Chapter 199: Shadow Legion

The dim, damp underground second level.

Jiang Yuan dragged an empty corpse-wrapping bag, staggering down the passageway piled with junk.

Each step felt like treading on a blade's tip; the weakness and chill inside him screamed wildly, threatening to drag him completely into stupor.

But he could not stop.

Ahead was that three-meter-tall deformed giant, the area patrolled by The Butcher.

The heavy, rhythmic footsteps, like a death knell, came from the corridor's turn.

Getting closer.

Jiang Yuan stopped, breathing heavily, his sweat already soaking the thin patient gown.

He glanced at the corpse-wrapping bag in his hand, then at the dark end of the passageway.

On his face appeared a hint of desperate madness.

He no longer restrained himself.

He completely released the binding on the dark power within him!

"Come out!"

Jiang Yuan let out a final roar in his mind!

Boom!

The small shadow beneath his feet, at this moment, like a volcanic eruption, exploded violently!

Darker and more violent than any before, the darkness swept the entire passageway!

The walls on both sides of the passageway, under the impact of this pure dark energy, emitted groans of being unable to bear it, cracking open countless spiderweb-like fissures!

Roar——?

At the turn, The Butcher wielding a giant axe felt this equal-level terrifying aura; its simple mind filled with bloodlust let out a confused yet savage roar!

Before it could react.

The black tentacles bursting from Jiang Yuan's shadow, like sharks smelling blood, lunged at the surrounding startled, stumbling corpse ghost minions!

Rend!

Devour!

Crush!

This was a slaughter without any suspense!

Those monsters that were nightmares to ordinary people were as fragile as paper before the fully berserk Shadow Ghost!

In just a few seconds, the surroundings were completely cleared!

Having done that, the massive Shadow Ghost formed of pure darkness abruptly turned, directing its faceless "face" toward The Butcher at the passageway's end!

Two terrifying entities from the Abyss faced off at this moment!

Roar!

The Butcher let out a provoked roar, took heavy steps, and launched an assault!

Earth-shaking!

The Shadow Ghost showed no weakness, turning into a black torrent that boldly met it!

Boom——

At the moment the giant axe collided with the dark tentacles, a terrifying energy shockwave erupted, lifting a layer of the ground!

Now!

At the moment of releasing the Shadow Ghost, Jiang Yuan's body felt as if all strength had been drained, and he softly collapsed to his knees.

He clung to his last breath, exerting all his strength to open the corpse-wrapping bag, then crawled inside with hands and feet, in a sorry state.

Zipper......

His fingers trembled, several times failing to align.

Outside, the clamor of The Butcher and the Shadow Ghost's battle was deafening.

No, hurry up!

Jiang Yuan bit his tongue, exchanging sharp pain for a hint of clarity, finally fastening the zipper and then yanking it hard!

Whoosh——

Before his eyes, total darkness fell.

It also shut out that hellish scene outside.

But the true hell had only just begun.

Inside the narrow, sealed corpse-wrapping bag, Jiang Yuan could clearly feel the changes in his body.

Cold.

A chill rising from his marrow and soul depths was madly eroding him.

While the Shadow Ghost's power fought The Butcher, it was also eroding him, this "host," at an unprecedented speed!

His consciousness was like a sugar cube tossed into concentrated sulfuric acid, rapidly dissolving.

One after another, scenes not his own, filled with brutality and hunger, flashed wildly in his mind.

"No......"

"I am Jiang Yuan......"

"I...... am Jiang Yuan......"

He curled up inside the corpse-wrapping bag, his body convulsing violently, like a fish thrown ashore.

He expended his last will, guarding the tiny island of himself named Jiang Yuan.

But that dark tide was too vast.

Gradually.

His struggle grew ever weaker.

His heartbeat began to slow and weaken.

Bang...... Bang............ Bang..................

Finally, it stalled.

His pupils completely dissolved in the endless darkness.

The last breath also vanished into this dead, silent darkness.

Jiang Yuan died.

At the moment his consciousness faded, Shadow Ghost's power lost its final restraints and fully possessed the body.

Visible strands of black gas seeped from his pores, inflating the entire Corpse-wrapping Bag.

But...

This massive power showed no sign of revival.

Its will, outside, was wrestling in the most primal, most brutal struggle with another equal-level will.

It had no time for anything else.

This power, at this moment, became ownerless.

No one knew how long had passed.

Perhaps a second, perhaps a century.

In this pure, ownerless sea of dark energy, a faint human will rekindled.

"Live on."

"I will live on!"

This will was Jiang Yuan's obsession.

It was like a spark falling into this dark oil field!

Boom!

The ownerless massive power, at this moment, found a new master!

This will began to command that power!

Forcefully, domineeringly, it ordered the already stopped heart!

Throb!

Thump!

A heavy, powerful heartbeat roared in this dead silence of darkness!

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Faster and faster! Stronger and stronger!

Command the lungs that had already ceased breathing!

Breathe!

"Hoo—!"

Jiang Yuan gasped sharply, as if a drowning person finally burst onto the surface!

He struggled, using his now‑his hands entwined with dark energy, and ripped open the Corpse-wrapping Bag's zipper!

Light poured back in.

Jiang Yuan breathed heavily, sitting up from the Corpse-wrapping Bag.

The cold and shadows of that death‑moment still shrouded him, making his heart race with lingering fear.

But...

He survived.

And...

Jiang Yuan slowly raised his hand, spreading his palm.

Pure strands of black gas, like docile pets, continuously emerged, swirled, and coalesced in his palm.

That power which once tried to devour him now became part of his body.

He turned his head, looking toward where The Butcher and Shadow Ghost had fought.

There, it was empty.

Whether The Butcher or Shadow Ghost, both had vanished without a trace.

No.

Jiang Yuan could feel.

Shadow Ghost devoured The Butcher.

But because the strengths of their wills were hard to discern, Shadow Ghost's will, while devouring the other, was also tightly restrained by the other's will.

It was like two peerless masters perishing together, both souls scattering.

And he, Jiang Yuan, became the ultimate Fisherman.

He had fully mastered Shadow Ghost's power.

Incidentally...

Jiang Yuan extended his hand toward the empty space before him.

The next second.

A terrifying figure three meters tall, wielding a massive axe, silently emerged from the shadows.

It was The Butcher!

Its frenzied will was tightly locked by the Shadow Ghost, and its pure power, at this moment, was also completely manipulated by Jiang Yuan using the Shadow Ghost's power!

It became Jiang Yuan's puppet!

Shush......

All around, the startled corpse ghosts once again closed in.

Jiang Yuan watched those shambling monsters approach, his face devoid of any expression.

He stood up, stretched out his hand, toward the surging corpse tide.

In an indisputable, king‑like tone, he issued the command.

"Stand up."

The moment his words fell.

On the ground, the shadows of all objects began to twist and writhe wildly!

The next moment.

One, two, ten, dozens......

Hundreds of corpse ghosts, formed purely from shadow and of various forms, slowly rose from the darkness on the ground!

Their hollow eye sockets burned with the same dark energy as Jiang Yuan's palm, belonging to the Shadow Ghost!

Like...... a shadow legion.