Apocalypse Forecast

Chapter 718: Chapter 588 Time Is of the Essence_1

Those old turtles, are they probably sipping tea and enjoying the show?

Amidst the turbulence and roaring, at a corner of the narrow corridor, Huai Shi looked up toward the direction of the Iron Crystal Throne, only to see the dust raining down from the ceiling.

For some reason, he suddenly felt persecuted.

That bunch of old guys must be having a good laugh by now. Once someone takes the fall, they happily sip tea and watch the excitement unfold...

Maybe they’d even find all sorts of excuses to shirk their duties at such a critical juncture.

He knew all too well the nature of the Heavenly Kingdom Genealogy!

Persecuting newcomers, slacking off, throwing teammates under the bus... which had he not done before?

Just seeing how he had been venturing deep into enemy territory alone for so long, encountering only teams from two similar Exploration Teams by chance, and yet not receiving a single bit of reinforcement, made it evident there was trouble.

No matter how he thought about it, it had to be deliberate by this bunch.

In the midst of the loud noise, Death Perception came unexpectedly.

Huai Shi suddenly looked down, and the wall in front of him burst open, revealing the horrific scene in the hall behind it, where blood was splattered everywhere, and the Alien Species Horde was still engaged in a brutal slaughter.

The second ”Offensive” had failed again, leaving behind a trail of gruesome casualties. Eventually, the Undead Army had no choice but to retreat.

”Please give us one more quarter of an hour, Your Excellency.” The bloodied elder pushed aside the subordinate supporting him and assured Huai Shi, ”The enemy is already exhausted. Just give us fifteen minutes, and we will surely break through this defense!”

”Our side is just as exhausted, isn’t it?” Huai Shi shook his head. ”It’s not a matter of time, elder. The Undead Army isn’t suited for combat in such confined areas. Without depth for maneuverability, their mobility can’t be utilized, and continuing like this would only be adding to our casualties.”

He said, ”Now that our casualties have reached one-fifth, according to the contract, you are entitled to retreat and regroup, right?”

The elder widened his eyes, about to say something, but then he heard Huai Shi’s resolute command, ”Please take care of the wounded. Even after leaving the tower, you can still support the outer battlefield, can’t you? Leave the rest to me!”

After a brief silence, the elder slowly nodded, gesturing with a wave of his hand for his weary subordinates to start preparations for retreat.

”Thank you for your efforts and sacrifice.” Huai Shi nodded his farewell, expressing his gratitude, ”Apart from the commission, I really don’t know how else to repay your bravery. I will...”

”Mr. Huai Shi!” For the first time, the elder interrupted him, his eyes widened as if he had been insulted. The wound on his face split further with anger, and blood flowed anew. ”Do you think we fight so valiantly just to seek more wealth?”

Huai Shi was stunned, unsure how to respond.

”Your Excellency, even in Hell, sometimes there is hope for a Hero.” The elder bowed deeply. ”For us hordes like this, it’s the same—I believe everything is guided by The Eternal Ring. It’s just a pity we can’t witness what happens next...”

With that, he stepped back and said his formal goodbyes, ”I wish you success in your endeavors!”

”...Thank you.” Huai Shi fell silent for a moment before solemnly promising, ”Although I don’t consider myself a Hero, this victory will also belong to you.”

The elder seemed to smile, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

Included in this retreat were the injured from the Exploration Teams, as well as the Scholars and Alchemists, including Yuan Yuan and Lin Nineteen.

Those who stayed behind, aside from five Exploration Team members in good condition, also included the Gargoyles and the Frost Giant Army that had completed their rest.

The taciturn Frost Giants silently propped their axes, leaning against the narrow stairs to recover their strength. The chill spread with the sound of Axe Blades and Whetstones rubbing against each other. It provided an indescribable sense of reassurance.

After sensing the departure of the Undead Army, the Eye of Nightmare behind the broken wall, holding the terrain advantage, began to show eagerness to strike.

Similarly eager was Huai Shi. During the twenty minutes of rest and prolonged waiting, the Alchemy Bomb in his hand had shrunk to the size of a fist, resembling a purple crystalline cube, sparkling and translucent. After pouring one-third of the Source Substance into it, it seemed to have reached its limit. The Source Substance inside began to intensify and agitate, sparking uneasy electrical flares.

It could explode violently at any moment. Separated by the wall, Huai Shi silently counted down.

The cube in his hand spun silently on its own, the electrical flares growing more and more dazzling. Meanwhile, the Frost Giants, one after another, rose from their spots, and thick frosty Armor began to grow once again over their bare, slate-grey upper bodies.

Their Axe Blades glowed increasingly red in the burning air. This Nibelungen belonged to the Exploration Team leader. It was a luxury version unlike the rookie one in Huai Shi’s hand, enhanced by the Great Grandmaster’s personal touch on top of its various vitalities. It was also a major representation of the Iron Crystal Throne’s frontal combat power: an entire squad of thirty-four Frost Giants lay dormant in the world covered by eternal snow and ice.

They were thirty-four Third Stage Sublimators with the same Stigma. These Frost Giants from the Heavenly Kingdom Genealogy were famously adept at frontal combat. Even without the aid of Border Relics and Soul, they also lacked the human instinct to fear death and were unafraid to engage or retreat from battle. Death for them was but a return to the eternal storm. As long as there was enough Source Substance, they could swiftly grow out of the snowfields again in the form of Ice Crystals...

Fortunately, after a brief rest, the majority of the Frost Giants had regained their strength, enough to launch another ”Offensive” with Huai Shi. In the quiet, Huai Shi counted down.

Waiting for the noises of chaos behind the broken wall to draw closer and cross the predicted threshold, Huai Shi suddenly tossed the cube in his hand toward the wall behind him—the Alchemy Bomb, mixed with plenty of poisonous blood and metal fuel, shattered in midair, struck by a whistling arrow.

But the flames that ensued spread out just as instantly. The dancing redness, as if it had mass, brought a heavy presence with it, roaring as it expanded, filling the air inch by inch.

Even with defenses up, the scorching heat raged across the vast hall, provoking a chaotic cacophony of roars and shouts. In Huai Shi’s hand, the burning Banner suddenly plunged down, and a rolling darkness followed his abruptly flickering body, descending into this blazing inferno.

Shadow Burial Shuttle!

The heat-distorted air provided him with instant cover. The doors of the Buried Sacred Place opened, and countless Crows of the Yin Soul flew out, swarming across the sky, blocking the sun, and creating a brief moment of confusion before vanishing without a trace into the air.

What followed was the roaring of fractured walls as the entire hall shook violently.

As a dozen Frost Giants rammed into them, the metal walls, riddled with cracks, fell away in an instant. They flew forward, smothering the burning flames beneath as sparks scattered, and the frost wind emerged from the streams of fiery heat.

The towering Frost Giants, each over three meters tall, bellowed and charged, ignoring the differences in their heights as they launched another attack at the Eye of Nightmare upon the steps. Their massive heavy swords and hand axes fell, throwing up wails of despair.

Then, the piercing sound of whistles rose. Above the dome, the colossal, swirling fireballs suddenly paused, and within their flames, Salamanders dove downwards.

But what awaited them were the hideous silhouettes stepping out from the Buried Sacred Place. The Candle-Holding Crows flew into the Card, and with the Card’s shattering, the Paradise Guard, armed with hefty shotguns, re-emerged from the darkness.

In unison, they cocked their guns, aimed at the foes above, and then, chanted their devout praises.

”Holy be!!!”

Conical gouts of iron fire shot out, an intensely spread rain of silver and alloy. For Salamanders, an Abyss Horde inherently unable to wear armor or utilize defenses, this weapon with its vast coverage and short-range power was their nemesis.

Fireballs ceaselessly burst overhead. Their flames rained down, only to be quenched by the frost wind. In the severe cold, any Salamanders that fell to the ground and still attempted to struggle were promptly stomped and burst underfoot.

With the Frost Giants’ respite completed, their threat to the Eye of Nightmare was unprecedented, drawing the majority of attention.

Huai Shi glanced back at the Gargoyles. He lifted his Sword Blade, pointing at the commander beyond the layers of Iron Armor.

Thus, the Gargoyles, bearing long spears, spread their wings and fanned gales. The imposing Demons leaped into the air, only to clumsily crash back to the ground shortly after. The weight of Iron Stone created giant cracks in the ground where they landed.

It wasn’t just them. Everyone, including Huai Shi, suddenly felt their bodies drop heavily, as if weighed down by an unseen force on their shoulders, nearly too much to bear. Gravity had increased momentarily by more than five times.

Movements became laborious! Hidden within the enemy was a Scholar who specialized in the laws of gravitation.

But it was—of no use! The moment Huai Shi reached the very front of the shelter under the cover of the Frost Giants, those fragile temporary defenses had already begun to crumble.

In his hand, The Hammer of Sorrow swiftly extended. Amidst the Paradise Guard’s praises, fury and light blazed from its wolf-headed eyes. It drew in the Source Substance of despair from the air, growing ever more grotesque and sprouting sharp Dragon Scales!

It underwent self-transmutation. As if some restless aspect of The End Dragon·Bahamut’s legacy had been awakened, it revealed unprecedented ferocity and rage. Even the exhaust ports at its back began to expand and elongate amid the shrill sounds of metal grinding. Suffering instinctively gathers towards suffering, and Souls of despair are more apt at sensing where despair resides.

When the agony preserved from one hundred thousand Lizard Men sensed the wails of this Hell, these Source Substances, now fused with the weapon, became filled with uncontrollable anger towards this place of Hell.

The transcended Souls erupted in fury. In that instant, a Dragon Roar exploded from the Iron Hammer, tearing apart all other noise. Even the endless lamentations were quelled by that roar.

The iron wind howled. The ground rumbled.

Huai Shi’s hands briefly lost all sensation. Then, he saw the shockwave spreading. The barrier and shelter in front of him rapidly crumbled, crushed by an invisible force into the most basic dust and grit, carrying enough momentum to wedge into steel as it dispersed backward.

Dizziness and shock came abruptly. His fragile eardrums couldn’t withstand the torture and bled.

Huge fissures extended straight ahead from where the Iron Hammer smashed down. They cut lengthwise through the entire array of the Eye of Nightmare, climbing up the walls behind them. Beyond the fissures, the intricate structure of the Eternal Frozen Heart revealed a fierce facet.

Cold wind blew from the darkness, chilling everyone to the bone.

And Huai Shi, having already crossed the shelter, now stood amidst the encirclement of the Paradise Guard, mere feet away.

”Time is of the essence, gentlemen.” He looked around at those twitching faces, inquiring softly, ”So, either surrender, or die—have you made your decision?”