Chapter 134: Seed of the Demon God

Lando strolled into the fifth level, where his sentinels were already exploring with steady progress. The space on the fifth level remained vast, yet the undead creatures inhabiting it were far fewer.

Finally, Lando discovered traces of Senior Lorel. Clad in a grey robe, Lorel was walking leisurely through the perilous cavern alongside two other figures—one tall, one short—also dressed in grey. Any undead they encountered seemed to treat them as if they were invisible. Lando ordered his assault sentinels to shadow them cautiously from behind.

The trio did not seem in a hurry, moving at a slow, measured pace. After some time, perhaps feeling secure in their surroundings, they began to speak, their voices picked up by the assault sentinels.

"Don't be so silent; aren't you bored after traveling for so many days?" asked the shorter figure in the grey robe, whose voice sounded like that of a youth.

Receiving no response, he continued, "Do you think we can pull it off this time? I heard this is already the fifth attempt."

The taller figure couldn't help but interject, "Shut up, Lawrence! These topics are strictly forbidden to be discussed in the outside world!"

Lawrence, the shorter one, replied, "Don't be so serious, Erwin. Aside from some mindless undead creatures, there's absolutely no one else here!"

Erwin frowned, clearly annoyed by his companion’s flighty nature. Lorel cut off their impending argument, stating, "We will know soon enough if it can be done. Lawrence, stop bickering with Erwin."

The three fell back into silence. Lando, listening to the relayed conversation, gained little useful information. He decided to set the trio aside for the moment and focus on clearing the fifth level of undead. This time, he wasn't "picky"; he swept up every eighth and ninth-level creature he encountered. Creatures of this caliber were rare, or at the very least, mutated individuals among common species. After exploring for so long, Lando realized that if there was no sixth level to this necropolis, then there likely weren't any legendary undead to be found.

Time drifted by, and finally, Lorel’s group came to a halt. This piqued the interest of the bored Lando, who refocused his attention. The three stood before an ordinary cavern wall. Lorel produced a black gemstone from his robes and pressed it gently against the stone. The wall rippled like water, turning into a shimmering, phantasmal projection, through which the trio stepped inside.

As Lando considered whether to have his sentinels follow, the illusion on the wall vanished, returning to solid stone. The suddenness caught him off guard—they had actually closed the "door" behind them. He mused that leaving a secret chamber open was something only seen in movies; in reality, closing it behind you was only logical. The sentinels reached the spot where the three had vanished, but tactile inspection confirmed the wall was solid, and a scan revealed no special traces. Lando began to formulate a strategy while heading toward their location.

Inside the phantasmal wall, the trio entered a tunnel bathed in a flickering red glow. Compared to the gloom of the cavern, this place was far more horrific and nauseating. The ground was covered in creeping, crimson, fleshy tentacles that writhed constantly. Stepping on them felt slick and greasy, enough to make one’s skin crawl.

"Even though this isn't my first time here, I can never get used to this wretched environment," Lawrence complained. For once, Erwin did not bicker, silently agreeing with the sentiment. Lorel said nothing, leading the way forward. Lawrence and Erwin exchanged glances and followed.

The deeper they went, the more prevalent the fleshy tentacles became, eventually coating the entire tunnel. Occasionally, tentacles would detach and reach toward the three, only to recoil as if sensing something upon drawing near.

Reaching the end of the tunnel, they entered a spacious cavern. At its center sat a massive, crimson ball of flesh from which the tentacles sprouted. Looking closely, one could see the desiccated, skeletal remains of a corpse dangling limply from the top of the mass. The flesh ball pulsed rhythmically, fed by the nutrients collected by the countless tentacles. Through the membrane of the orb, something could be vaguely seen gestating within.

"The Seed of the Demon God!" Lawrence whispered, his eyes gleaming. "Are we close to success? Is our plan nearing completion?!"

Erwin seemed to respond to him, or perhaps to himself: "Soon. As long as our god descends, everything will return to its rightful order."

Both were lost in a state of ecstatic trance, failing to notice the fleeting expression of disgust that crossed Lorel's face. Lorel took the black gemstone from his robes and offered it to the flesh ball. Instantly, the orb stirred. An invisible suction emanated from the gestating entity, and the shining black stone quickly dimmed, turning a dull, ashen color.

Once the suction ceased, Lorel said, "Let's go. Our task is complete. The Corpse Mother Queen is exhausted and won't last much longer. We must report this intelligence immediately."

"How much longer until the Seed of the Demon God finishes gestating?" Lawrence asked, sounding reluctant to leave.

"I don't know," Lorel replied uncertainly. "Perhaps soon."

With their task finished, the three retraced their steps. Upon reaching the end of the tunnel, Lorel produced the black gemstone again, the phantasmal passage reappeared, and they stepped through.

"No!" Just as Lorel stepped out, his keen senses screamed a warning. He instinctively moved to retreat, but stopped himself just before touching the phantasmal passage, instead darting to the side.

Several ninth-level undead creatures stood at the tunnel entrance, poised to attack, but they hesitated at the last second. These were the undead Lando had contracted. He didn't mind that they had failed to follow his orders to attack, as he had expected their fear; he had only ordered them to strike as a test.

The assault sentinels, however, lacked such emotions. They launched their attack immediately. As Lorel retreated, Erwin let out a furious roar, his body expanding and bursting through his grey robes as if encased in bone armor, blocking the sentinels' assault. Lawrence let out a piercing, banshee-like shriek that slowed the momentum of the following sentinels, then he quickly retreated into the tunnel behind them—but just as he entered, he heard Lorel shout, "Don't go in there!"