103.2. The Corpse of a Dead God—Ancient God
Karso City
Magic Society Mission Hall.
Xiling returned to his loyal work hall. A receptionist there immediately smiled brightly at the sight of the frustrated hero.
"Yo! Xiling, came back from your daydreaming days?"
"Your mouth is as sweet as honey as always." Xiling didn't hesitate to give her the middle finger.
"Oh, you're so annoying!" Vera cupped her fair cheeks in her hands, looking like a shy girl whose secret had been exposed.
"I was just expressing my longing~"
"You're so annoying!" Xiling said irritably, sitting at the counter.
"I just haven't seen my best friend for days, I was so excited~" Vera winked at Xiling, making a heart shape with one hand.
Xiling's gaze turned terrified as he gazed at her.
"Let's get this straight, I'm not helping you with the food tasting. Let's talk about some serious matters, okay?"
Vera instantly dropped her coy demeanor.
She sighed deeply.
"Ah...that's right. You are the esteemed Swordholder after all, while I—" she drawled, "am just an ordinary receptionist struggling to make a living in this noisy world. It seems there's an insurmountable chasm between us, a chasm called class...Vera has truly...overstepped her bounds." She picked up a piece of velvet and pretended to wipe away non-existent tears from the corners of her eyes.
"Yes, I am the esteemed Swordholder. You, a mere receptionist, dare to try to establish a connection with me? Hand over the task now, or I'll show you what a 'black hand' is!" Xiling said arrogantly, hands on his hips.
"Yes, yes, Your Excellency Swordholder, I, Vera, am at your service, without the slightest negligence."
Vera tapped the counter, and a projection appeared. She lightly tapped on it.
Vera spoke as she tapped.
"There is indeed a mission here that meets your requirements, but... it might be dangerous."
Xiling raised an eyebrow, not immediately saying it was fine, he can handle it, but instead asking, "What mission? Tell me about it."
Vera nodded.
"It's an investigation mission, and its origins are somewhat... bizarre."
She gathered her thoughts and spoke calmly:
"Southeast of Karso City, there is a small town with a population of about 40,000 people, called Moonlight Town."
"About two weeks ago, an unexplained disease suddenly broke out in the town. The symptoms were peculiar; patients generally experienced unexplained physical changes, extreme mental confusion, and even collective hallucinations. Local doctors... And the sorcerers there were at a loss. After the initial investigation, the lord and the town council suspected Moonshadow Lake, their only source of water, located upstream of the town. Therefore, they issued an emergency aid request through official channels to the Magic Society, specifically seeking high-ranking healers, potion-makers, or priests."
The Magic Society is the largest organization in the world except for the Overlords. Naturally, as an organization, it has countless sub-organizations. For example, there's an organization within the Magic Society called the "All-Knowing Society," founded by one of the seven founders of the Magic Society. The All-Knowing Society undertakes a wide range of miscellaneous tasks, essentially functioning as an all-purpose shop—this is the place where Xiling is currently located.
Xiling knew that Vera's story wasn't finished, and didn't interrupt.
Vera continued, "Soon after their mission was issued, the people who took on the mission went to Moonlight Town. However, that's where things went wrong. Everyone who went to Moonlight Town disappeared without a trace, without any news."
"In the end, the original assistance mission became an investigation mission, and this mission's difficulty is Tier 4."
Strictly speaking, this world doesn't have a ranking system.
However, the Magic Society felt this wasn't right, so they established ten tiers.
From tier 9 to tier 0.
Each tier advancement requires passing a test from the Magic Society.
However, Xiling didn't undergo any testing. The person who had caught him directly gave him a Tier 3 rank and assigned his work.
Xiling took the quest form from Vera, glanced at it, stood up, and smiled, saying, "I'll take this quest."
Vera bowed slightly to Xiling.
"Take care on the road."
—
On a road, Xiling watched as groups of people rode past him on their mounts. He maintained a normal pace, moving forward without seeming to be in a hurry, even admiring the scenery...
Well, mainly because Xiling hadn't yet obtained his pilot's license, and running on the road felt a bit awkward, hence his relaxed demeanor.
A proud and vain hero.
Xiling actually wanted to experience riding a dragon, but whenever he approached those creatures, they would growl and whimper, seemingly terrified of him. Of course, Xiling knew why they acted this way.
His body was covered in the aura of a certain dragon, naturally frightening these weaker dragon creatures.
But it was about time.
Standing atop a cliff, Xiling's gaze fell upon a small town dozens of kilometers away.
But the moment he saw the town, Xiling's brow furrowed.
The town was deserted.
But that was impossible. It was a town with tens of thousands of inhabitants; how could it be empty?
"Are they afraid of causing panic? Why hasn't the Magic Society announced this?"
In Xiling's mind, the Magic Society must know about this. He frowned, pondering for a moment, and this was the only conclusion he could reach.
"...Looks like something dire has happened." Xiling leaped off the cliff.
...
Xiling quickly arrived at the town.
Looking at the archway above, Xiling softly murmured the name inscribed on it.
'Welcome to Moonlight Town.'
Xiling stepped into the town. The moment he crossed its boundaries, his magic power surged forth like an invisible tide, instantly covering every inch of the town, every house. His spiritual tendrils meticulously scanned, searching for any trace of life, any fluctuation of magic, any remnants of battle…
However, the feedback was… deathly silence.
There was no sign of life, no animal whimpering, not even the faintest sign of life from a mouse or a flying insect. The entire town seemed to have been thoroughly wiped clean by some invisible cloth, leaving only the buildings themselves. The dozen or so places emanating magic or aura were scattered, clearly belonging to other investigators who, like him, had accepted a mission and arrived earlier. Besides that, there was truly nothing.
"Tsk…" Xiling withdrew his senses.
"How do I investigate this situation?"
He looked around. The streets were clean and tidy, the doors and windows of the houses were tightly closed, and clothes hung on the clotheslines, not yet taken in. There were no signs of fighting, no signs of struggle, no bloodstains, no remnants of magical conflict. Tens of thousands of people had simply vanished into thin air.
Xiling stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Let's go check the water source first; after all, that's the source of everything."
Xiling walked towards the ancient well he had sensed earlier. Several people were already gathered there, each with a different posture, but all scrutinizing the bottomless well with solemnity and vigilance.
Xiling recognized two familiar faces among them and looked up to greet them.
"Hey, Aaron, Phoebe, I didn't expect to see you here, too."
A young man and a young woman beside the well turned around. They were two of the four-person team Xiling had encountered before.
The other team was an adventure team. Xiling recognized them only through a chance encounter on a quest; it just goes to show how big and small the world is.
The two were taken aback when they saw Xiling, but quickly smiled.
Aaron spoke first, "Xiling, I didn't expect to meet you here."
Phoebe shook her head with amusement, "It's more like it's normal to see Mr. Xiling here."
"You mean with so many points for this mission, it would be strange if I didn't come?" Xiling said irritably, hands on his hips, as he approached them.
Both sides smiled.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Xiling got to the point, spreading his hands and asking, "So? You arrived here early. Did you find anything? This whole town... wasn't there tens of thousands of people? Where are they? Did they all just disappear like that?"
Aaron's smile vanished quickly, and he shook his head heavily, "No. Not a single clue."
His gaze swept over the silent houses and empty streets, his tone filled with deep confusion, "Everything is too normal... so normal that it's unsettling. The furniture isn't overturned, the doors and windows aren't broken, it's like..."
"It's like everyone, at the same moment, without any resistance... They vanished without a trace." Phoebe continued, her pretty face grave.
"We carefully checked the houses near the square; there were no signs of struggle or escape. We went to the mayor's house too; the defensive barrier was intact, but it was empty inside. Even... the armor in the knights' barracks was neatly arranged, and the weapons were still on the shelves."
You see, there are a large number of extraordinary individuals in this world. The mayor of Moonlight Town is a very powerful mage, and there are over a hundred knights from the Holy Grace Kingdom in the town, meaning there are at least a hundred extraordinary individuals in the entire town.
Each knight from the Holy Grace Kingdom is at least Rank 6 or higher, and there is a captain leading them, at least Rank 4.
This is already a very powerful fighting force, but even so, they still haven't left any traces of battle before their disappearance.
So Phoebe's guess is very likely correct.
But without any evidence, all possibilities are just possibilities.
"What you said is indeed very possible. By the way, what are you all doing gathered around that well?" Xiling tilted his head, looking towards the well. Just then, a figure who had been facing the well turned around. It was a handsome young man. He smiled perfectly, meeting Xiling's gaze.
"After all, this is the origin of everything, isn't it? The villagers' illness, the disappearance of the previous investigator, even the current disappearance of the entire town population… the source of everything might lie in this well. That's why Mr. Xiling came here, isn't it?"
"Indeed, my name is Xiling. And you are?" Xiling held out one hand while he asked.
The man elegantly removed his top hat and placed it on his chest, bowing slightly.
"Reinhardt, a magician who studies the occult."
"Ah, I forgot I should introduce myself," Xiling thought to himself, a little embarrassed.
In the All-Knowing Society, when working together on missions, it's generally necessary to introduce oneself upon their first meeting to facilitate future investigations.
Xiling, somewhat embarrassed, added, "I forgot to mention earlier, I'm a magic swordsman."
Reinhardt put his top hat back on, his smile still impeccable:
"Mr. Xiling's name is renowned throughout Karso. It's my honor to work with you on this mission. Please take good care of me."
Xiling, flattered by the compliment, laughed, "You're too kind! Let's all work hard together!"
As soon as Xiling finished speaking, the others by the well turned their heads, their gazes fixed on Xiling with curiosity and a hint of surprise.
One of them, a girl in a simple white nun's habit, with rare pure white hair and golden eyes, asked curiously, "You're Xiling? The legendary 'Karso trouble-breaker'?"
"Huh?" Xiling blinked, confused. What was she talking about?
Seeing Xiling's bewildered expression.
A burly man beside him, clad in heavy plate armor and wielding a massive warhammer, explained in a deep voice, "Don't you know? You're a 'legend' in our Karso city right now! In a single day, you single-handedly wiped out a tier 2 lava dragon entrenched in the western suburban caves, destroyed the 'Blood Moon Embrace' cult's stronghold in the south of the city, captured their tier 2 bishop alive, and even took down a tier 2 vengeful spirit. Finally, on your way back, you even packed up the tier 2 wanted criminal 'Shadow Rat' Jamie and threw him in jail! The most outrageous thing is, after doing all that, you still managed to eat Vera's junk food in the mission hall, and then went to the library to help a group of students study until late at night! This isn't just 'awesome,' it's practically…inhuman!"
The white-haired nun chuckled, covering her mouth.
"In short, Mr. Xiling, you're quite a figure in the extraordinary circles of Karso City now. With you on this mission, everyone feels much more at ease."
The nun gracefully performed a church salute.
"Let me formally introduce myself. I am Karina Augukash, a priestess serving the Lord of Light, a nun of the White Church. Like you, I'm a tier 3 warrior."
The burly man patted his thick breastplate, producing a dull thud.
"Doguo Rado, a tier 3 warrior. Defense and taking hits are my strengths!"
After the introductions, Xiling walked to the edge of the well, peering down. The well was deep and dark, with only the faint sound of dripping water audible.
Xiling looked at the others:
"So...you've been here for so long, have you found something?"
Doguo sighed heavily, tapping the stone on the well platform with his thick fingers:
"We'd love to find something too! But the truth is, besides the well water being definitely problematic, there's not a single clue found! This place is as clean as if it's been licked!"
Karina's expression was unusually serious. Her fingers traced the edge of the well, her fingertips shimmering with a faint, pure holy light:
"This well connects to Moonshadow Lake upstream; it's a small thing... but I've tried purifying the well water, the town's main water source, with my White Holy Flame, but the effect... is extremely weak. The water contains an extremely stubborn, twisted, unknown pollutant with strong mental-inducing properties. It's almost inevitable that the villagers' bodies and minds will change after drinking this water for a long period of time; this must be the source of the initial disease."
"I see."
Xiling's gaze pierced through the clear well water. His magic, like invisible tentacles, followed the well's veins and underground currents, tracing back to the source!
A smile curved Xiling's lips as he looked towards Moonshadow Lake behind the town.
"I've found the source."
"Ah?!"
The crowd gathered around the well exclaimed in astonishment almost simultaneously.
The impatient Daguo was the first to lose his temper, striding up to Xiling.
"You found the source already? What is it? Tell me!"
Xiling didn't answer directly, but turned and strode towards Moonshadow Lake, with a smile on his face.
"It's a living corpse. Want to come with me to see it?"
Karina murmured, "A living corpse?"
Reinhardt almost hesitated, but ultimately decided to follow Xiling's lead. Aaron and Phoebe exchanged a glance and followed.
"Anyway, we don't have any other clues now, there's no point in just staring here!" Doguo muttered, striding after them.
What could Karina say? She followed too.
The group followed Xiling, passing through the desolate town, and soon arrived at the shore of Moonshadow Lake.
The sight before them caused the newcomers to hold their breath. Moonshadow Lake lived up to its name; its vast surface shimmered with a greyish-silver light under the overcast sky, stretching as far as the eye could see, like an inland sea. A gentle breeze carried a damp mist and an indescribable sense of stillness.
Moonshadow Lake covered an area of over 50 kilometers.
The lakeshore wasn't deserted.
Just as Xiling had sensed, a dozen investigators, also on a mission, were scattered along the shore, carefully examining the area. Their expressions were invariably filled with confusion and seriousness; clearly, like the group at the well, they had found nothing.
Xiling's arrival, along with the small group behind him, immediately attracted the attention of the others on the lakeshore. But when their gazes fell upon Xiling, many recognized him as "Karso trouble-taker," their eyes flashing with surprise and a hint of anticipation.
Under their curious gazes, Xiling stepped onto the lake. Xiling's magical perception told him that something very strange lay beneath the surface of the lake.
The object was clearly dead, yet Xiling felt it was alive. Moreover, when Xiling sensed it, a kind of corrupting force tried to corrupt him through his magic, but unfortunately, the corruption was too weak.
"I'll see what you really are."
Xiling stood on the lakeshore, slowly raising his right hand, fingers spread, palm facing Moonshadow Lake.
At the next second!
An invisible surge of magical energy, like a tangible tidal wave, instantly swept across the entire Moonshadow Lake!
The calm lake surface was violently churned as if by an invisible, towering hand! The lake water roared deafeningly! Even more terrifying, a massive amount of water defied the laws of gravity, as if scooped up by an invisible giant bowl, and began to rise frantically upwards!
In the blink of an eye, Moonshadow Lake, tens of kilometers in diameter, was abruptly ripped from the earth!
The entire Moonshadow Lake basin instantly transformed into a colossal, dozens-of-meters-deep, dried-up crater!
Under countless gazes, Xiling strode forward, walking on the invisible air, heading towards the depths of the lake's center.
What might appear to a superhuman as merely mud to an extraordinary being was, in Xiling's keen perception, a completely different scene!
The ground in the lake's center was not mud, but a colossal, suffocating corpse.
It seemed to be forcibly pieced together from some twisted, wrinkled, dark flesh, its shape grotesque and blasphemous. A gigantic, distorted humanoid silhouette was vaguely discernible, yet it also possessed eerie features of a marine creature.
Most strangely, a visible, viscous black mist-like energy was continuously emanating from the corpse. Unsurprisingly, this was the source of the pollution of Moonshadow Lake, and consequently, the town's water supply!
Around this massive corpse was a strange barrier, preventing outside observation and the leakage of anything within.
Xiling approached the unseen corpse, glanced at it briefly, and said with disdain, "This thing is disgusting! Could it be some kind of Cthulhu?"
"There's even a barrier like this? It looks very high-level... Could someone be plotting something?"
Xiling felt it was most likely so. He didn't know what kind of conspiracy it was, but it didn't matter. As countless people tried to approach Xiling, he placed his hand on the Holy Sword.
The next second!
The Holy Sword was drawn!
Xiling felt he had struck an extremely hard stone, but... that was all!
"Open for me!"
It was as if two magical forces were colliding with Xiling, and countless people trying to approach were blown backward by the immense impact.
"Hey, what's going on?" someone asked, puzzled.
Crack...crack...
Just as everyone was confused, a crystal-clear cracking sound came from where Xiling's sword tip was pointing!
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound...
They saw that the air in front of Xiling, which had been empty, was now covered with a dense web of cracks! Within the cracks, the scene was no longer the silt of the lakebed, but a malevolent, chaotic, and frenzied aura was pouring out wildly through those tiny cracks!
Just being swept by this leaked aura, everyone by the lake felt as if a cold, giant hand had gripped their hearts.
Almost everyone was certain that something terrifying was inside!
The next second—
The entire space trembled violently! The cracked barrier turned into countless scattered fragments!
The veil obscuring their vision was ripped away!
The enormous, twisted corpse was completely and nakedly exposed before everyone!
Almost instantly, upon seeing the corpse's appearance, over 90% of the people by the lake coughed up blood! Their eyes instantly filled with bloodshot veins, and excruciating pain pierced their brains like red-hot needles! This wasn't a physical attack, nor was it mental pollution; it was a soul-shaking tremor brought about by an absolute crushing of a higher level of existence!
Mortals cannot look directly at gods! Even… if it's the body of a dead god!
Perhaps others didn't recognize what it was, but Karina did!
It was clearly the corpse of an ancient god!
Existing but unrecorded…
A god, but also a monster…
...