"This is actually a Tree Elf hybrid and a Lial?" Lillian also suddenly murmured telepathically from the side.
They had retreated to the corridor junction by now, a good distance away from Parde and his companion, so they didn't need to worry about being detected while telepathically communicating.
"Could they have also reached this place with the help of some token?" Colin speculated to himself.
"Perhaps that's the case," Lillian replied, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by a question—where had the Elf Clan gone?
Why would a Lial, typically seen only with High Level Elves, accompany a Tree Elf hybrid to this abandoned Elf Kingdom?
Another question also suddenly emerged in Colin's mind.
On their way here, he hadn't encountered anything of any value or any documents left behind.
But this palace, according to the results of Anando's Dice, clearly still had at least three treasures in it... Perhaps even a Treasure Vault!
Had disaster struck too suddenly for them to take the treasures with them?
Unable to arrive at an answer, Colin shook his head, reined in his thoughts, and continued to listen intently to the conversation across the way.
Without being exposed at the moment, both he and Lillian tacitly chose to stay put, holding their breath as much as possible to minimize any chance of detection, and trying to eavesdrop for more information.
"Alright, alright! I'm not questioning the construction capabilities of you Lial—"
Parde waved his hand, pacified Lites with that comment, and continued to ask,
"I'm just wondering, if the palace, if the Sky Shadow Barrier had no issues, what was that noise you said about new people crossing the Sky Shadow Barrier earlier?"
Parde's voice wasn't loud, even somewhat low, prompting Colin to perk up and listen intently, fearful of missing any bit of information.
"I don't know either."
Lites fell silent for a moment before he gloomily answered and then raised his head, looking straight at Parde as he emphasized,
"Anyway, the noise earlier was definitely new arrivals crossing the Sky Shadow Barrier, not just once but twice... My detection device is never wrong!
When something crosses the Sky Shadow, it produces a very subtle, but far-reaching, vibration that is extremely difficult to detect; however, my 'Silia String Box' can easily capture it and reflect the information back to me."
Parde raised his eyebrow at the brown box held by Lites, embedded with several translucent white strings, then furrowed his brow and speculated,
"In that case, if there's nothing wrong with your... box in your hand, it's very possible that..."
His voice trailed off, and his gaze swept toward the corridor entrance.
Colin's heart skipped a beat, and he consciously lowered his breathing even more.
But the next second,
Parde curled his lip, continuing to say,
"It's very possible they backed off after seeing the signs of battle I left behind!"
He seemed unconcerned about this unknown group, turned his head to pat Lites forcefully on the shoulder, and went on,
"Let's go, there's no need to linger here, better to figure out how to enter the Treasure Vault sooner... It's so strange, I have the credential, so why can't I enter?"
"Lillian elder sister, we should also move back a bit," Colin voiced telepathically to Lillian.
Meanwhile, the conversation on the other side continued.
For some reason, Parde's pat on the shoulder was heavy and forceful, causing Lites to frown involuntarily and glance up at Parde.
"Parde, it's best to be cautious. Besides the two possibilities you mentioned, there is another—those unknown people are moving slowly and haven't arrived here yet."
"Why don't you say that they have realized our presence and concealed themselves... Maybe they're hiding somewhere watching us right now!"
Parde's left eyebrow twitched involuntarily as he said this with a sneer.
"Impossible!" Lites immediately denied without thinking, he surveyed the corridor in front of him, then pointed to the door behind, "As soon as that unknown group arrives here, they would be definitely lured by this great door of the Treasure Vault!"
Parde shook his head slightly, sighing in his heart.
The architectural Talent of the Lial species was indeed beyond doubt, but this inexplicable self-confidence was also blindly obstinate!
Lites... like other Lials, was too confident in their own creations!
"Let me tell you why they definitely have not followed—" Parde said helplessly, quietly sighing. Without drawing attention, he glanced at the end of the corridor with the corner of his eye.
'It's a pity, another moment's hesitation and perhaps this opportunity will be missed.'
Swoosh!
In the next moment, Parde swiftly produced from nowhere a withered and curled twig, and immediately pointed it at the end of the corridor!
Buzz—!
A pale green bright spot suddenly lit up at the tip of the twig, then abruptly shot forward, turning into multiple intertwining light beams, ultimately forming a giant spiral light beam in the hallway.
"What are you doing, Parde!"
As soon as the light beam was released, Lites immediately exclaimed with a mix of surprise and anger, "This palace is the great masterpiece of the Lial, you promised me not to damage it carelessly!"
An impatient expression flashed across Parde's face, and he cursed inwardly, "Idiot", then he continued to speak: