Chapter 684: The Undercity Elevator Homicide Incident

The Tirisfal Glades, the birthplace of the Undead, had always been bleak and somber; within the dim, dense woods, a dismal, heavy fog seemed to cling year-round, permitting not a single shard of light to pierce through.

"The crowd on our side is quite formidable..." Sera said as she finally reclaimed her spot, joining the party of student players from Jiuhua City, "They've already begun mastering a powerful combat technique called 'Judgment.' It seems to require a special trick to execute, and the power looks immense! What should we do if we encounter those Paladins who wield the Holy Light in the future? Aren't we supposed to be hostile?"

"Are they really that amazing?" Lanyandao charged forward, bringing her sword down in a swift arc to fell the gnoll before her.

"Who is it?" Although Song Qingfeng had gone off to play a Tauren, Lin Shao was still mingling here; he chopped down the monster in front of him and let out a laugh.

"Just a few rather formidable knights on our side," Lanthir, the captain of the elf squad, replied casually.

"Then there's no need to worry," Lin Shao said. "We are experts too, you know."

"You guys...?" Captain Lanthir looked at them with a tinge of skepticism. Though they had all chosen the Undead, none of them resembled Boss Fang’s choice of a mere skeleton frame; it was plain to see they were all youths in their early twenties, leaving him half-believing and half-doubting.

The Tirisfal woods were cold and damp under the shroud of gray mist, and by now, rain had begun to fall; imperceptibly, a peculiar sense of desolation surged within their hearts.

"Look over there, what is that!" Out in the distant, ash-like fog, a burly, obese figure emerged, advancing slowly through the rainy mist of the forest, clutching a massive axe and chains.

"Is it a monster?" Beholding such a bizarre silhouette, the little hearts of the elves fluttered with nervous thuds.

"Be careful!" Nalan Mingxue also grew alert, assuming a defensive stance.

The figure drew nearer, revealing a colossal monstrosity with a body like a mountain of flesh. Its flesh appeared stitched together by thick, coarse threads, and it exuded a violent miasma of toxins and plague; its belly seemed ruptured by something, leaving an empty, gaping void inside, presenting a truly grotesque and terrifying sight.

"What on earth is this?!" The elves had never witnessed such a frightening creature.

The monster lumbered toward them and spoke in a muffled, booming voice, "We won't hurt you. Can you do us a favor? Master needs herbs, but our hands are too big to pick them up."

"Eh?" The elves stared blankly. "It didn't come to eat us?"

Subconsciously shrinking back, they stared at the horrifying creature before them, terrified that they might be devoured if they let their guard down.

They exchanged glances with one another. "I think we'll pass... You can ask someone else for help..."

"Alright then..." The monster departed, looking somewhat disappointed.

After a long pause, the group finally recovered their wits. "What was that...?"

"It looked absolutely terrifying..." Sera spoke up. "I'm certain it was an evil monster approaching us with some dreadful purpose."

"Uh... I think it just looked like an NPC handing out a quest," Nalan Mingxue remarked earnestly.

"...I still think we ought to be careful." The elves remained highly vigilant against such a dreadful creature. "By the way, how much of your quest do you have left?"

"The quest is complete."

"Let's go! Let's head back and turn it in!"

"Can we go to that Undercity place in a little while?" an elf inquired.

"It seems so..."

...

Located to the east of Tirisfal Glades, the Undercity, as the capital of the Undead, was a destination every Undead player was bound to visit.

Following the road south from Brill, the largest town in Tirisfal Glades, one could see the towering city walls erected amid the ruins of Lordaeron.

The gloomy sky cast a dull, gray pallor over the entire rampart. By the time the elves, Nalan Mingxue, and the rest of the student party arrived, quite a few Undead players were already bustling past the city gates, with numerous Undead guards and patrols interspersed among them, making the scene exceedingly lively.

The Undercity was a massive subterranean labyrinth, and above it lay the ruins of the former Kingdom of Lordaeron; a vast expanse of broken walls and crumbling pillars could be seen, overgrown with lush, clinging vines. Though many players traversed the grounds, it still could not conceal the profound desolation.

Walking from outside the city gates into the royal city, this path was the very road Arthas had trodden upon his return as a Death Knight to commit patricide; following the grand avenue, it led directly to the throne room.

A massive bronze bell lay deeply embedded in the shattered stone, left untended by anyone. Along this path, one could almost faintly hear the cheers and shouts of the citizens bearing flowers when the prince returned, and alongside that crisp tolling of the bell, the panic and bewilderment of the people as the prince marched into the throne room to slay his king and father.

Though Lordaeron, once one of the greatest human kingdoms, had been reduced to ruins, it still retained a heavy sense of history; accompanied by the cold curtain of rain in the sky, it evoked a unique sorrow even in those unfamiliar with its past.

The Undercity was built beneath Lordaeron. By following the interconnected passages within the castle, one could locate the path leading into the depths of the city.

"I get the feeling this must have been a prosperous kingdom once," the elves marveled as they walked, gazing around at the ruins, beholding the magnificent city walls piled high with massive stones, and the dilapidated structures before them.

"Hmm? Isn't that Miss Sera and the others?" Irina and her fellow assassins had clearly chosen the Undead race as well, and they had only just arrived at this place.

Following the flow of the crowd, they moved toward the entrance of the Undercity. "Heavens... it's that terrifying monster again!"

Two Abominations, like mountains of flesh, stood guard right at the entrance of the passage.

"Do we have to pass through the place they are guarding?" Sera cried out, a chill running down her spine.

"I don't think they mean any harm."

"Move it, don't block the way!" an impatient voice called out from behind them.

At the same time, they witnessed quite a few people walking straight into the passages guarded by these Abominations ahead, and nothing terrible occurred.

Sera had no choice but to take a deep breath. "Then I'm going across!"

"Of course, no need to fear!"

"I'm really going up!" Sera took another deep breath, then dashed forward all at once to summon her courage.

"Huh?" Just as she dashed through the gate guarded by the Abomination, she suddenly froze; why was there nothing beneath her feet?

"Aaaaaaargh—!" Only a scream that grew deeper and more distant could be heard.

"What's wrong with this person..." The surrounding crowd began to chatter.

"The elevator hadn't even come up yet, and she just jumped straight down..."

"Sigh, which number is this already?"

Peering down the elevator shaft, one could see a cluster of small tombstones on the ground, along with an elf plastered flat against the floor...

Nalan Mingxue and the rest of the student party exchanged a long, silent look.

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