Chapter 156: Disease, there is a cure

Pushing down the iron ball, Ma Kusi immediately pushed the acceleration rudder to the end.

The wind-series engines hanging on both sides of the gasbag accelerated, pushing the airship to fly diagonally upward. Before long, a flash of light exploded behind them.

First it was a strong light, then a violent shockwave. This shockwave swept across the entire camp. Doors, windows, tents, sheds, vehicles, horses—all were blown to pieces.

After the shockwave, a cloud of dust rose into the sky and couldn't dissipate for a long time.

After it dissipated, only a large crater appeared where the iron ball fell. Everything within a range of at least five meters in diameter was annihilated, and the ground within a range of ten meters in diameter was scraped off a layer.

However, not many people died. Those beyond the ten-meter range would probably only be shaken and injured. After all, it was a pure energy explosion, without the additional damage of splashing fragments, but the camp's buildings were severely damaged.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, it's about the same as a Heaven-Falling Meteor. The power is too poor," Nai Ge Li Si said disdainfully. Heaven-Falling Meteor was a level-nine magic, a quasi-forbidden spell.

"The power is indeed too poor. Disintegrating hundreds of magic crystals at once, the power is only this much. The only advantage is that it doesn't need casting time, and it can be used for sudden attacks," Luo Ge said.

One iron ball, hundreds of magic crystals. If it weren't for a high-value target, even the wealthy Church of Light couldn't afford it, and it was too restricted. If the airship wasn't from the Bai Yin Knights, it would be impossible to fly calmly above the camp.

"How is it? Did the high-level ones die?"

"Doesn't seem like it. Chaotic but orderly, no loss of control, organizational ability hasn't been lost. They shouldn't be dead, or at least not all dead."

When he said this, several holy spirits flew up. In order not to let these iron-headed guys catch up, the airship's speed was pushed to the limit, and before long, it disappeared into the clouds.

"How about this? You drive the airship to the oasis. Saintess Lisha is already waiting for you. After landing, follow her arrangements, you know? Temporarily, you belong to Wa Gu Li. You are both goblins and should be able to get along," Nai Ge Li Si ordered.

Ma Kusi nodded, not having any other little thoughts, because standing behind him were two heavy-armored swordsmen wrapped in armor.

Ang transferred the two heavy-armored swordsmen who had been turned into zombies out. According to Nai Ge Li Si, it was to enhance the airship's protection so that it wouldn't be snatched away again.

But these heavy-armored swordsmen could cut him into two pieces at any time.

Of course, Ma Kusi wouldn't have any second thoughts. Even the Corrosion Mark on his body was lifted. He now felt incomparably relaxed, without the tightness he had when taking medicine before.

Obviously, the Church of Light's statement that they used poison to control him was a fact, not that the medicine was just to suppress the injury as the Church of Light said.

Just this point alone made him hate the Church of Light to death and hate the Bai Yin Knights to death.

Whatever Nai Ge Li Si said, he nodded and agreed, until he spoke of Wa Gu Li, and he asked in surprise: "Wa Gu Li? Goblin? Gear Award winner Master Wa Gu Li?"

"He seems to have mentioned some Gear Award. Do you know him?" Nai Ge Li Si asked.

"Gear Award winner! How ignorant must one be not to know him? That is the highest-level award in the engineering field..." Ma Kusi's voice became smaller and smaller, because he noticed the look on Nai Ge Li Si's face, and *whoosh* he reacted.

Nai Ge Li Si didn't know Wa Gu Li. Did he just say he was ignorant...

Before Nai Ge Li Si threw him off the airship, Ma Kusi changed the subject: "I heard that the iron ball was invented by Master Wa Gu Li."

"Oh? I was wondering why it looked so much like the shell of the Magic Egg Cannon," Nai Ge Li Si realized.

After sending the airship away, everyone followed Luo Ge's guidance, landed on the ground, and then found a cave entrance and drilled in.

"Dark Face City has been able to exist for so long because the terrain is too complex. Just find a cave entrance and drill in, and you can reach the underground caves that extend in all directions. But two connected cave entrances don't necessarily lead to the same cave. Even if the other party speaks as if they are ringing in your ears, wanting to meet might take half an hour of walking. If you are not familiar with the environment here, it is very easy to get lost."

After walking behind Luo Ge for half an hour, Nai Ge Li Si finally had a vivid understanding of the terrain here and sighed: "No wonder the Bai Yin Knights haven't been able to wipe you out for hundreds of years, and the church hasn't withdrawn their establishment. In this kind of place, let alone clearing out undead creatures, it is very difficult to find your traces."

"Yes, living people still need to eat, drink, and defecate, leaving traces. We undead creatures, if truly forced, hide in the second or third layer, and even if they die, they won't find us. It's just that in recent years, there have been more and more living people, and they are often implicated." Luo Ge sighed.

Nai Ge Li Si's eyeballs turned, and he tentatively asked: "Have you ever thought that these living people were deliberately driven in by the Bai Yin Knights?"

Luo Ge's footsteps stiffened, stopping for half a step. When he walked again, his whole body felt a bit slumped, as if his waist had been bent by something heavy.

"It seems Nai Ge my lord saw it at a glance. Sigh, after we were stupid for many years, we finally understood this point. But these living people are just some poor people who are lonely, helpless, and have nowhere to go. There are no spies or believers of the church inside. Even if we know, what can we do? Kill them all?" Luo Ge's tone was full of helplessness and annoyance.

"It's normal not to send spies. Undead creatures will definitely have people who can soul-search, but as long as you don't kill them, living people eat, drink, and defecate, leaving traces. Even if you don't care about these living people, they will occupy large areas, thereby compressing your activity space. This is an unsolvable plot."

"Yes, I only understood this point after many years. Do you know who the first few batches of people who fled here were?" Luo Ge smiled bitterly:

"When we were active in the human territory, didn't we collect some native undead creatures? They all had relatives. The first few batches of living people driven here were their relatives. Let alone killing them, those lich companions of ours who looked thirty or forty years old had to act as ancestors for their seventy or eighty-year-old children. The son died, the grandson grew up, and they still had to find a wife for the grandson. After the child was born, they had to find ways to add nutrition..."

"In the end, those living people were all related to our liches. Many liches were ancestors, grandfathers, and grandmothers. Some people have been bringing up grandchildren for hundreds of years. Now, seeing their grandchildren makes their souls weak."

"Pfft!" Nai Ge Li Si laughed out loud.

"I brought all the undead creatures this time, also wanting to be cruel and throw away this big burden. If I could lure the Bai Yin Knights away, that would be even better. Dark Face City has a large space, and without the Bai Yin Knights, everyone can live very well." Luo Ge sighed.

Nai Ge Li Si shook his head: "You think too much. The Bai Yin Knights need an enemy, not to eliminate the enemy. If you leave, those living people in Dark Face City will become their enemies."

Luo Ge's form stiffened again and fell completely silent.

Not chatting, Nai Ge Li Si's attention returned to the surrounding environment. Very quickly, he saw a characteristic. The path Luo Ge took was all where sunlight could shine in or reflect in.

If there were two caves, one pitch black and one with faint light, Luo Ge would definitely choose the one with light. Logically speaking, he was an undead creature and didn't need sunlight to see the environment clearly.

"Oh, it's like this. Places where sunlight can shine in, we call it the first layer. It has a characteristic: no matter what, you won't get lost. At worst, climb up, and you can reach the ground. This is our main activity range. Places where sunlight can't shine in, we call it the second layer. The passages inside extend in all directions and are very complex. If I hadn't explored the environment here in advance, I wouldn't dare to take you down. If you get lost, you won't be able to come out," Luo Ge explained.

"Oh, I seem to have heard you mention the second and third layers just now. Is there a third layer?" Nai Ge Li Si asked.

"Correct, the third layer refers to that kind of almost vertical passage, deep underground for thousands of meters, an almost completely independent cave system. I have discovered different ecological environments and species there. Because it is too complex, I didn't dare to explore it deeply."

"You know, I am a Black Warrior. After virtualizing, I can penetrate a certain distance of rock layers. If I get lost in the second layer, at worst, I can penetrate the rock layer above and come out. But the third layer is too deep. Even if I get lost inside, I might be trapped in it forever. If that He Mo Er Tos is really hiding in Dark Face City, then he is most likely hiding in some independent cave in the third layer," Luo Ge said.

Nai Ge Li Si wanted to retreat after hearing this. Getting lost in such complex underground caves was no joke. Even if Ang was the Undead God, he would have to stay in it forever.

Just as he wanted to persuade Ang to give up the idea, looking back, where was Ang's shadow?

"Damn it! Where are you?" Negris was stunned. He wouldn't get lost here, would he? In this kind of place, if you get lost, even if they have a soul connection, they might not be able to find each other.

Fortunately, Ang didn't fall far behind. Following the original path back for dozens of meters, he saw the Little Xiao Jiangshi, the Little Angel, and Lightning squatting on the ridge. Below was a relatively flat piece of land, and traces of ridges and furrows could be vaguely seen.

Nai Ge Li Si covered his face. Alright, he knew why Ang couldn't move.

Just as he wanted to persuade Ang to give up the idea and not go looking for He Mo Er Tos, the excuse came: "Eh, this is an abandoned farmland."

Ang nodded.

"The terrain is flat, the light is suitable, it's a good place to plant things."

Ang nodded vigorously.

"There is water there too. Dig some ditches and ridges, and you can lead the water over. Planting things is time-saving and labor-saving."

Ang nodded vigorously.

"Then we plant things and don't look for He Mo Er Tos." Nai Ge Li Si changed the subject.

Ang shook his head.

"..." Not being able to trick Ang made him very disappointed, and he couldn't help but ask:

"Why do you insist on killing him? We talk to Anthony and let him leak the news, hiding our information, wouldn't that be fine? Over the years, the coalition army of humans, elves, and dwarves has wiped out He Mo Er Tos I don't know how many times. Are you still afraid of him running rampant?"

"Bug plague, locust, gnaw crops, won't grow," Ang said.

"You treat it as a locust plague? No, even if it's a locust plague, you wouldn't be so active about things other than planting things. There must be another reason. Speak!" Nai Ge Li Si saw through Ang's evasion at a glance.

This dead skeleton used to be very simple, saying what he had to say, but ever since Nai Ge Li Si opposed him planting things everywhere, he started to evade the important things. Although he hadn't learned to lie, he had learned to pick unimportant things to say. If he didn't ask, he might not say the most important information.

And Ang had now learned to say sentences of more than five words. If he still popped out one or two words, there must be a problem.

"Bug ash, can plant World Tree," Ang said.

"You can plant World Tree without bug ash," Nai Ge Li Si said in confusion. Just after saying that, his consciousness *whoosh* shrank back to the Anxi Zhigong, controlling the main body to sweep to the farm.

In the corner of the farm, a branch of the World Tree was inserted into the ground. The soil on the ground had been mixed with black dragon soil and bug ash. On the bare branch, some small buds sprouted. On the surface of the branch, patches of gray showed that these branches were once diseased branches.

Yes, the diseased branches of the World Tree. As long as you reported the teleportation array, you could get them for free. The Elves distributed them everywhere, just wanting to find a way to cure the World Tree.

Nai Ge Li Si made an agreement with the World Tree and asked the Elves for a few thick ones, preparing to continue to stimulate the fruit to take seeds. However, later he found that there were too many World Trees to plant, so he threw them aside.

Now, one of the thickest diseased branches of the World Tree was inserted into the ground by Ang and stimulated new buds. The gray spots on its branches had lightened a lot. If you scraped it gently, it even revealed fresh fibrous tissue.

"This... you planted the diseased branch alive? The Elves will go crazy," Nai Ge Li Si muttered in a daze.

Why were the Elves so anxious? Because the World Tree was sick. Theoretically, the World Tree still had nine thousand years of life, but the World Tree was sick.

The Elves spent a lot of money and bought twenty World Trees from Ang, holding onto the last bit of hope, using quantity to exchange for probability, hoping to plant a real World Tree with wisdom.

If they knew that Ang had planted the diseased branch of the World Tree alive and that the World Tree's disease had a cure, and that the World Tree might live to the end of its life, the Elves might really go crazy.

After all, nine thousand years—many species didn't even have a history of nine thousand years.

"Is bug ash so useful? Should we go and accumulate more?" Nai Ge Li Si felt his mentality had changed. Just now he didn't want to go because he was afraid of danger, but now he wanted to go and accumulate more.

Thinking of what came, suddenly, a burst of screaming and running sounds came from somewhere unknown, getting closer and closer. More than a dozen humans, old and young, ran out of the cave ahead.

Bumping into Ang's party, they were slightly stunned, and then one of the men shouted excitedly: "City Lord Luo Ge?! Save us! Ah!"

A black insect pounced on the man's neck and bit off a piece of flesh, biting him until he screamed miserably.

A cloaked person, surrounded by a large pile of insects and beetles, turned into this cave: "Hehe, where are you running? Bring me to the place where you gather. My children are so hungry." ===== CHAPTER 157 =====