The "resurrected" wolf led the way in front, and the knight led the horse through the woods in the sunset.
As the strong sunset gradually dimmed, Xia De went deeper into the forest.
Time and space seemed to become chaotic here, and the rippling light made everything in the forest seem to be attached with a strange brilliance. Suddenly, Shade seemed to have walked into the light and shadow of the old times, like a real knight, holding a sword and leading a horse, pursuing everything he desired.
He stared at the wolf intently. As the forest became denser, it finally went into the grass deep in the forest and disappeared. Shade subconsciously quickened his pace, and when he led the horse out of the grass, he saw the lake in the forest with rippling water under the last rays of sunset, and the island in the middle of the lake.
The wolf stood by the lake and did not move forward. Shade opened his mouth in surprise and heard the horse behind him breathing heavily and stomping the ground with its horseshoes impatiently.
He stared at the scene in front of him with wide eyes. The last sunset in the distance on the horizon reflected the redness on Xia De's face. Xia De couldn't believe that he had found this mysterious lake under such circumstances:
"But why did the Swamp Witch lead me here?"
He loosened the reins and subconsciously walked towards the lake with the sword in hand. But at this moment, the mysterious lake under the setting sun suddenly shook like a projected phantom, and then the image of the lake faded little by little, revealing the true appearance of the forest.
The perceptive Shade had already sensed the change in space and knew that this was because the lake only appeared during the day, and now night had arrived.
The wolf that was closer to the lake had already dived into the lake, and was paddling towards the island in the middle of the lake. Although Shade didn't know what would happen if he disappeared along with the lake, he was still anxious to get closer:
"Space Stabilization Aura!"
Invisible ripples spread out in all directions, but the magic had no effect on the lake that was about to leave.
After all, Xia De was still a step too late. He watched helplessly as the mysterious and tranquil lake disappeared before his eyes, leaving only the empty forest farm, bathed in the moonlight above his head.
There were genuine miracle elements around the mysterious lake, but these elements disappeared along with the lake. Even with the departure of the wolf, the whispering elements around it also completely disappeared, leaving only the chestnut horse behind him waiting for Shade.
"Mr. Grete's experience in Lower Luther Village is like a fairy tale, and what happened to me today is also like a fairy tale."
He took up the reins again and prepared to set off back to Huntington City. He was not without gain. At least he was sure that the "Lake of Cherubim" where the "Lady of the Lake" lived in the west of Huntington City in the Sixth Epoch was not the Lost Lake when the Witch Emperor visited the gods in the Fifth Epoch.
He walked a few steps with the horse, then reluctantly looked back at the forest, where the lake should have been:
"Is this good or bad luck? I clearly found it, but because of the wrong timing, I watched it disappear. The lake may not appear here next time... But if I can find it the first time, I can definitely find it the second time."
Although he had not been able to set foot in the lake, Shade subconsciously felt that what he was looking for was on the island in the middle of the lake. Although this mysterious lake was completely different from the terrible Lost Lake in 5177 of the Fifth Era, both of them hid the power that Shade wanted to pursue.
The task of pursuing divinity has become increasingly clear, and Shade knows that he has found the right direction. All he needs to do next is to find the lake again and face the test that awaits him.
After riding back to the city, Shad did not go to the White River Valley Vineyard immediately, but instead found Mr. Kansas Drake, a retired folklore professor who lived in the old town west of Huntington.
When Shade rang the bell outside the gate, the entire block was already lit up with gas lamps. The air pollution in the old city was better than that in the main city of Huntington, so you could see the brilliant starry sky in early winter.
It was still the fat maid who opened the gate for Shade and led him to see the professor in the study. The maid had already prepared dinner and was about to push the professor's wheelchair to the dining room, but when Shade entered the study and seriously stated that he wanted to talk about the "Lady of the Lake" again, the professor hesitated for a moment, then looked at him in surprise, and after a long while, he waved his hand and said:
"Okay, Mrs. Sendy, you go out first, and we'll call you when we're done talking."
The fat maid closed the door in the corridor, and Shade sat on the chair outside the desk. The professor turned the wheelchair with great effort and returned to the back of the desk:
"Mr. Watson, have you found it now?"
The warm yellow light of the grape-shaped gas lamp in the study illuminated Professor Drake's face, which was filled with worry, surprise, fear, and expectation. The old man had received countless young people who were eager to find the legend, but this was the first time he had such expectations.
Xia De nodded slightly, but then shook his head:
"You can say I found it, but I didn't find it. To be precise, I saw the lake at the last moment before sunset. But when I got closer, it disappeared. I can be sure that it was not an illusion. The lake really appeared in front of me for a short time."
He described to the professor the scenery of the lake and the appearance of the island in the middle of the lake.
The professor in the wheelchair suddenly widened his eyes, leaned back slightly and breathed heavily:
"It's really... Mr. Watson, you found it so easily, but you found it at the last moment of sunset, what luck..."
His face flushed red, and he suddenly covered his forehead. Seeing this, Xia De immediately stood up. The professor waved his hand and told him not to worry. Instead, he took out a small bottle from the desk drawer and tremblingly put a black sesame-sized pill into his mouth:
"My blood pressure has been a little high in recent years, and I've had some heart problems, but my friend prepared some herbs for me. I never thought you would give me such a surprise before you die."
He calmed down, closed his eyes and adjusted his breathing, then shook the small bottle towards Shade and asked:
"Can you tell me what happened to you today?"
"Of course, I also have some questions for you."
Xia De started the story from the moment he arrived at Lower Luther Village today, omitting his experience of riding a horse around Luther Lake to see the scenery, and went straight to talking about his encounter with a pack of wolves in the evening.
This startled Professor Drake:
"I know there are wolves outside the city. Did you actually run into them?"
"Yes, luckily I had my gun with me."
Shade said, and then mentioned that he was chased into the forest by a pack of wolves, and he had no choice but to shoot and kill one of the wolves in self-defense, and the other wolves dispersed. But the wolf that was supposed to be dead came back to life and took him all the way into the depths of the forest until they saw the mysterious lake.
After listening to Shade's "story", Professor Drake sighed:
"Every story I've ever recorded about encountering the 'Lady of the Lake' has been so fascinating, Mr. Watson, your story is just as fascinating. Of course, it's also the most dangerous one of all. Wolves are extremely aggressive in early winter. If you didn't have your pistol with you, I really don't know what would have happened."
After obtaining Shade's consent, he decided to add this story to his own records. The reason why Shade came here was to ask another question:
"I heard that in recent years, more citizens in the eastern part of Huntington have encountered the 'Lady of the Lake' than in previous years.
Do you have more detailed information about them? I want to visit them. Since I was able to find the lake nearby based on the experience of the villagers in Lower Luther Village, maybe I can also find the lake in the area where other people have encountered the "Lady of the Lake".
The information Professor Drake gave to Shad respected the privacy of those who provided the stories, so only a few old records, such as old Graves who was blind in one eye, contained the true identities of those people.
Xia De wanted to know from the professor the true identities of the citizens who had encountered the "Lady of the Lake" in recent years, or even this year, but the professor hesitated and said:
"Mr. Watson, I know you want to actually reach the island in the middle of the lake. But according to current records, no one has ever been able to see the mysterious lake twice."
"But my experience this time was obviously different. I was the only one who saw the lake, but I couldn't walk across it."
Xia De emphasized seriously:
"So, maybe that lake will give me a second chance. In this way, I might be able to help you find out what happened to you back then."
The old professor pursed his lips and frowned slightly, as if thinking. Although he was eager to know the truth about what happened to him, those who shared their experiences with him also told their stories because of trust. Professor Drake wanted to know the truth, but he was unwilling to violate his principles.
He wanted to refuse the young man in front of him, but seeing his serious look at the moment, he subconsciously thought that he would succeed. Neither of them spoke. Under the bright gas light in the study, Professor Drake suddenly felt that this guest was so friendly and so reliable.
Finally he sighed:
"Okay, young man, you've convinced me. But I must tell you in advance that I have hired people to investigate all the places mentioned in the records, and found nothing."
Not only the professor, Shade believed that the Orthodox Church in this diocese must have sent a team of ring magicians to investigate the situation, but they also found nothing:
"It's okay, you just need to give me your name and address, and I'll take care of the rest."
He held out his hand to the professor, who closed his eyes:
"Some people don't give up their stories so easily."
Shade smiled:
"It's okay, you just need to tell me one thing."
"What is it?"
"Does any of these people like to play Rhodes?"