The clue to the Dungeon Core was their primary reason for seeking an audience with the Elf Queen.
Searching for a vague and ethereal "Core" in an unfamiliar world, without even knowing its true form, was like searching for a needle in a haystack—impossible for just four people alone.
Their only hope lay in leveraging the power of this land's most formidable force.
And the Elf Queen was undoubtedly the highest-level intelligence source they could access.
At Lin Qingyue's question, the entire hall fell silent.
The warm glow of the Moonstone persisted, and the magical starry river continued to flow across the dome, but the relaxed atmosphere had vanished.
Even Aeldara, standing beside them, turned her gaze toward the throne.
Her usually expressionless face now revealed a rare flicker of curiosity.
Clearly, she too was eager to hear the answer.
The Queen on the throne remained silent.
Within the depths of her eyes—a blend of starlight and wine-red hues—light and shadow swirled, as if searching through an infinite sea of memories.
Under the tense gazes of Lin Qingyue and her companions, the queen slowly shook her head.
"I have never heard of this 'Dungeon Core' you speak of."
The answer seemed to drop the temperature in the grand hall by several degrees. Lin Qingyue felt her heart sink.
No way! We came all this way for nothing? Even this high-level NPC doesn't know about it? Is this quest dead in the water before we even start?
The queen's voice remained steady, exuding an air of calm control.
"If, as you claim, this artifact is the source of the world's merging, it would inevitably trigger severe energy anomalies."
"For example, persistent distortions in the spatial structure or uncontrollable surges of Magic Power."
Her words were clear and measured, carrying the characteristic precision of a Mage.
"We Elves, especially the Mage Council of Silvermoon City, constantly monitor the continent-spanning Magic Power network and spatial nodes."
"If a source of such magnitude—capable of 'merging worlds'—truly existed, its ripples would be impossible to evade our detection."
The queen paused, then shifted to a more direct explanation.
"To put it simply, if this thing were truly within our monitoring range, my desk would have been buried under a blizzard of urgent reports long ago."
"But the truth is, my desk remains perfectly clean."
Her logic was airtight, leaving no room for rebuttal.
Lin Qingyue found herself momentarily speechless.
Indeed, the Elven Race were the ancestral masters of magic, and Silvermoon City was teeming with archmages. Their understanding of this world undoubtedly surpassed that of outsiders like themselves. If the Queen claimed to have detected nothing, it was highly likely that nothing had been detected.
"Then... could it be that we've been heading in the wrong direction all along?" Lin Xiyue murmured, her face etched with disappointment.
Xia Lian and Su Wan's eyes also dimmed.
After such a grueling journey, risking their lives to reach this place, only to be met with "I don't know," the sheer letdown threatened to crush their spirits.
But Lin Qingyue refused to accept this seemingly hopeless conclusion.
If the Queen isn't lying, then where's the flaw in our reasoning?
Premise 1: The Core must exist.
Premise 2: The Elven Race's monitoring network covers the entire continent, yet detected no anomalies.
The very combination of these two known facts is the greatest anomaly!
Unless... the Core itself possesses extraordinary concealment capabilities, or some other immense force is providing it with cover!
A completely new possibility exploded in Lin Qingyue's mind, instantly clarifying her thoughts and dispelling all frustration.
She raised her head again, her gaze burning with unwavering determination as she met the Queen's eyes. The unyielding spirit transformed her very aura.
"Your Majesty," she said, her voice ringing with conviction, "I have one more question."
"In recent times, apart from the arrival of us 'outsiders,' have there been any other significant disturbances that could alter the balance of power on the continent?"
"Or, to put it another way, is there any faction actively attempting to disrupt the world's existing order?"
If I can't find the "thing," I'll search for the "event."
The merging of worlds inevitably leads to the collapse of order. So, who would most eagerly welcome such upheaval?
In the queen's eyes, which had witnessed the world's affairs for centuries, a flicker of genuine admiration finally emerged.
She greatly admired the human girl's resilience in adapting her thinking and finding a new approach when faced with adversity.
"You are remarkably perceptive," the queen said with a slight nod, offering her assessment.
"While we haven't directly detected traces of the 'Core,' a long-dormant force has indeed become unusually active recently."
"Their sole purpose is to sow chaos," the queen said, her red lips parting to utter a chilling word:
"Undead."
The word instantly reminded Lin Qingyue of Mograss, the Death Knight who had attacked Aeldara in the Silent Forest.
"For nearly a century, the remnants of the Undead Scourge have been holed up in the 'Scar of Sorrows' in the northern reaches of the continent—a desolate land utterly corrupted by Death Energy."
"They've remained dormant for so long that many short-lived races have forgotten their existence entirely."
The queen's voice turned icy, radiating regal authority and chilling menace.
"But starting a few months ago, their claws suddenly began to infiltrate southward."
"They raid caravans, defile the land, convert the dead, and even launch direct assaults on our outposts—just as you experienced in the Silent Forest."
"Mograss was merely one of their many expendable pawns."
The queen's gaze sharpened, as if piercing through time and space to fall upon the desolate northern lands.
"Their actions, on the surface, appear to be about expanding their territory, but the timing... it's far too convenient."
"It coincides precisely with the increased frequency of your 'outsider' arrivals."
"It's as if they're attempting to use a continent-sweeping war to conceal some far more crucial secret."
Lin Qingyue's heart leaped.
A feint!
The more chaos the Undead Race sows, drawing everyone's attention to the war, the less likely anyone is to notice those inconspicuous corners—and the less chance there is of anyone discovering the hidden 'Dungeon Core'!
Of course, it's also possible that these undead are simply seizing the opportunity during the world's chaos to fish in troubled waters, seizing territory and expanding their influence.
But either way, this is currently our only lead!
"I understand now." Lin Qingyue steadied her breathing, and the fighting spirit rekindled in her eyes. "Thank you for Your Majesty's guidance."
"This isn't guidance, merely a reasonable deduction."
The queen leaned back against her throne, the sharp edge of her presence receding, once again transforming into the dignified and regal Monarch.
"The undead are the sworn enemies of all living beings. Investigating their movements falls squarely within Silvermoon City's responsibilities."
Her gaze shifted to the Captain of the Knights standing beside her.
"Aeldara."
"At your service, Your Majesty."
"I grant your earlier request," the Queen declared. "These four are your saviors, and they are now friends and allies of Silvermoon City."
The Queen's gaze swept over Lin Xiyue, Xia Lian, and Su Wan, pausing only for a fleeting moment as a formality before settling back on Lin Qingyue, her tone softening slightly.
"Go now. Open the first three floors of the Silvermoon Armory and the Great Library to them."
"You have full authority over their rewards."
With these words, the previously heavy atmosphere immediately lightened.
Lin Qingyue and her companions exchanged glances, each seeing in the others' eyes a shared sense of relief and barely suppressed joy.
Here it comes! Reward time! Elven gear and skills!
"As for you..."
The Queen turned to Lin Qingyue, a genuine smile gracing her lips.
"Your combat style is... intriguing. It's a rare and refreshing sight after all these years. I doubt the standardized weapons and magic in our armory would suit your tastes."
As the Queen spoke, she extended her jade-like hand toward Lin Qingyue, her slender fingers flicking lightly.
A sliver of moonlit radiance darted from her fingertip, arcing gracefully through the air before landing softly in Lin Qingyue's palm.
As the light faded, a delicate earring woven from moonlight vines, with a dewdrop-like gem nestled at its center, lay quietly in her hand.
"A 'Moonlight's Embrace'," the Queen said in an almost casual tone. "It won't make you invincible, but when your strength fails, it will grant you a resilience drawn from the moon's own light."
She paused, then added, "Consider it a personal gesture of goodwill from me to an intriguing new friend."
"Thank you for your gracious gift, Your Majesty!" Lin Qingyue instinctively grasped the earring, feeling a faint but constant warmth seep into her body.
On her profession panel, the new equipment's attributes clearly materialized:
[Moonlight's Embrace (Growth-Type/Unique)]
[Quality: Legendary (Upgradeable)]
[Effect 1: Moonlight Affinity. The wearer regenerates 1% of their health, stamina, and mana per minute.]
[Effect Two: ??? (Awaiting Unlocking)]
[Effect Three: ??? (Awaiting Unlocking)]
Divine Artifact!
These attributes were practically tailor-made for her! The greatest limitation on her use of Character Cards was her stamina!
Su Wan's gaze lingered on the earring for a moment before she subtly averted it, a flicker of understanding in her eyes.
Her Majesty the Queen possessed keen insight. While this gift might seem like mere icing on the cake to others, for Lin Qingyue, it was a lifeline in a blizzard.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Aeldara acknowledged the command, then turned to Lin Qingyue and her companions. Her ice-sculpted face remained expressionless, yet her voice rang with crystalline clarity. "Please follow me."
The four bowed their farewells to the Queen once more and trailed behind Aeldara, exiting the grand hall that resembled the Moonlight Divine Kingdom itself.