Chapter 260: Living Dead

Black and white are the purest two colors in the world. When they intertwine, they become a beautiful ink painting.

But what if red were inserted between black and white?

Then black and white lose their hue, leaving only vivid red.

"Chui Li Er! Chui Li Er! Where are you!!" Erbi Si knelt on the ground, her body covered in wounds, shouting aimlessly around her.

Below her feet lay a barren land with no grass, distant peaks rising, and scorching lava erupting from them from time to time.

The strange thing was that everything here, except Erbi Si herself, was black and white.

No, there was also red—the color of blood.

Black and white intertwine into a twisted, eerie scene. On the ground, blood flows like winding streams, staining vast areas crimson; the shocking red, set against black and white, appears even more intense and abrupt. Severed limbs lie scattered, some soaked in blood, showing a bizarre black‑red hue.

Erbi Si stared blankly at the corpses sprawled in the distance; their faces appeared especially pallid in the black‑white tones, their hollow gazes eerie, as if they had felt no pain before death—wooden and stiff.

Erbi Si didn't know how many she had killed; she only knew that after crossing that gate, she found herself here.

Chui Li Er, Kai De, and that newcomer were all gone. Around her was a barren wasteland, and in the distance a volcano spewed black lava.

It felt as if she were inside a black‑white painting.

These lying corpses had been living people wandering here just minutes ago. They simply couldn't understand Erbi Si, only kept approaching her, trying to attack.

Erbi Si had no choice but to fight back; these people acted like instinct‑driven ordinary humans, not even dodging her attacks. As a level‑11 Shadow Assassin, Erbi Si easily killed them all.

And she finally saw a color beyond black and white—the red of blood.

Erbi Si didn't know where she truly was; the pungent scent of blood constantly reached her nostrils, making her nearly vomit.

More importantly, since entering here, the overwhelming shadow energy has pressed on her like a mountain, leaving her breathless; she feels she's about to break.

Pat— pat—.

A sudden footstep sounded from behind her; Erbi Si whirled around and discovered a woman dressed in a Mage robe, wearing a black veil.

Erbi Si watched the woman approach gracefully, tightened her grip on the dagger in her hand and stood up, thinking she was another mindless living dead.

"Stop, I don't want to kill you." Erbi Si sighed, her hoarse voice weakly urging.

But she knew her plea would be in vain; the woman would, like the others, rush at her in a frenzy.

Yet the next moment, Erbi Si's pupils contracted; she was shocked to see the woman actually obeyed, stopping in place.

"Y-you're alive? Great!" Erbi Si shouted excitedly.

She tried to step forward two paces, then halted cautiously and asked, "Who are you?"

The woman opposite gave no answer, only murmuring softly, "You're the first living person I've seen; how did you get in?"

Erbi Si frowned; the lack of answer made her uneasy, but she knew that in this situation she needed to earn trust and show sincerity.

"I came here through a portal in a tomb, following my teammates; I didn't expect them to disappear the moment we entered." Erbi Si said, her expression dim and bewildered.

"My name is Erbi Si, from Anmu Diguo, a level‑11 Shadow Assassin. I don't know what this place is, but if you, like me, entered by accident, we could join forces to find a way out." Erbi Si said sincerely.

The woman remained silent for a moment, then lifted her black veil, revealing a delicate face.

"I also come from Anmu Diguo; I am a level‑13 Mage, and my name is Xia Nai."

——

Naimi Xisi rode a summoned phantom steed, strolling leisurely along the road. On the desolate plain, occasional living dead lunged at him, but were usually incinerated into charcoal by scorching beams. "I never expected it—such a tiny tomb yielding so much," Naimi Xisi said, gazing at the surrounding black‑white world, a smile curling his lips, his eyes full of delight.

"However…"

He turned to another charging living dead, froze it with telekinesis, and brought it before him.

Naimi Xisi stared at the living dead's dead‑still gaze, curiosity brimming: "What exactly caused your intellect to collapse completely?"

He instantly saw that these living dead were actually still living humans, not Undead at all.

On them, Naimi Xisi saw no trace of control whatsoever.

Strangely, these living people seemed mentally shattered, completely unconscious, wandering the wasteland purely on instinct.

They didn't seem to attack each other, yet often launched attacks when they saw themselves.

Is it because they are outsiders? Or because these living dead, not attacking humans, have sensed my true draconic identity?

Fortunately, Naimi Xisi's question was soon answered.

He spurred his mount toward the volcano and soon noticed a small black dot in the distance.

As he drew nearer, the black spot grew larger; only upon approaching did Naimi Xisi realize it was a black octahedron, ten meters tall, standing in the wasteland as if conjured from nothing.

!

"This is…"

Naimi Xisi frowned, approached the octahedron, and found its surface made of energy, radiating a strong shadow energy fluctuation.

He unleashed flames, lightning, even ice, but none could shake the octahedron's defensive surface, only causing ripples.

"Hmph!"

Naimi Xisi let out a cold snort and casually fired a dark‑green beam.

Seven Spell Circle Abjuration spell — 【Instant High‑level Dispel Magic】!

No matter what supernatural energy this is, if it isn't Mana, it will be restrained by High‑level Dispel Magic!

As expected, the moment the dark‑green beam touched the black octahedron's surface, the shadow energy melted away like snow, gradually dissipating and finally turning to ash in the air.

Simultaneously, at the exact center of the black octahedron, a man clad in armor fell to the ground, his eyes hollow as he surveyed his surroundings; then, as if realizing he was no longer inside the octahedron, a hint of bewilderment flashed in his gaze.

"W-where am I?" the man muttered blankly.

Naimi Xisi frowned, wondering why this fellow seemed as if he'd been locked in stupidity.

He delved into the man's mind and found his memories shrouded in darkness.

He screamed, struggled, stared blankly, and despaired in the darkness; his clear consciousness was gradually driven mad by that solitary darkness.

Naimi Xisi had a sudden realization: were those living dead driven mad by being trapped too long in this black octahedron?

Fortunately, this man hadn't been sealed for too long; though his memories were muddled, they were still curable.

A golden light flared in Naimi Xisi's hand, releasing a second-circle Divine Spell 【Calm Mind】 for him.

The man's eyes slowly began to regain their luster.

He first recalled, then his eyes showed pain, madness, despair, but these are good things, this indicates the other party still has emotional fluctuations.

【Calm Mind】 can soothe the emotional fluctuations of the recipient; after a period of struggle, the man gradually calmed down.

He looked at Naimi Xisi with some bewildered confusion and said, "Did you save me?"

(End of chapter)