Comprehensive network wizard, magic emperor.

Chapter 259 Desperate Situation Difficulty
"Can't you really turn the page again? Just one more page, I feel like ants are crawling all over me..." Tiflin clasped his hands together, rubbing them like tiny flies, pleading earnestly.

The paper dwarf in the picture book looked disapproving, shook his index finger, and the chat bubble displayed: Little girl, although I can't hear what you're saying, I know you're not up to any good intentions!

Lin Bo flicked out an iron ball, which transformed into a thin rope and dragged the war-crazed barbarian, who was covered in spiked armor, over. He chanted incantations to purify the curse and expel the living spirit. The dwarf's consciousness trapped in the picture book turned into a wisp of angry, pale red hot wind, which suddenly burrowed into his seven orifices.

"Wow! Yaha!" The barbarian lying on the ground used a twisting motion, like a rolling barrel, and suddenly twisted himself to stand up.

[Injured Knee] chuckled, "I'm back!" She opened her arms as if to hug everyone, but everyone except Lin Bo and the Paladin, who were both fully armed and tough, backed away.

The female dwarf was just putting on an act. She bowed deeply to Lin Bo and [Frost Stew Pot], saying, "Thanks to you, tall man, and good sister, I knew you wouldn't leave me to die!"

The halfling's cheeks flushed. "It was thanks to Brother Mage that I was able to save you all. If it were just me, I wouldn't have been able to save you, and I would have been trapped here myself."

The elf [Joyful] handed the illustrated edition of "Dwarf Jokes" to [Wounded Knee] with a regretful expression, and the barbarian tore it to shreds without hesitation.

Tiflin, adjusting his wide-brimmed hat, also bowed deeply.

"The feeling of regaining freedom has never been so wonderful. Thank you so much... I've always thought that if no players ever enter this instance again, my life would be over, imprisoned forever, worse than death. But you appeared, my great heroes."

Lin Bo nodded to them in return.

[Dungeon cleared...]

The rewards you receive from this dungeon are: 15000 Disaster Coins (+15000), 280,000 Universal Experience (+300,000), Sky Island Guardian Shield (White), Haste Scroll (Blue), Ice Storm Scroll (Purple), and "Magic Net: Sunfire Ray" (Skill Book)

[Number of players detected in the current instance: 8]

[The instance's time and space are fluctuating abnormally. Please leave before the countdown ends. If you exceed the time limit, the (Desperate) difficulty challenge will be activated...]

[Injured Knee] looked around and, seeing that no one suggested leaving, smiled and said, "Alright, let's go all out and clear the Desperate difficulty. As for the Purgatory difficulty, how about we skip it for now? We were wiped out last time."

“You don’t understand. But this time it’s absolutely foolproof,” the elf reassured her, pointing to the quietly standing mage. “He’s here.”

The deep purple teleportation vortex closed, and spacetime began to ripple and vibrate once more.

After a short while, the surrounding scenery was completely transformed, and the historical period in the background moved forward once again.

[Network notification: An abnormal fluctuation in spacetime has occurred; the dungeon difficulty has been adjusted to: Desperate Situation]

"Let's go." Lin Bo swallowed the mushroom oil potion to keep his mind and body in excellent condition.

After a short while, the group went to the depths of the forbidden book section and took the elevator there to the third floor.

The top floor of the Grand Archives is divided into two areas: the surgical experiment area and the cremation area, which are the final battle locations for the Desperate and Purgatory difficulties, respectively.

The elevator in the restricted book section leads directly to the operating area. Under the bright yellow light, many wheeled transfer beds are piled up in the narrow corridor.

Numerous shrouded corpses lay either at the head of the bed or on the ground, not yet completely skeletal. The floor was covered with dried pus stains, and a putrid stench filled the air.

Lin Bo recalled the cave beneath the [Sea Spirit Altar] temple.

He took out a small incense burner and let the smoke surround him to block the stench. The others also used their own methods to shield themselves from the environmental pollution.

The corridor was lined with wards, their doors wide open. A soft chanting drifted from a room deep within, echoing in the foul air. "Did you hear that? That's definitely that [senior priest] charlatan," the dwarf woman said gruffly, stroking her beard.

She was short but had a loud voice, like thunder, which startled the enemies in the entire corridor. Transparent spirits emerged from the ward, many of them burrowing into the corpses scattered on the floor. Often, dozens of these spirits would crowd together, manipulating the half-rotten corpses to stand up, their steps unsteady, constantly vomiting blood and pus, as if they could spray an endless stream of poison.

At the same time, a human male dressed in a priest's white robe emerged from a ward deep inside.

Lin Bo raised an eyebrow. He recognized this player; they had once explored the [Sea Spirit Altar] together. He never expected to meet him again here.

The female dwarf cried out, "You charlatan, hold on! I'm coming to save you!"

She was about to charge into the horde of zombies in the corridor when the paladin pressed her shoulder down.

The half-giant shook his head. "Just wait."

Lin Bo reminded everyone, "Cover your ears."

The next second, the corridor was illuminated by bursts of branching lightning, as if the midday sun had arrived.

The violently expanding air created a huge roar, and the shockwaves rippled back and forth on the corridor walls. The accumulated energy, unable to be released, transformed into a supersonic shockwave that swept across everything, shaking up the dust and grime on the walls and turning it into wisps of yellow smoke.

Amidst billowing smoke and dust, the horde of corpses that had gathered in the corridor lay scattered on the ground, all traces of life vanished.

Everything returned to deathly silence.

The teammates were stunned.

"Why do I feel like this scene looks familiar?" the ranger said, scratching his ear with his little finger.

[Huanji]'s droopy pointed ears perked up again. "The last one to enjoy this treatment was [Liezha]."

The paladin was somewhat incredulous. "I survived such an attack? Is he that powerful?"

"So, you're now recognized as the toughest guy in our team."

"Go check on the charlatan!" Tiflin exclaimed.

The pastor at the end of the corridor was surrounded by corpses, but he himself was only lightly struck by an arc of electricity. His body lay stiff on the ground, disheveled and spitting out blue smoke.

"As long as he's not dead, we've got a truly formidable second tough guy!" The ranger clapped enthusiastically, then carried the priest on his back and continued on with the group.

Passing through the long corridor and pushing open the iron gate at the end, the group stepped into the mechanical assembly processing workshop filled with brass. Conveyor belts, cranes, and robotic arms gleamed, and parts, semi-finished products, and finished products were piled up like mountains.

The workshop and the operating room were separated by only a curtain. The operating area was an open theater stage with tiered seating that could accommodate hundreds of audience members. Each chair was upholstered in fine red-dyed leather, and the stage was fully equipped with an operating table, shadowless lamps, and medical drills, hammers, and saws.

A rotting corpse dressed in a magnificent military uniform lay on the operating table, its skull already cut open. On the stage floor, a large line of words was smeared in blood: "Leader of the Sky Kingdom, enjoy your pathetic eternal life!"
Beside the bed stood a rudimentary mechanical construct, small and thin compared to any other construct, resembling a goblin skeleton.

This is the boss monster in the Extreme difficulty mode: "Heavenly Commander - Immortal Emikodo".

(End of this chapter)