Who left their last words here?

Chapter 107 Arrival in Rome! The Forest of Death and the Green Mine (Two-in-One)

"The second stage of the assessment..."

Bai Zhou looked thoughtfully at the three tiers of candlesticks arranged at varying heights on the altar.

Recalling the ritual method of the beam of light being poured into his mind, Bai Zhou raised the purple-gold saber in his hand.

A flash of light, and the blade sliced ​​across Bai Zhou's left palm.

Crimson blood then dripped down, landing on the nine white candles on the first tier of the candlestick.

Bai Zhou's face was obscured by shadows.

At the same time, he muttered to himself:
Referring to "The Universal Language, From Beginner to Expert," he softly recited in the ancient language of "Troy civilization":

"Using blood as a tribute to the past..."

As if sensing something, as the White Boat incantation fell, the white candle, having drunk its fill of blood, suddenly burst into flame.

Nine flames flickered, and a strange fragrance emanated from the candle.

The altar began to emit a faint, gray glow.

The dust that fell on the altar trembled gently, as if it were dancing.

Next, the second tier of candlesticks—

Bai Zhou stirred his own spiritual power, transforming it into a giant hand that gently twisted the wicks of the six candles on the second tier of the candlestick.

The power of the mind swept over, brushing away the dust from the altar and cleaning it thoroughly.

Keep it clean and dry from time to time, lest it get dusty.

"With the heart as the guide, illuminate the future..." Bai Zhou murmured to himself.

"bass!"

The six candles on the second tier of candlesticks immediately burst into bright red flames!
The six wisps of flame swirled and flickered strangely, causing the surrounding air to distort slightly.

The flickering candlelight illuminated the outline of Bai Zhou's face, the light occasionally flashing.

Then, Bai Zhou immediately infused three spiritual essences into the three candles on the top third candlestick.

"Buzz!"

The three candles at the top were lit, but the flames were not actual fire; instead, they were vibrant, purplish-red flames of pulsating spiritual energy.

Bai Zhou reached out with his left hand, feeling the heat of the candlestick on his still-healing wound.

With his right hand reverently raised in a gesture of respect, Bai Zhou formed a mudra at his chest, bowed his head, and softly prayed:
"The past and the future are but prologue."

"With this heart and this spirit, I offer sacrifices to Heaven."

"With the embers of the palace, I let them illuminate my dawn; in this moment of burning out, I journey to the unknown realm—"

"Broken! Broken! Broken!"

He whispered three times.

Bai Zhou suddenly looked up, chanting an incantation as he raised his right index finger, pointing it towards the three candelabra in front of him, as if giving a command:
"Inicio!"

Its meaning is:
"—Let's go!"

The ceremony was completed.

"boom!!!"

The triple candlesticks suddenly went out.

Sparks flew everywhere, like fireworks exploding, and a dazzling and mesmerizing spectacle appeared before the white boat.

After these sparks bloomed, they did not fall downwards, but instead floated upwards, circling and swirling around the white boat...

"Buzz!"

Finally, the dazzling sparks of light formed a door of colorful light and shadow in front of the white boat.

"Success!"

Bai Zhou's spirits lifted, and his heart pounded.

However, the door seemed rather unstable. Under Bai Zhou's bewildered gaze, it would twist and turn every now and then, making one worry that it might be cut in half when passing by.

Behind the open door, a constantly swirling vortex of colors, with reddish-brown and deep blue as its main hues, made Bai Zhou feel as if he might get lost in it at any moment...

However, just as Bai Zhou had worried, the final and most crucial step of the ceremony finally arrived late.

"This is……?"

Bai Zhou blinked.

"Buzz!"

Something fell from the "Great Sacrifice" above and landed on the white boat's left wrist, which was resting above the candlestick.

The next moment.

The door stabilized, and the vortex seemed to solidify.

A mysterious mark appeared on Bai Zhou's wrist.

The mark depicts a broken spear piercing through a skull, representing the most primal form of "war."

As the white boat beat its heart and pulse, the broken spear seemed to begin to throb as if to the drumbeat of war.

"The Mark of God's Chosen!"

Bai Zhou's breathing became rapid.

gods...

An incredibly distant and unbelievable term.

But in that ancient and distant Trojan era, although we did not know what their specific life forms were, the "gods" did indeed exist.

They guide the birth and development of civilizations, and safeguard the brilliant cultures of countless civilizations...

Those chosen by God are the chosen ones of the era who will inherit the future of the entire civilization!

Of course, Bai Zhou was not chosen by the gods.

The Scarlet Queen is the true "Chosen One".

They were even chosen by the "God of Wisdom and Truth" first, and then by the "God of War and Protection"—a double selection!
"So, it is?"

The moment Bai Zhou's gaze fell on the mark on the wrist, a piece of knowledge flowed into his mind.

"Holding my mark...anchoring myself to the other side;"

"Scarlet Blessing...No Taboos!"

Therefore, this trip to Rome for assessment was essentially a mission for Bai Zhou.

The "High Priestess," the Crimson Queen, half-angel of war, placed the mark of her divine choice upon the White Boat.

It's like a...

Imperial sword!

Although Bai Zhou cannot use this mark, its blessing and protection will ensure that Bai Zhou will not get lost during teleportation and can return at any time once the mission is completed.

Even Bai Zhou could vaguely sense it.

What if he encountered a crisis after completing the mission...?

This mark will also be used!
What is a trump card? What is the foundation of a great power?

—Rounding it up, he could be considered half a chosen one.

Most importantly, the so-called gods have been gone for countless years, and may have been wiped out by Rome back then.

The only one who could establish contact with the White Boat through the mark, the "High Priest," was merely a dead man who had lost his mind.

The white boat goes completely unnoticed by anyone; the power flowing through this chosen mark is practically ownerless...

This means that perhaps one day in the future—

Bai Zhou may be able to truly make use of this power!
With this expectation in mind, Bai Zhou took a deep breath and stepped towards the mysterious door that was bursting with dazzling colors.

"clatter……"

As he took a step, Bai Zhou raised his head and took one last look at the owner of the Chosen Mark.

Hidden among numerous buildings, its figure is difficult to spot from the wasteland below.

The throne is nowhere to be seen—

Because the king was oppressed beneath the world!

“Hmm? This is…?”

Bai Zhou suddenly froze.

Standing at the angle of the doorway, looking up like this, one can see the last words hidden behind the high priest—

I'm tired.

But let us not inscribe elegies on the ruins of civilization, for the songs they sing are not of despair.

One day, a successor will set foot in Troy; he will not know me, but he will inherit the sun.

He will tear down your sacred temples, trample your solemn ancestral halls, and slaughter your blasphemous people!

[—Rome! This is a prophecy! More than anything, a declaration!]

The royal flames have not been extinguished; only the crimson has been extinguished.

But my curse has only just begun to breathe...

Like a prophetic dying words, the scarlet writing was densely covered on the high priest's scarlet body, like runes branded onto her withered form.

If Bai Zhou hadn't looked closely and noticed the anomaly, he would have missed it entirely.

It was only at this moment that Bai Zhou clearly realized this.

Perhaps, completing the temple's test also means becoming the successor of this Crimson Queen.

To carry on Troy's legacy and become an enemy of Rome...?
It sounds incredibly exciting; if it were set in ancient times, it would be a thrilling and legendary tale full of twists and turns.

Unfortunately, Rome had long since perished.

The thought flashes through my mind in an instant.

"Inicio!" The spell took effect.

The dazzling sparks engulfed Bai Zhou's vision.

The boy's figure disappeared from the spot.

……

"Buzz buzz!"

Accompanied by a ringing noise, it was like seeing a colorful spinning top constantly rotating in front of my eyes.

The scene before me changed abruptly, and the air around me suddenly became thick and cold, as if I had fallen into a gloomy swamp.

The ceiling above is no longer the courtyard of a temple; instead, towering ancient trees are in a strange state.

The twisted, swirling tree trunk vaguely resembles a human face, its intertwined branches obscuring the sky, shrouded in gloom.

"This is……"

"Click!"

As Bai Zhou moved, a particularly crisp and delicate echo came from beneath his feet.

As his gaze shifted downwards, Bai Zhou's eyes suddenly widened in horror.

What lies beneath your feet is not soil, but a ground covered with stark white skeletons!
They stretched endlessly, layer upon layer, filling the field of vision without any gaps, completely obscuring the ground!

This is hell on earth!

The grayish-white skeletons were almost crystallized, having endured countless years, broken and interlocked, forming a corridor of death.

Perhaps, countless years ago, this place was a mass grave.

but now--

Towering, strange trees took root on the ground covered with bones, their roots like those of giant pythons tightly wrapped around the mountain of bones.

These roots either pierced through the eye sockets of the skeleton or grew out of the skeleton's chest.

Undoubtedly, this dense, seemingly endless forest of strange trees... was nurtured by the nutrients from these corpses.

The crimson moonlight was blocked by the dense branches, and in the distance, jagged, eerie blue will-o'-the-wisps illuminated this gloomy and bizarre world.

Further away, faint clanging sounds could be heard, adding an eerie touch to the tranquil, strange forest.

It is visibly a decaying world, completely different from the shattered Trojan civilization.

Here is...

"Rome!"

Bai Zhou took a deep breath.

Is this Rome?!
As the saying goes in "Black Cat's 8000 Questions," all roads lead to Rome, and after Rome died, everyone considered themselves the true successors of Rome.

Where did that door lead him?

But this place is not much different from what Bai Zhou imagined.

The final resting place of Roman civilization.

Perhaps the Bitroy civilization lies in a deeper, more "deep" realm of the Ruins.

Dilapidated, silent, and fraught with danger...

The wind blew through the forest of strangely shaped faces, causing the branches to sway, making Bai Zhou feel as if he were hearing the echoes of death.

Just like when we first explored the desolate battlefield beneath the inverted giant city...

"Buzz!"

He decisively drew his saber from its sheath, while his left hand casually prepared to draw the broken flag and short stick from his waist.

Following the eerie blue glow of will-o'-the-wisps, Bai Zhou cautiously began to explore this dense forest of skeletons that fed on death.

On the twisted trunks of these trees, the outlines of faces struggling in pain are faintly visible, and the bark looks similar to pale human figures.

This made Bai Zhou, who was navigating through the dense forest, feel as if he were being watched by countless people, like walking through a densely packed wax museum...

"Ding Dong..."

"Ding Dong! Ding Dong!"

As the white boat moved forward, the strange knocking sounds became more pronounced and frequent.

Only by listening closely can one discover that they seem to emanate from some deep underground source beneath the mountains of bones piled up beneath one's feet.

The deeper one goes into the dense forest, the thicker the darkness becomes, and the more the hill of bones slopes downwards.

close, close...

The sound grew closer.

"Clang! Clang! Clang..."

Then, the white boat passed through a bizarre tree root formation resembling an archway of bones, and suddenly the view opened up before it.

He heard it, and he saw it—

A terrifying and mysterious scene!

In the center of the vast open space, the earth cracked open, revealing a huge, dark hole.

A thick, green, poisonous fog billowed out of the cave, so dense it was almost liquid, resembling writhing, lifelike tentacles.

In the tranquil environment, the toxic fog permeated the air, casting an eerie haze over the surrounding atmosphere.

Inside and outside the cave entrance where the poisonous fog was rising, Bai Zhou finally vaguely saw the source of the "clanging" sound.

"what……"

Upon seeing the face clearly, Bai Zhou froze, then felt a chill run down his spine.

"Undead!"

Countless dead souls were everywhere.

The rotting skeleton, draped in tattered rags, held a hammer, shovel, and pickaxe, clanging and banging at the mysterious, eerie green or dark purple ore in front of it.

The old men moved stiffly yet in perfect unison, like puppets on strings, repeating the actions of mining.

"Snapped!"

A crisp, sharp sound.

The skeleton wielding a bone whip had green flames burning in its eyes and wore a robe, clearly indicating its superior status.

"Get up, you lazybones! Stop living like pampered princes!"

"Why sleep long after death? The soul of the dead need not slumber!"

"For the glory of Rome, slaves, do you not wish to be Romans?"

"..."

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The sounds of the excavation by the undead seemed to become truly "enthusiastic" under the urging and shouts of the overseer.

The utterly absurd scene made Bai Zhou think he had arrived in hell.

"This is……"

"A miner skeleton?!"

In the distance, Bai Zhou was dumbfounded. He quickly hid behind a tree, trying his best to minimize his presence.

Miner Skeleton and Roman Necromancer Overseer?

Although both are deep ruins, the art style of Rome is completely different from that of Troy.

Even if Rome is gone, even if everyone is heading towards the end...

In this deep, desolate realm, people who have been dead for countless ages are still subjected to the suffocating suffering of Roman enslavement.

He's already an old man...

—As expected, a true lackey of the evil god! An enemy of civilization!
No wonder the Trojan civilization was willing to flee and wander in order to avoid the tyrant's conquest.

Even in death, they cannot find peace; Rome truly understood how to extract every last drop of value from its enemies!

In contrast, the people of Troy, ravaged by the virus, became mindless zombies, ultimately decaying quietly together in the secret realm…

Instead, it became a stroke of luck.

It's ironic.

Rome is gone, but have they not forgotten the arrogance and evil etched into their very bones?
This is not good.

"..."

Bai Zhou's fingers curled slightly as he pondered whether the skeletal overseer could be considered a Roman soldier.

At the same time, he was pondering another question.

So many miners and overseers—

What kind of ore are they mining?
It looks extraordinary.

the most important is……

Bai Zhou suddenly clutched his chest.

Beneath his feet lay a dense sea of ​​skeletons, his gaze sweeping over the mysterious, bottomless mine in the distance... and the various undead spirits that roamed inside and outside the mine.

Since arriving in this dense forest piled high with the dead

The Dead Sea Scrolls in my arms—

They were like hunting dogs that had smelled blood, restless and unable to contain themselves.

This made Bai Zhou's heart pound as he silently hid behind the tree.

The deathly aura lingering around the ruins of the Trojan civilization unlocked the first chapter of the secret scroll, "The Thousand-Faced Moon."

"Could it be... that there's a chance to unlock a new chapter in the secret scroll here?"

(End of this chapter)