bdsm-fiction Chapter 78 The Land of Death
Chapter 78 The Land of Death
The "Hometown of Blood Therapy" is currently in a pioneering phase.
The area around the teleportation point must have been cleared by explorers who came to explore it one after another.
Therefore, relying on his abundant physical strength, Yu Jing decisively shouldered his bag and ventured into the dark and dense forest, following the map route in his notebook straight to the fork in the road leading to the fishing village.
His judgment proved to be correct.
Although the dense forest environment was harsh, we did not encounter any monster attacks along the way.
If you occasionally hear strange noises or see the monster detector's pointer swing, you can easily avoid them by simply hiding in place for a while.
Before arriving at the fishing village, Yu Jing did not intend to waste time dealing with the monsters in the dark forest.
His goal was clear: to obtain the Blood of Enlightenment.
Half an hour later, he finally arrived at the fork in the road that the explorer had highlighted.
Holding a small fluorite lamp emitting a pale green glow in his left hand, he stretched it forward to illuminate the dilapidated road sign at the intersection. The two arrows pointed to the left and right respectively, and the words on it were blurred, leaving only a few claw marks and faint bloodstains.
Yu Jing stared at the road sign for a while.
He knew that the right side led to the tower, so the road on the left must lead to the fishing village.
Turning around to look at the stone path that stretched into the depths of the dark forest, Yu Jing felt, perhaps it was just his imagination, that the forest ahead seemed increasingly secluded, and that the air was filled with a damp, chilly atmosphere that made him inexplicably uncomfortable.
This eerie atmosphere... is very similar to how he felt when he passed by the group of fish-men corpses bound to crosses last time.
We've found the right direction!
He closed his notebook and stuffed it into the inside pocket of his trench coat, then pulled out a piece of chocolate and popped it into his mouth to replenish his energy.
From here on, Yu Jing will have to explore the path on his own.
Continuing along the stone path, he kept a close eye on the changes in his surroundings and soon noticed that the density of the trees along the roadside had increased visibly, and that the branches that should have been bare were beginning to sprout a lot of leaves and vines.
The stone path beneath our feet was also covered with layers of humus.
Logically, this is the state a forest should be in. The problem is that the woodland Yu Jing had passed through earlier was full of withered, bluish-gray tree trunks, and there wasn't a trace of green on the branches.
Such a huge change in just a few hundred meters...
There must be a demon in the abnormal situation!
We walked down a slope with all sorts of oddly shaped stones piled up on both sides.
Yu Jing could sense that the ground was sinking significantly, so he began to try to use his spirituality to perceive the surrounding environment.
He didn't think the woodland here was more suitable for the growth of trees. The sudden appearance of leaves and the vines clinging to the branches did not give him the impression of vibrant life. Instead, they exuded a gloomy and deathly aura.
Just as he was wondering about this, he turned a corner, and the view ahead answered his question.
Under the murky yellow moonlight, a cluster of graves, shrouded in gray mist, suddenly came into his view, stretching into the dark depths of the distance.
A deathly silence enveloped the entire area like a tide, completely silencing even the chirping of insects or strange roars.
Even the terrifying beasts that roamed the depths of the dense forest seemed to be deliberately avoiding this dark and gloomy place.
Yu Jing suddenly stopped in his tracks, feeling a chill run down his spine.
Deep within this dark, dense forest teeming with all sorts of twisted monsters, lies a large cemetery.
What kind of absurd town planning is this?
Is it because this place isn't eerie and terrifying enough, and they're planning to fight fire with fire?
With just a quick glance, Yu Jing noticed something amiss and subconsciously raised his eyebrows.
There is no doubt that this cemetery has long been forgotten, or has never been managed in the first place.
This is not his subjective conjecture, but is supported by direct evidence.
Firstly, there are no obstructions around the cemetery.
Generally speaking, large-scale cemeteries like this must have fences around the perimeter to prevent grave robbers or wild animals from damaging the tombs, and cemetery guards must be stationed inside to patrol day and night.
Secondly, the tombstones were extremely dilapidated.
Regardless of local customs, after a person dies, there should always be a tombstone to record who the person was, so that future generations can come to pay their respects or remember their ancestors.
But when Yu Jing looked out, all he could see were crosses made of wooden sticks and wire, with a few strips of cloth tied to them, which could barely be considered a form of marking.
In his view, there is only one explanation for this situation.
At a certain point in time, a large number of people suddenly died in nearby towns, and the cause of death was very likely related to some kind of epidemic. In order to prevent the further spread of the epidemic, the town's administrators were forced to bury the dead in a centralized location far from the town.
Also due to the epidemic, no one dares to stay here for long.
Ultimately, this was the only way to deal with the large-scale deaths caused by the epidemic...
Yes, it's the Beastification Disease!
The monster Yu Jing killed during the novice trial, according to the Soulfire information provided by the Torch Watch, was a Healing Church priest suffering from a severe beastification infection.
Even religious personnel struggled to prevent the spread of disease, demonstrating the extent to which the situation had deteriorated at the time.
Connecting the known clues to outline the whole picture of the incident, Yu Jing immediately took out his notebook and pencil to record the location and situation of the cemetery, and added his own speculations at the end.
As for drawing, he hasn't mastered the skills yet. It's best not to embarrass himself with his elementary school-level artwork.
He planned to copy the contents of another notebook and combine them into one when he got back.
While finding the Blood of Enlightenment was Yu Jing's goal for this trip, he also did not forget the commission he had accepted from the Exploration Bureau.
The value of this information is undeniable; it can all be exchanged for exploration points.
After gathering intelligence, a new problem arose.
The road leading to the fishing village runs directly through the cemetery. Do I have to cross it?
No, we'll take a detour!
Yu Jing frowned and pondered for a while, then decisively turned around and walked towards the side of the cemetery.
Unsurprisingly, this cemetery is filled with the corpses of those who died from the plague. And yet, it's located deep within this dark, monster-infested forest. Who knows what might be hidden in the thick fog that hangs between the graves?
Compared to the risks of crossing the cemetery, even if it took more time, Yu Jing had no intention of getting involved.
Besides, the cemetery is ultimately limited in size; no matter how wide it gets, it won't be very wide. With the map inside the Torch Watch as a guide, even if you take a detour, you won't get lost. As long as you walk along the edge of the cemetery, you'll always be able to get back to the main road.
Yu Jing's figure gradually disappeared into the gray mist in the forest.
A blurry outline flashed by in the cemetery, stirring the mist, and followed the lingering scent in the air.
Even though Yu Jing was already being very careful.
As a living being, the aura emanating from him was still far too conspicuous for certain beings in the desolate land!