"Click, click, click..."
The reconnaissance team treaded water and made splashes.
There was water in the stairwell, just above the toes, soaking everyone's shoes and socks.
The water flows from the ditches at the corners on both sides.
The water in the canal overflowed, collecting in a trickle on the stairway and flowing down the long narrow staircase.
The nobles in the middle of the ancient dynasty were indeed quite luxurious.
The original owner of this mausoleum actually installed an artificial water feature in the mausoleum.
Under ideal conditions:
The long light in the tomb passage on the wall of the stairwell will emit a gentle light, illuminating the stairway and the water channels in the corners of the left and right sides.
Aquatic flowers will be planted in the canals.
The entire staircase is filled with light, lined with flowers, and the sound of water flowing is clear and sweet.
If the above conditions are met, then the mausoleum will be as beautiful as an artificial garden.
But unfortunately, this place has now become a war zone.
Spider webs hang from the ever-burning lamps on the wall, and the flowers in the water channels are missing. However, the water pipes and valves inside the wall are still functioning.
Every time Serre's army cleans Tomb No. 717, they will ensure that the valves in the tomb are closed, and even destroy key water channels so that no underground river water will appear in the water channels.
But now, the water channel system of the mausoleum has been activated inexplicably.
It continuously pumps water from underground rivers and pours it into the canals and pools on each floor of the mausoleum.
This resulted in water accumulation in the stairwell.
No need to ask, this must be the work of the Necromancer Sect.
At the end of the stairwell is a metal gate, flanked by airtight stone walls.
The entire stairwell is equivalent to a semi-enclosed container diagonally downwards, and the only opening is the stairwell entrance on the ground floor.
Using the mausoleum's water channel system and pouring large amounts of underground river water into the stairwell, the Imperial Army's path can be blocked.
This will undoubtedly effectively prevent the Imperial Army from penetrating deep into the tomb.
Fortunately, the imperial army arrived in time, otherwise, just draining the water in the stairwell would have taken a lot of effort.
…
After entering the stairwell, about 10 minutes passed before the reconnaissance team arrived at the end of the stairs.
Along the way, they encountered no crypt lurkers and traveled smoothly, but they had to stop when they approached the metal gate.
"Stop moving forward."
Sergeant Zina walked at the front of the team, raised his arm, clenched his right fist, and signaled the team members to stop.
He turned to look at his teammates behind him:
"Sergeant Mars, come and take a look. The water accumulation in front is serious."
Mars walked to the front and took a look, taking a slight breath:
"Hiss... half of the door panel is submerged in the water, and things are a bit tricky. The weight of the river water pressing on the door panel is about half a ton at least."
Sergeant Mars raised the coal lamp and shined it on the door hinge:
"What's worse is that the door opens into the stairwell. We either have to drain the water and open the door. Or we have to use a rope to force open the metal gate against the water pressure."
Sergeant Mars thought for half a second, discussed with Sergeant Zener and said:
"I suggest that we send someone to go back the same way and report the situation in the corridor to Lieutenant Serre. The rest of us will try here to see if we can force the gate to open. If other stairwells encounter the same situation as us, it is a priority Just concentrate your efforts, open the metal gate closest to the waterway valve, and quickly close the valve on the underground floor."
Sergeant Zener nodded thoughtfully:
"You're right, Mars. I remember that Stairwell No. 1 is the stairwell closest to the waterway valve. Stairwell No. 16 where we are is far away from the valve. There will definitely be different obstacles on the way to the waterway valve. There are less undead creatures. The Necromantic Cult will not let us close the valve. The team in charge of Stairwell 1 will face dangerous enemies... However, this matter is not what we have to consider."
Sergeant Zener paused, called his name, and asked one of his team members to go upstairs to report the news.
Two squad commanders ordered the door to be forced open.
The privates responsible for carrying supplies took off their backpacks, took out military ropes, and walked through the water up to their waists to the metal gate and fixed the ropes on the door latch and door handle.
A group of soldiers wrapped the other end of the rope around their shoulders, shouted slogans, and gritted their teeth as hard as they could.
The metal gate itself weighs hundreds of kilograms. After being mostly submerged by the river water, it becomes twice as difficult to open the gate.
The soldiers on the scene worked together and used all their strength to open it a small crack.
"Wow~"
The river water accumulated on the door panel quickly passed through the crack of the door, forming a swirling vortex.
Hearing this voice, the soldiers breathed a sigh of relief.
This shows that there is no serious water accumulation in the underground layer behind the gate. Otherwise, the water in the stairwell would not flow to the back of the door so quickly.
The water in the stairwell decreased rapidly, and the metal gate became "lighter". The soldiers worked harder and finally opened the gate completely.
At this moment, the water channels on both sides of the stairwell were still overflowing with water.
The river water flows down step by step along the steps, reflecting the light of the coal lamps, and flows into the tomb passage on the underground level.
"Click, click..."
In the dark underground level, very distinct footsteps could be heard.
Someone is stepping on the water and walking towards the stairwell!
Everyone suddenly became nervous and tightened their grip on the firearms in their hands.
There will be no imperial soldiers in the underground layer. The people coming are definitely undead creatures!
But why are there only one person's footsteps?
Shouldn't there be a lot of skeleton soldiers and skeleton dogs?
Li Nuo stood at the back of the team, his heart beating loudly.
He lowered his head and glanced at the water on the steps, feeling something bad.
River water containing impurities can conduct electricity.
Theoretically, a burst of strong current could wipe out all the soldiers whose shoes and socks were soaked.
If the undead creature that appears in front of you has the ability to discharge electricity, then every soldier present will be killed by the combination of "river water + electric current".
But, will the undead discharge electricity?
Li Nuo was slightly startled.
Could it be that the undead walking towards the stairwell is an undead carrying a battery on his back and holding an exposed wire end in his hand?
Otherwise, why would it come alone to face the Imperial soldiers?
The more Li Nuo thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong.
Sergeant Mars clearly considered the potential danger.
"Everyone, cover each other and retreat."
Sergeant Mars raised his hand, made a few gestures, and gave silent orders to everyone.
Sergeant Zener also made the "cover each other and retreat" gesture.
The two reconnaissance teams retreated to the top of the stairs step by step.
Every time they took a step back, the undead in the underground layer took a step forward.
"Click, click..."
The footsteps of the undead were very regular, always approaching the metal gate at an unhurried pace.
Just as the two reconnaissance teams retreated ten meters away, a bone thigh stepped out of the dark door frame.
Then there was the emaciated skeleton, the skull glowing with purple-black light, and a dark blue cloak that was tattered but could not conceal its gorgeous aura.
This is a skeleton like no other.
It was three heads taller than an ordinary skeleton soldier, with a strong build, and a frost-white heart suspended in its airy chest.
Rolling cold air surged from this heart like ice crystals.
In the water-filled stairwell, the temperature suddenly dropped sharply.
The flowing river water suddenly slowed down, and some white snowflakes appeared on the water.
Li Nuo's pupils shrank sharply and he shuddered involuntarily!
The cold air swept through the entire place, invading the soldiers' uniforms and swimming against their skin.
Sergeant Zina exhaled a breath of white mist, his face was solemn, and he shouted loudly:
"It's the Frost Skeleton Mage! Shoot! Shoot! Shoot honey bombs! Quick, quick, quick!"
"boom!"
The private manning the launcher fired the jelly bomb.
The honeycomb-shaped bomb crossed a distance of ten meters in half a second, and was about to fall on the Frost Skeleton Mage, but was stopped by an ice wall rising from the water!
"Snapped!"
The jelly bomb hit the ice wall, making an explosion and splitting into pieces, splattering dark biochemical jelly.
The biochemical honey jelly was smeared on the ice wall, but within three to five seconds, it was frozen into black ice slag by the ice wall.
Not a drop of biochemical honey jelly fell on the Frost Skeleton Mage!
"Don't stop! Keep firing bombs! Hurry! Everyone shoot alternately, cover each other and retreat!"
Sergeant Zina shouted orders, raised his gun and fired.
The bullet clattered onto the ice wall, sending up showers of ice shards.
Sergeant Mars shouted:
"Team Mars obeys the order, shoot with rifles, and maintain suppressive fire! Move our jelly bombs to Team Zener! As long as we still have bombs on hand, this Frost Skeleton Mage will not dare to lift the ice wall! ... Everyone Shoot its skull, don't aim at the magic heart! That magic heart is indestructible, there's no use shooting at it!"
The soldiers held short-barreled silenced rifles, aiming at the skull of the Frost Skeleton Mage and firing bullets.
Doing so will not harm enemies protected by the ice wall, but it will destroy the wall.
The slug struck the ice wall like a chisel.
After three volleys, a hole appeared in the ice wall, and the skull of a skeleton came into view of the soldier.
"Bang!" Another honey bomb was launched, aiming at the hole in the ice wall.
Suddenly a dark wind blew in the stairwell, making people shiver with cold, and there was even hanging white frost in the air.
The hole in the wall was repaired in an instant and returned to smoothness.
The second bomb followed in the footsteps of the previous bomb and hit the intact wall.
The splashing biochemical honey jelly turned into ice slag, but still could not harm the frost skeleton mage.
"Continue to retreat and maintain fire suppression!" Two sergeants gave orders alternately.
The soldiers withdrew again and again and came to the higher stairs.
Since the corridor was diagonally downward, the Frost Skeleton Mage was quickly blocked by the ceiling.
The enemy could no longer be seen in the soldier's field of vision, and the gunfire stopped.
There were no Beyonders in the two investigation teams at the scene. If the Frost Skeleton Mage pursues them, the team's battle losses will be very serious.
Sergeant Mars knew this.
He pointed his gun at the stairs below and ordered without looking back:
"Jarvis! You go upstairs to send a message and call for backup. Go quickly!"
Li Nuo had just changed the magazine, and as soon as he heard Mars' order, he ran up without looking back:
"Yes, sir!"
The Frost Skeleton Mage just now is definitely a presence that is difficult to fight against at this stage.
As soon as it appeared, Li Nuo threw out deconstruction.
[System message: You are trying to deconstruct the "Frost Skeleton Mage". 】
[It is expected to consume 1800 energy points to achieve 100% deconstruction completion. 】
[You currently have 11 energy points. Do you confirm the deconstruction? 】
1800 energy points!
This number is 800 points higher than the deconstructed first-order "Imperial Fist".
The Frost Skeleton Mage is undoubtedly a more powerful existence than the first-order "Imperial Fist".
Fortunately, the reconnaissance team carried honey bombs, otherwise the battle situation just now could definitely be described as one-sided.
When he thought that the two reconnaissance teams only brought 6 honey bombs in total, Li Nuo immediately quickened his pace and rushed forward.
As he ran, a strong smell of blood penetrated his nose.
Li Nuo raised his head and looked up, his eyes passing through the diagonally upward corridor and landing on the strange black shadow in the distance.
Taking a closer look, it was a corpse lying on the steps, with the chest facing up, in a very miserable state of death.
Bright red blood and minced meat flowed down the river and passed by Li Nuo.
Li Nuo narrowed his eyes and realized that he, Mars and others had overlooked a crucial point.
Don't do it alone!
This is the key to dealing with the Undead Ripper!
The soldier on the steps in the distance died at the hands of the Undead Ripper after breaking away from the team.
Who said that there is a distance between Tomb No. 717 and Tomb No. 700, so it is unlikely that the Undead Ripper will appear? !
Oh my god!
Sergeant Mars, how come the flag you planted yourself came true on my head! ?
Li Norton was speechless and couldn't help but complain in his heart.
He stopped and looked back and forth.
Wherever he looked, there were no Imperial soldiers.
Li Nuo put down the muzzle of the gun, put the gun on his back, and took his hands away from the gun body.
He has a "mark of resentment" on his body.
As long as he does not actively show desire to attack, the mindless undead creatures of the Necromantic Cult and Resentment Faction will not regard him as an attack target.
Li Nuo is now basically certain that there is an Undead Ripper in the corridor above.
But here comes the problem.
Where did this undead ripper come from?
Along the way, the reconnaissance team clearly did not encounter any enemies.
Is there a secret door hidden in this stairwell?
Also, is this Undead Ripper an undead creature from the Grudge faction?
Does it have a mind?
Li Nuo was a little uncertain.
"Mark of Resentment" may not work on this Undead Ripper.
While I was thinking, a weak cold wind blew from below.
The cold wind brushed against the back of Li Nuo's neck, causing him to shiver.
Violent gunfire rang out in the stairwell again.
The two sergeants, Mars and Zener, probably thought that it was unlikely that an undead Ripper would appear in Tomb 717.
Therefore, they would subconsciously follow the standard combat rules and arrange for only one soldier to report the news.
It was probably only when they saw the body on the steps that they realized they had made a very serious mistake.
Of course, they might all die at the hands of the Frost Skeleton Mage, and the bodies above the stairs would not be found at all.
Li Nuo thought that he could not defeat the Frost Skeleton Mage, and he had only one way to go: upwards.
Fortunately, he still has some cards in his hand that he can use.
Over the past ten days, he has developed a deconstruction plan:
Keep 10 to 14 energy points as backup. All the excess energy points are used to harmlessly deconstruct the "Ten Commandments of Martyrdom: General Outline".
After ten consecutive days, he used harmless deconstruction methods to deconstruct a lot of useful things.
Some decomposition results, although efficient, are not safe and will leave clues for people to follow.
Some deconstruction results come at a price, but they are safe enough that they cannot be easily traced by the Empire.
In addition to the "fear spell", Li Nuo also has a control spell in his hand, which he can use right now.
He calmed down and moved forward at a steady pace.
His eyes moved quickly, always paying attention to dark corners.
The disemboweled corpse was right in front of him.
A flash of cold light arrived as expected, striking from the most sinister angle.
As expected, this undead disemboweler did not accept the "mark of resentment".
Li Nuo's skin instantly tensed up, and goosebumps appeared on his skin.
He noticed the blade in front of him, but did not make any dodge action, as if he had given up resistance.
(End of chapter)
