Ominous sign

  The dance party was in full swing, but the girl by the bonfire looked somewhat depressed.

  For some reason, watching the enthusiastic young boys and girls shaking their heads and swaying their bodies, she suddenly felt the same sense of not belonging as when she was alone watching others having fun at yesterday's magic festival.

  The cup in his hand was filled with a drink, and drinking it would allow him to become intoxicated and see the people he wanted to see in his dreams. However, Hikaru kept fiddling with the wine cup, but didn't have the urge to drink it like he used to.

  The tavern has changed, and she has too. In recent days, her feeling about change has never been so strong, but she hasn't had much of a rejecting feeling either. Some realities that she had always deceived herself into refusing to acknowledge were also naturally accepted.

  Life has to go on, and the past is forever gone. For example, once a mother has passed away, she can never come back to life again.

  Perhaps she is still watching her daughter in the goddess's divine country.

  Xikeer looked up at the sky and smiled slightly.

  And all of this started from the appearance of that person.

  Xikoer pulled at the scarf around her neck.

  Then don't deceive yourself anymore and start a new life properly.

  "Xikuoer, this cup of holy medicine, why don't you drink it?" A person slipped out from beside him.

  "Oh... I'm not feeling too well, sorry, I think..." Hickory stood up, wanting to bid farewell, she found that she urgently wanted to return to the tavern, this place had lost its appeal.

  Maybe I won't need to come here to escape pain anymore.

  "What's on your mind? The ceremony is about to begin." The man didn't give her a chance to respond, and pulled Shikoru into the crowd.

  ——

  Panni raised her head and saw that there was no starlight on the exposed ruins, sighed: "It seems that the master of this place is not very welcoming to us."

  "This is the Labyrinth of Entropy, boss." Mark observed for a moment and shook his head: "The fog and gates constructed by dark magic, if you choose the wrong path, you'll encounter monsters and traps."

  Shadow Magic Power...

  Panni closed her eyes for a moment, as if she had entered a semi-dream state, then opened them again and raised her foot to step into one of the passages: "Shall we go this way?"

  "How did you know?" Mark was amazed: "It's very dangerous to wander around here."

  "This is the safest way," said Penny, and Mark, still uncertain, gripped his weapon tightly and walked over with bated breath, indeed passing through safely. When he came to a high wall, the murmur of voices behind it gradually became clear. Although surprised that Penny had found the right path, Mark was still hesitant:

  "This is a dead end."

  "Silent Gate." Panni whispered, and with a light push on the wall, a half-person-high hidden door opened silently, allowing the faint glow of the bonfire to seep in. Just as Panni was about to enter, he was pulled back, and saw the thief handing him a cloak, which he absent-mindedly put on, before quietly passing through the gate, and then beheld a scene that left him stunned.

  A large group of young people were jumping and shouting in the bonfire, their shadows dancing like demons. After eight years as an apprentice, Panni, who was familiar with demonic medicine, smelled a scent that reminded him of the scenes from his past life in those underground wild shops at midnight.

  "It's like a different world, damn it." Panni muttered to himself, searching for Hickel's figure in the crowd, but couldn't find him after half a day. He went to see a young man with dim eyes who came over to greet him, swaying back and forth:

  "Hey, who's friend is this?"

  "I'm Gorm's... " Parni lowered his voice, making a gesture, Mark's hand was already on the dagger at his waist.

  "Oh, it's De Humei's kid, he's going to officially join tonight, how enviable!" This person's sigh dispelled Mark's murderous intent, while Penny looked suddenly enlightened:

  "Gomi is actually so fierce, he never told me about it."

  "Huh, no need to rush, wait until the master tests your loyalty, you will also gain that ability to make your wishes come true."

  "Think positive and it'll happen? Maybe." Penny chuckled.

  "Come, experience the power of the master." The person handed Penny a cup emitting hot air, and himself drained the other cup in his hand, immediately shaking his head and swaying like he had taken some kind of pill.

  Pang Ni took a sip and quickly spat out a mouthful of thick phlegm.

  "Boss, something's not quite right..." Mark whispered as he drew closer: "This method seems like the devil or demons recruiting followers."

  "Just wait and see." Panni searched around in the crowd, but couldn't find the girl. He didn't dare to make any rash moves. After a while, a person wearing a gray robe with a half-face mask walked up to the bonfire. Panni narrowed his eyes carefully, and only then did he notice a simple stone pedestal in the shadow of the firelight:

  "Brothers and sisters, today we have two new brothers and sisters joining the ranks of the Lord's servants, let us all cheer for this moment!"

  A crowd of people who were bewildered by the hallucinogen cheered, Penny and Mark hid in the shadows, exchanged a few glances, and Mark said:

  "Boss, I've made marks in the maze outside. Once I give the signal, my brothers will rush in and I'll ambush from the shadows, finishing off this old guy in one go!"

  "No need to rush, let's see what they're up to." Penny frowned, staring at the center of the bonfire, where a group of frenzied young people surrounded Gormi, who had emerged with his upper body bare.

  "Alright." Mark nodded.

  "Devoted Gumi, are you willing to dedicate your body and mind for the sake of your master?"

  "I'm willing, of course I am." Gomi's eyes glowed green as he raised his fist and let out a half-mad howl, lying down on the stone pedestal beside the bonfire. The person in gray robes flicked their hand, and something fell into the fire. A strange, wailing chant rose up, followed by a sharp whistle. With a "pop" sound, a long, claw-like shadow reached into Gomi's chest. A red glow flashed, and Gomi's body jerked once. A red dot in the flames turned to ash.

  The ashes disappeared, the bonfire 'whooshed' up to the sky and turned into a twisted face, while the flames turned pale and slowly went out amidst the frenzied cheers of a crowd of fanatical people.

  "Boss?" Mark was startled, but fortunately having been through many life-and-death tests, he regained his composure in a few breaths. He turned his head to see Penny's expression turn ashen, and hastily patted her, but she didn't respond even after several pats.

  In the instant of the flame's transformation, Panni's perception was infused with an unimaginable massive terror that made his thinking go blank for a moment, and his main consciousness fell into stagnation.

  This was the first time in his life that his perceptual domain had received such a premonition.

  "Ah! ——"

  A shrill cry burst from the other side of the campfire, and under the pale light of the flames, Hickok's face was equally pale.

  "Disciple, why be so fearful? Dedicate your body and mind to the master, and you will realize your deepest desires. Do not worry about losing your physical form; under the master's protection, you will attain immortality."

  "Xī kē ěr, nǐ pà shén me, lái ba, nǐ bù xiǎng yào xí lín ā yí huó guò lái ma? zài zhǔ rén bì yòu de shì jiè lǐ." Shí tái shàng nà jù cán pò de shī tǐ zhàn le qǐ, zuǒ xiōng qián de xuè dòng bèi yī piàn guāng yáng fù gài, zhǐ shì gāng gāng liú chū de xuè jì réng zài, xiǎn dé jí wéi kě hòu.

  "Hug...hug...I'm sorry......Gomi......I'm very clear," facing Gomi who could still stand and speak despite losing his heart, Hikoru pulled at the scarf around his neck, his voice stumbling with fear, but he mustered up the courage: "B-but however......Mom is already dead, I shouldn't be stuck in past dreams, I need to pursue a new life..."

  "What a twisted and heretical idea! The world is not real, it should be made to conform to our desires, the master will grant us such power." Gomi's face contorted in a fierce grimace as he swung his fist wildly, his chest bursting forth with a spurt of fresh blood: "Come on, forget what you just said!"

  "I'm sorry...... I have to go......" Hickel quickly understood that the 'person' was no longer human, and after saying so, he quickly turned around wanting to escape.

  "Seize her! The master needs her sacrifice!" Gomi raised his hands, shaking them wildly as a group of crazed people shouted and pounced on Chikoru. The girl let out a cry, one shoe falling to the ground, stumbling, just getting up, when her dress was grabbed by several claws. Suddenly, a horse's whinny sounded, a galloping horse appeared out of nowhere in the crowd, several people were knocked flying, and the rider, with an awkward posture, picked Chikoru up from the ground. At the same time, on the periphery of the crowd, a fierce tiger-like roar sounded, several burly men wielding large axes charged into the crowd, chopping down all living things in their path like cutting melons and vegetables.

  "Intruders! Take them down!" The moment the grey-robed masked man spoke, he was pierced through the throat by a dagger, several crossbow bolts flew over and lodged in his body, with several blood holes, and he fell to the ground with a soft thud.

  "A pinch of wolf's bane, a strand of werewolf hair, two drops of vicious wolf blood, and the wing membrane of a vampire bat. It's not difficult to concoct that potent hallucinogen. If you want it, I can get it for you anytime. Why must you come to this filthy place?" Penny held Hickory in her arms: "How dangerous?"

  "Sorry......" With tears welling up in her eyes, the girl clutched Panni's collar tightly and took deep breaths. Although she was still shaken, her tone was no longer panicked.

  "Alright! Boss, everything is settled. When it's time to show off your bravery, don't forget to give us working stiffs a little something sweet..."

  What can a mob of rabble be against the mercenary wolves? Soon corpses littered the ground, and the mercenaries relaxed, wiping the blood from their blades as they searched for spoils, laughing and joking with each other.

  "That's for sure." Penny said with a smile, suddenly changing her expression: "Be careful, let's get out of here quickly?"

  The mercenaries were stunned, and suddenly they saw the surrounding maze of lights gradually becoming illusory. The blood from the corpses on the square slowly flowed towards the bonfire in the center, and the flames gradually turned white. This time, it was a horned human figure, swaying shadows, and a gloomy voice drifted out:

  "Guests, don't rush to leave, regarding the matter of ruining my festival... I must have a good talk with you..."

  ——

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