[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-global-survival-i-have-endless-skeletons":3,"chapter-global-survival-i-have-endless-skeletons-global-survival-i-have-endless-skeletons-chapter-38":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Global Survival: I Have Endless Skeletons",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1080802,1399,"Chapter 38: The Palace of Shattered Silence","global-survival-i-have-endless-skeletons-chapter-38",38,"\u003Cp>With slow, measured steps, Thoren strode forward, his grip tightening around the hilt of his iron sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cold metal pressed reassuringly against his palm, anchoring him to reality amid the suffocating eeriness of the ancient city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the distance, the outline of what had once been a magnificent palace gradually emerged from the fog.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in ruin, its presence dominated the city, towering above the surrounding structures like a fallen monarch refusing to bow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thoren increased his pace, deliberately ignoring the thousands of stone statues lining the streets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He refused to let their frozen gazes slow him down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he approached the palace grounds, the full extent of the destruction became clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stone bricks lay scattered across the courtyard, reduced to rubble as if struck by overwhelming force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Broken weapons, swords snapped in half, spears bent at unnatural angles, shields split cleanly down the middle, were scattered across the ground like discarded toys.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the palace walls, deep claw marks gouged through stone, each slash massive enough to suggest a creature of terrifying size.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some marks overlapped, as though multiple strikes had been delivered in a frenzy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thoren observed everything without faltering. His pace remained steady, though his pulse quickened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he moved deeper into the palace complex, he passed numerous crumbling buildings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some appeared to have been cleaved apart by a gigantic blade, their upper halves sliced cleanly away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others looked as though they had been partially devoured by an enormous beast, jagged bite marks still visible along the shattered stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The signs of destruction were chaotic, violent—and deliberate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching all of this, Thoren’s heart skipped a beat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What in the heavens happened here?\" he muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The devastation was nerve-wracking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had thought the carnage outside the ancient city walls was already beyond human comprehension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this, this was on another level entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt less like a battlefield and more like the aftermath of a divine punishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He forcefully swallowed the lump forming in his throat and pressed onward, his senses stretched to their limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the heart of the palace grounds stood a single structure that remained largely intact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thoren halted before it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the other buildings, this one bore intricate carvings of mystical beasts along its exterior walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite the ravages of time, the craftsmanship remained breathtaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after centuries or perhaps millennia, it was clear that this had once been an important place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the entrance stood two massive stone lions, their expressions fierce and vigilant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind them were rows of human stone statues clad in ceremonial armor. They resembled palace guards, eternally frozen in their duty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thoren studied the statues for a brief moment, then approached the massive wooden door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wood was dark, smooth, and unfamiliar, marked with faint runes that glimmered and faded in irregular intervals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He reached out and placed his hand against the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it appeared heavy and ancient, it yielded easily beneath his push.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creeeak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hinges groaned loudly, the sound echoing through the courtyard as though protesting being disturbed after countless ages of silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thoren took a deep breath and stepped inside, his undead minions following silently behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Absolute darkness welcomed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was thick, heavy, and suffocating, pressing down on him like an unseen weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air felt stagnant, devoid of movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within the darkness, the presence of his undead minions seemed to vanish entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for the faint soul connection linking him to them, he might have believed they had been erased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This place...\" Thoren murmured, his expression darkening. \"I need to get out of here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned slightly, preparing to retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Light bloomed within the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The darkness receded instantly, dissolving as if it had never existed. Pale illumination filled the vast chamber, revealing its interior in stark detail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sharp gasp escaped Thoren’s lips. He scanned the hall, searching for the source of the light but there was none.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No torches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No crystals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No visible source whatsoever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything only grew stranger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Whatever secret you’re hiding,\" he muttered, his eyes narrowing, \"I’ll uncover it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With renewed resolve, he walked deeper into the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The interior was grand beyond expectation. Tall pillars lined the chamber; their surfaces etched with faded symbols.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the walls hung numerous portraits but like those in the temple, they were blurred beyond recognition, as if deliberately obscured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thoren did not linger on them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His attention was drawn instead to the dozens of human stone statues arranged throughout the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These statues were different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They wore ornate robes and ceremonial attire. Their postures were dignified, authoritative.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Palace ministers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thoren frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Palace ministers should have been facing the throne. Yet every single statue had its gaze locked on the entrance door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their expressions were twisted in terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Desperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if they had witnessed something so horrifying that their souls had been frozen along with their bodies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Puzzled, Thoren tilted his head slightly, studying them more closely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These aren’t mere statues,\" he murmured. \"They were once human.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The realization sent a chill down his spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what kind of power could turn living beings into stone in an instant?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shook his head, forcing the thoughts aside. Whatever had happened here was beyond his current understanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze shifted to the center of the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The throne.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike everything else in the city, it was not made of stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The throne was crafted from an unknown black material, smooth and polished, radiating an oppressive presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It stood upon a raised platform, dominating the hall with silent authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anticipation surged through Thoren’s chest, but he suppressed the urge to rush forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surrounding statues made his skin crawl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He advanced cautiously, his vigilance heightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each step he took toward the throne echoed softly against the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With every step, the temperature dropped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air grew heavier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every hair on his body stood on end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without realizing it, he held his breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he reached the final step, the throne was only a few feet away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His nose twitched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His heart skipped violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew that smell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suffocating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, Thoren averted his gaze from the throne and looked beyond it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time seemed to stretch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What in the hell...\" the words slipped from his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind the throne lay a massive pool of blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It bubbled and boiled as though heated from within, sending thick steam rising into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surrounding the pool were thousands of strange carvings etched into the floor, each pulsing with eerie crimson light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood flowed into the carvings like living veins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Thoren watched, his breath hitched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, agonizingly slowly, the carvings began to move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint scream echoed through the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, it was distant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then louder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blood pool churned violently, steam flooding the chamber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hundreds of carvings activated at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was no ordinary pool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a blood sacrifice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for what?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For whom?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thoren’s muscles locked in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sudden tremor rippled through the floor behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stunned, he turned sharply, his face slick with cold sweat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His heart thundered in his chest like a war drum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stone statues had moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*****\u003C\u002Fp>",1210,"2026-06-03T10:41:31.485Z","2026-06-03T10:41:38.326Z",1,"novelbin.me","8a154b9d6521e4fee089f514dc3ef078a7da95298c5b8c83aa2409d42056403c","global-survival-i-have-endless-skeletons-chapter-39","global-survival-i-have-endless-skeletons-chapter-37",326,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fglobal-survival-i-have-endless-skeletons-cover.jpg"]