Deadmines (2)

"Get over here!" Peru shouted, but the explosions drowned out everything. Fortunately, Siso and Linda were together, and Siso held Linda as they dodged through the bombs at the very limit.

"Here, follow me!" Kri suddenly jumped out and said, "Trust me. We're ants tied to the same rope now. I won't harm you. Hurry, or it'll be too late."

Hearing this, Siso hurriedly jumped over. Through the smoke, he immediately saw a huge shield. "It's great to see you. Get over here, quickly. Where's Alpha?" Peru asked happily.

"I'm here." A panther leaped out of the void, but instantly lost its balance and crashed heavily to the ground. Seeing that it was Alpha, Siso quickly reached out and pulled him over. Now everyone was together. "Thanks," Alpha said as he climbed to his feet, looking utterly bedraggled. "This was my mistake. I didn't expect him to have bombs." Alpha blamed himself deeply.

Linda hurriedly cast Blessing and Holy Word: Heal on the injured group. Siso knocked away the bombs flying toward them, while Peru continued raising his shield to block all damage. Alpha had recovered quite a bit by then. "I'll go check the situation and draw some fire. Kochili's bombs can't be endless. I refuse to believe he still has more. Wait until the explosions stop before coming out." Looking at the injured Alpha and the others, whose hands were full, Kri said, "You all stay here. I'll go. I'm undead, after all. Bombs won't do much to me." With that, he charged out.

Kochili roared furiously, "Come out! What are you trying to do, cowering behind that shield? I'll blast open your turtle shell!" Just as he was about to throw a bomb at the huge shield, he saw Kri rushing toward him and immediately changed targets. "A little mouse came out. Watch me blow you away! Don't run!" Bomb after bomb flew at Kri, exploding one after another around him. Though Kri was undead, undead could still be killed. Just as Kri prepared to dodge, the ground beneath his feet suddenly exploded.

Amid Alpha and the others' cries of alarm, Kri only felt himself being thrown into the air. Blossoms of flame erupted beneath him. Then, while in midair, Kri saw Alpha charge forward and bite Kochili directly, utterly ignoring the bombs exploding around him. Peru let out a mighty roar and charged at the ogre, slamming him with his huge shield and smashing him hard against the wall. Spiderweb-like cracks immediately spread across it. Linda and Siso rushed toward him as well. Wasn't Miss Linda the most afraid of me? Why was she still holding me? Kri wanted to open his mouth and ask, "Miss Linda, weren't you afraid of me? How do you still dare touch me?" But he could not utter a single word.

Linda burst into tears as she watched Kri slowly fade away. Peru bowed deeply toward Kri, offering his deepest respect to the soldier who had charged out in the moment of crisis. Siso planted his sword in the ground and dropped to one knee, bidding Kri farewell.

After biting Kochili to death, Alpha slowly walked over. By the time he reached Kri's side, he had already returned to human form. To be honest, Alpha had seen plenty of dead people and killed plenty himself. But watching a living life slowly vanish before his eyes—even though Kri had already died once—was truly unbearable. Before this, Alpha had thought Kri was merely someone willing to sacrifice everything, even his humanity, for revenge. Therefore, Alpha had not trusted Kri and had held a trace of hostility toward him before. Werewolves hated the undead. But from the moment Kri charged out, that hatred was gone—at least toward Kri alone. This undead soldier was worthy of respect.

Kri completely dissipated in Linda's arms, while the others remained silent. Linda stood up, removed her tattered black cloak, revealing a white priest's robe beneath. She took out her staff and sang toward the place where Kri had disappeared:

"Great soldier—Kri. Though you had long since left humanity behind, and though hatred had clouded your eyes and robbed you of your humanity, drawing you step by step into darkness, your heart was still kind. The Holy Light still remained within you. You traded your life for the lives of others. Those beneath the Holy Light will remember you forever. The embrace of the Holy Light will open itself to you once more. May the Holy Light guide you." Her staff radiated a gentle glow. Within that light, Alpha discovered that his wounds were gradually healing, and his exhausted mind was slowly recovering as well. Everyone received the Holy Light's blessing.

Linda swayed weakly and was caught by Siso just as she was about to fall. "Are you all right?" Siso asked worriedly. After resting for a moment, Linda replied, "I'm fine. It's just that the casting song took a lot out of me. I may not be able to offer much help in the battles ahead. You'll have to rely on yourselves. Be very careful."

"Mm, I understand. I won't make the same mistake again." Hearing movement behind them, Alpha said, "We need to leave this place quickly. The earlier battle drew quite a few enemies here." With that, he directly smashed open the door. After confirming it was safe, he went inside. Once everyone had entered, he blocked the door. "This door can buy us quite a bit of time. We need to hurry. We don't know what dangers lie ahead. Siso, your task is to protect Linda. Don't let her suffer even the slightest harm. Peru and I will scout ahead." "I'll protect Miss Linda with my life," Siso said as if swearing an oath.

Alpha's group advanced cautiously, not daring to let their guard down in the slightest. Afraid of another incident like before, they stopped at every step to check for enemies. At that moment, Alpha's ears became their best detector.

After traveling for some time, they arrived in a mechanized world. Bright lights illuminated the area, while a massive staircase spiraled downward. From time to time, Goblin researchers dressed in white passed by. No one knew what lay below.

After carefully taking out several researchers, Alpha closely examined the place before leading everyone cautiously down. A beeping sound drifted up from underground. The closer they got to the bottom, the louder it became. Finally, when they stepped off the last stair, several farm robots appeared before them. They were the very robots scattered throughout Westfall, automatic machines farmers used for harvesting and sowing. In the center, atop a round platform, stood a gigantic farm harvesting robot.

These robots were as enormous as Tauren. They wore burlap capes and straw hats, held pitchforks in one hand and hooks in the other. They were indeed made for farm work.

Alpha sniffed the air. Apart from the pungent smell of black oil, there was nothing else—no scent of undead, Goblins, or humans. Linda curiously touched the robot in front of her and said, "What exactly are these for? Could they be some researcher's strange hobby?" Seeing the increasingly bizarre farm harvester before them, Alpha hurriedly stopped her. "Don't touch it." But he was too late. Linda had already touched it.

"Beep beep. Reaper 100 eliminating intruders. Beep beep." The farm harvester called Reaper 100 began to move with a clattering sound.