Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 284 - 260 In the Shadow

It was like slowly sinking into the ocean, with Lyle wrapped in the soft body turned into by Nia, separated from the Shadows by only a thin layer. The Shadows emitted a hissing sound, similar to the bubbling of carbonated drinks, and at first, Lyle thought the masterless Shadows were also corrosive. But through Nia’s mental connection, he learned she was feeding, eroding the Shadows with that thin membrane.

Not too far away, a light—and Lyle, who was sinking—maintained a not-too-distant distance from each other, as if something warm was chasing Lyle.

This strange capsule journey lasted only about a dozen seconds. By the time Lyle climbed out of the Shadow Pool, Nia had already completely withdrawn back into the sleeve of Lyle’s clothing, clearly aware she had caused trouble.

Lyle did not have time to blame her because there was a little trouble behind him.

Karen, shining with Holy Light, burst out from the Shadow Pool, and the Holy Light elicited a mystic reaction with other forces. As Karen stepped onto solid ground, the Shadow Pool had been burnt away by the Holy Light. The path back was cut off.

"Lord Lyle!" Karen, holding a warhammer, exclaimed with surprise, quickly rushing up to Lyle and using her petite frame to shield him. "Where did that monster go? Did it run away?"

Lyle began to look around.

The place was also a dense forest, seemingly located within the mountains. The twisted and deformed trees were like battling beasts, stretching their ugly, fierce limbs and branches towards other trees, weaving a web in the air so dense that one could not see the sky—a web that even a spider would get lost in.

This dense forest was pitch-black in color, and the occasional dark black fog drifting through made the already dark view even narrower. Behind the two was a mountain wall, stretching high into unseen clouds. It seemed to be a location like a basin, with only the path ahead visible. The few small paths remaining between the trees, like the gaping maw of a wild beast, were places that normal people wouldn’t want to enter at first glance.

"Lord Lyle! Let’s set off! We must punish the evil that kidnapped you; its lair must be here!" Karen had already reached a narrow path leading into the pitch-black abyss. Her hammer emitted Holy Light, serving as a searchlight, and she looked at Lyle eagerly, ready for action.

A lair? Lyle glanced at a small section of Nia’s tentacle peeking out from his sleeve, the Nest of the Evil God was here. Though Karen’s approach was a bit bold, there were no other choices at the moment. Lyle couldn’t possibly leave Karen alone there. Tentatively touching Andrei’s Badge, and after triple-checking that it could be used, Lyle grew bolder.

"Let’s set off, Karen. Praise the Holy Light!"

Within less than twenty meters of traversing the dense forest, the light had already dimmed significantly. The Holy Light cast their shadows onto the strange trees, creating moving figures as they walked.

It was too quiet. The feeling was like returning to Andrei’s bone forest, even though Lyle had already secretly confirmed that there were no bones in the soil beneath their feet. Perhaps because of his long stay at the Lich Academy, in these secluded, silent, gloomy areas, Lyle felt very comfortable. The opposite was true for Karen; putting on a brave front, she instinctively walked ahead of the path, but pride didn’t give her courage. She would take a few steps and then turn to look back at Lyle.

"Lord Lyle, don’t be afraid! I will always keep an eye on you!"

"Thank you, Karen." Lyle really wanted to take the opportunity to hide in a corner while she turned her head, to see what she would do when she couldn’t see him, but after considering it several times, he gave up, the hammer was still there.

At first, Karen insisted on leading the way, but as her pace slowed, walk by walk, Lyle eventually moved to the front. Lyle had adapted to the darkness; in the pitch black, his eyes gradually distinguished trees from shadows, and without the need for light, he could see the thorny brambles and collapsed pits.

The path they were walking showed signs of destruction and treading, probably left by Veraliz, as she had once recruited those mysterious Shadow Beasts in this area. Thus, the path might lead to two places: the unknown stronghold of the Shadow Beasts or another exit.

The gentleman’s evaluation of those Shadow Beasts wasn’t very good.

"Some senseless puppets, naturally defective deformities, or simply remnants, active remnants."

After walking a certain distance, Lyle stopped.

"Karen."

"What’s wrong, Lord Lyle?"

Lyle lowered his voice and unconsciously crouched down. "Turn off the lights, Karen, don’t cast the Holy Light anymore."

Karen complied and ceased the emission of the dazzling Holy Light.

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Karen saw them, those lingering active shadows that were identical to the Shadow Beasts driven by the Witch. A large group.

Without their master’s control, these Shadow Beasts staggered aimlessly in place, only slightly turning their bodies to change course when they were about to collide with each other. They were like ghosts – ghosts might be even more human-like than them.

"What should we do, Lord Lyle? They’re blocking our way."

Lyle picked up a small pebble from the side, staring at one of the nearest Shadow Beasts, and while the other Shadow Beasts around it turned away, he threw it not far from it.

He had thought it would change position at the sound, but there was no reaction, as if it were deaf.

Lyle, not believing in bad omens, threw another stone, and then another, and another, each time getting closer. Finally, the pebble struck its head with a smack. Lyle was prepared to expose himself at any cost, ready for Nia to take Karen and dodge should the herd get agitated.

But still, there was no movement—even when the pebble hit its body, as if it were a clay figure that could be molded at will.

Could it be that all the dangers were merely our own psychological defenses?

Lyle let out a breath, making one final test. He walked alone into the visual range of the Shadow Beasts.

After a moment, after a quarter of an hour.

There was still no movement; the wandering Shadow Beasts didn’t care about Lyle’s presence, as if he didn’t exist.

"A bunch of moving corpses, not even as good as zombies."

Lyle clenched Andrei’s Badge and, to Karen’s gasps of shock, walked into the midst of the herd.

Watching the constantly moving Shadow Beasts beside him was like watching shadows dance wildly around a campfire; they wandered beside him as if he were just a clump of air.

Lyle returned to Karen’s side.

"There’s no threat; we can go straight through, but to be safe, don’t touch them and don’t use the Holy Light."

Karen nodded, nervously holding her hammers in her hands, following behind Lyle.

The group of Shadow Beasts was like another forest, at least apart from moving, they were not much different from those twisted trees, and perhaps those trees were even more terrifying.

Easy paths always tend to lower one’s guard, at least until Nia’s tentacle tugged at Lyle’s back he hadn’t been fully prepared.

Prepared to face the blades thrusting from the shadows.