As soon as the Human Emperor Banner came out, I became the Lord of the Old Ones

Chapter 250 Ancient Monsters
The underground arena that Gao Ce mentioned is located near the slums in the east of Dawn City.

Don't be fooled by the fact that this area is now a chaotic place with polluted air, overflowing sewage, and all sorts of illegal buildings standing side by side.

Decades ago, it was the central urban area of ​​Dawn City.

In fact, when the first mining teams arrived in this barren land, they discovered the first open-pit mines in this area and built fortresses around them that were strong enough to withstand extreme weather and ancient attacks.

Over the next few decades, the city expanded continuously around the solid fortress of reinforced concrete, and the glittering ore transported from underground was transformed into magnificent skyscrapers.

This area declined as resources dwindled, and because of its militarized fortifications and abandoned mines, it was unsuitable for living and was abandoned by the wealthy and middle class, becoming a haven for the destitute.

The building housing the underground arena is a typical quasi-military fortress built on an abandoned mine.

Before the high walls and outer defense system of Dawn City were built, such a fortress was enough to withstand the invasion of tens of thousands of wilderness refugees and even ancient monsters.

Because of its lower level and smaller betting amounts, the entry threshold for underground arenas is not high.

Using the membership card obtained by Kelly Gracey, Xu Yan and Long Jianhuan, disguised, easily entered the venue.

After passing through a long, gray corridor and then taking a rusty elevator, they creaked and groaned their way down to the first basement level. A strange stench, a mixture of sweat, blood, and even urine, hit them like a hammer blow.

Looking around, in the small venue, four octagonal iron cages, which are powered by electricity, are firmly cast in reinforced concrete on the ground, and sharp steel spikes are embedded in the inside of the cages.

Even so, the octagonal iron cage was still being rammed from time to time, making a "bang" sound, and the dark blue electric arcs kept "sizzling" and flowing.

Clearly, the contestants, or rather "things," fighting fiercely inside the octagonal cage are far more dangerous than the spirit masters in formal competitions like the Dawn Cup.

Surrounding the octagonal iron cage, hundreds of men, some dressed in rags and others completely concealed by goggles and hooded cloaks, held chips and betting slips, their eyes bloodshot, sweating profusely, and shouting with unparalleled fervor.

Inside the octagonal iron cage, the sounds of breaking bones and spurting blood could be heard from time to time. The spray of blood mist even splashed onto the faces of the nearest audience members. However, these audience members seemed completely oblivious to the stench and instead appeared as if they had been injected with stimulants, so excited that they were foaming at the mouth.

Xu Yan twitched his nose, smelling an unusual scent in the air.

He squinted and quickly pinpointed the source of the smell.

That was a vent in the corner, silently spraying some kind of slightly menacing gelatinous gas downwards.

Xu Yan estimated that it must be some kind of neurostimulant that amplifies a person's neural perception, making them feel as if they are actually there, experiencing the already bloody and violent death duel in an incredibly exciting way.

At this moment, Long Jianhuan gently touched the back of Xu Yan's hand.

Sure enough, following her gaze, Xu Yan discovered several cameras that were blatantly set up.

There were also some complex brass-colored machines with sealing cards inserted into them, and indicator lights flashing continuously next to them.

Xu Yan could barely make out that it seemed to be a collector that could gather all kinds of information from the surroundings, including smells, in addition to sounds and images.

It seems the war correspondent's analysis was correct.

The majority of the profits from this underground casino did not come from the local spectators and gamblers of Dawn City, but rather from the well-dressed upper-class individuals living in the tranquil core area of ​​the Alliance, those wealthy patrons willing to spend lavishly.

"boom!"

Just then, a deafening roar came from the largest and furthest octagonal iron cage.

Not only that, the electrified iron cage was somewhat twisted and deformed.

Even the concrete connecting the octagonal iron cage to the ground cracked and splintered, as if it couldn't withstand the astonishing force and was about to break, fall off, and open.

Xu Yan and Long Jianhuan exchanged a glance, and then squeezed forward at the same time.

Unlike other octagonal iron cages where only spirit masters, or at least "human-shaped objects," are fighting, this one is different.

Inside this octagonal iron cage, the largest in scale, with the thickest steel bars and the most dazzling arcs of electricity, a life-or-death battle between monsters was taking place.

One of the monsters looked like a crocodile that had been magnified two or three times and stood upright.

Covered in sturdy, raised leather armor, it remained unfazed by the swirling blue arcs of electricity around it.

The claws, comparable to heavy battle blades, lightly scraped the edge of the octagonal iron cage, creating a series of dazzling sparks.

Not to mention its gaping maw, which constantly spewed out a deep red mist. The strong, cloying sweetness mixed with the stench of decay made Xu Yan feel dizzy even from a distance of more than ten meters.

However, the audience members who were standing close by seemed to be hypnotized by the smell, and did not feel disgusted at all. Instead, their eyes were glazed over, and they moved closer and closer to the octagonal iron cage.

What surprised Xu Yan the most was the monster's eyes.

Its eyes, barely larger than a red bean, deeply embedded in the bulging skin tags, covered by a nictitating membrane, emitted a complex light mixed with pain, violence, hatred, cruelty, helplessness, and so on.

For a fleeting moment, when it seemed to casually glance at the spectators outside the octagonal cage and the security personnel guarding the underground casino, Xu Yan even had the illusion that it wasn't focusing 100% of its attention on its opponent, but instead was seriously thinking about how to escape this damned prison amidst the bloody battle.

Clearly, this is not some genetically modified bioweapon, but a superhuman being that has awakened intelligence comparable to that of humans.

Instead, it was an ancient monster through and through.

—The so-called ancient demons are remnants of ancient civilizations. After being awakened by chance, they cannot find a suitable human to form a contract with, so they use human flesh and blood to nourish their dying soul fire.

They also couldn't find a fortress as sturdy as the Sealed Card to help them resist the erosion of planetary magnetic fields, cosmic storms, and the long years.

In desperation, these remnants of the past often have no choice but to seize the bodies of wild beasts or infiltrate complex mechanical bodies to temporarily find a safe haven.

Unfortunately, most of them overlooked the influence of material things on the spirit.

Whether beasts or complex machines, their weak nerves and rigid thought processes are insufficient to sustain the mysterious and sacred fire of the human soul, allowing it to burn stably for a long time.

(End of this chapter)