CHAPTER 1226: CHAPTER 618: DAY OF MADNESS (PART 1)

"But."

Rod surveyed the scene. They were atop an abandoned mountain, surrounded by desolate land. Thick black mist ominously rolled around them, with no sign of firelight or human traces.

"Where are they?"

Qingyu guessed, "Maybe they encountered an emergency, leaving no time to mark their location. They hurriedly sent us the star disk map and information before leaving."

Horus nodded, "Your Highness’s guess makes sense. Let’s keep moving forward."

From his pocket, he took out an exquisitely crafted lantern.

"This is a special spirit lamp, capable of detecting the aura of living beings from afar. Using it comes at a great cost, requiring the king’s blood... But now, it’s time to use it."

He took out a splash of bright red fuel element and skillfully added it to the lantern.

The archbishop was not only an archbishop but also a seasoned fire guardian. The team carried hundreds of residual light and residual fire, along with a fire spark of guardian fire, yet to be ignited.

Horus would ignite this fire spark under specific circumstances to provide powerful support to the team but wouldn’t do so in the depths of darkness, as it would attract more monsters.

With the fuel element added, the lantern’s fire blazed brightly, emitting a crimson glow that soon transformed into orange-yellow hues.

This was the breath of life.

"Let’s go."

Horus said.

"The team enters battle state, prioritizing protection of the lantern."

The team continued forward, enveloped by the blood lantern’s glow.

Everyone felt a growing sense of unease in their hearts.

Rod couldn’t help but ask the Book of Knowledge and the puppet in his mind, "Have you discovered anything?"

The Book of Knowledge shook its head, "No, Saint Reel may not exist."

However, the puppet disagreed, "My intuition tells me it exists; we just need to patiently search."

Asa stared at the blood lantern for a while before suddenly saying, "Master, I discovered a fatal flaw in this lantern. Its energy is leaking extensively, with much undigested power also disappearing, severely affecting its efficiency. Luckily, I can mend this."

Rod exclaimed, "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely!" Asa laughed, "Master, give them a small taste of the shock of devouring the dung king."

Afterward, Rod didn’t want to recall much of the process. Repairing the blood lantern required special materials. Asa had Rod manufacture some on-site, then smeared them on the lantern.

If Rod hadn’t explained quickly enough, Horus would have thought his soul had been corrupted, leading to blackening, almost driving him mad.

But when the lantern, now emitting fresh breath, was returned to Horus, he immediately noticed something amiss.

"My detection range has increased significantly! My god, at least ninety thousand yards! A radius of ninety thousand yards! Expanded by more than fifty times!"

Everyone was astonished, including the knowledgeable scholars and high-rank researchers.

No one could have imagined their strongest rising star had such capabilities.

But more shock followed. After repairing the blood lantern, it soon responded, its crimson aura bubbling, forming an arrow pointing southeast!

Horus’s jaw dropped, unable to believe it. This meant they had discovered living beings!

At this moment, the entire team was in an uproar!

"It must be Liszt and the others!"

Horus stated firmly.

"Let’s hurry and join them."

The team accelerated, about a quarter of an hour later.

"We’re here!" Horus shouted, "Right up ahead."

He couldn’t wait to ignite residual fire, a bright flame dispelling the black mist and illuminating the path ahead.

Yet in the light, it wasn’t Liszt and the others.

Instead, it was a field of corpses, blood painting the earth red, black mist swirling above, some corpses showing visible signs of corruption.

Everyone’s hearts tightened all at once.

Bang!

The crimson arrow dissipated, the blood lantern returned to tranquility, the breath of life vanished.