded, took off his cloak and hood, and when his face appeared, the whole pub quieted strangely, and the drunks along the way watched his beautiful face. Joyce has a fair complexion, thick eyelashes, rosy lips, and a very clean neck. His profile is like a flawless portrait on a mural, which makes people look curiously.

"Give me a clean bedroom," Hugh took out the gold coins and put them on the counter.

Joyce was a little uncomfortable being seen around, Hugh put his hands on his shoulders and glanced into the tavern. When everyone noticed the broadsword behind him, they didn't dare to say anymore and returned to the casual atmosphere of conversation.

"Cheers to the damn Pope—hahahahaha—they will never collect our taxes again!" a flushed drunk raised his glass.

Hugh raised his hand, and Joyce immediately held him down and held his palm. The bartender threw them a key and asked, "Two brothers?"

Joyce's hair color and eye color are similar to Hugh's, and Hugh replied, "Yes, this is my brother."

He said that while he took Joyce upstairs. It was very cold on a rainy night. Joyce's feet were so cold that he snapped his fingers. A raging fire ignited in the fireplace, warming the long winter night.

"Wait for Alex here." Hugh pulled a small bench and sat in front of Joyce, breathing between his hands, holding his feet, and warming his feet.

"Are you in a bad mood?" Joyce asked.

"What?" Hugh said inexplicably, and then understood, replied: "No, I just..."

Hugh raised his eyes, looked at Joyce, and then avoided his gaze, with an inconspicuous blush on his handsome face.

"Stigmata can echo to each other." Hugh asked: "You feel it too?"

Joyce calmed down and felt Hugh's mood fluctuating. The feeling was very complicated as if it was a kind of tension, restraint, and desire to express, but be imprisoned in his heart.

"The situation is dangerous." Hugh explained: "I don't know what kind of danger we will face. We must ensure that we are in the camp of humans with our best efforts."

Joyce thought that Hugh would take him back to the Golden City for help, but he didn't expect them would run away farther and farther. He didn't quite understand Hugh's future plan and asked, "I don't know if Ibran is still alive."

"It makes no difference even if he is still alive." Hugh said, "The Golden City has fallen, and the seven paladins can no longer get the power of holy light from the pope, so..."

Joyce understood, nodded, and Hugh said, "Your safety must be the priority of my mind. As long as you are alive, Alex and I will have hope."

Joyce said: "Why not negotiate with the city lords?"

Hugh rubbed Joyce's feet and replied in a low voice, "They are just a bunch of lazy cowards. If you let them know that you are a priest and can help them fight and restrain the undead army, you will be locked up and arrange their knights to you every day."

Joyce hummed, and Hugh said: "We knocked on the gates of all the lords along the way. As long as Alex comes to any city or county, he will know our trackings."

Joyce understood, and said, "Just wait for him here."

Hugh nodded, wrapped Joyce in a blanket, and said, "Take a rest here."

According to the news they received along the way, the Golden City was frozen in the barrier of light, and the pope and the Saintess of light merged together temporarily, sealing the main force of the undead army and suppressing the demon gods in the ground. However, Joyce has never seen this barrier in the literature, and he does not know how to open it.

"Everything can be solved." Hugh got up, took off his cloak, removed his shirt, showed beautiful shoulders, and wiped his whole body.

"Why don't we go back to Shaq's kingdom." Joyce said.

"The mist is spreading in the world." Hugh replied: "Blocking all the roads heading west, If we detouring into the country of mountains, I cannot guarantee your safety."

"Let me see your wounds." Joyce whispered.

He undid the belt of his panties and stood naked in front of Joyce. His body has completely recovered, the blood of the scorpion god completely healed his skin, and beautiful abdominal muscles and mermaid lines appeared on the lower abdomen. Joyce reached out and stroked the wound on his abdomen, where there was a gray-black mass.

"This is a curse." Joyce said.

Hugh replied: "I was shot by the dark spear of the undead knight Lee Hart. He marked me, but don't worry, your holy light has suppressed it."

Joyce held Hugh's waist, Hugh pulled his hand away, pressed him on the bed, buried his head on his shoulders, kissed his neck lightly, and they looked at each other a moment later.

"I can feel you miss Alex." Hugh whispered, "Very strong."

Joyce replied: "He must be alive, but the dark mist has blocked our contact... I am worried..."

"Don't worry." Hugh then said.

Joyce nodded, feeling Hugh's wood was behind him.

"Can you?" Hugh asked, still a little restrained.

______________________________Check Author's thought__________________________________________________

Hugh was obviously still a little bit unwilling. He didn't want to leave Joyce's body. Just holding him so quietly, Joyce could feel that the black mist in Hugh's body could not be completely removed.

They kissed each other, lay on the bed, hugged each other under the quilt, and chatted quietly. Joyce could feel his restraint and anxiety, so he touched his head and leaned against his face, trying to calm his heart. Feel uneasy, and try to chat with him to get to know him as much as possible.

"Are you and teacher good friends?"

Hugh said, "Yes, can you feel the approximate location of Alex."

"I have tried many of these, but they have all failed." Joyce thought for a while and shook his head: "There is mist everywhere. If you leave me too far, I can't feel your stigmata either."

"How far?" Hugh's eyebrows moved.

"About five kilometers." Joyce recalled when Alex was out of town: "This is my limit."

Hugh thought for a long time, and then nodded. Joyce ran his finger across his face and tried to practice. He found that Hugh's ability from the stigmata was not obvious, at least different from Alex's way. He seems to have the ability to directly focus on the Holy Light and bring out this power.