Chapter 256: Adventure in the Mausoleum with Sillina (1.4w)
At this moment, Hillina was studying the latest information about the Tomb of Heremus.
This information was hard-earned. It was brought back by several teams of gravediggers who entered the mausoleum at the cost of dozens of lives.
The content of the intelligence is mainly related to "empty shell syndrome". Among those who came out of the mausoleum alive, some people seemed to have their spirit and consciousness separated from their bodies, leaving only a zombie-like body.
Now, Hillina's subordinates have made some research on this point. Props made of specific seals may be able to effectively solve this problem.
But these are far from enough to completely conquer the Tomb of Heremus and crack the mysterious rules within it.
When she thought of this, Hillelina couldn't help but frown.
"Your Highness, there are two letters."
At this moment, the maid quickly walked into the room holding two letters and placed them in front of Hilina, while her eyes unconsciously glanced at one of them.
Because this letter does not have an envelope, you can directly see the contents inside.
The letter was written by the brave Xia, and the content was to invite Xilina to attend a dinner party held at the home of a big shot tonight.
The banquet was hosted by Duke Lorenzo von Kleist.
As one of the seven electors, Duke Cleist held a banquet to celebrate his eldest son being appointed as the deputy commander of the Royal Knights. By then, more than half of the nobles in the royal capital would be present, including several powerful ministers that Hillina had always wanted to win over.
As for the other letter, because it was wrapped in an envelope sealed tightly with dark silver wax, the contents were unknown.
Hilina's fingertips gently stroked the envelope, a playful smile appearing on the corner of her mouth.
The moment she saw the envelope, she knew who the writer was.
When she unfolded the letter and glanced at the unfamiliar handwriting, the smile on her face suddenly froze.
After a moment's silence, she suddenly closed the letter. When she stood up, her loose sleeves created a gust of wind that made the candlelight shake violently.
Then, in the maid's astonished gaze, her back quickly disappeared into the shadows of the corridor, leaving only the two letters lying alone on the table.
Looking at the eldest princess' hurriedly leaving back, several maids who occasionally gossiped in private immediately gathered together.
"I'll bet a month's salary on it," the red-haired maid said, lowering her voice. "Your Highness will definitely dress up to attend the dinner tonight. After all... that's an invitation from Lady Xia."
"Who says it isn't? Recently, the relationship between His Highness and Lady Xia has been rapidly warming up." The older maid winked knowingly. "I've seen them strolling hand in hand along the tree-lined paths of the manor several times. They might be getting married soon."
"That's right. And this banquet was hosted by Duke Kleist. He's one of the seven electors, and several princes and princesses want to win him over for support. But this shrewd man hasn't made a clear statement yet."
The maid who delivered the letter to Hilina whispered that she was almost one of Hilina's closest maids, so she knew a lot more than others.
"It seems that Lord Xia has successfully connected with Duke Crest. Your Highness must attend this dinner. If Your Highness can gain the support of Duke Crest, he will have an advantage when facing the Second Prince Felit, and the possibility of ascending the throne in the future will also be higher."
Although no one had seen the contents of the other letter, they were still certain of one thing.
That is, no matter how important the matter in the other letter is, Her Highness Hillelina will accompany Xia to attend the dinner hosted by Duke Crest tonight.
But this time, they thought too much.
Because, at the end of the other letter, the signature was Lynn Bartleyon.
…
On the other side, everyone in Bart Leon Manor received a letter almost at the same time.
Along with this came the news that Lin En had disappeared again.
Everyone gathered together and read the contents of the envelope nervously.
"What on earth does this guy mean?" Afiya stamped her foot in anger after reading it. "His Highness is already in such a state, and he still wants to go to the Heremus Tomb with Sillina."
"I just went to see Her Highness. Her condition is very serious. The black magic pattern has completely spread."
Melanie said in a tearful voice that she had read countless ancient books these days, trying to find a way to wake up Yvesette, but failed in the end.
"Although I trust Lin En, he's getting involved with Sillina at this critical moment. He probably won't be back for a while. Isn't he worried that something might happen to His Highness?"
Morris frowned.
"Well, who says it isn't true? If something unexpected really happens, we won't know what to do. We can't ask His Majesty for help."
Graya spread his hands, his face full of helplessness.
At this moment, unexpectedly, it was Rhine who seemed calmer. "Let's all keep quiet. I think Lin En is really at his wit's end. Everyone has seen how Lin En has tried countless methods to wake His Highness. If that's the case, staying in the manor is just a waste of time."
After saying this, Rhine raised his head and scanned everyone's gazes. "So, I personally tend to believe that Lin En and Sillina teamed up to go to the Heremus Mausoleum in order to find a way to awaken His Highness."
Upon hearing this, everyone fell into a brief silence, as if they felt that what Rhine said made some sense.
Especially Eleanor, as Lynn's biological sister, she trusts her brother very much and believes that he would never abandon them.
But in this situation just now, she didn't know how to say much. Until Rhine spoke, her face turned slightly red and she felt a little excited.
"Hey guys, I know this is sudden and a coward's escape. But please trust in our friendship."
"I'm leaving here because I want to save Yvesette and reverse everyone's future."
Lynn said this at the end of the letter.
It looked like a comfort, and a statement that was either a joke or a promise.
"Save Yvesthe and reverse everyone's future."
Everyone kept repeating this sentence, their faces looked calm, but their hearts were already in turmoil.
They are all Ivester's confidants, and they know a lot of information.
The difficulty of saving Yvesette alone is unimaginable, let alone reversing everyone's future.
To them, it was no different from a fairy tale.
But at this time, they could do nothing but believe in Lin En.
…
The carriage was bumping along the rugged mountain road, but fortunately the leather seats in the carriage were very soft and comfortable, which could alleviate the bumpy feeling to some extent.
Also, the air is filled with a light cedar scent.
The main scent of this fragrance is dominated by woody notes, similar to the freshness of newly cut wood or pencil shavings. It is solid and steady, giving people a sense of security and stability.
In addition, the cedar scent is mixed with Hillina's faint body fragrance.
Charming and full of temptation, at least Lin En feels it smells very comfortable and can help him sleep.
At this moment, Hillina was not wearing gorgeous clothes, but a light adventure outfit, sitting quietly aside.
At the same time, she was staring at Lynn, who was resting against the window on the other side of the carriage, and she became fascinated without realizing it.
Lynn was wearing a dark grey adventure cloak with the hood pulled back, revealing his clean-cut jaw.
He was probably really tired. After all, he had hardly slept for a single day since the Holy Tree Trial.
At this time, his eyes were closed tightly, and the bumps of the carriage rolling over the gravel road did not make him frown, and his breathing was quite even, and it was obvious that he was sleeping very soundly.
"He's such a big-hearted guy."
Hillina said in her heart.
But she probably guessed that Lin En must have been worried about Yvesette's affairs these days. After all, when he first saw him today, Lin En's condition really scared him.
It's only been a few days since we last met, but Lin En looks much more haggard and tired.
"But this guy is really good-looking. Even in this haggard state, his temperament is unique and has a unique charm."
Hillina didn't realize that she was so mesmerized by Lynn's face that when she came to her senses, her face felt slightly hot.
At the same time, her fingertips unconsciously brushed against the sword buckle at her waist, but the cool touch of the metal could not suppress the heat on her cheeks.
Why was he so lost in thought about Lin En?
This man who always tells lies and acts in secret is obviously the one she should be most wary of.
"absurd!"
She scolded herself in a low voice, suddenly came to her senses, felt guilty for her infidelity, and realized that she had stood up Xia, who had invited her to the dinner party, and subconsciously touched the ring he gave her.
This is a symbol of their love.
Tonight was supposed to be the time for her to dress up and attend Duke Crest's dinner, but she chose to embark on this dangerous journey with this mysterious man.
Thinking of this, Hillelina felt more and more panicked, as if she had betrayed Xia.
To hide her sudden panic, she cleared her throat and tried to sound calm. "Why did you suddenly change your mind? As far as I know, Ivester is still in a coma. I heard that her condition is very serious. You have the heart to leave her and go to the Tomb of Heraemus with me?"
Hearing this, Lin En didn't even open his eyes, but just slightly adjusted his leaning posture: "Just fulfilling the promise."
His voice was low and tired, as if every word took a lot of effort.
This is not an act. He hasn't slept for five days. While he is on the road these days, he wants to take the time to rest and adjust his condition.
After all, the Tomb of Hermes is a tough battle.
Even though he was a time traveler, he was not 100% sure that he could completely conquer the Tomb of Heremus and leave safely.
However, that reason is definitely false.
The only reason why he came here was that "Prisoner of Fate" had given him a similar revelation when he was unconscious.
The scenes he saw in the Pantheon kept flashing back to him - broken stars, fallen gods, and the pool of blood left by the Witch of the End.
Is it a future that has already happened, or some kind of foreshadowing of death?
What made him even more uneasy was where did the Moon Goddess Tia, who was supposed to appear with the Witch of the End a hundred thousand years later, go?
However, for him, nothing can be known at this moment.
Therefore, in order to increase the plot deviation that was decreasing again, and to change the tragic future of everyone in his memory, he chose to join forces with Hillina to explore the Tomb of Heremus.
It can be said that this copy is very critical and is the core event leading to the ending of "Twilight of the Gods" one hundred thousand years later.
If he does nothing, the future is doomed to be unchangeable.
He would rather make a mistake than do nothing.
Maybe all this is a trap, maybe his efforts will ultimately become footnotes in the script of fate, but so what?
It's better than watching you disappear one by one.
Lynn embarked on this adventure with a desperate attitude.
This is the only chance to drastically change the future, and Lynn will never let it go.
At this moment, the wheel suddenly bumped violently, and Lin En finally opened his eyes, just in time to meet Hillina's gaze which she had not yet retracted.
A hint of panic flashed across those bright eyes, and then they immediately returned to their usual composure.
Soon, the carriage fell silent again, with only the squeaking sound of the turning axles echoing.
As Hillina looked out the window at the passing wasteland, she kept pondering Lynn's perfunctory words of "fulfilling the promise" in her heart.
The Lin En she knew didn't seem like someone who would be bound by promises. How could such a person accompany her to wade through the muddy waters of the Hermuse Mausoleum just because of a casual favor?
But at the moment she couldn't think of any other reasonable explanation.
After two days and two nights of tiring journey by boat and car, as it grew darker and the sun was about to set, the group finally reached their destination.
"We're almost there."
Hillina looked away and adjusted her light adventure attire. She didn't feel excited at all, but rather solemn and dignified.
Finally, the carriage stopped in front of a hidden campsite. Six gray-green tents were arranged in a circle. The bonfire in the center had been lit, and seven or eight figures were busy working.
This is a camp where Hillina's subordinates are stationed near the Mausoleum of Heremus. At its peak, there were nearly a hundred people here, but most of them have been killed in the mausoleum.
The remaining ones are only a few elites, some of whom have been in and out of the Mausoleum of Heremus several times, and came out safely, without being affected by the "empty shell syndrome".
Seeing the carriage approaching, a burly man with a scar on his face strode forward. When he saw Hillina getting off the carriage, he immediately bowed and saluted.
"This is Dewey Gustav, leader of the Gravedigger Squad."
Hillina introduced everyone to Lin En one by one, but she mainly introduced the seven members of the gravedigger team who would follow them into the Tomb of Heremus this time.
In addition, there are some people stationed in the camp to deal with emergencies.
"This is Mr. Lin En, our new member."
Finally, Hilina briefly introduced herself to everyone and then asked, "Dewey, how are the preparations going?"
Dewey touched the scar on his face and replied, "Your Highness, according to your instructions, all equipment is ready, but..."
Then he lowered his voice and continued, "Rose and Kate went out to explore the route yesterday and haven't returned yet."
Hearing this, Hillina frowned and felt a little heavy-hearted. Ross and Kate were very experienced gravediggers. They had followed her for many years and had explored many ancient tombs before.
Both of them were very familiar with the Mausoleum of Heremus, and this time they went in to scout the area in advance in preparation for their large group.
At the moment, it seems that there is a high probability that something unexpected happened and he died in the mausoleum.
"Your Highness, according to speculation, there should have been some unusual movements in the Heremus Mausoleum recently."
Dewey came closer, deliberately avoiding Lynn, and spoke in a voice that only Hilina could hear.
Obviously, such words that can easily shake people's hearts are indeed not suitable to be said in front of everyone.
"Okay, I understand the situation."
Hilina nodded.
Then she turned around and looked at Lin En, and found that the expression on this guy's face was extremely calm.
You know, even Hillina was completely unsure about this operation and was not sure whether she could come back alive.
But Lynn seemed fearless.
"Indeed, this guy isn't even afraid of the Cruel King, Kushustan."
Hillina suddenly remembered that during the Holy Tree Trial, she saw Lin En dare to bargain with the King of Evil and Cruelty. You know, the King of Evil and Cruelty is an existence comparable to God.
The owner of the Helmius Mausoleum was most likely a seventh-level saint or above during his lifetime. Hillina even felt that his strength might not be as good as that of the King of Evil.
Thinking about it this way, Hillina felt that it made sense.
And the tension and heaviness in her heart also dissipated a lot without her realizing it.
If she had to choose someone to explore the Tomb of Heremus with, her choice would not be her fiancé Sia, but Lynn.
"Rest for one night and set off at dawn tomorrow."
Hilina gave orders to everyone.
That night, the logistics team prepared a whole table of delicious food and even brought out their treasured wines.
Even in the imperial capital, a bottle of this wine could be sold for hundreds of gold coins. After all, it has been treasured for decades and is made by the most famous wine master in the empire.
Everyone actually knew that they might not come back tomorrow, so they ate and drank to their heart's content.
Even Hillina stood up from her seat in the final segment, and the entire audience instantly fell silent.
The bright moonlight shone on her, as if coating her with a layer of dreamy silver glow.
Her slender fingers gently lifted the crystal glass, "Cheers to every warrior here!"
Her voice was low, but it carried the dignity and tenderness unique to the royal family. "Without your courage, loyalty, and dedication, we wouldn't have made it this far. Tomorrow's action, we will surely return triumphantly!"
"Long live Her Royal Highness the Princess!"
Dewey, the towering man, actually had tears in his eyes at this moment. He tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp, not even noticing the wine dripping down his beard.
"For His Highness, I will go through fire and water!"
Leah, the only female in the gravedigger team, was holding a wine glass in both hands, with an almost pious light in her eyes.
Even the usually taciturn Yorick stood up, his cuffs still dripping with potion from the experiment.
"Your Highness," the alchemist's voice trembled with a rare tremor. "You have convinced me that there is indeed a power in this world more powerful than the extraordinary."
The corners of Hillina's lips curled up slightly, revealing a smile that could make all the flowers pale in comparison.
She gently shook the wine glass in her hand, and the moonlight cast a swaying light and shadow on her perfect profile.
"No!" She shook her head, her hair flowing like a waterfall. "You made me believe that a leader's true power comes from those who are willing to follow her."
Everyone shouted almost in unison: "For Her Highness Sillina!"
The sound was so loud that it scared away the nearby wolves.
Cheers echoed around the simply constructed outdoor dining table. Everyone knew that entering the depths of the mausoleum tomorrow could mean death. But at that moment, looking at that dazzling figure shrouded in moonlight, everyone was willing to die for her—not only because she was the empire's eldest daughter, but because she was worthy.
Looking at this scene, Lin En couldn't help but feel that Hillina's personal charm was indeed unparalleled. No wonder she was the number one heroine in the original novel. All her subordinates were willing to sacrifice their lives for her.
Compared with Hillina, Ivester is at a disadvantage in this regard.
Because Yves Sainte is better at doing than talking.
Now, with just a few words, Hillina stirred up everyone's emotions, and everyone looked extremely excited.
"If this happened on the battlefield, Sillina could excite the soldiers with just a few words, completely unleashing their inherent bravery and increasing their combat effectiveness exponentially."
After arriving at the camp, Lin En sat in a corner, quietly watching the scene. As if sensing his gaze, Sillina turned and met his gaze.
The next moment, Hillina filled her glass with red wine again and raised it to Lin En.
Although she had doubts about Lin En's words "fulfill the promise", she would be entering the mausoleum tomorrow after all, and her life and death were unknown.
This glass of wine is a toast to Lin En, who will soon become my comrade-in-arms.
Lin En was not a person who did not know the rules, and he also filled his glass with red wine.
However, he did not toast to Hillina alone.
But respect to everyone.
"Come back alive!"
Lin En's voice was quiet, but it struck everyone's heart like a hammer. He raised his glass and glanced at every unfamiliar face.
"When we return to the imperial capital, I'll treat you to the best wine in the Saint Laurent Empire!"
This is Lynn's promise.
He had his own purpose in entering the Tomb of Hermes, and it would be difficult for him to succeed if he relied solely on his own words.
So to some extent, Lin En really needs the help of Hilina and this team of gravediggers.
The next day, when it was still dawn, the pre-dawn fog covered the entire wasteland like a layer of gray gauze. Everyone packed up and set off.
Not far away, the Great Rift Valley, like a hideous wound split open by a divine sword, stretched across the gray sky.
The cliffs on either side were an unnatural dark red, as if soaked in the blood of ancient demonic gods.
And in that bottomless darkness, a faint light could be seen flickering at the entrance of the cave - that was the main entrance to the Mausoleum of Hermes.
When the first ray of sunlight finally broke through the clouds, Lin En and his friends had already set foot on the narrow stone path leading to the rift valley.
Their figures looked as small as ants against the backdrop of the huge rift valley.
After going down into the rift, everyone saw the entrance to the cave. Although Lin En had never been here, he had seen a detailed description in the original book.
But what he didn't expect was that the entrance to the cave was even narrower than he had imagined, only allowing two people to walk side by side.
But for someone as big and strong as Dewey, the place could only accommodate him alone.
Along the way, Dewey, as the captain of the gravedigger team, told Lynn some of the information they knew about the Tomb of Hermes.
Because of the emphasis that Hillina placed on introducing Lynn yesterday, and the two sentences that Lynn said during his final toast at dinner, everyone in the Gravedigger Team has accepted Lynn as a member of their team.
"I have entered the Tomb of Hermes three times and saw a broken stone tablet inside. This is part of the information I copied down."
Dewey introduced as he handed a piece of parchment to Lynn.
"Based on our research, this mausoleum is most likely the resting place of a deity, and its history is very ancient, possibly dating back hundreds of thousands of years."
After Dewey's explanation, Lynn gradually matched this mausoleum of God with certain specific details in the original novel.
The incomplete inscription on the parchment showed three unpronounceable cuneiform symbols. When Lin En touched them, he felt a burning pain in his fingertips, while the others had no reaction.
In response, Lynn did not say anything, but quietly returned the parchment to Dewey.
"Is this the special feeling given to me by the Prisoner of Fate?"
Lynn guessed.
Soon, after passing through the narrow passage, the group finally arrived at the entrance of the Mausoleum of Hermes.
The entrance to the cave is a perfect circle with edges as smooth as a mirror, which could not be carved by human power.
The stone wall was inlaid with countless fist-sized dark purple crystals. Under the illumination of the torches in their hands, they seemed to be able to vaguely see something inside the crystals.
Lin En walked forward and found that the inside of the crystal was not pure and transparent, but filled with turbid flocs, which slowly squirmed with the change of light, like a dormant embryo of some creature.
"This crystal cannot be touched. One of the first gravediggers who discovered the tomb of Hermius was so fearless that he wanted to carve a piece of it as a souvenir."
Dewey spoke up quickly.
"As soon as the guy's chisel touched the surface, the whole person collapsed like a hollow bag of skin. In less than three seconds, only a layer of skin was left attached to the skeleton."
Lin En naturally wouldn't be stupid enough to touch them directly. He just observed quietly and then said calmly: "These are 'Soul Prisms'. Anyone who touches them will have their soul forcibly extracted and imprisoned within the prism."
The owner of this mausoleum is incredibly powerful, far beyond the reach of demons like the evil and cruel king Kushustain.
"Is that so?"
After hearing Lin En's explanation, Dewey couldn't help but feel horrified, and at the same time, he paid more attention to Lin En.
Come to think of it, this kid is so young. If he doesn't have something special, how could Her Royal Highness the Princess bring him along for such an important operation?
And after a brief contact, Dewey could also feel that Her Royal Highness the Princess attached great importance to Lin En.
"If we go any further, we will officially enter the Tomb of Heremus."
At this time, Hilina spoke.
"It's hard to imagine what kind of all-knowing being the owner of this mausoleum was in his lifetime. Even after countless years, the divinity and laws that remain within the mausoleum still restrict outside exploration."
Hillina sighed from the bottom of her heart, her eyes met Lin En's, as if she wanted to test how deep Lin En's understanding of this mausoleum was. After all, this directly affected the success or failure of this operation.
"A supreme god who towers above the river of time. His true name has long been erased by time, and only his immortal majesty lingers between heaven and earth."
Lynn said calmly.
This is the description in the original book.
"This is a shielding helmet made by Yorick. When worn, it can resist the tides of divine power within the mausoleum."
Afterwards, Dewey handed everyone a rather strange-looking helmet, except for Hillina.
Because she has too many powerful seals on her body.
Lynn thought that she probably didn't need this kind of thing, but for safety reasons, she put it on anyway.
Afterwards, the group officially stepped into the mausoleum space.
It was at this moment of entry that Lin En felt a terrifying tide of divine power sweeping over him.
But he felt that even without the shielding helmet made by Yorick, he could probably withstand it.
"You're such a genius. You can even research this kind of tool. Otherwise, this level alone would be very difficult to pass."
Dewey patted Yorick on the shoulder and gave him an appreciative look.
"Thanks to your highness's unwavering support in the Sealed Artifacts, otherwise I would never have been able to research this."
Yorick said matter-of-factly.
Anyone who steps into the mausoleum will be overwhelmed by the tide of divine power that sweeps in, their spirit and will being stripped away, and they will suffer from what Hillina had previously described as the hollow shell syndrome, becoming a zombie-like existence with no cure.
And this is just the first test to enter the mausoleum.
Fortunately, the people under Hillina were not idlers. Although this test was very difficult to crack, with the full support of the eldest princess in terms of sealing objects, they still created props that could resist the "peeling" rules in a short period of time.
"Let's go quickly. The duration of this item is very short. We must leave this place as soon as possible."
Yorick urged.
Therefore, without staying for long, everyone continued to walk deeper into the mausoleum.
Because Dewey had been in and out of the mausoleum three times before, but he had never been able to enter the deepest part, so the front part of the journey was quite smooth under Dewey's guidance.
They didn't stop until they came to a round stone chamber.
This passage is wider than the previous one, with a high dome, as if it had been hollowed out by some huge force.
The ancient reliefs on the stone wall have weathered and peeled off, leaving only vague outlines, and some kind of kneeling ritual scene can be vaguely identified.
In the center of the stone chamber stands a broken stone tablet. It should have been three meters high, but now only half of it remains. The broken part is jagged, as if it was torn apart by some terrifying force.
The surface of the stone tablet is covered with obscure runes, some of which have been eroded by time, leaving only fragments of text remaining.
"My parchment was copied from this stone tablet." Dewey turned and looked at Lin En beside him. "Also, this is the deepest part of the mausoleum we explored before. We couldn't find the way forward, and it seemed to end here."
Hillina had never been here before. She looked around the stone chamber. Behind the stone tablet was a complete stone wall without any trace of passages or mechanisms.
She received a report from the gravedigger team, saying that they had tried various methods before, even using seals to detect, but all to no avail.
Lin En's eyes slowly swept across the stone wall, and the corners of his mouth raised slightly.
This place is mentioned in the original book.
Moreover, the scene is exactly the same as described in the original book - the "false end" of the Mausoleum of Hermes. How many gravediggers and explorers have fallen in front of this deceptive wall.
He walked slowly towards the broken stone tablet, and ran his fingertips across the broken stone. Blood immediately oozed out and dripped onto the surface of the tablet.
Then, a strange thing happened. The drop of blood turned into a red line as thin as a hair, flowing slowly along the mysterious patterns on the stone tablet, as if completing some ancient ritual.
Lin En's fingers moved along the lines of the fracture. In his eyes, those seemingly messy grooves gradually connected into the outline of a star map.
"Look at the dome!"
Leah suddenly raised her hand and exclaimed, her voice trembling with disbelief.
Everyone looked up suddenly and saw that the dome of the stone chamber, which was originally full of cracks, was now becoming transparent little by little.
The shadows of countless stars emerged from the void, echoing the star map on the stone tablet that Lin En saw.
He looked down at his fingertips which were still bleeding, then looked up at the bright starry sky above the dome.
Finally, in the vast star map that spanned the sky and the earth, he found a star that didn't look very conspicuous.
The original book records that this star is the key to opening the passage into the mausoleum.
"He's really a guy who likes to be mysterious."
Lin En muttered to himself, and his fingertips found the star in the outline of the star map on the stele that only he could see.
Then he clicked it gently.
The next moment, the star map on the dome suddenly began to slowly rotate, like a giant compass. And the stone wall behind the stele, reflected by the star map, gradually became transparent, revealing a bottomless passage behind.
Deep in the passage, there is a faint golden light flowing, like a sleeping galaxy.
"Oh My God!"
This scene shocked everyone, including Hillina. Dewey looked at Lynn with eyes full of admiration and disbelief.
God knows how many attempts they made in this stone chamber, but in the end they found nothing. However, Lin En simply opened the passage leading to the depths of the mausoleum.
"It's rare for this guy to receive His Highness's attention. It seems he has real abilities."
Dewey thought to himself.
This group of people haven't been back to the imperial capital for a long time and are quite isolated from information, so it's normal that they don't know about Lin En's deeds.
Behind the stone chamber is a seemingly bottomless corridor, but in fact it is only ninety-nine meters long.
As the captain of the gravedigger team, Dewey naturally walked in the front, with the others following closely behind.
As Hillina's most loyal subordinates, they all adhere to the idea that they would rather sacrifice themselves than let Her Highness Hillina suffer any harm.
"We should be able to reach the front hall after passing through this corridor."
Lynn thought to himself.
"Yorick, what are you doing?"
Leah suddenly screamed.
Everyone turned around and saw Yorick staring blankly at the hole in the corridor wall, his eyes were unfocused and a strange smile hung on the corner of his mouth.
At the same time, the dagger at his waist had been unsheathed at some point and was slowly raised, with the tip of the sword pointing at his throat.
"when!"
Lynn immediately took action, drew the sword from Sillina's waist, and knocked Yorick's dagger directly away.
Hayden, another member of the gravedigger team and the one closest to Yorick, also hurriedly subdued him, fearing that Yorick would do something ridiculous next.
"what happened?"
Dewey frowned and looked quite nervous.
"He heard the 'voice of temptation'!" Lin En whispered. "Ancient texts say that the Echo Corridor will magnify people's innermost desires. Those with weak willpower will be tempted to self-destruction!"
"What is the Echo Gallery?"
Liya said in confusion.
"I've seen relevant records in ancient books. This only existed in ancient times. I didn't expect to see it here."
Hillina's face was solemn. She had a premonition that the closer they got to the depths of the mausoleum, the more strange things would happen.
"No wonder. Although Yorick is a genius alchemist, his mental state is a bit unstable. He did have suicidal thoughts before, and I even stopped him once. But his mental state has been much better recently, and he hasn't done such a thing in a long time."
Dewey whispered.
According to Lin En, in the Echo Corridor, everyone's inner desires will be magnified, and it all depends on how strong their willpower is.
Like Yorick, he had the desire to commit suicide before, so he was affected just now and wanted to take his life by raising the dagger.
"Then why not just run quickly through this echoing corridor?"
Dewey asked.
"It's useless." Lin En shook his head. "The faster you run, the more afraid you are of it, and the weaker your willpower will be."
"See?" Lynn held Dewey's trembling shoulders. "This corridor is swallowing up our emotions. The more panicked you are, the more it will affect your mind."
"Here, fear is the best bait."
As soon as Lin En finished speaking, the Echo Corridor suddenly became extremely quiet, and even the sound of breathing seemed to be swallowed by some invisible force.
"Haha, gold, so much gold!"
The next moment, everyone continued to move forward steadily, but as they walked, Dewey, who was at the front of the crowd, suddenly went crazy and roared:
"His Highness promised me that if I could help capture the Tomb of Heremus, he would give me countless wealth and a fiefdom!"
"By then, my mother won't have to suffer anymore. She will become the mother of a viscount!"
Dewey's sudden madness really scared everyone. Hillina, who was closest to him, found that Dewey's pupils suddenly expanded into a strange golden color, the corners of his mouth opened into an exaggerated arc, and saliva dripped down his chin.
The veins in his thick arms were bulging as he frantically tore at his leather armor, as if the fabric was preventing him from embracing his imaginary wealth.
Hillina looked at Lin En, as if hoping he could come up with a solution to the problem.
But Lynn shook his head and sighed softly.
"I did it... Mother..." Dewey's Adam's apple rolled up and down, "No one will dare to insult you again..."
In just a few seconds, Dewey went from a normal person to a madman, and then exploded and died.
Bang!
Blood and flesh splattered on the ancient stone walls like raindrops.
Silence, dead silence.
But no one panicked too much.
After all, they had seen this scene too many times.
But I still feel extremely sad in my heart, because Dewey really means something different to their team.
"Why is it that after Yorick's suicidal desire was activated, he was fine after we stopped him, but Dewey died immediately?"
Leah asked in a low voice.
This time, it was Hilina who provided the answer: "His inner obsession and desire are too strong."
She understood Dewey's background and why he had such a deep obsession.
Dewey's background was a scar that would never heal. His mother, once a maid in the home of a wealthy man in Yorkshire, was roughly pressed down on a pile of straw in the woodshed by the drunken master one rainy night. Nine months later, this unwanted child was born, met with the scorn of the entire household.
"Dewey has lived under malicious gazes since he was a child. His brothers and sisters deliberately dumped rotten rice in front of him, and even the housekeeper's son often mocked him for being a bastard."
"When he was seventeen, his mother was hung in the yard and whipped for breaking a vase. Dewey stood in the dark all night, clutching the axe. Finally, he let go, and the blade sank deep into the mud - he realized that true revenge was not killing, but living a nobler life than those people."
"Although the work of a gravedigger is dirty and dangerous, every time he unearths an ancient tomb, he gets one step closer to his dream. Later, after he met me, I promised him that if he could help me conquer the Tomb of Heremus, I would grant him a fiefdom and reward him with countless gold. By then, no one in all of Yorkshire would be able to look down on him."
"Of course, I also promised him that if he died in the mausoleum, I would take good care of his mother and let her live with dignity."
"And, avenge him."
Hilina narrated calmly.
It is true that the death of Dewey did not make her sad, at most she felt a little regretful.
But she is not a heartless person. She will still fulfill the promise she made to Dewey.
But the prerequisite is that she can get out of here alive this time.
"I didn't expect Mr. Dewey had such a past. I've never heard him mention it before."
Leah said with a sad look on her face.
These people spend every day together and have real feelings for each other.
What's more, as the captain of the gravedigger team, Dewey usually takes good care of them and is always the first to rush to the front whenever there is any dangerous situation.
“…”
Lynn didn't say anything, sometimes he was powerless.
This corridor is materializing their fears, and what's even more terrifying is that they don't even dare to think about what they will encounter next.
"Just follow me and try not to let your imagination run wild."
Lynn warned.
Dewey is dead now, and Yorick is in a somewhat crazy state and needs Hayden to take care of him all the time.
After passing through the Echo Corridor, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but their mood was still tense. Everyone knew that the real test might have just begun.
Just as Lin En expected, after passing through the corridor, everyone stepped into a huge circular front hall. The dome was so high that the top was invisible. Twelve obsidian pillars surrounded the hall, and each pillar was carved with a different image of a god.
It was somewhat similar to the scene Lynn saw in the Pantheon, but there were also differences.
"Why do these gods seem like they're guarding people's homes? They don't seem so high and mighty, but rather seem down to earth?"
Lynn whispered in his heart.
The entire hall was covered with bone-white tiles, each of which was engraved with tiny runes, and glowed with a faint blue light under the light of the never-extinguished torches.
In the center is a broken altar with a scale locked with iron chains on it.
This scene looks very strange.
Why is it a balance?
Everyone was extremely confused for a moment.
"Don't go up there!"
Seeing that Leah was about to enter the hall, Lin En immediately shouted.
But it was still a step too late. Leah had already stepped on it, and suddenly the reliefs of the gods on the twelve stone pillars suddenly "came alive", and green flames ignited in their empty eye sockets.
The chains on the altar began to twist on their own, attacking everyone like a giant snake!
At this time, Hayden no longer cared about the crazy Yorick, and directly swung his sword at the chains.
But the chains instantly locked Hayden's sword and dragged him towards the altar.
Soon, Hayden knelt at the foot of the altar, looking extremely painful. "This chain is draining my memory..."
For a moment, everyone's pupils constricted.
A blurry image immediately emerged above the altar—young Hayden, hiding behind a curtain, watched helplessly as his uncle poured poisoned wine into his father's mouth, and then his mother was brutally abused. It was a scene he could never let go of. Later, he became an exceptionally powerful Beyonder. At the age of twenty-five, he slaughtered his uncle's entire family, including three generations of ancestors and twenty-six people.
"You killed twenty-six members of your grandfather's family, including innocent babies and children. Do you feel remorse?"
A strange sound exploded in everyone's ears.
Hayden, kneeling on the ground, couldn't stop shaking. The scenes of his parents' tragic death in his childhood kept flashing through his mind, as well as the scene of his uncle's entire family being wiped out that day.
He admitted that it felt great to kill his enemies, but sometimes he felt uneasy when he thought of the women who knelt on the ground and begged him for mercy.
But he always told himself that he had done nothing wrong. His uncle had killed his entire family, but he had escaped by hiding in a dark room. Revenge was only natural.
But now that this memory was brought up for trial, Hayden's psychological defenses collapsed instantly.
"Choose how to deal with it based on your own sins."
The voice exploded again.
One end of the scale on the altar suddenly tilted downward.
The scenes of the tragic deaths of women and children kept echoing in Hayden's mind. Hayden suddenly felt that he was deeply sinful. He involuntarily raised his sword and pretended to end his life to atone for the crimes he had committed.
"Hayden, think about your dead father and your mother who died in humiliation!"
Lynn shouted.
In an instant, Hayden felt a shock, and the sword in his hand fell to the ground with a clang.
"You are indeed guilty, but your crime does not deserve the death penalty."
Lynn continued.
Hearing this, Hayden seemed to have figured something out. He raised his sword and cut off one of his arms.
And at the moment he cut off his arm, the originally tilted balance suddenly returned to balance, and the chain that originally locked Hayden suddenly loosened.
Lin En seized this opportunity, immediately flashed forward, and quickly came to the front of the altar.
At the same time, he kicked Hayden out, right in front of Leah and the others.
Leah and the others understood what he meant and immediately bandaged Hayden's wound. Hillina also generously took out a bottle of moonlight essence, a top-level healing medicine.
"Come and judge me if you can!"
Lynn looked towards the altar, his eyes filled with calmness.
To everyone's surprise, the chains did not lock up Lynn as before.
But at the same time, some fragments of Lynn's memories also surfaced above the altar.
It was nothing more than those who died directly or indirectly at his hands, starting with his first demon-killing during the assessment at the Saint Laurent Royal Transcendental Academy, then his slaughter of the demons on the battlefield, then the killing of Eunice, and indirectly the killing of the Fourth Prince, Joshua...
Every memory clearly shows that every time Lynn killed, it was not for personal gain.
His hands were stained with blood, but he always held on to the purest beliefs.
"That's all?" Lin En sneered, reaching out to fiddle with those memory fragments, and they immediately dissipated like bubbles. "Judge me."
The next moment, under the gaze of everyone, he suddenly pressed his palm on the center of the altar, and the entire front hall suddenly shook violently.
One end of the scale is tilted high, while the other end is empty, without even the weight of a speck of dust.
"Are you worthy?"
Before he finished speaking, the altar suddenly burst into dazzling golden light, the iron chains melted and evaporated instantly, and the reliefs of the gods on the twelve stone pillars made a buzzing sound at the same time.
Hillina held her breath unconsciously. In the dazzling golden light, Lin En's back was as straight as a gun.
At this moment, she finally understood that this man's soul was terrifyingly pure—every choice he made could withstand the judgment of any god, and even the laws of this ancient mausoleum could not shake him in the slightest.
After what happened in this front hall, everyone's trust in Lin En has been fully increased.
During this process, Hillina's eyes always followed Lynn's figure unconsciously. Whenever the tall and straight figure stopped, she could foresee him raising his hand to warn in the next second, and once again regretted why he was not her subordinate.
But she also knew that Lynn would never betray Yvesette and join her side, no matter what conditions she offered.
But Lin En didn't care about these at all. His brows were tightly furrowed from beginning to end.
The reason is simple.
It went so smoothly.
From the first step into the mausoleum, the location of each mechanism and the triggering method of each trap are exactly the same as described in the original book.
It was as if someone had carefully written a script and they were just following the instructions to play their assigned roles.
This also caused the haze in Lin En's heart to linger forever.
Finally, the group arrived at the core area of the mausoleum. A black stone tablet that reached from the sky to the ground stood in the center of the circular square. Above it, a ball of light as bright as the rising sun was quietly suspended, just like the sun shining on the earth.
"The Godhead. It's actually a complete Godhead!" Sillina exclaimed with a trembling voice, "As long as we seal it away, the entire mausoleum will be conquered!"
These words caused cheers from the team members, who all believed that the dawn of victory was just ahead.
"careful!"
However, the next second, accompanied by Lin En's loud shout, the tide of divine power that had been dormant for a long time suddenly became hundreds of times more violent and submerged everyone.
Leah still maintained a cheering expression, while Hayden tried to use his remaining left arm to raise the greatsword to resist. Several other members of the gravedigger team had their flesh and blood peeled off the moment they were touched by this force, and they turned into skeletons and died on the spot.
"No!"
Hillina watched this scene with her beautiful eyes turning red and screaming at the top of her lungs.
At the critical moment, she subconsciously used her sealing bell to protect Lin En.
Lynn's eyes glanced at the bell on her wrist, which was flashing with a strange rune, as if it was reacting to some power in the mausoleum.
The next second, she and Lin En both turned into points of light, lost their form, and then, as if being pulled by an invisible hand, they were sucked into the stone tablet that reached from heaven to earth.
At the moment when he completely lost his form, Lin En finally saw the truth in the ball of light - it was not a divine body at all, but a huge black eyeball, which was looking through the cracks in time and space, showing him a playful smile.
(End of this chapter)
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