The two walked in single file, stepping into the ruins of the dilapidated church.
The broken stone path groaned underfoot with a mournful creak.
The air was thick with a nauseating stench of decay, making Su Nian’s stomach churn.
“Found it.” Chu Tian suddenly stopped, his low voice echoing through the empty church.
He extended a finger, pointing toward the darkness ahead.
“That is…”
Su Nian followed his finger, her gaze piercing through the layers of shadows, settling deep within the church.
What came into view was a thoroughly ruined building.
What should have been a solemn and majestic structure now looked as if it had been brutally ravaged by some invisible, monstrous hand.
A huge section of the roof had collapsed, revealing a black, gaping hole, leaving only endless darkness and dread.
The main door hung wide open, like a hungry mouth waiting for prey.
Inside the doorway, it was pitch black—nothing could be seen, an abyss so deep it sent chills down one’s spine.
Su Nian felt a shiver run through her, instinctively guessing…
The further they came, the fewer living things remained; even traces of corpses and animals had vanished…
This place was very likely the source of the Plague!
Chu Tian took the lead, stepping steadily toward the church’s depths.
His pace was firm and unwavering, without a trace of hesitation or fear, as if this terrifying forbidden place was nothing more than his own backyard.
Seeing this, Su Nian hurried to keep up, afraid of being left behind.
Though those damned demon vanguards were terrifying, she certainly didn’t want to be alone in this eerie, haunted place.
The two cautiously entered the church.
Inside, the scene was even more desolate, almost unbearable to witness.
What should have been a sacred and solemn place was now nothing but darkness and deathly silence.
Several large holes pocked the high vaulted ceiling, as if struck by meteors.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps, casting faint, pale beams that only illuminated small patches, like weak lamps flickering against endless darkness.
Most areas remained shrouded in shadows, thick as ink, swallowing all light.
Benches lay overturned and broken, as if ravaged by a violent storm.
The floor was littered with debris—shattered holy statues, torn books, and a scattering of pale bones that glowed faintly in the gloom.
“Cough, cough…”
Su Nian couldn’t help but cough several times, hastily covering her mouth and nose to block the suffocating stench.
“Be careful.”
Chu Tian warned in a muffled voice, as if squeezing the words out from deep in his throat.
“There could be undead creatures here.”
He retrieved an object resembling a small bell from his storage ring—it was the Bell of Requiem.
The wild ordeal Su Nian had endured last night was all because of this treasure, capable of suppressing undead creatures.
Su Nian muttered to herself, quietly stepping back half a pace, sticking close behind Chu Tian.
She definitely didn’t want to be the first to rush in and die; better to let this damned demon vanguard and the Necromancer fight it out first, hopefully weakening each other, so she could reap the benefits afterward!
“You think if we really manage to kill the Necromancer this time, can we count that as ridding the world of a menace?”
Su Nian suddenly said, a hint of barely concealed excitement in her tone.
In her heart, she added silently: If she could take out both the demon vanguard and the Necromancer at once, she’d earn a huge merit!
“Thinking of being a hero?” Chu Tian glanced at her, suspicious of what this little wildcat was plotting.
“A hero, huh…”
Su Nian muttered the word, a complicated emotion flashing in her eyes.
Real heroes wouldn’t be like her, forced to kneel and beg for their lives, to yield and endure humiliation before a damned demon vanguard…
“If it’s about being a hero, I’ll pass.”
She shook her head, a self-mocking smile tugging at her lips.
“I just think, personally killing a Necromancer—this kind of pest—is pretty satisfying.”
Especially if she could take out that damned demon vanguard too, that would be even better!
As the two ventured deeper, the outline of the prayer hall at the church’s heart gradually emerged.
Su Nian’s heart clenched sharply, a chill shooting from her feet to the top of her head.
“This…”
She opened her mouth, but her dry throat rendered her speechless.
The Holy Altar, which should have housed a statue, was now empty—only a broken pedestal remained.
The head of a Goddess of Light statue was missing, as if someone had cruelly beheaded it.
“Rustle, rustle…”
A faint, eerie sound came from all directions, like countless insects gnawing on wood, or some indescribable creatures writhing and crawling in the dark.
“Watch out!”
Chu Tian’s low, commanding voice rang in her ear.
He grabbed Su Nian behind him, his broad back like an impenetrable shield that firmly protected her.
The oppressive atmosphere made it hard to breathe.
Su Nian trembled slightly; she could feel something approaching.
From the darkness, twisted and blurred figures slowly advanced toward them.
Undead creatures!
Some looked like desiccated skeletons, nothing but stark white bones; others were rotting, exuding a nauseating stench; some were missing limbs, dragging broken arms and legs on the ground with a horrifying scraping sound.
Hollow eye sockets flickered with ghostly green light, like will-o’-the-wisps, fixating on the two as if trying to devour their souls.
“Groar!”
A deep, hoarse roar thundered through the church, shattering the suffocating silence.
From the undead horde, a tall figure emerged slowly…
It was a Knight, clad in tattered black armor covered with rust and cracks, bearing the scars of countless fierce battles.
He wielded a massive, rust-stained greatsword, shrouded in swirling black mist that exuded the aura of death.
His skull had long since rotted away, leaving only bare bones, with two pale blue flames burning in his eye sockets like hellish ghost fire, chilling to the core.
Beneath him, his warhorse was nothing but a skeleton, its hooves aflame with eerie green fire.
With each step, it left a charred imprint on the ground, as if incinerating everything beneath.
The Terrifying Knight!
Su Nian’s heart pounded violently, nearly bursting from her throat.
A being worthy of the title “Terrifying Knight” had been a powerful Saint-level Knight in life, possessing unmatched combat skills and tremendous strength.
After death, transformed by the Necromancer into a Terrifying Knight, its power only grew stronger.
Its soul unable to rest, forever bound to this decaying shell, serving as the Necromancer’s puppet, doomed never to be freed.
“Necromancer, why attack us?”
Su Nian couldn’t help but ask, her voice trembling with confusion and disbelief.
According to the plan, they were supposed to negotiate with the Necromancer, seeking cooperation, not battle.
“Heh heh heh…”
A cold, shrill laughter echoed from the depths of the church, like a night owl’s cry in the darkness, or a demon’s whisper in one’s ear, sending chills down the spine.
“Demons? Humans? Such delicious souls…”
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