Ahead, it seemed a battle was underway!
Zong Shen narrowed his eyes, quickly making a fairly accurate guess.
No wonder he had felt something was off about the left dungeon.
Because in the cells of the left dungeon, those broken iron bars had almost all been cleared to the side of the cell doors.
This meant that someone had already explored these cells.
Thinking of this, Zong Shen asked the strategy guide.
"Is there anything worth collecting in this row of cells?"
(There was 37 minutes and 42 seconds ago, but unfortunately, you are a step late. This dungeon doesn't just have the entrance in the temple; in the third cell to your front right, there is an upward escape passage leading to a ruin of a building above.)
(This is also why it was suggested you explore the right dungeon first.)
"Sigh, beaten to the punch. It seems other lords have discovered this place too."
Zong Shen sighed slightly.
But this was an inevitable process.
With so many lords in one area, after the initial panic, every lord would choose to go out and explore or scavenge.
They would gradually radiate into the surrounding circles.
Meeting was only a matter of time.
It’s just that Zong Shen hadn't expected to find traces of other lords in such a gloomy dungeon.
It looked like the other party was in the middle of a fierce battle.
Needless to say, they were likely fighting a large monster—something like the [Blood-Burning Demon Skeleton]—that guarded the other remains of Otlan Windwhisper.
However, such elite monsters were not so easily dealt with.
Zong Shen prepared to go and observe to see if there were any scraps to pick up.
As for being a good person and helping them hammer the monster, Zong Shen didn't even consider it.
Theoretically, lords were in a competitive relationship.
If you go to help, they might not even appreciate it.
Zong Shen never involved himself in such thankless tasks.
However, other items didn't matter.
What Zong Shen cared about was the remains of Otlan Windwhisper; these were his quest items.
Just as Zong Shen was thinking of a strategy, the battle around the corner seemed to have reached a fever pitch.
Zong Shen had already heard several roars.
"They're fighting really intensely."
He remarked with a sigh.
When he fought the [Blood-Burning Demon Skeleton] earlier, he didn't feel it was that intense at all.
But he forgot.
Not everyone was like him, possessing a rather luxurious lineup of thugs on the second day after landing.
...
"Rumble!"
At this moment, a loud noise erupted, and the entire dungeon trembled slightly.
Large patches of dust were shaken down from above everyone's heads.
It left Zong Shen covered in grime.
"Damn it, are they doing demolition work?"
He cursed while patting the dust off his head.
After this loud noise, everything returned to calm.
There were no more roars, no explosions, no flashes of fire—only silence.
"Is the battle over?"
Zong Shen was a bit puzzled.
He immediately ordered Tie Zhu,
"Tie Zhu, use Shadow Form and sneak over to take a look."
The Nord Shadow Scout's skill, Shadow Form, had a 5-minute cooldown and a 3-minute duration, allowing for frequent use.
Tie Zhu nodded upon hearing this.
The next moment, he transformed into a mass of shadows and quickly snuck along the side of the corridor.
He rounded the corner.
And began to scout.
About two minutes later.
Tie Zhu returned.
"Lord, the battle is over. An unknown lord has died."
"There is also a massive ghoul, but it has sustained very serious injuries."
This lord was disappointing.
He didn't even manage to defeat the elite monster.
It seems not everyone can pick up these scraps.
"Did you see the remains of any soldiers?"
Zong Shen asked.
The other party couldn't possibly have come down alone without bringing soldiers.
With such an astonishing explosion.
And the intense firelight.
At a glance, it wasn't an effect a novice lord could produce.
Zong Shen was aware of this.
However, Tie Zhu shook his head.
"Reporting to you, Lord, I did not find any remains of soldiers."
This left Zong Shen puzzled.
"Did they run away?"
"Let's go take a look first."
Zong Shen decided to go and see for himself.
Thus, he led his main force to the end of the left dungeon.
Turning left from here led to a large hall.
This hall resembled a prayer room, filled with the debris of broken tables and chairs.
This was still not the end.
A heavy, intact iron door engraved with runes blocked the other end of the prayer room.
Right there in the prayer room, a massive, one-armed ghoul was gnawing on the corpse of the poor lord.
The ghoul's abdomen was distended, as if there was something inside its stomach.
Behind this ghoul was the prayer altar. Zong Shen could already see that the quest item he needed was right there on the altar.
Zong Shen focused his gaze.
The attributes of this ghoul, which was over four meters long and had a blood-filled maw the size of a washbasin, immediately appeared before him.
[Mutated Ghoul Lv16 (Green)]
[Race: Undead]
[Bite Damage: 58–61]
[HP: 268/655]
[Armor: 10]
[Skills: Sharp Tongue Thrust (The mutated ghoul has a chain-like tongue that can suddenly pop out, piercing a target within ten meters and pulling them to its front), Frenzy Lv10 (Increases the ghoul's attack speed by 25% and movement speed by 25%, lasts 90s, cooldown 1h), Corpse Eating (Devours corpses to restore HP), Devour (The ghoul opens its maw to directly swallow a target that is no higher than Lv12, under 2 meters in length, and has less than 300 HP; currently unavailable)]
(What are you waiting for? Beat it! Avenge the fallen lord.)
This mutated ghoul possessed four skills and was in a low-health state.
High attack, thick health, average defense.
As it gnawed on the lord's corpse, its HP was gradually recovering.
"Charge! Kill it!"
Zong Shen waved his hand!
Tasia began to chant Dual Necrotic Arrows.
The three Wolf Cavalrymen let out battle roars and initiated a charge.
Tie Zhu hid in the shadows once again.
Even Zong Shen raised his kite shield, which was about to fall apart, and joined the charge.
The mutated ghoul abandoned its meal.
Its blood-red eyes stared fixedly at the group.
Especially at the roaring, charging Wolf Cavalrymen.
It suddenly opened its massive maw.
A bright red tongue, like a red flash, shot out toward Bjorn.
Flesh scraps and blood splattered from it.
However, the Wolf Cavalrymen were not so easily dealt with.
Bjorn's reaction was fast; the moment he saw the mutated ghoul shoot out its tongue, his war blade was already raised.
Then, just as the sharp tongue was about to hit him, he slashed his blade down!
"Sshhh-la!"
As if tough leather were being sliced open, the tip of the mutated ghoul's tongue was severed directly.
"Roar!"
The mutated ghoul retracted its tongue and let out a roar!
(End of chapter)