Outside the city of Bayam, Ebner, propelled by the "Red Cloak," flew at an incredible speed toward the Winstu Tribe in the southwest.
It's worth noting that the "Red Cloak," as an alchemical life-form, is fundamentally different from sealed artifacts with "living" characteristics—it is capable of autonomous learning... For example, it can read maps.
Yes, Ebner didn't need to "direct" it. He simply showed it the route he had planned on the map, and it automatically carried him to the destination, comparable to a "self-driving" system with navigation.
After flying to the outskirts of the Winstu Tribe, Ebner finally switched to "manual" control, slowly descending to the ground.
This time, thanks to his prior preparations for cold protection, he didn't end up with a pale face from the freezing temperatures, as he had in Indor.
The Winstu Tribe was built against a mountain, with two checkpoints at the entrance of the village. Tall watchtowers were manned by several men armed with muskets, and cannons were mounted on the village walls...
Judging by the overall defensive system, it was clearly designed to be easy to defend and hard to attack, suggesting that someone with formal military training had guided the local natives.
However, after a closer inspection, Ebner noticed numerous flaws in what appeared to be a tight defense system. Moreover, the rebel soldiers seemed lax in their discipline, with several supposed "hidden sentries" even smoking...
"As expected, even the best plans rely on the people executing them..." Ebner sighed inwardly before rubbing his chin and pondering:
"Still, the relaxed attitude of the tribespeople suggests that nothing major has happened here, and life has been relatively peaceful for a long time...
"So, the problem Judy is facing likely doesn't originate from this tribe but from somewhere else?"
Although he had reached a preliminary conclusion, Ebner didn't recklessly sneak into the village. Instead, he transformed into a "Nightmare" and entered the dream of a dozing rebel soldier.
....
In a stilted house supported by wooden pillars, with the ground floor left open, a soldier with short stripes painted on his face and arms lay on a rattan rocking chair, eating fruit while being served by three young women giving him a massage.
The three women, though their skin tones were darker and their heights varied, all bore some resemblance to Miss Judy in their facial features.
"Is this the soldier's dream of luxury? Hmm, the most extravagant life he's ever seen might be something like this, and the most beautiful woman he's ever seen is probably Miss Judy... That's why this dream is the way it is."
Seeing this, Ebner analyzed the scene as he walked into the stilted house. He materialized an image of "Judy" and politely asked the soldier:
"Excuse me, where is this lady now?"
"She's staying at the Wind House, next to the blacksmith's shop..." The soldier, still eating fruit, answered in a somewhat mechanical tone.
Wind House? Next to the blacksmith's shop? It seems Judy isn't being held captive, or she wouldn't be staying in what's clearly a residential area... In that case, why didn't she come to me directly if she wanted to meet?
Nodding thoughtfully, Ebner decided to confirm further and asked, "Is anyone restricting that lady's movements?"
"Of course not! That lady is an honored guest. The elders have given strict orders not to harass her. She's free to go anywhere without being questioned or inspected... But strangely, since she returned two days ago, she's rarely left the 'Wind House.' The only exception was when she caught that spy from the city and demanded to interrogate him alone."
A spy? That must be Weave's subordinate... But... two days ago? Ebner's heart stirred, and he asked again, "When did that lady first arrive at the tribe? I mean, when did you first see her? Also, where did she go afterward?"
"That lady arrived a week ago... She was accompanied by a giant and a pretty boy...
"They left the tribe four days ago, and then, two days ago, only the lady returned alone.
"As for where they went, I don't know..."
A giant? That must be Captain Asenov... The pretty boy is probably Cullen... So the entire team came to Bayam?
Hmm, as elite "Forsaken," their cross-border missions are likely not simple... So, did something go wrong with the mission? Did they need backup? But that still doesn't explain why Judy didn't come to me directly.
After pondering for a moment, Ebner asked again, "After returning, did the lady do anything besides staying in the 'Wind House'?"
The soldier paused, seemingly trying to recall, before finally answering, "She seemed to ask around about which detective in Bayam is the most famous..."
What's going on? Did Judy lose her memory? Does she only vaguely remember me? But if that were the case, she shouldn't have been able to deduce that Weave was connected to me!
With these questions in mind, Ebner bowed slightly and left the soldier's dream.
—This was part of Ms. Closfia's new persona for Doctor Strange, and Ebner subconsciously followed suit.
Ebner asked a few more of the sleeping tribesmen, but the answers he received were all more or less the same.
"It's pretty much confirmed that there's no ambush in the village… but based on the information I've gathered, Judy's behavior seems rather strange. She doesn't act like the 'clueless girl' I know at all…
"She feels almost… 'zen' living in the 'House of Wind'..."
After grumbling to himself for a bit, Ebner ultimately decided to go meet this "Judy" in person. Some questions could only be answered face-to-face to clear his doubts.
Activating the "Pure White Eye," he carefully avoided a few mystical traps and used "Psychology Invisibility" to follow a patrolling guard into the village undetected.
With the knowledge he had obtained in the dream, he easily found the village's only blacksmith shop.
Passing by the extinguished forge, he arrived at a two-story wooden house.
This was the "House of Wind." It got its name from the holes in its roof, which allowed the night wind to whistle through, creating a continuous "woo-woo" sound.
The villagers believed it was a sign of the wind's blessing, so they named it accordingly.
…
Recalling this useless bit of information from his dream, Ebner knocked lightly on the door.
Since this was a house where a girl lived alone—one who also happened to be a "biologist" equipped with multiple mystical items—there might be special defenses in place. Rushing in recklessly could be dangerous, even with the Pure White Eye.
Inside, footsteps approached the door, but even after nearly half a minute, no one responded. Just as Ebner was about to knock again, a soft female voice finally asked, "Who is it? Ebner?"
It was indeed Judy's voice… but she sounded much calmer than usual. The Judy I know is brash and quick-tempered—if someone provoked her, she'd poison them mute without hesitation…
A string of thoughts flashed through his mind, but instead of waiting for her to open the door, Ebner directly "phased" through it.
Inside, a brown-haired girl with a gentle expression seemed to sense something. She turned her head and saw a man draped in a red cloak materialize in the room.
"Ebner, you finally came," she greeted him, a slight ripple of emotion flashing in her eyes.
Ebner didn't respond immediately. He scrutinized her carefully with the Pure White Eye before demanding, "What exactly are you? Why are you imitating Judy? Where is the real her?"
According to the Pure White Eye's analysis, the girl before him wasn't human at all—she was some kind of transformed tree.
The Judy-like girl tilted her head slightly as if pondering his question. After a long moment, she finally responded in an unhurried tone, "I am a plant clone she created using a mystical item, so I look just like her… She's trapped at the bottom of a cliff, and before the barrier closed, she sent me out to find help."
A plant clone? So her true form is a tree? No wonder she speaks and moves so sluggishly… This might be her fastest possible pace from her perspective.
Suppressing the urge to complain, Ebner frowned and asked, "What exactly happened?"
"I don't know…" The girl gently shook her head.
"You don't know? Aren't you her clone?" Ebner asked, puzzled.
"Most of the memories she tried to transfer to me were blocked by the barrier at the bottom of the valley…" She paused before meeting Ebner's gaze seriously and adding, "Only the memories related to you were preserved—completely intact!"
(End of Chapter)