44. Forbidden Area
The abandoned warehouse was thick with the stench of rust and mildew, blending with the distinctive, sweet, decayed aroma of Black Mine Town that seeped in through the cracks outside the door, creating a uniquely sickening odor. Lei Qing and Ling Ye quickly dragged the two unconscious guards behind a pile of tattered sacks and covered them with miscellaneous items. Their movements were quick and decisive, leaving no visible traces of blood.
"They'll wake up soon." Ling Ye checked the side of the guard's neck that he had knocked unconscious and whispered, "We don't have much time."
Lei Qing nodded, his eyes scanning the interior of the warehouse sharply. It was filled with abandoned mine carts, rusted tools, and battered wooden crates, all covered in dust, clearly neglected for a long time. The only exit was a heavy wooden door, ajar. From beyond, the faint sounds of the town drifted in—metal clattering, muffled sobs, and the slow, measured footsteps of the occasional gray-robed figure.
"We must first determine Su Lin's location." Mu Lin's voice was filled with suppressed anxiety. The water-blue light ball condensed in his hand had gone out, and he could only rely on the faint sunlight coming through the cracks in the door and the holes in the wall to see things.
"Actioning separately is more efficient, but also carries greater risks," Ling Ye said, analyzing the situation quickly. "See that tallest stone building in the center of town? The one with the dark golden runes on top is likely the residence of the priest's 'skeleton' and the core area. The important 'sacrifice' is likely imprisoned nearby, or... beneath that building."
The stone building was like a black giant crouching in the center of the town. Even in the dim light, one could feel the ominous and oppressive feeling it exuded.
"Ling Ye and I will go explore the central area." Lei Qing made the decision immediately, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "Mu Lin, you and Xingchen will support from the periphery, look for other possible detention points, and draw a simple map. Maintain mental contact, and if you find anything, immediately transmit the message through Mu Lin's Water Mirror Technique." He looked at Mu Lin. This was the most covert short-distance communication method they had discussed before. It didn't consume much energy, but required Mu Lin to concentrate to maintain it.
Mu Lin nodded solemnly: "I understand. Be careful."
Stardust took a step forward, his obsidian eyes fixed on Lei Qing: "I'll go to the center with you." His voice was not loud, but it carried an irrefutable insistence, "My ability... might come in handy." He was referring to the spiritual power that he had not yet fully mastered, but had manifested several times in critical moments.
Lei Qing observed the determination in Xingchen's eyes, belying his age, and the subtle fluctuations of his spiritual energy. He was silent for a moment. He knew Xingchen's potential and understood his devotion to Su Lin. Finally, he nodded. "Follow me closely. Do not act without my orders."
"Yes." Xingchen replied briefly and stood beside Lei Qing.
Ling Ye did not object to this, but just looked at Xingchen again, with a hint of inquiry flashing in his eyes.
The plan was set. The four of them quietly pushed open the wooden door of the warehouse and sneaked into the streets of Black Mine Town like flowing water in the shadows.
The scene inside the town was even more disturbing than it had been from afar. The streets were narrow and muddy, a mixture of snow, dirt, and dark red stains of unknown origin. On either side were crooked, dilapidated shacks and stone houses, many of their windows boarded shut. Occasionally, a dim, flickering firelight peeked through the cracks, revealing figures huddled within, numb or terrified—ordinary survivors enslaved by the Return to Dust Cult, their eyes vacant, like the walking dead.
Gray-robed guards patrolled the streets in teams of three, their shadows beneath their hoods seemingly absorbing the light. They spoke little, save for the occasional, cold, crisp sound of bone blades colliding with other objects. Even more disturbing, in corners or open courtyards, one could see chained humanoids, their eyes clouded and violent, struggling and growling. They exuded a strong aura of pollution, their skin an unnatural bluish-gray, some parts of their bodies undergoing strange changes.
"They're 'zombies' that have been deeply contaminated and are on the verge of completely losing their minds." Ling Ye explained in a low voice, his tone solemn. "The Guichen Cult uses them as the lowest level of labor and... 'consumables'."
The oppressive feeling of spiritual pollution in the air was even stronger than outside, like invisible whispers lingering in his ears, trying to erode his will and stir up the deepest fear and despair in his heart. Mu Lin was forced to devote some of his mental energy to help Xingchen resist this erosion, while Lei Qing and Ling Ye relied on their own strong willpower to resist.
Lei Qing and Ling Ye moved swiftly like two ghosts, using the ruins and shadows to avoid the patrol's sight, weaving their way towards the stone building in the town's center. Xingchen followed closely behind Lei Qing, his movements becoming increasingly light and agile, as if he were born to be in this darkness. He no longer relied solely on his eyes to observe, but began to explore his spiritual perception, like a stone dropped into water, sensing the subtle fluctuations of the surrounding energy.
He "heard" it. The dead despair in the hearts of the numb survivors, the cold yet feverish fragments of the gray-robed guards' thoughts, and the frantic roars of hunger and destruction in the minds of the chained zombies... All kinds of chaotic, negative, and distorted mental information flooded into his mind like a tide, turning his face slightly pale. But he gritted his teeth and tried hard to sift and distinguish.
Suddenly, he grabbed Lei Qing's sleeve and pointed to a fork in the road: "Over there... there is a strong energy reaction, very chaotic, but... the core is very 'clean'." His description was a bit vague, but the "clean" core feeling made Lei Qing and Ling Ye instantly think of Su Lin's pure life breath!
The three of them immediately changed direction and sneaked into the more remote alley that emitted a strong stench.
At the end of the alley lay a renovated courtyard with a heavy iron gate. There were no gray-robed guards at the gate, but the iron gate was engraved with twisted, dark red runes, emitting an unsettling energy wave. Even more alarming, within the courtyard, wandered four or five unchained zombies, their eyes even more ferocious, their bodies more visibly deformed! As if bound to the courtyard by some force, they continuously let out low growls and pounded against the courtyard wall and iron gate with their twisted limbs.
"It's both a guard and an alarm." Ling Ye's face turned grim. "These zombies have been specially treated and are extremely sensitive to the presence of living people. Once disturbed, they will immediately attract a large number of enemies. And the runes on the door... have a very strong energy shield."
A strong attack wouldn't work. Going around these zombies and the rune gates seemed impossible, too.
Just as Lei Qing was considering whether to risk destroying the rune, Xingchen stepped forward again. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and focused all his mental energy. No longer passively perceiving, he actively and with clear intent reached out towards the rampaging zombies in the yard.
His spiritual power was no longer a formless, intangible wave, but instead carried a faint whisper, as if coming from the depths of his soul. It wasn't an attack, it wasn't a command, it was more like... comfort? Or perhaps, some kind of spiritual "disguise"?
Lei Qing and Ling Ye both sensed this strange mental fluctuation and looked at Xingchen in surprise. The young man's brows were furrowed, beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and his body was trembling slightly, as if he were under tremendous pressure.
In the yard, the zombies that had been restlessly wandering and growling constantly suddenly slowed down. The frantic crimson in their cloudy eyes seemed to dim a little, replaced by a dazed state, as if trapped in some chaotic dream. They stopped banging against the courtyard wall and began to circle aimlessly, the growls in their throats becoming meaningless, intermittent whimpers.
They... have "quieted" for the time being!
"Hurry!" Xingchen squeezed out two words from between his teeth, his voice weak, "I... can't hold on for much longer!"
Lei Qing and Ling Ye reacted instantly! Without the slightest hesitation, Lei Qing leaped out like a cheetah, heading straight for the rune-encrusted iron door! He didn't attempt to destroy the runes, instead focusing his attention on the door lock—a relatively ordinary-looking mechanical lock.
Ling Ye followed closely behind, with the thin metal wire appearing in his hand again. He coordinated with Lei Qing's movements and tried to unlock the door.
Time ticked by. Stardust's face grew paler, his body swaying more violently. Maintaining this mental influence on multiple violent zombies was taking a toll on him. In the yard, one zombie seemed to be beginning to break free from its chaotic state, its movements becoming violent once again.
“Click!”
A soft sound, especially clear in the silence! The lock opened!
Lei Qing pushed open the iron door suddenly!
The moment the iron gate opened, Xingchen's mental power suddenly withdrew like a broken bowstring! He groaned and stumbled back.
In the yard, the zombies completely got rid of the mental influence, let out deafening and violent roars, and rushed towards the open door!
"Let's go!" Lei Qing growled, pulled the weak Xingchen over, rushed into the yard with Ling Ye, and then slammed the iron gate shut!
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The zombies banged against the iron gate frantically, making a loud noise that made people's teeth ache. But they seemed to be restricted by some rules and could not leave the yard.
Safe for now.
The four of them were in a small courtyard. Facing them was a low stone house with its windows boarded up. The door to the stone house was also tightly closed. There were no runes on it, but the energy fluctuations it emitted were more obscure and... more dangerous than those of the door outside.
And the source of the "clean" and powerful life energy that Xingchen felt came from the depths of this stone house!
Su Lin is probably inside!
Lei Qing's heartbeat suddenly accelerated. He stepped to the door of the stone house, put his hand on the door panel, and felt the faint but familiar breath of life coming from inside. An unprecedented light burst out in his eyes.
Found it!
However, just as he was about to force his way in—
"Buzz—"
A spiritual pressure that was far colder and deeper than the previous encounter with the priest's "skeleton", as if it came from the Nine Nether Hell, suddenly spread out from the inside of the stone house like an invisible giant net, instantly covering the entire courtyard!
This pressure, with its pure, soul-freezing darkness and silence, seemed to be able to devour all light and vitality!
Mu Lin groaned, and the water-based energy he had just gathered to aid Xingchen's healing instantly dissipated. Ling Ye's expression changed drastically, and he subconsciously took a half step back, his eyes filled with disbelief and horror.
Even Lei Qing felt that his movements had become extremely sluggish, as if he had sunk into sticky asphalt. The lightning around him seemed a little dimmed under this pressure!
Xingchen suffered the greatest impact. His mental strength was already overdrawn, and now he was swept by this terrifying dark mental power. He felt as if he was hit hard, his eyes went dark, and he almost fainted. He relied on Mu Lin to hold him tightly.
Inside the stone house, a cold, indifferent voice, seemingly devoid of any human emotion, resounded directly in everyone's minds:
"Anyone who trespasses into the forbidden area and disturbs the 'Sacred Body' will... die."
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