Our Family Has Fallen

Their reactions varied, but fortunately, no one opted out. None of those handpicked by him would falter at this.

"There's no need to be surprised. Further into the wilderness, there are even stranger and more powerful monsters, and these are our enemies. Let me add that these fungal-controlled parasites feel no pain. Though their movements are stiff and slow, their bodies are even more powerful. To kill such a fungal-controlled creature, one must attack the brain. If wounded by a monster, you must notify me immediately for treatment; otherwise, you'll end up like that."

William composed himself and urged the dog forward to sniff. Only after the dog looked back did he speak. "Fergus has memorized that scent."

"Alright, let's move out!"

Boudica took the lead; she was accustomed to living in the woods and very familiar with such environments. In the middle were William and Paracelsus, who, honestly, were not familiar with this kind of outdoor setting and would need time to adapt. Naturally, Lance brought up the rear, with Wang Cai running about, visibly elated; the town clearly lacked such an expansive space for him to roam.

Although called the wilderness, Lance had gathered that, during the heyday of Hamlet, this region used to be dotted with various villages, farms, and estates. It was the same situation Totnes had observed, sustaining the once-undiminished grand city in its original location. Yet, due to some unknown disaster, the city had been overrun, and these scattered settlements in the wilderness were naturally affected. Those who could flee did so to the current Hamlet and other parts of the Empire, and the original settlements were abandoned.

Once humanity disappeared, nature would reclaim these regions with an all-encompassing embrace. The land here had an inexplicably strong vitality, nourishing plants that thrived vigorously. Forests grew so dense that their treetops linked together, blocking out the sun and making daytime as dim as dusk. However, for reasons unknown, the plants here grew twisted and tilted, with few able to grow straight. Trunks sprouted swollen burls resembling human faces, and branches twisted grotesquely like tentacles. Thick brambles with thorns as large as wrists grew wildly, sometimes completely obstructing the path. This situation, combined with the dim light, created an oppressive feeling. Faithful followers of the Holy Light might even complain, "Even the Holy Light cannot penetrate here; has the Holy Light abandoned us?"

The unruly forest swallowed everything. Even the ancient stone-paved roads were torn asunder by spreading tree roots. Mud and dead leaves mixed into a sludge that covered them. Only the remnants of walls testified to the area's once glorious and prosperous past...

Maintaining constant vigilance is an exhausting task, which is why the team's alertness slackened after only a short journey. Lance alone became increasingly grave as they progressed.

Driving Sam and his family into the wilderness, one didn't need to think hard to guess they wouldn't dare venture deep. They'd likely be skirting the fringes, and their encounter with the parasite confirmed my suspicion. Even at the margins, they became infected, and the wounds on the creature's body confirmed it was attacked and infected by a wild beast. I had originally thought the plague had spread in the wilderness and had braced for encounters with many crazed infected beasts. Logically, it should have been so, but the current situation is unusual. The squad had moved some distance into the wilderness but had encountered no signs of wildlife at all.

This couldn't be good. Surely the Ancestor wasn't being generous enough to clear those creatures to prevent the plague from spreading? Especially since several bodies from that family remained unaccounted for. If they died or were eaten, there should at least be some bones left, right? The present circumstances could only mean my enemies are brewing a conspiracy, planning to hit me with something big.

Fuck! What the hell are you doing, old man...

"Something is off," Lance said, sharing his thoughts with the others. "We need to expand the search area; we must find clues as quickly as possible." This inference also caught their attention, prompting the team to move faster.

* * *

GURGLE, GURGLE.

The orange flames licked at the sinister devil relief on the surface of the large black cauldron, illuminating the horrifying scene around it: scattered bones thrown about haphazardly, including human skulls. But the firelight reached only so far, halting before a massive shadow shrouded in darkness, as if even the flames recoiled in fear, shrinking back into the cauldron's depths. More blasphemous still was the contents bubbling and rolling within—a thick soup glowing with an eerie luminescence.

Such a terrifying sight was enough to shatter an ordinary person's composure, but at that moment, an insidious laugh broke the silence.

"HEH HEH HEH!"

Then, a handful of something unknown was tossed into the cauldron as a final touch.

Even the Ascension Cultist wrapped in a black robe nearby found the scene unbearable. How could I be so unlucky to be assigned such a task? He couldn't help but urge things along. "I've given you what you asked for, and the person too. When are you going to act?"

"This is what he owes me! Since when is it your place to talk to me like that?" a sharp, biting voice retorted, followed by a splash of the thick soup.

The cultist sent for such a task was undoubtedly skilled, but he suddenly found himself unable to move, as if nailed to the spot, powerless as the soup poured over him. When the thick soup landed on the cultist, an extremely bizarre thing happened: it instantly corroded his black robe, splashing onto his body. Yet, the soup's power was undiminished. The instant it touched his skin, thick smoke billowed as his flesh and blood dissolved. The portion that splashed onto his head melted half his face like wax, revealing stark white bone. His eye, now lidless, also liquefied.

"Ah!" The cultist struggled desperately, letting out a terrible wail. His body corroded, breaking out in spots as his flesh turned to pus and dripped away.

Such dreadful corrosiveness... and yet, it had just been consumed by that being in the darkness. What kind of monster could it be?

However, this Ascension Cultist was no ordinary individual. The power dwelling within him erupted, breaking the bizarre curse. His flesh writhed, revealing inhuman limbs beneath, and new skin and flesh quickly regrew. The moment he broke free, he had no intention of staying. Not fully recovered, he immediately dragged his mutilated body away, fleeing the place.

After running some distance, the cultist glanced back, slightly panicked. Seeing no one followed, he finally stopped. He tore off the tattered black robe. By now, his body had returned to a complete human form; the monstrous limbs had receded. The Ascension Church's methods were indeed formidable; such severe injuries hadn't reached his vitals. In just a few breaths, the scars vanished. Only his One-Eye was difficult to restore. But he couldn't worry about that now. Using that power had come at a cost. He could only clench his teeth and suppress the strange restlessness within his body, taking a good while to recover.

It wasn't until he was far from that stronghold that One-eyed dared to reveal his anger. When had I ever been so humiliated? It's just a town; I can deal with it myself, and then I'll make that guy regret it!

Despite One-eyed's panic, the creature in the darkness had paid him no mind from start to finish. It simply continued to fiddle with the cauldron of thick soup.

Just wait a little longer... Soup not yet cooked to perfection isn't delicious... I can hardly wait to enjoy it...