Losa and his companions had been following Hans for a long time.

They stopped under a Haloxylon tree.

Hans squatted down and gently scooped up a handful of soil: "There's a faint scent of blood here. Although it has been cleaned up, you can still vaguely make it out."

"Perhaps Miss Nishaya was killed here."

Losa frowned. Blood traces didn't necessarily mean someone was killed: "Can we keep tracking?"

"Yes, follow me."

Hans led the group, continuing to move around the oasis, but soon, when they looked up, they found that isolated little wooden house appearing before them again.

"Hans, can't you get it right?"

Furinjira started to become impatient.

"Don't disturb Hans."

Losa frowned, gently reprimanded Furin, and then went over to Hans to inquire:

"Do you also think there's something wrong here?"

"Yes."

Hans speculated, thought for a moment, and added, "I don't know how far the wizards of this world can go, maybe he came back here after killing Miss Nishaya and used a teleportation array to leave."

"Teleportation array..."

Losa walked into the house: "I don't feel the presence of a teleportation array. After the Montreal incident, I asked Anna how to discern if a place has a teleportation array."

"There's no sense of spatial distortion here. What do you all feel?"

Prajna spoke up: "I didn't sense anything either. Maybe the other side used some concealed means—being able to escape the Wizard Association's pursuit means this method isn't weak."

Losa's brow was tightly knit as he looked around.

The small wooden house was narrow, with a view from the doorway that offered no place for someone to hide.

The soil on the ground was old dirt, with no signs of being disturbed. He stomped on it but felt nothing unusual.

"Not underground either?"

Losa's brow furrowed more deeply, sharing Hans's Beast Intuition, telling him there was an issue here.

But he couldn't figure out the problem.

"Since you think there's an issue, let's use the simplest method—blow it up."

Furinjira put on a sun-shielding scarf, not fond of sunlight, staying under it for long made her inwardly crave using magic to level the place.

Jeanne lightly laughed, gently comforting: "We can't do that, Miss Furin. Hold on for now.

This place might hold the only clue to the enemy's escape. If it's destroyed, that poor witch would lose her last chance of survival."

Furinjira pouted.

"Hmph, whether she's dead or alive, what does it matter to us?"

Losa ignored Furinjira's complaints and said earnestly, "The only thing worth a wizard's attention in Transjordan, besides ourselves, is the Tree of Life."

"Unless he came to Transjordan without ulterior motives, just coincidentally, our journey to New Habsburg where we lie in wait is sure to catch the wizard."

At this point, Losa had no more hope of rescuing "Nishaya."

After a moment's silence, he decided: "Search around the vicinity once more; otherwise, we'll have to wait for Anna to see if she can detect any abnormalities here."

Unfortunately, those present had extraordinary vision. If there were any traces, they would have seen them long ago.

They could only choose to leave.

…

He heard the footsteps above move away again.

Ragman's face couldn't help but show a slightly mocking smile. Above, there was a unidirectional barrier isolating sound and presence.

But it didn't mean it delved deep underground.

In truth, if Furinjira had followed through and blasted away, Ragman would certainly have been unable to hide, but he knew no one would be that reckless.

"Time for dinner, Miss Witch."

Ragman clapped his hands lightly, and in the darkness, a tall and burly figure holding a tray came forward slowly.

This creature, named "Nidhogg," was immensely oppressive, covered in scales, and looked like a dragon's head with a face void of emotion.

...

Returning to New Habsburg, Losa went to the great oak tree, which had grown taller. Placing his hand on it, he could feel a vague sense of joy.

Above, the rustling of leaves was heard.

It seemed like the branches and leaves, too, were jubilant from happiness.

"Recently, anyone looking at you with ill intentions?"

Losa asked.

The great oak tree seemed bewildered by Losa's deep words. It was still very young, and while the earth dragon's flesh had matured its body, it hadn't matured its mind.

Losa sighed lightly: "You should be entering your youth soon. If Ragman covets you, he might be waiting for this moment."

The defensive strength of the Tree of Life was very weak, especially against the extraordinary. Although Losa equipped New Habsburg's guards with demon-blocking gold weapons,

obviously, these would be hard-pressed to tackle a wizard with a clandestine feel unless in a narrow space for close combat.

Luckily, as the Tree of Life entered its youth, it would awaken various abilities, and its resilient life force and extraordinary defense would render it hard for anyone to harm it quickly.

The construction progress of New Habsburg was faster than expected. It was gradually forming a "pilgrimage site," with trade, markets, and villages all in embryo.

Losa's brow slightly eased seeing the tax report Leonard presented, as New Habsburg finally rid itself of a deficit position, beginning to be self-sufficient.

...

Anna arrived at New Habsburg by evening, in a very poor state, with her face devoid of any color, and her chestnut hair a bit tousled.

Losa didn't ask why Anna, expected to arrive tomorrow morning, showed up tonight—since she agreed to help, he shouldn't complain.

"You're right; Ragman's human transmutation does require this tree's abundant life force."

Anna's voice was very chilling, her tone urgent: "Take me to the site of Nishaya's disappearance."

But unfortunately.

All she found was disappointment.

"Ragman knows wizard methods well, so he would naturally take specific precautions. Losa, can you tell me why you think there's still a problem?"

Losa pointed to his head: "Instinct. But it's always been accurate."

"Then blow it up!"

Anna's tone carried a hidden fierceness; she could fully imagine why Ragman captured Nishaya for human transmutation material.

That fate was worse than death, as even the soul might not escape unscathed.

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