Actually, Shining's joining wasn't as impactful or caused as much friction as imagined.
Unsure why, Li Lin had actually prepared himself for various complaints and targeting from his friends, but for a rare white-haired big sister type beautiful girl, Li Lin inexplicably wanted her to come along. But fortunately, his companions didn't have any special objections to this idea.
Rather, these people's reactions were even stranger. That gentle medic calling herself Shining integrated into the team in just a few hours, and used some magical theories and medical techniques to heal hidden injuries that even Texas and Lappland themselves might not have known about. She was skilled at using a light like dusk, continuously healing and reshaping the bodies of several people, and also suggested some training work using other folk methods.
She might not understand any high-precision biotechnology, but in terms of Originium Arts medical treatment and folk methods for treating people, Li Lin felt she might be stronger than those in the city of Lungmen.
At least she could very easily solve Li Lin's problems, instead of dismantling and reassembling him.
And she was knowledgeable and possessed an inexplicable sense of compassion. Even under the relative surveillance of two Blacksteel operators, Shining's expression remained amiable and serene, conversing easily with others. Perhaps for Shining, an individual who seemed very unique even among the Sarkaz, this subtle surveillance and gaze had already become a part of life. That black cloak couldn't hide her horns; it could only bring peace to her mind.
The journey to Kazimierz was actually neither long nor short. After just one day, they had already reached the border of Kazimierz. The edge of this nation of knights didn't look particularly prosperous; instead, some bizarre hills and gullies ran through the surrounding environment.
The impact of Catastrophes was present in every corner of this planet.
Towards this abnormal geological phenomenon, everyone present was already accustomed to it. Even Li Lin wouldn't casually take photos anymore; influencing his thoughts would require an even more shocking scene. And they just chatted and joked normally during the journey, dividing into several small groups, exchanging some unrelated news with each other. Some talked about popular culture, some discussed obligations, or customs and traditions of other places.
However, Li Lin always felt somewhat uneasy. Since waking up yesterday, he had felt an uneasy atmosphere lingering in his heart. And when the autonomously driving RV suddenly rounded a hill and reached a plain, this inexplicable sense of crisis reached its peak.
'Hm?'
Li Lin paused slightly, frozen in place.
In the northeast direction of the RV, a strange feeling seemed to be coming.
However, this strange feeling seemed to become less sharp under the calming presence of Shining beside him. Li Lin looked at the crowd chatting and joking around him, hesitated for a moment, then still decided to voice his intuition.
"Northeast direction, there's a situation."
"What do you mean?"
"I feel there seems to be some danger over there, but it's not very clear."
"…"
After everyone exchanged glances, the originally cheerful scene instantly fell silent.
"I'll go take a look."
Lappland twitched her nose, leaped onto the roof of the RV in one bound, squinting as she looked at the wilderness outside, which was gradually undulating with hills.
No living creatures, no aura, nor any pleasant atmosphere. Li Lin frowned, looking out at the plain wilderness, feeling a different kind of atmosphere. It was a savage, unsettling smell he had never felt even in Lungmen, beginning to permeate.
Everyone prepared their respective weapons, looking intently towards the place Li Lin felt was abnormal. And Lappland hung outside the RV, sniffed the air outside, then, as if savoring something, a strange smile gradually appeared on her pretty face. Staring at the mountain pass Li Lin pointed to, she looked back at her numerous prepared teammates and revealed a slightly bloodthirsty smile.
"The smell of blood."
Lappland raised her eyebrows, looking towards a mountain pass.
But intuitively, she didn't feel any danger. Everyone subconsciously heightened their vigilance, looking towards the direction Lappland pointed.
And behind that hill, a line of knights wearing heavy armor, looking resolute, slowly walked out. There weren't many of these knights, at most four or five. Carrying various huge weapons, they walked slowly on the road, raising their faces to look at the RV here.
Although nothing was said, the immense hostility and the bloodstains on their weapons already proved these people were likely not benevolent.
No dialogue, no communication.
Just like everything Li Lin had once seen happen on the outskirts of Lungmen, those knights clad in huge, worn-out armor silently lowered their heads, kissing their weapons, and a dim, almost blood-colored mark began to permeate around them. On their huge armor, strange marks also appeared one after another.
Ancient Kazimierz armor forging techniques; Originium Arts existed on both armor and weapons. And knights who hunted in the wild were undoubtedly the best among them. Although the armor, not meticulously maintained, was full of various patches and dents, the bloodstains and grooves remaining on it looked even more bloody and cruel. The扑面而来 (pūmiàn'érlái - assailing one's senses) killing intent even made Li Lin frown uncomfortably.
"Knights of Kazimierz, do they fight each other upon meeting…"
"…They are not knights of Kazimierz."
Looking at the knights who had formed a simple wedge formation and were slowly stepping towards the RV, Shining shook her head, a look of pity on her face.
"During the Kazimierz knight reforms, knights who did not abide by the knightly principles were periodically removed from the ranks. Whether former knights or later ones, some would wander in the wild due to illness, some due to personal reasons. And the extreme ones among them become like this."
"What?"
"Let me help… Give these sinners final absolution."
Looking at everyone behind her, Shining revealed a gentle smile, picked up her strange long sword, jumped off the RV, and faced those strange knights.