Human Bomb

What was going on?

Wu Heng's expression changed drastically as a Sense of Crisis rose in his heart.

Before he could react, Skeleton Bartholomew beside him had already moved.

The dagger in his hand flipped, stabbing backhanded toward Wu Heng's left shoulder.

The instant the short blade pierced his shoulder, Wu Heng felt it loosen, as if something had vanished.

He immediately turned his head and saw a translucent figure flying away into the distance.

Once it reached midair, the figure condensed again, taking the shape of an ugly infant with a long, thin umbilical cord.

Damn!

An Infant Ghost?

"What happened?" Wu Heng quickly moved closer to the group and asked in a low voice.

"I don't know. While everyone was reading the notes, it was perched on your shoulder, reading them too," Cavina answered.

The others had not been looking behind themselves, but at their shoulders.

Skeleton Bartholomew's response had been even more direct. Once he spotted the opportunity, he attacked immediately.

Whoosh, whoosh!!

As the two spoke, several Crossbow Bolts shot straight out.

The bolts passed through the ghost's body without leaving a trace.

The infant-like ghost seemed to have been frightened. It opened its mouth wide and made a crying motion.

Though no sound could be heard, its kicking legs made it clear that it was wailing.

Just then.

Everyone sensed that something was wrong. Urgent, dense footsteps came from the direction of the cave.

They sounded like scattered stones tumbling down after a dam burst—dense and chaotic.

It was like returning to that other world, facing Zombies surging up the stairs.

Thud, thud, thud!

Countless figures poured out from the many mine tunnels.

They charged straight at them from every direction.

Everyone's expressions changed.

The mad villagers were being controlled by this Ghost Infant.

Now that it had been frightened, all the villagers in the mine tunnels had rushed out.

No wonder there had been no one in the village. They had all been hiding in the mine tunnels.

"Don't panic. Fall back and find a route out," the commander said in a deep voice.

A guard quickly rushed into a house and ran upstairs.

Whoosh, whoosh!

Crossbow Bolts tore through the night sky with sharp whistles.

The targets that were hit staggered and fell, tripping large groups of people behind them.

Then the guard's voice came from upstairs. "Go north."

"Grenades!" Plamon ordered.

Several grenades arced through the air and landed among the crowd.

Boom, boom, boom...!

Amid deafening explosions, crimson flames flared up.

"Retreat!"

The group turned and swiftly retreated northward, blades and armor scraping against one another.

Thud, thud, thud!

They ran at full speed, with a dense mass of crazed people behind them.

Suddenly, chaotic footsteps came from the side.

Groups of villagers rushed out from a side path and crashed straight into the squad as it withdrew.

The commander's face darkened. The Greatsword in his hand swept out, and five or six heads flew up in an instant.

The others also drew their weapons and began slaughtering the crazed crowd.

Wu Heng gripped his short spear and stood beside the Skeleton Rogue. His spear kept lashing out, knocking back enemies that pounced at him.

Ortluk and Cavina were also watching his situation while fighting.

Seeing a mage who had only changed professions a few days ago remain so calm in close combat, they could not hide their surprise and curiosity.

He was nothing like a newcomer.

As for Wu Heng.

He had seen scenes like this many times in the Zombie World, and the situations there had been far worse than this.

The fighting slowed their retreat.

More people surged up from behind. Beyond the firelight, countless shadows packed the darkness.

"Into the alley!" the commander ordered again.

Everyone retreated into the alley. Its narrow entrance reduced their disadvantage in numbers.

But the situation quickly changed again. The crazed crowd began climbing the Walls, then leaped down from the rooftops at them.

"Find a way to break through," the commander continued ordering.

The guards once again tried to climb onto the rooftops to find a route.

However, the moment one of them climbed up, he saw a miner running straight at him.

The miner held a bundle of lit dynamite in his arms.

Dynamite used for blasting open mountains.

Boom!

A deafening blast rang out.

The guard was instantly blown away and did not get back up.

At the same time, more miners climbed onto the rooftops and jumped down at the people below.

Boom! Boom! Boom!!

Deafening explosions rang out one after another in the alley.

Broken stones sprayed in every direction like bullets.

When the smoke cleared, two more guards lay in Pools of Blood, swallowed by the crowd rushing forward.

The others had also been affected to varying degrees by the blasts.

More people carrying dynamite appeared on the rooftops, throwing themselves down like Human Bombs.

"Move." The commander kicked open the door beside him.

Everyone entered the house, leaped out through a window on the other side, and began fleeing into the distance.

People kept emerging from the alley and continued chasing them as explosions rang out without pause.

Boom, boom, boom!!

Several more figures jumped down, followed by a series of explosions.

The group was completely scattered by the blasts. Through the thick smoke, no one could see their companions.

"Retreat separately."

Wu Heng vaguely heard the order to split up and withdraw.

He immediately took Skeleton Bartholomew and headed swiftly in one direction.

The night was dim.

Wu Heng and Skeleton Bartholomew, having escaped, came to a stop.

No enemies had followed them, though towering flames and deafening explosions still continued in the distance.

It seemed the enemy had not pursued him.

Just as Wu Heng considered what to do next.

Thud, thud, thud!

Footsteps sounded ahead. A group of people in black cloaks emerged from the mine behind the village.

One of them held something wrapped in cloth, clutching it tightly to his chest.

Thinking they were part of the crazed crowd, Wu Heng readied his short spear and pistol.

The people opposite him were also startled.

They glanced toward the distant battle, clearly surprised that he had escaped and was now blocking their way here.

"Kill him. End this quickly," the person holding the bundle ordered coldly. He then left first, heading out of the village.

Upon hearing the order, the guards raised their heavy crossbows and pulled the triggers.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Crossbow Bolts shrieked through the night sky.

Wu Heng's heart lurched. He quickly sidestepped behind the Skeleton Warrior.

Thud, thud, thud!!

The bolts pierced through the skeleton's leather armor and protruded from its back.

Wu Heng glanced at the bolts sticking out of the skeleton, then raised his pistol and fired several shots back at them.

Bang! Bang! Bang!!

The gunshots were deafening. Someone was hit at once and let out a pained groan.

But the shots had clearly not struck any vital points.

After firing three shots, Wu Heng pulled the Skeleton Warrior into a house at the side.

He cursed inwardly.

This really had been a trap.

"Rush in and kill him."

The order to attack sounded again outside. The others drew their weapons and quickly approached the wooden house.

They kept changing positions as they moved, apparently afraid of being hit by bullets.

Wu Heng pressed himself against the wall beside the door, guessing at these people's identities.

They knew this place better and seemed to have taken something from the mine pit.

The footsteps outside drew closer and closer.

Skeleton Bartholomew beside him tightened his grip on his twin blades, ready to rush out and draw their attention.

But Wu Heng merely shook his head. There was no need to fight them while at a disadvantage.

He then took a Poison Mist Grenade from his Backpack, confirmed the direction, and threw it out.

Rumble, rumble!!

The Poison Mist Grenade rolled to the feet of the people outside.

The next second, it exploded with a bang, and thick smoke instantly burst forth.

Carrying a pungent stench, it spread through the surrounding area.

"Rush in! Don't let them escape in the chaos, or none of us will make it out alive!" someone outside urged loudly again.

Before they could continue their attack.

Clatter, clatter!!

The sound of bones grinding against each other came from ahead.

The next second, a massive Skeleton Dog charged into the thick smoke, knocked one person down, clamped onto his neck, and began violently shaking him.

Everyone froze.

Undead skeletons?

Where had these undead come from?

Then even denser footsteps rang out one after another.

Skeleton after skeleton charged into the smoke, swinging cleavers in their hands as they attacked the enemies opposite them.

The sounds of fighting and agonized cries echoed through the poisonous mist.