Chapter 62: The Murder at Dahu Lake

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  The night by the lake is exceptionally cold. The dense forest still blocks the cold wind, but on this open and vast lake shore, the cold wind can sweep across the wide area without any obstruction.

  Du Wei felt his body getting colder and colder. The cold wind and the icy ground were slowly draining the heat from his body.

  However, Bairenrich has been getting along well with Du Wei these days. Seeing his friend in trouble, Du Wei volunteered to stay and help out. Even if he was frozen into an ice stick, he would only grit his teeth and endure it.

  "Actually, you can stay in the tent." Bayinrich lowered his voice, with gratitude in his eyes. Everyone knew that mages' physical condition was generally not good, but Duwei, this seemingly weak young man, insisted on keeping watch at night with a strong warrior.

  Although Bayenrich was furious at the loss of eleven subordinates, he did not lose his composure. The seasoned mercenary commander knew that if his eleven equally experienced men could disappear silently, then their opponent was definitely not an ordinary person who could be dealt with.

  So he chose some of the best men from among those who had come with him to keep watch tonight.

  Bayinrich's hypothesis is reasonable: if it was a monster that did it, then it must be a formidable guy! And since a monster dared to attack the camp of over a hundred people in the middle of the night and evaporated eleven people! Then this guy must not be a timid guy, it will probably attack again!

  "For this cold winter, monsters also need food."

  When Bainrich said this, his eyes were very cruel. He was very clear that the reason he stayed behind was not to rescue the missing eleven people! In this place where heaven and earth are indifferent, eleven big living people disappeared for a day and night, and the possibility of survival is very small.

  Bayinrich insisted on staying, purely because he couldn't bear the humiliation! If after losing ten people, they still didn't even know what they were up against and just ran away with their tails between their legs... it would be a fatal blow to the morale of the Snow Wolf Mercenary Corps! From now on, everyone might harbor this fear and sense of defeat in their hearts!

  As the team leader, he absolutely cannot let this happen, so no matter how dangerous it is, he has to try and do something.

  Du Wei didn't say a word, he was probably the only one who could understand Bai Enrich's thoughts. He just slightly moved his frozen feet and smiled: "We are already friends, Colonel Bai Enrich. To suffer a bit of cold for a friend, I don't think it's a big deal."

  The entire mercenary camp was quiet, with most people tightly gripping their weapons, and no one hiding in the tents. The mercenaries had employed all sorts of skills, digging hidden pits in the snowy ground, and some even wore thick animal hides to bury themselves under snow piles.

  Styr and a few archers lay in wait in the big trees surrounding them.

  The old single-eyed dragon volunteered to be the "bait".

  The old fellow lit a big bonfire and sat in front of it, hugging his knees and drinking heavily, while a large pot of meat was cooking on the fire.

  Far away, smelling wine and meat fragrance, but no one envies the old lonely dragon. Because everyone is very clear that the old guy is using his own life as bait.

  This night was very long, because everyone had been expecting to discover something.

  This night was very short-lived, because after time passed, nothing was gained, and everyone found that the sky had already brightened at some point.

  "It's clear that our opponent is smarter than us." Du Wei shook his head: "It didn't come. Maybe it had already discovered that we were well-prepared... or perhaps, it had already taken away eleven people and had enough prey, so there was no need to attack us again."

  Byinrich rubbed his face with a handful of snow, his face turned bright red, the heat melted the snow, and it dripped down his beard to his collar. The team leader's expression was very serious: "Maybe you're right, but only maybe. But we can't just leave like this. Otherwise, going back with this defeat, the Snow Wolf Mercenary Team's guys won't be able to hold their heads up in the future... We're not afraid of death, since we dare to come out and live such a day, my subordinates don't have anyone who is afraid of death. But we can't lose our courage, that's the most important thing."

  During the day, the mercenaries took turns resting in the tent to replenish their sleep and physical strength. Byenrich decided to continue staying here.

  But that night, there was no harvest either. The carefully laid ambush did not bring any guests.

  Three days passed just like this.

  Even the resolute team leader wavered in his determination.

  His men were exhausted, no one had slept for three nights, only relying on the hasty rotation of rest during the day. Moreover, they had been adventuring in this forest for many days, and the mercenaries were already very tired.

  Although reluctantly, the captain also understood that continuing to consume like this, the hope was really too slim.

  "The last day, if nothing is found tonight, we will leave here tomorrow."

  Bayern Munich had no choice but to make the decision.

  And this last night was finally not spent in vain!

  •；

  Several consecutive days of staying up all night had left the mercenaries exhausted, and although most people tried their best to persevere, by the second half of the night, everyone was visibly running out of energy.

  Bayerin's eyes were filled with bloodshot... In the past three days, other mercenaries could take turns resting during the day, but he, as the team leader, couldn't rest. For three days, he only slept for less than an hour at noon today.

  In the second half of the night, some mercenaries even couldn't help but doze off uncontrollably, and even Old Lone Eye Dragon sitting in front of the bonfire couldn't resist narrowing his eyes.

  Du Wei was a magician after all, his mental strength far exceeded that of ordinary people. Lack of sleep would only affect his physical strength, but it didn't make him feel much drowsiness.

  He was the most sober one among more than a hundred people.

  Taking a deep breath, the cold night air stimulated his nasal cavity with a slight tingling pain, but his spirit was refreshed! He glanced at Bainreich beside him and Du Wei could clearly feel that the captain's mental strength had reached its limit. His eyes were bloodshot, but they seemed dull and lifeless. Meanwhile, Dandanier couldn't help but half-close his eyes, his chin nodding slightly...

  Du Wei was just about to whisper something to the team leader when suddenly... his brain had a flash of inspiration! As if he felt something!

  This feeling is very subtle! Du Wei, who has a strong sense of perception, feels that a chill ran up his back and all the way to the nape of his neck!

  Du Wei suddenly realized: Something is coming!!

  He immediately widened his eyes and looked around in all directions!

  At night, the accumulated snow on the snowy ground still shone with a white light. On the distant lake surface, except for the occasional cracking sound of the ice layer, there was only the whistling wind...

  At this moment, Du Wei suddenly felt a chill in his heart!

  He saw it!

  Very, very far away, on the surface of the Great Round Lake, a crisp sound of ice cracking came over! Immediately afterwards, in the dark and gloomy night, Du Wei vaguely saw a vague shadow slowly crawling up from under the ice!

  His keen sense of hearing allowed Du Wei to even hear the sound of his opponent's body rubbing against the ice, making a rustling sound... as well as the sound of cracking ice and dripping water.

  "What is... that thing..." Du Wei muttered to himself, just as he was about to speak up to remind Bayin Rich and Dada Nie Er, when suddenly a strange sound came!

  A moan, as if it were a sigh.

  That's right, the sound was like a person moaning... The sound was mournful, yet exceptionally soft and pleasant to hear. Du Wei felt as if he could feel that strand of sound, as if it were alive, drilling into his ears and gradually occupying his mind!

  That sound was long and drawn out, yet carried a hint of inexplicable eeriness. After it drilled into my brain, it seemed as if all the strength and consciousness in my body were being drained away thread by thread...

  His body was getting softer and softer, his consciousness gradually becoming blurred...

  That sound continues, gentle and lingering, as if it were a beautiful melody, like the moonlight in the sky, clear and warm; like the gentle breeze at night, making people irresistible; like a woman's soft dance, making people infatuated...

  The sound gradually changed from a gentle whisper to a soft, alluring tone, as if it had an invisible hand that beckoned people, making them involuntarily tilt their heads slightly... as if their ears wanted to follow the sound... then their entire head... and finally, their body!

  Du Wei was a magician after all, his spiritual power was the strongest one. After a brief confusion, he instinctively woke up immediately!

  And then he was terrified to find that he had no idea what happened after standing up, and his body had already walked seven or eight steps away from the original place!

  This discovery shocked him extremely! It was as if just a moment ago he was still sitting there!

  Looking around again, something made Du Weimao's hair stand on end!

  The mercenaries in the tent, those hiding in the trees, and those buried in the snowdrifts... They emerged one by one, then wandered aimlessly on the snowy ground, as if sleepwalking. Everyone's eyes were wide open, but their gazes were empty, their facial expressions numb, and their bodies swayed gently, drifting towards the direction of the lake... Step by step, they slowly walked past!

  No one is an exception!

  Even Bayern Munich and Dada Nil are the same!

  The captain's face wore a calm and peaceful expression, his eyes clearly out of focus, the weapon in his hand had long been discarded on the snowy ground, his body clumsy and loose, stumbling forward in the snow... Dathanil, on the other hand, seemed like a drunkard, his hands grasping forward with force, his face wearing a stupid expression, his eyes half-closed...

  Du Wei tried to stop Dada Nile, but was pushed away by him!

  Eyes fixed on the mercenary at the very front who had already walked to the lake's edge, one foot having stepped onto the icy surface of the lake, Du Wei suddenly let out a loud shout!

  He shouted at the top of his lungs, but none of those guys reacted!

  Du Wei exerted himself to run over, trying to grab a mercenary with force. Du Wei even kicked him to the ground with one foot, but that person struggled to get up and then, just like the zombies Du Wei had seen in movies before, walked towards the lake with stumbling steps!

  "What the hell! What's wrong with you guys?! Wake up! Wake up!!" Du Wei jumped and shouted, but those guys seemed to have all gone deaf at once, as if they had all become stupid!

  Du Wei's eyes looked at the guys who couldn't wake up, he immediately ran to the lake and quickly chanted a string of spells, a fireball shot far away towards the faint shadow on the lake surface!

  Boom!

  A fireball tore through the night sky, instantly illuminating the scene before him! Through the flames, Du Wei seemed to see the appearance of something on the distant lake surface in that instant... Although it was a bit blurry, Du Wei could be certain that he had seen a person!

  Yes, that's right, it seems like a person!

  And... the appearance of that person: He was wearing a mercenary's leather jacket that had been soaked through, his wet hair stuck to his forehead... There was a large dent on his forehead! His face wore an eerie, miserable cold smile...

  Half of his body was under the ice, half of it was above the ice... What made Du Wei feel a chill from the bottom of his heart was: this person's appearance, was exactly the same as that mercenary who died unexpectedly while fishing on the first day they arrived at the Great Round Lake!!

  Du Wei saw with his own eyes as everyone sank his body into the lake!

  Could it be a ghost?

  Du Wei also thought his idea was too absurd.

  But what was before his eyes made him involuntarily startled!

  The mercenary who died unexpectedly had a miserable expression on his face, which was already swollen from being soaked in the lake water, revealing a pale and eerie color. His mouth was curled into a desolate cold smile, staring fixedly in Du Wei's direction!

  It was he who uttered that strange, pleasant, soul-capturing voice! All the mercenaries under this voice seemed to have lost their consciousness and slowly walked towards the lake like wooden puppets.

  The fireball that Du Wei shot out didn't travel too far, and after hitting the ice, it dissipated into sparks. But the ghost on the ice... let's call him that for now, his pair of venomous eyes immediately glared at Du Wei!

  Du Wei could clearly see the venomous mockery in this guy's eyes, as if ridiculing Du Wei's overestimation of himself!

  No matter how hard Du Wei tried, he could only watch as the mercenary walking in front of him had already stepped onto the ice layer on the lake's surface. Suddenly, a large hole appeared on the ice layer! The mercenary who was walking in front took one step and fell into the hole, disappearing immediately after sinking down.

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