Half a day later.
” Fuck! FUCKK!”
” Just how many traps are laid here?”
Nathan’s face was cold as he looked at his subordinates. Till now, they have been reduced to less than half.
” Mr. Nathan, I don’t want to act prude, but I feel you need to clear up things.” Luke spoke in a placid voice. ” Didn’t you say it’s at most four floor deep? So, this is the end, right?”
” Unfortunately…” Nathan spoke in a light voice. ” It seems like it’s one of those five floor pyramids.”
” Damn it! Don’t you dare to change the subject!” Luke shouted! ” We already got a box of gold coins! That should be enough, no!”
” That’s just a crumb of bread!” Nathan shouted. ” You think that’s everything inside this tomb? It’s just a distraction!”
” So what?!” Luke shouted. ” Didn’t we already have enough? What more you want!?”
Suddenly, A brilliant sword appeared in Nathan’s hand as he pointed it at Luke.
” If you don’t want to die, then shut the fuck up!”
Barry’s heart chilled as he felt a powerful aura from Nathan’s body.
‘ This…Is he a knight? His aura…It’s at least A rank!’
After mingling here and there, Barry managed to learn quite some secrets.
Church of Radiance and Knight’s Templar were the two biggest groups of knights. The remaining knights were either affiliated to old noble families or other factions.
‘ I can’t believe he was hiding his power so well. I need to be careful as I don’t certainties I can beat him in fair fight.’ Barry thought for a moment before stepping forward.
” Mr. Nathan. Are you sure we only have to go down one more floor?”
” Yes, I am sure of it. Everything, all the clues are showing me the path!” Nathan spoke with excitement.
” I admit we lost some of our members, but think of a bigger picture.” Nathan looked at them and spoke.
” Double payment for everyone, even for the deceased.”
” You!!”
” Luke, Calm down.” Barry clenched Luke’s arm and shook his head.
Luke understood Barry’s gaze as he sighed.
” Fine, I will lead. But, you must be fast. The air feels supressive here.”
” You don’t need to worry. There is sufficient air here for all…”
Suddenly, they heard the noise of heavy footsteps, alarming them.
” Get your weapons ready!”
” Everyone!”
Suddenly, the distant darkness illuminated with torchlight as they saw the tattered state of Professor Johnson and others.
” Hoh, Look at them. Looks like it’s not only us who are plagued by bad luck.” Nathan chuckled as he looked at Johnson.
Both groups stood at a respectable distance as they pointed weapons at each other.
” Nathan, I hope you don’t do anything recklessly.” Johnson spoke in a placid voice.
” I am not a warmonger. As long as you give us way, we won’t do anything.” Nathan spoke.
” What do you mean way? Is the exit not behind you?”
” Nope, It closed after we came down.” Nathan shook his head, but suddenly his expression stiffened. ” Don’t tell me…”
” Yes, Same thing happened in our direction.”
” What? How is that possible?”
” Damn it! Are we trapped four floors deep under the soil?”
” Professor! You said we can leave now! What are we going to do if all exits are closed!”
” Silence!”
Garry shouted as he silenced the protestor from his group. ” Have some faith in him. Without his knowledge, you really think you could have passed the traps there?”
” And besides, you are not the only ones who are trapped here.” He pointed at Nathan’s team. ” So why don’t you stop whining and focus on the matter at hand?”
Everyone understood Garry’s reasoning as they became silent. After all, Garry was also helping them throughout the venture.
” Nathan, This is not the time for our rivalry. Do you know a way out?” Johnson asked Nathan.
” Old John, Don’t tell me you haven’t guessed the way out already?” Nathan smirked.
” What is it, Professor?” Garry asked.
” A place filled with so many mechanisms, there must be a control room.” Professor explained. ” As long as we find the control room, we can unlock all exits and disable all traps.”
” But we didn’t find anything like that here?” Luke heard the chatter as he asked in confusion.
” Well, I told you.” Nathan shrugged. ” We need to visit the final floor to escape. That’s the core of t his entire tomb.”
” Nathan, I hope you understand what’s the significance of a five floor tomb.” Johnson’s expression became serious.
” Normal tombs are three story, while noble tombs are four story tombs. But this is a five floor tomb.”
” Correct, and this is the chance for us.” Nathan spoke of a burning obsession. ” There must be something truly amazing there. And I can’t wait to see it.”
” Mr. Nathan, Our manpower is already low, how about…” Luke whispered in Nathan’s ear. Nathan’s eyelid twitched when he heard Luke’s suggestion.
However, he didn’t reject it instantly. After a few thoughts, he nodded.
” Fine, although I am reluctant to say it, I think it would be good if we stick together.” Nathan looked at Johnson and spoke in a casual voice.
” Professor, Do you trust that guy?” Gary asked Johnson in a strange voice.
” Despite our differences…I think we should accept his proposition.” Johnson nodded. ” There is always strength in numbers, yes?”
Barry Burton stood at the sideline as he watched everything unfolding. His pendant was humming more and more.
‘ Although I feel there is a great treasure nearby, I also feel a strange apprehension. It’s like something unholy is lurking below us.’
He also looked at Gary Watson on the opposite side. He could feel that he wasn’t simple at all.
Finally, both teams gathered and looked around for clues.
” Everyone! Come here!”
” I found something!”
Suddenly, Barry and Gary realized they were at the same spot as they called out at the same time.
‘ Damn it, How did this rascal manage to see the clue here?’
‘ That person, how did he know the key is here?’
Gary and Barry both thought at the same time as they gazed at each other warily.
” Hoh, This painting is indeed odd. I think there is something that needs to be inserted in this hole.”
” Ah yes! That’s the cross we found earlier!” Nathan clapped his palm as he produced a gold encrusted cross from his bag.
As he inserted it into the hole like a key, the entire painting crumbled and showed a door. The stone door rumbled as it slowly opened.
A burst of cold air made them shudder as the staircase opened to an expanse of darkness.
As they slowly walked down and reached the bottom, their flashlights suddenly stopped working.
” Damn it! Light up the lanterns!”
” Ugh, It feels very cold here.”
Flame lanterns lit up as they slowly made their way forward.
” Haha! Good! Good, Looks like our materials have arrived.”
Everyone tensed up as they saw a figure in a black robe ahead.
” Holy fuck! I almost shit myself.”
” A human? Who is he?”
” Damn it! It looks like someone has already reached here faster than us!” Nathan shouted. ” Get that bastard!”
As they pointed their guns at him, a terrible roam echoed in the hallway.
” Kill them all! Off their souls!”
” Damn it! They are evil cultists!” Johnson shouted. ” Everyone! Protect yours-“
Suddenly an arrow shot toward Johnson. But before it could reach his heart, Gary deflected it with a punch.
” Professor! Are you ok?”
” I am fine! Thanks, Gary!”
” Open fire! OPEN FIRE!”
*BANG! BANG BANG!”
Luke and his men opened fire as bullets shot through the air. However, a crimson wave appeared before the cultist. Like bullets in water, the momentum of fired bullets slowed around him.
” Fuck! It looks like they got a mage or a mutant!”
” Be careful!”
” These bastards. You dare to stand against me?” Nathan clenched his teeth as a sword appeared in his hands.
” DIEE!!!”
Barry’s eyelid shrank as he saw Nathan’s body covered with a baleful aura. Charging forward like a bull, a single slash killed two cultists instantly.
” Hmph! Foolish to think you can stop us.” The cultist laughed as he raised his wands.
” Wanderers of darkness, aid us in our battle!”
” Damn it! They are using the surrounding’s negative energy to summon!”
The dark energy in the passage swirled as it turned into shadowy beasts.
*ROAR! ROAR!*
As the unholy beasts of darkness charged forward, bullets became ineffective against them.
” Fools! Your abilities! Drop the guns and pick the cold weapons!”
As two teams of archeologist joined to fight, the pressure on the evil cultists increased quite a bit.
” Ugh! Hang on and keep them away till our lord gets the treasure from the main vault.”
. Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire
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Meanwhile…
” Finally we are in the center of the tomb. Let’s open the coffi-“
Everyone inside the room suddenly froze as the coffin opened by itself.
” How lovely, you came here faster than I thought.
The evil cultist’s expression turned ugly as they saw a lich slowly getting up and looking at them with curious gaze.
” Fuck.”