CHAPTER 1612: CHAPTER 356 PRISONER’S DILEMMA

"This world has slept for too long."

A short, frail skeleton clattering its fragile jaw, walked slowly in the vast barren darkness. Its skull was pitch black, carrying a hint of charred scent from the embers’ roast; between its withered ribs, thick iron chains entwined, crossing over the shoulder blades, trailing downwards, extending until they disappeared into the endless darkness.

It was as if draped in a tattered cloak woven from iron chains.

Clatter, clatter, clatter.

The sound of chains rubbing against gravel, piercingly loud, reverberated far in this sealed world. Yet, despite this, the wilderness still echoed its hoarse, deep voice:

"...This world has indeed slept for far too long... Oh, the ubiquitous scent of despair and hatred... It’s truly intoxicating."

Clatter, clatter, clatter.

The dragging chains sparked tiny flares amidst the gravel, as though adorning the cloak. Mirroring and extinguishing, they illuminated the tall, menacing, yet obedient figures surrounding the frail skeleton.

Clatter.

The footsteps stopped, and the flares no longer brightened. The frail skeleton slowly turned its skull, two dim crimson points igniting in its hollow eyes.

"Rude fellow." It glanced toward a skeleton on its right.

That was the remains of a Dark Elf, with a slender, black frame and a cascade of silver hair hanging from its skull — having hair on a skeleton was exceedingly rare, so the frail skeleton always cherished this collectible.

But now, looking at the Dark Elf, it seemed as if its collection had been stolen, and there was an undertone of irritation in its voice: "...What’s the matter?"

The Dark Elf stepped forward a few paces, leaving a trail of rich, chilling white frost with each step; her form shrank with each step.

After several steps, a patch of frost lay behind her. Her figure had shrunk to three times smaller than the frail skeleton.

Then she turned, gazing up at the frail skeleton, spreading her slender arms as if embracing the world or perhaps praying to it.

"Greetings, mighty Lord Sujade." Her tone was very respectful.

"What’s the matter?" The frail skeleton impatiently tugged the chains on its ribs, sparking flares behind it. The flares illuminated the Dark Elf’s face, making her frame appear somewhat grayish.

In her eye sockets, the crimson flickered fearfully, akin to the flame quivering under a wild gale.

"It’s been long since feeling a Dark Elf’s presence," the Dark Elf withdrew her arms, hugged herself, her cascading hair veiled her skull, also covering her chattering jaw: "Such a nostalgic aura... Although she is not my child."

Silence enveloped the surroundings.

No light in the darkness, flickering only the two dim crimson points in the frail skeleton’s eyes. It silently observed the Dark Elf; after some time, it clattered its jaw, repeating the earlier question:

"What’s the matter?"

"My warriors are far too few, and your collection is so rich." The Dark Elf lifted her head; the crimson in her eyes seemed about to extinguish the next second: "Those Wizards’ outer fortification layer is too sturdy, and they’ve been repeatedly ’cleaning,’ digging out many of my lovely seeds... Now, they’ve dispatched a bunch of Big Wizards... With my current strength, it’s hard to break through that thick turtle shell."

"Didn’t understand." The frail skeleton interrupted the Elf’s endless complaints, saying dryly.

The Dark Elf remained silent for a moment, fingers interlocked, hugged her chest, looking up at the frail skeleton, voice pitiful: "Lend me a thousand warriors... After all, we are allies."

If it were a genuinely alluring Dark Elf, this posture might sway minds and captivate hearts. Yet this Dark Elf is merely a skeleton.

Her movements not only lacked any seductive charm but rather exhibited an eerie peculiar feel. Fortunately, the frail skeleton opposite wasn’t a living being — like Dong Shi casting a seductive glance at a blind person, although wretched, the damage wasn’t as severe as imagined.

"Allies."

Sujade’s black jaw clattered, trembling twice, seemingly laughing: "A truly intriguing word... If the long Black Prison experience holds any significance for me, it’s to trust nobody, never hope for allies in eternal darkness."

"Elder Gods, God of Another World, demons, ghosts, although confined in the same withering world by the same foe, now planning something against them... But this doesn’t mean we’re allies."

"If you want my warriors, come take them yourself!"

"You’re a Divine Spirit... don’t act like a real spider, only daring to lurk in stone dens and crevices, spying on this impending storm! Also, don’t let your filthy spider silk fall on my children!"

With the last few words, Sujade raised its right hand, slowly grasping its five withered, slender fingers, as if a pitch-black flower closed its petals.

Its knuckles clattered.

Whilst the Dark Elf before it, even smaller than it, her bones under its fist-clenching shattered one by one, turning swiftly into fine bone ash, with only two fragile crimsons leaping from the skull, dissolving into Sujade’s eye sockets.

A faint chuckle of a woman’s voice drifted away in the air.

The frail skeleton lifted its head, exhaled slowly, waved its hand, and continued forward.

Clatter, clatter, clatter.

A cascade of golden sparks flared into the sky, briefly illuminating the surroundings. Behind the frail skeleton, in the darkness, countless figures lurked, shambling along its pace.

Towering giants whose stature equaled mountains, covered in ghostly white long hair; slender bodies with cyan faces, fiendish tusks, staring maliciously — ghosts; petite figures silently making faces, hopping between giants and ghosts — Shan Xiaos; and those riding tall steeds, clad in thick black armor — Death Knights.

Of course, the majority of the lineup comprised those severely damaged, even many with incomplete frames — Spirits. Amidst the golden sparks, they silently advanced, legs broken, they detached ribs as makeshift limbs to continue trailing the group.

Clatter, clatter!

Golden sparks burst forth, Sujade suddenly halted, raised a hand, gazing into the distance.

In the far darkness, at the sight’s end, a cluster of tiny light dots suddenly blossomed, becoming a resplendent flower of light, illuminating a small piece of night.

"The world... is about to awaken."

The frail skeleton murmured, crimson in its eyes flourishing.

Behind it, countless Spirits simultaneously lifted their heads, innumerable crimson points illuminated, forming a crimson river.