The Creators: From Night City

Page 358

The once glorious Cathedral of Holy Light lost its central pillar and gradually declined after Inarius was sent to Hell as 'reparations' from Heaven.

The past glory has vanished like a dream, leaving behind only numerous ancient relics scattered around the world.

To make his journey easier, Jiang Bing took a taxi.

However, before the airship had gone very far, a large flock of carrion vultures surrounded it.

They swarmed around the 'Sky One' shuttle, trying to tear this cold steel box apart and get their hands on the delicious snacks inside.

They were met with equally large groups of air-to-air missiles.

Under Jiang Bing's 'gaze,' the ethereal flames coiled around the missile launcher, as if awakening the shuttle's soul. Missiles rained down continuously, and the ammunition seemed inexhaustible.

After successfully blasting the last corrupted vulture into a bloody mess, Jiang Bing discovered a very awkward situation.

he's lost.

Even though the shuttle's built-in scanner is capable of scanning the terrain hundreds of kilometers below, the Arakno Desert is also vast and boundless. Most importantly, the dry highlands are only one area within it, so searching aimlessly is undoubtedly like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Just as Jiang Bing was preparing to return to Lu Gaoyin and find a local guide, he suddenly spotted some firelight on the ground in the distance. Although the orange flames were small, they were still very conspicuous in the high sky.

Demons naturally don't need fire for lighting, so the owners of these flames must be humans.

The shuttle began to descend.

Where there are people, there is a world of intrigue; where there is intrigue, there are schemes and plots. These things will not disappear just because a demon has come.

Sand pirates are the most famous local specialty of the Al-Aranok Desert.

These camel-riding bandits were numerous and made their living by plundering caravans, nomadic camps, small villages, and oases.

Originally, the sand bandits lived a decent life in the prosperous commercial environment of Rugo. However, the dark magic spread by the Dark Wanderers caused demons to invade the sanctuary, corrupting a large number of animals and plants, and turning the once safe desert into a place full of dangers.

High risks lead to losses, and no caravan is willing to do business that loses money. The dangers brought by the demons did not destroy these sand bandits; on the contrary, the decline of Rug Gholein made these sand bandits live in poverty.

The desert nights are shockingly cold, and the strong winds whip up sand that lashes against exposed skin, feeling as if a layer of flesh has been scraped off.

Experienced sand bandits would wrap themselves completely in clothes and headscarves, leaving only a small gap around their eyes.

However, even in such an environment, there are still brave individuals who dare to face the raging winds and sandstorms, and endure the extreme cold.

Of course, he did it not voluntarily.

"Hulankao, if you tell us the location of the hidden treasure, we will let you go." A sand bandit raised his torch above his head, illuminating the former commander who was tied to a wooden stake in front of him.

The sand and gravel, constantly being swept up by the airflow, left bloody marks on the other person's body, but still failed to pry open their mouth.

"Don't be naive, Zuka. You and I both know that all you can say is bullshit and nothing believable."

The former commander's words made the other man's face turn red and his expression become awkward.

"Save your energy," another bandit said, unplugging the water bag from his waist and holding it up in front of the other man.

“You know, Commander, if you pour this water on yourself, it will take away a large chunk of your skin in just a few breaths. You’ve used this trick on those prisoners quite a few times, so I’m sure you know how effective it is.”

"Pooh!"

His response was the other person's bloody spittle.

"You forced me to do this!"

Fresh water, which could have saved lives, soaked a dirty piece of cloth, which was then pressed against Hulankao's chest by the executioner.

Under the strong wind of the cold night, in just a dozen breaths, the wet cloth became icy cold and stiff, sticking to the warm skin.

As the sand bandits tore at the fabric with all their might, a large chunk of their skin was torn off.

Without the protection of his skin, the sand and gravel in the wind relentlessly pounded against his wounds, causing Hu Lankao to wail in agony.

He shouted so loudly, dreaming that he could attract a few corrupted cat-men beasts, or a few keen-eared desert hunters, to end him and everyone else together.

Unfortunately, this dilapidated building was a safe house carefully chosen by the sand bandits. There were no powerful demons around, and they had cleaned it up again during the day, so it was very safe.

That's why these rebels allowed their former commander to wail so brazenly.

"Tell me, Commander. Telling me will save you some suffering."

His subordinates' advice was ignored, but Hu Lankao's spittle of blood and saliva could not be spat out.

"Who...who are you?"

The victim on the pillar stammered as he spoke to the crowd behind him.

"Don't worry, I'm not a demon."

"Excuse me, everyone, I'm just asking for directions. I'll be leaving as soon as I get it. You can go about your business."

Jiang Bing walked out of the darkness into the firelight.

The sound of swords being drawn was incessant.

"Does any of you know how to get to the Dry Heights?" Jiang Bing asked, ignoring the sound of swords being drawn.

Chapter 735 The Ecology of the Temple of Death

When Rasma, whose brows always carried an inescapable gloom, stepped into this abandoned desert complex, the howling sandstorm had completely stopped.

Several sand bandit corpses lay scattered on the ground, still 'elastic and fragile', untouched by the scorching desert environment.

Rasma felt the lingering, unusual heat in the air, confirming that the target had been there not long ago.

"That was really ruthless."

There were no survivors in the ruins, Rasma was certain.

He crouched down and pressed his fingers against the swollen corpses. The necromancer's skills immediately told him that these people had suffered 'inhumane' beatings before they died.

Fortunately, the idea that the dead cannot be brought back to life is not true for a necromancer.

Rasmar preferred the dead to the living.

When Hulankao awoke from the long darkness, he only felt a dull ache in his lower body.

In reality, he no longer had a lower body at this point, but he just couldn't feel it.

"Dead spirit, tell me, what happened here before you died?"

"I'm dead!" Hu Lankao exclaimed in surprise, but his stiff vocal cords only allowed him to make muffled 'ee-yah' sounds.

Rasmar waved his arms slightly, and magic permeated the corpse, temporarily restoring its vitality.

"Where's my butt? I can't find my legs. Where are they?" The newly resurrected undead unsurprisingly fell into a trance about death.

Fortunately, Rasma has extensive experience in dealing with such issues.

A skeleton burst from the corpse of one of the sand bandits, supporting Hulanko's upper body and allowing him to see the wooden stake that had been split horizontally in two, as well as his lower body, which was tied to the stake.

"Oh, so they were here."

"Dead soul, your wish has been fulfilled. Now tell me immediately what happened before you died?"

The spirit, having let go of his obsession, appeared somewhat dazed. After all, he was just a strong, ordinary person in life, and his soul could not remain unharmed under the blowing of the netherworld winds.

Fortunately, he had only been dead for a short time, and the events leading up to his death had been so intense and unforgettable.

"A person, a strange man, suddenly barged into this place!" The undead excitedly waved his hands but did not stomp his feet.

"He wanted to ask for directions, but instead, he knocked everyone present to the ground without saying a word."

As if contemplating some terrifying scene, the spirit tightly covered its eyes.

“He punched and kicked us, tortured us to extract confessions. When he beat us, it was as if he had a thousand hands and feet. He ignored everyone’s cries of pain and beat us until we were covered in wounds. Oh, he was a devil.”

"Asking for directions?" Rasmar extracted the key point from the undead's aimless description.

"He asked again for directions?"

"There? Here! Here!" The undead cried out as if a nerve had been touched, its voice filled with deep grievance.

"This is the Dry Highlands, and the Temple of Death is not far ahead. He did it on purpose, on purpose!"

Finally, the spirit complained indignantly, "Who would ask for directions like that?"

"Very good," Rasma nodded in satisfaction, dispelling the magic in his hand and letting the sand bandit's soul return to the spirit world to enjoy the cold wind.

The ruins of the Temple of Death are not hard to find; a dilapidated gatehouse carved from a giant stone lies crumbling in the desert.

When Rasmar arrived at the temple entrance, the first thing he saw was a large number of cat-human corpses. These human-like beasts had slender bodies, but the blood inside their bodies could still be squeezed out to create a huge blood flower.

Their corpses were mangled and their limbs were scattered in different directions. The faces of the decaying cats were filled with deep terror. The wounds on all the corpses looked like flowers of flesh and blood blasted out by some kind of explosion, blooming wildly into the air.

As Rasmar walked past a corpse whose lower body was kneeling on the ground, its upper body missing, and only a spine supporting a few internal organs, he seemed to see Bul-Kathos's wild fighting style.

Unlike others, this barbarian ancestor did not possess the ability to communicate with the dead, nor the skill to connect with nature or the elements; all he possessed was a strong physique and unstoppable power.

This allows Bul-Kathos to easily crush enemy flesh in battle, creating a frenzy of blood and gore, or even smash weapons and armor together.

Upon entering the temple, one sees the still-warm, green blood seeping from the corpses of serpents whose heads had been forcibly pressed into the stone walls. Their brethren, however, were not so lucky, their blood smeared haphazardly in various places along the passageway.

The Temple of Death is vast, with winding corridors and an intricate interior structure resembling a maze.

However, the previous visitor clearly didn't like taking the conventional route.

Rasma stared at the large hole in the wall beside him, which was clearly 'freshly made', and secretly made some changes to his communication methods with the other party.

To avoid the extreme temperature differences in the desert, almost all buildings in the desert are built underground.

While this method ensures warmth in winter and coolness in summer, the dark and damp environment is also the favorite habitat of various wild animals native to the Alanok Desert.

As expected, the abandoned Temple of Death was overrun by a large number of clawed vipers, scarabs, and sandworms.

These beasts, corrupted by dark magic, have become even more frenzied and bloodthirsty, instinctively attacking any living creature they encounter.

Including other wild animals.

Therefore, the Temple of Death was clearly divided into three factions.

A giant viper, taller than a person, with sharp claws and venomous poison, occupied the best spot in the temple; swarms of scarabs, resembling giant dung beetles, huddled in one of the chambers, struggling to hold their ground against the squeezing of the vipers; while sandworms, with their prolific reproduction, were everywhere, filling all the gaps and spaces left between the two.

It is also the main food source for the former two.

In fact, sandworms are arthropods, not worms, and these worms were once the main food source for people and wild animals living in this desert region.

Their eggs are collected and processed into high-protein dough, which is then eaten with dried foods to improve their nutritional value and taste.

The plump, white larvae are fried and eaten directly. Aside from their unappealing appearance, they actually taste quite good.

Beneath the hard shell of the adult sandworm lies incredibly delicious meat, contrary to its ferocious appearance. Sandworm meat is very chewy and delicious, and its protein content is estimated to be five times that of beef.

The three signature dishes of Lu Goin's 'Scorpion Claws and Stone Anchors' tavern are grilled sandworm legs, salt-baked scorpion claws, and fried locusts.

Chapter 736 First Encounter with Rasmar

However, now, the sandworms, corrupted and mutated by dark magic, are poisonous in all stages—eggs, larvae, and adults. The adults can even expel deadly poison gas, corroding and poisoning those who have not taken any protective measures, turning them into food for the sandworms.

In fact, the toxicity of sandworms was one of the main reasons for the shortage of resources in Rugaine. After all, this creature, with its strong reproductive capacity, indiscriminate diet, and wide distribution, was once the main food source for the inhabitants of this desert, just like wheat, rice, potatoes, and potatoes in agriculture.

Fortunately, these toxins are nothing to the razor-clawed viper and the scarab beetle. They feed on sandworms, and the sandworm, which is at the bottom of the ecosystem in terms of combat power, thrives everywhere thanks to its 'food' characteristic. They can even be found in the lairs of powerful monsters.

After all, most people wouldn't refuse having a group of 'buffet' plants that can grow on their own in their own home.

The blood of the sandworm was white, that of the sharp-clawed viper was green, and that of the scarab beetle was rather something else, a grayish-brown like excrement. The bodily fluids of the three beasts mixed together, turning the floor of the Temple of Death into a cesspool, causing Rasmar, who had waded through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, to frown deeply.

The flavor is too strong.

So he flashed directly into the realm of the dead, using interdimensional travel to cross this filthy area.

Walking further in, he entered a familiar area.

The corpses of the undead began to appear on the ground.

The Temple of Death is not called that for nothing; it was originally a place used by the Trigonometry to house corpses and store resources for evil magic.

In the funeral customs of Akanok, there is no cremation. The deceased are mummified before being buried.

Those of high status were buried in magnificent stone coffins carved in the shape of human figures, while those of lower status were buried in standard stone coffins, and even the lowest-status individuals could be buried in a joint tomb.

Influenced by dark magic, these undead were awakened and lingered in the Temple of Death, locked in a fierce battle with the Claw Viper.

However, this problem has now been solved. A large number of mummified corpses were dismantled and soaked in the green snake blood covering the ground. They were intertwined and coexisted harmoniously.

As Rasmar carefully examined the wounds on the corpses and tried to deduce the target's fighting style, the entire Temple of Death suddenly trembled violently.

The tremors originated from the center of the temple, which was undoubtedly related to Rasmar's objective.