Inside Leek Village, Feng Yang hid in a wooden house, observing the situation outside through a window.
Above the village, an incredibly ornate carriage was slowly descending from the sky.
Watching the airborne carriage, Feng Yang felt a surge of excitement. He had waited in this village for seven whole days, just to stake out this magnificent vehicle.
After the carriage was slowly pulled to the ground by the 'Pegasus,' it tilted slightly forward. A few seconds later, hundreds of young men and women tumbled out.
Seizing the opportunity, Feng Yang secretly slipped to the vicinity of the carriage. He stared at the entrance, then leaped inside.
Thanks to the enhancement from the resentful energy, Feng Yang's physical abilities were now vastly superior. Furthermore, with the carriage only about a meter off the ground, he easily jumped in.
Just as Feng Yang had seen previously, the carriage was empty except for him.
It seemed the person behind Leek Village and this carriage was extremely confident in their scheme, as they hadn't posted any guards. This negligence gave Feng Yang his opportunity.
After dropping off the young men and women, the carriage didn't linger. Pulled by the 'Pegasus,' it took to the air and quickly flew away.
Although the carriage was enormous, perhaps due to the nature of its flight, Feng Yang felt no bumps inside.
He looked down from the window. As the carriage ascended, the entire Leek Forest gradually came into view. To his astonishment, the forest was situated on a massive, isolated island, surrounded by an endless sea.
A look of understanding appeared in Feng Yang's eyes. "No wonder the villagers needed 'Flying horses' for transportation; this place was an isolated island."
Looking down at the island, Feng Yang felt a sense of relief. If he hadn't managed to slip onto the carriage, even if he had broken through the forest's formation, he would never have been able to cross the vast ocean. Using the carriage to escape was the only viable way to leave the island.
But one thing still puzzled him: he had clearly entered the Leek Forest from the snow-covered city. Yet now, he could only see Leek Island below; the snow-covered city had completely vanished. Since the city had traveled with him, it couldn't have simply disappeared into thin air.
As Feng Yang pondered this, the carriage traveled further away. He realized that, at some point, Leek Island below had also disappeared into the sea. This wasn't a simple matter of distance; such a massive island shouldn't have vanished from view so quickly given the carriage's speed.
Unless, of course, the island was hidden by a formation. Clearly, the owner of Leek Island didn't want its location known. This guess was not without basis; if the island's owner could set up a protective barrier to trap the villagers, it was no surprise they also understood concealment formations.
…
After flying for most of the day, Feng Yang finally saw land in the distance. It seemed the carriage would soon reach its destination.
Feng Yang was conflicted, hesitating over whether to jump now. He estimated the carriage was at least fifty meters above the sea. Even with his enhanced body, jumping from that height was dangerous.
But he couldn't afford not to jump. Once the carriage reached land, his opportunity would be gone. A jump into the sea from over fifty meters offered a chance of survival, while a jump onto land would mean certain death.
Of course, Feng Yang could choose not to jump. Since the carriage was used for transport, it would eventually land, and he could try to sneak away then. However, that was risky. If he was unlucky, he might be discovered by the carriage's owner or their organization.
A carriage that could fly, an island that could hide itself, and that eerie Leek Forest, from these clues, it was clear the mastermind was someone with extraordinary abilities, someone Feng Yang couldn't afford to provoke in his current state.
Compared to facing such a being, Feng Yang would rather take his chances with the sea.
After carefully weighing the pros and cons, he hesitated no longer. He first glanced at the sea below; there were no reefs or passing ships in the vicinity. Jumping here should be relatively safe.
Feng Yang took the clothes from his backpack, tied them together with his long sword, and threw the bundle into the sea. Then, ensuring the knot was tight, he jumped off the carriage.
The clothes, held firmly in both hands, acted as a makeshift parachute, providing minimal cushioning for his fall. From this height, even with his enhanced body, survival was likely but injury was inevitable. The slight cushioning, however, significantly reduced the impact.
Never underestimate such a small measure. A minor oversight can have major consequences; sometimes, ignoring seemingly insignificant details can be the final straw.
About three or four seconds later, Feng Yang hit the sea. A powerful impact assaulted his entire body, making him feel as if he were falling apart. Excruciating pain shot through him.
Gritting his teeth, Feng Yang endured the discomfort. It wasn't until much later that he felt slightly better. He checked his physical condition; the fall didn't appear to have caused any serious injuries, likely thanks to his enhanced physique.
Since the carriage hadn't been flying very high and the sea wind was calm, Feng Yang quickly found his floating backpack. It hadn't taken on much water and was still buoyant.
But he knew that if the backpack remained submerged, it would eventually sink. He couldn't swim while carrying too much weight. Reluctantly, Feng Yang discarded the heavy items like potatoes and tin cans, keeping only some money and a small amount of food.
Dragging his backpack, he swam quickly toward the nearest shore.
On the shore, Feng Yang saw a campfire burning. This in itself wasn't unusual, but the key detail was what was on it: several naked human corpses, roasting over the flames.
The corpses seemed to have been cooking for a long time; Feng Yang could even smell a faint aroma of roasted meat in the air.
Surrounding the campfire were four figures.
No, to be precise, these four didn't look entirely human. On their necks, where human heads should be, Feng Yang saw several pig heads.