Chapter 753: Helping Out (Double Period Request for Monthly Votes)

Lu Mi had originally assumed that this cemetery attendant, whose face was covered in light brown age spots, had already been assimilated by the underground crypt, becoming part of this peculiar place, and that over time he would grow ever more like a corpse, losing all vital breath, forever sleeping within the upright, rotting coffins.

Who knew he could still leave the massive chamber leading to the "Well of the Samaritan Woman," holding in his hand a burning white candle.

"Taking turns guarding the entrance to the 'Well of the Samaritan Woman,' and the longer one stays there, the deeper the crypt's unique corruption sinks in, the less one resembles a living being—until finally, one no longer needs a lit white candle to protect oneself from being swallowed by the crypt? And once relieved from duty, one slowly recovers?" Lu Mi watched the elderly attendant climb the stairs step by step, his suspicions rising.

As the distance closed and the candlelight illuminated them, the several college students gradually made out the figure approaching.

They recognized the attendant's uniform, but had never before encountered one so aged, so seemingly decayed.

His face, speckled with brown age spots, his eyes pitch-black and cold, his breath faint to the point of near absence—instinctively, they felt fear, shifting closer to one another, seeking warmth and courage from their companions.

Tap, tap, tap—the faint footsteps echoed as the elderly attendant halted at the entrance to the "Old Bone Chamber."

Suddenly, he turned his body, fixing his lifeless gaze upon Lu Mi.

"I need you to do something." The attendant's voice was hoarse, flat, and matter-of-fact.

Me? Do we know each other? And I came here to lie in wait for Harrison—no one was notified, it was purely an impulsive, last-minute decision—why would you have something for me? Lu Mi was stunned.

The college students felt the same.

They hadn't expected this eccentric, prank-loving classmate to be acquainted with such a terrifying cemetery attendant.

Had he really explored the underground crypt so many times that he'd become friends with the attendants?

Amid his confusion, Lu Mi stood and followed the elderly attendant to one side of the "Old Bone Chamber" entrance.

He wanted to hear what this man wanted, why he had come looking for him.

In the thick darkness, the attendant—holding a short stub of white candle, his face rendered even more horrifying by the dim yellow flame—spoke without emotion:

"There's been an anomaly among the corpses in the southwest corner of the fourth level. Go deal with it."

"Me?" Lu Mi pointed at himself with his right hand—the one not holding the candle.

Why not find another attendant? Or an official transcendent? Why me?

And he gave it as an order!

Did he see through my true nature as a mercenary adventurer? But he didn't even mention payment…

"Yes." The elderly attendant gave a slight nod. "My spirit and flesh are nearly decayed. I can no longer engage in daily combat."

Lu Mi studied the attendant for a moment, then ventured:

"Do you know me?"

Deep wrinkles on the attendant's face unfolded one by one, forming a strange smile:

"You're one of us."

One of us… Lu Mi was bewildered, yet a faint suspicion began to form.

"Go deal with it now. The longer you wait, the worse it gets." The elderly attendant turned and walked back toward the "Old Bone Chamber" entrance.

I came here to lie in wait for Harrison on the Resurrection Isle, not to work for you… Lu Mi muttered silently, yet driven by curiosity and the need to confirm his suspicions, he followed the attendant—more corpse than living man—step by step down the stone stairs.

Along the way, he smiled and waved at the college students, freezing them in terror, none daring to respond.

Only when Lu Mi and the elderly attendant's figures vanished deep into the stone stairs, leaving behind only faint flickers of flame, did the students finally relax and exhale.

That guy really knows the cemetery attendants well!

He must know this place inside out!

Are the rumors he told us actually true?

Recalling Lu Mi's descriptions of dormitory oddities and the consequences of extinguishing candles, the students shuddered simultaneously, pulling their white candles closer to their bodies.

Descending layer by layer, past the François Tomb and the Hall of the Blood Confraternity, Lu Mi soon arrived with the elderly attendant at the southwest corner of the fourth level of the underground crypt.

With the remaining third of his white candle, Lu Mi saw a skeleton standing three to four meters tall.

It was composed of numerous bleached bones from different corpses, shaped vaguely human, with seven or eight skulls, and every eye socket was utterly dark—no colored flame burned within.

At this moment, the massive skeleton was opening different tomb chambers, pulling out sharp bones, and adding them to the giant bone sword in its grasp.

The candlelight barely reached that area; darkness flowed like liquid there, bringing an indescribable chill and terror.

Even before he drew near, Lu Mi involuntarily felt fear and revulsion—as if walking step by step toward death.

His blue eyes rapidly turned iron-black, reflecting the corpse's pallid hue.

It lay deep within the chest, as if one had to split open layer upon layer of white bone to reach it.

"See it? Deal with it." The elderly attendant spoke again, as if giving orders to a comrade or subordinate.

"What abilities does it have?" Lu Mi didn't mind offering help—he'd just acquired a powerful item and wanted to test it—but he wouldn't rush into battle blindly. He needed to understand the monster first, plan his strategy.

The white candle in the elderly attendant's hand had dwindled to its last flicker, the dim yellow flame stubbornly holding on.

He shook his head:

"I don't know. But it's suppressed by the crypt—it can't manifest much of its power."

"Once night falls outside, who knows? We must clear it now."

Suppressed by the underground crypt… Lu Mi pondered, then asked:

"How often have similar anomalies appeared recently?"

"Normal. One or two times a month," the attendant replied hoarsely.

Even under total suppression, anomalies still occur? Just like other areas of underground Trill… Lu Mi was about to ask more questions when the massive, mud- and mold-covered aberrant skeleton seemed to sense them—it spun around violently, raising its great sword of countless sharp bones.

The blade's surface immediately ignited with pale flames.

Thud-thud-thud—the skeleton with seven or eight skulls moved stiffly but swiftly, charging toward Lu Mi and the attendant.

The surrounding darkness surged forward, bringing a cold that froze marrow and terror that pierced the soul.

Lu Mi didn't hesitate—he reached into the "Traveler's Satchel," gripping the "Sword of Courage."

A surge of heat flooded his entire body.

"What's there to fear?

"Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Lu Mi drew the iron-black greatsword and charged toward the colossal skeleton and its terrifying bone blade.

Then he swung the "Sword of Courage" upward.

White flame tinged with blue erupted along the blade's edge.

Crash!

The iron-black greatsword clashed with the giant bone blade midair.

Lu Mi's knees bent, his feet sinking into the soil.

The skeleton's strength was immense; the white-blue flame and the pale flame entangled, canceling each other out.

Lu Mi did not fear.

His eyes gleamed with excitement—he tensed his thighs, straightened his knees, and advanced, slashing again with the iron-black greatsword.

The bone blade responded like a boulder crashing down.

Boom!

This collision triggered a violent explosion; the fierce shockwave, laced with white-blue flame, slammed into the skeleton's body, hurling it back two steps.

Lu Mi pressed forward, slashing again with the "Sword of Courage."

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Again and again, blade met blade, each impact exploding—bones fell from the skeleton, charred black; even the bone sword itself had visibly thinned.

Finally, Lu Mi broke through its guard and drove his blade deep into its chest.

Boom!

A ball of white-blue flame swelled within, piercing clean through its entire body.

The colossal skeleton froze.

Clatter-clatter-clatter—it collapsed entirely, like a castle of stacked blocks toppled by a hand.

Lu Mi sheathed his iron-black greatsword, turned half his body, and smiled at the elderly attendant:

"Done."

As he spoke, he slipped the "Sword of Courage" back into the "Traveler's Satchel."

The moment he finished, Lu Mi snapped back to clarity:

Was that it?

I did expect to charge in and fight head-on—but I didn't think I'd win just by brute force…

Truly, the "Sword of Courage"…

Hearing Lu Mi's words, the elderly attendant, candle nearly extinguished, slowly approached.

Lu Mi's mind raced. Emboldened by his recent help, he feigned casualness:

"Has anyone else been to the 'Well of the Samaritan Woman' in recent months?"

That was the place with the strongest death energy in the entire crypt—Harrison might be drawn there.

The elderly attendant turned his slow gaze toward Lu Mi and spoke in his hoarse voice:

"Extinguish the candle."

What? Extinguish the candle? Are you trying to get me killed? Lu Mi's first thought was that the attendant meant to harm him.

Without a lit white candle here, one is mysteriously erased—forgotten by everyone!

At that moment, the attendant's candle burned to its end, flickered once, and went out completely.

Darkness surged toward the elderly man, as if drowning him in deathly silence.

He did not vanish.

In that instant, Lu Mi remembered many things—including the attendant calling him "one of us," and his own speculation on the matter.

He had not yet made his final, mad decision when the darkness around the attendant surged violently, engulfing him entirely.

His white candle suddenly went out.

PS: Double period—please vote for monthly tickets~

(End of chapter)