Chapter 630: The Crying |
The Swallowing Birds and the Azure Wolves were the most common monsters ever living in the Dark Nether Cave. In addition, there were also other monsters such as the Black Agouti, a fearsome rodent-sized beast which could gnaw a warrior to death in mere moments. They were only some of the demonic beasts living in the bottom level of the cave.
In the very beginning, the ogres had controlled the entire Tower of Sin. Although other races were allowed to visit the top of the tower occasionally, they were strictly prohibited from entering the Dark Nether Cave.
The ogres had acquired many different types of resources from the Dark Nether Cave, and used them to gain glories on the Sea God Continent.
If it weren't for Amber's astonishing talent, no one on the Sea God Continent would have been able to confront the ogres.
However, the ogres had also sacrificed a lot in their explorations of the cave. As a result, they had developed many methods, such as the flame-controlling scale, to cope with the Swallowing Birds and the Azure Wolves.
The flame-controlling scale was only a medium-grade sacred weapon and not very effective in defending its owner from enemy attacks. However, when the ogres had realized that the Swallowing Birds and the Azure Wolves were afraid of flames, they had asked their weapon refiners to forge this weapon.
Rehaan held the flame-controlling scale in his hand, and a trace of forceful energy was applied into one end of the scale. Instantly, light blue flames crackled and shot forth from the other side of the scale, and a few moments later half of the sky was shrouded in flames.
The Swallowing Birds quacked madly, though a note of panic had entered their avian voices.
At the same time, the Azure Wolves' howls had turned into yelps of fear.
“Go, go, go!”
At Malcom's order, Rehaan held the flame-controlling scale in his hand and transformed himself into a streak of light, flying towards the crowd of demonic creatures.
The light blue flames followed Rehaan's path and spread forward quickly. He now resembled a comet streaking right at the monsters.
The Swallowing Birds quacked nervously.
As the flames approached, the birds seemed to have seen their mortal nemesis. In the chaos, they scattered in all directions. At the same time, the Azure Wolves that had surrounded the three members of the Night Group also retreated quickly with deep whimpering sounds.
With the flame-controlling scale, Rehaan could easily dispel their enemies.
Looking at the three columns of smoke, Rehaan grinned fiendishly, “You can come out now, Shane!”
As the smoke dissipated, the figures of Shane and the other two top-level war lords slowly appeared.
“Rehaan, thank you...”
Before Shane had finished speaking, Rehaan's big fist had already planted a massive blow against his jaw.
The Night Group did not excel at fist-fighting. Even though Shane ranked slightly higher than Rehaan, he was still unable to dodge the martial blow. After being punched, Shane flew backwards, just like a kite which had broken away from its string.
When Shane got up, his face was covered in a mask of blood.
“You think you're very smart!” Rehaan sneered.
Shane stood up shakily and wiped some of the blood from the corner of his mouth. He then said, “There's nothing I could do. I had to do this just to live.”
Both Rehaan and Malcom didn't like being used by others. However, they'd had no other choice but to rescue Shane, because he was perhaps the only person who knew Zen's whereabouts.
Malcom slowly hovered above them. He cast a cold glance at Shane and demanded sharply, “Where is Zen?”
If Shane couldn't give him a satisfying answer, Malcom would probably kill the three war lords from the Night Group without any hesitation.
However, it was true that Shane had hidden the Night Group's special tracking rune on Zen's body. This device could avoid detection and cause no discomfort in the person who was marked.
Shane nodded carefully. “Zen has already entered the inner area.”
“The inner area?” Malcom frowned.
After the Tide of Chaos came, even Malcom, as a war sage, was unwilling to wander inside the inner area.
However, Malcom clearly knew his mission took precedence over his own personal fears.
The ogres from the Tower of Sin had already suffered a crushing defeat. Now, he was the only hope for them to turn the tables!
Zen had brazenly entered the inner area. Even though he was in the core area right now, Malcom would follow him inside as long as Zen hadn't been killed already.
“If that's the case, then take us there,” Malcom said lightly.
“But, but …” Shane wanted to reject such a dangerous instruction. They were attacked by so many monsters only a few moments ago and he was almost frightened to death. Now, he and the other war lords wished that they could grow a pair of wings on their backs and leave the Dark Nether Cave as soon as possible.
However, Malcom's fierce eyes pinned him to the spot, and he fell silent. Malcom's formidable aura told him that if he dared to refuse, he would be killed instantly.
'It's better to take the risk of leading them inside the inner area than to die here, ' Shane thought to himself.
He then nodded obediently and answered, “Ok, I'll lead the way!”
“Good, behave yourself and you might live,” said Malcom while diffusing some of his killing aura.
Rehaan raised the flame-controlling scale in one hand and fell into step behind Shane who led them towards the Bloody Pass.
Malcom and his companions could now walk forward confidently and boldly. They pushed their way through the raging flames. The Swallowing Birds and the Azure Wolves were hiding somewhere near the Bloody Pass, but none of those monsters dared to come out and confront them. The blue flames were too frightening for them and they skulked around the edges, but didn't dare approach.
Zen had no clue that he was being hunted by his enemies.
At this moment, he was leading the group in exploring the inner area.
Zen didn't need a map. Besides, Fabian's and Esther's maps had become useless.
The map had some errors, and many of the races who had contributed to drawing it did not have much understanding of the inner area. Although there had been many top-level war lords who had entered the inner area of the Dark Nether Cave, most of them had been slaughtered there. Perhaps they had encountered some great dangers or even found some interesting treasures. But none of them had returned from the cave alive, hence they could not make any contributions to drawing the map.
The only thing Zen could rely on to get his bearings was the Jade Butterfly which was stored in his space ring.
After exploring for quite a period of time, Zen finally understood that when he walked towards the correct direction, the Jade Butterfly would violently burn in the Sumeru Space; however, if he moved towards the wrong direction, the burning would become weaker.
This was what Zen used to guide his route and decide what was the right direction to travel in.
Strangely, the group did not encounter any real danger while exploring the inner area during this lengthy time.
But their good turn of luck didn't relieve their worries. Instead, it made everyone become even more vigilant. Danger would surely pounce if they relaxed their vigilance!
“This is too quiet and strange!” Jarrod said with a vigilant but nervous look on his face.
Esther nodded her agreement since she had also noticed that something was wrong.
It was not the first time that Esther had entered the inner area. She had come here three years ago. Although there weren't so many low-level monsters in the inner area back then, the place had several ominous and extremely formidable monsters on her previous exploration. Esther had almost died here three years ago, so she held a very deeply negative impression of the inner area.
With the outbreak of the Tide of Chaos, those monsters should have been more restless and they should have attacked anybody who dared to enter their territories.
But today, the entire area was deathly silent, and the silence was unnerving.
“This sinister silence is really annoying!” Fabian clenched his teeth, trying to restrain his urge to scream. Although he knew that making too much noise in the inner area was unwise and suicidal, the eerie silence there was also very depressing! It felt as if something was just about to go wrong, and the sensation did not go away.
Just as everyone was following Zen inside, he suddenly stopped, and cocked his ears as he asked, “Did anyone hear something?”
“Hear what?” a top-level Demon Night war lord asked nervously.
“Sobbing! The crying of a woman,” Zen said calmly.
“No!” Fabian felt the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. “Zen, don't be so suspicious!”
Jarrod also shook his head. “Zen, stop scaring me! Dang, I'd rather fight against those monsters than wander around in this gloomy place!”
However, Yolande nodded, blinked her pale eyes and said, “I heard it too.”
“Really, you heard that?” Fabian was dumbfounded.
Esther's facial expression became increasingly solemn, and from her slender fingers she released a stream of life vitality, which then poured into her ears. Suddenly, Esther's expression changed and she said in a whisper, “I heard it too!”
“What is it?” Fabian asked fearfully.
“I don't know.” Although Esther entered the inner area three years ago, she had never heard of such a sound before.
“It doesn't matter what it is. We shouldn't linger here any longer. Let's go!” Jarrod said with a trembling tone of voice.
Meanwhile, the crying sounds had suddenly become louder! Now everyone could hear it! A voice that sounded like the weeping of a grieving woman came from behind them. That cry seemed to be filled with grievances and it was whispering something terribly wrong at them.
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