Wasteland Lord: Starting from Thirty Days to Live

As Vittorio's final sword strike came down heavily, five more monster corpses lay on the ground.

He gripped the sword, feeling no exhaustion, only a slight fatigue. His body was indeed vastly different from what it used to be.

Eileen was slightly out of breath due to the long spellcasting session.

Vittorio washed the sword with water, then wiped it carefully with a handkerchief, but it wasn't very clean, so he sheathed it.

Here's a little-known fact: after killing a person or animal, you should wipe them with warm water because of the fat inside.

In short, the battle has come to an end.

Vittorio also had time to crouch down and carefully observe the monster.

I won't go into details about its appearance, but upon closer inspection, Vittorio noticed that the monster's milky-white skin had obvious stitching marks, as if someone had forcibly pieced together the skin of something else and then sewn it onto this thing.

Vittorio had a strong sense of déjà vu, as if he had seen this thing somewhere before.

Before he could voice his doubts, Eileen glanced at the monster and spoke first.

"The Swamp Phantom Frog has smooth, pure white skin. Because its skin has three or four special photosensitive layers, it can change its color at will and even hide in its environment."

"At the same time, this skin is highly poisonous, and its vapors in the air can cause hallucinations... It is often found in the humid southern areas of the kingdom."

Eileen looked at it carefully again, then nodded.

"That's right, that should be it."

Vittorio was somewhat surprised. He peeled off the skin and showed Eileen what was inside.

Eileen glanced at it briefly and drew another conclusion.

"Crypt ghouls are things created when a human corpse comes into contact with the rift's black barrier. They can speak human language and even mimic humans. They possess a crucial ability—emotional displacement."

"They can sense the memories of living humans by reading the scent of them in the air, and they are found all over the continent."

"It is said that this monster will knock on the doors and windows of farmers at night when it is dark, pretending to be a lost traveler or a distant relative, to trick the homeowner into opening the door or window. Once the homeowner opens the door, it will pounce in and kill the homeowner."

Vittorio was quite surprised.

How do you know so much?

Eileen explained without changing her expression.

"Sir Roland Rothsfield's Monster Encounters and Illustrations," from the Royal Library. The priest would report to the Metropolitan Bishop every year, and I specifically asked him to bring it to me.

Vittorio noticed that Eileen's eyes brightened when she said this.

"You enjoy reading?" Vittorio asked.

Eileen simply nodded reservedly.

"It's alright. From the time I learned to read until today, I've probably read over a thousand books."

"sharp."

Vittorio was generous with his praise.

"Then, could you please explain to me why these two monsters were artificially sewn together?"

When Eileen heard his question, she seemed puzzled as well and fell into deep thought.

Vittorio then added.

"And it seems like this isn't the first time I've seen this thing... I remember now, just yesterday, that level two monster... Do you remember?"

"The bony shell on the bear's back doesn't seem to be its original part. Instead, it looks like someone peeled the shell off something else and then forcibly sewed it onto the bear's back."

That tendon, that enormous exoskeleton, that rotting smell—it's all still vivid in my mind.

After thinking for a moment, Eileen hesitantly offered a guess.

"Perhaps you've heard of... Arcane Sorcerers?"

Mystic Sorcerer.

Vittorio recalled that he seemed to have heard this term when he was training with Edmund, and the term also appeared in the original memories of this body.

Overall, he is a hybrid of a folklorist and a mad magician.

On the continent of Eordir today, there are three systems of extraordinary power.

The first type is divine magic from the lineage of sacred faith; the second type is the body-forging imprint; and the third type is the secret source magic.

Unlike the newly emerging Imprinted Body technique of the last two hundred years, the Secret Source Technique belongs to an ancient power, just like the Divine Technique.

In ancient times, practitioners of both divine arts and mystical arts existed simultaneously. However, unlike the orthodox divine arts, mystical arts were always rejected and even accused of being evil.

They worship evil gods and try to understand their existence in order to create their own supernatural system.

But most of them go insane because of their deep connection with evil gods.

"Or perhaps they are simply madmen. Unlike Paradion, who represents light and order, the existence of evil gods is always chaotic, inverted, and contrary to common sense. Trying to understand evil gods is an act of madness."

Eileen clenched her hands tightly around the triangular radiance and concluded.

By the way, Paradion is the only deity recognized and worshipped by the Church of Holy Light, meaning "Guardian".

"What does that Secret Source Technique have to do with these monsters in front of us?" Vittorio asked, not ashamed to admit it.

"The only thing I can think of about this technique is the Flesh and Blood Mystic Sorcerers—those butchers of the Abundance School."

The School of Abundance – an organization formed by people who worship the evil goddess Therma, the Mother of Abundance.

The Mother of Abundance, a deity of infinite proliferation and multiplication in the universe.

The Abundance School worships Thelma and claims that infinite proliferation and transformation are the only way out for life and the fundamental way to fight against the demonic tide.

They therefore frequented the vicinity of various large rifts on the continent, constantly collecting the corpses of demons, piecing them together and modifying them, making them one of the most notorious schools of arcane arts.

By this point, Vittorio had fully understood.

"So you're saying that monsters modified by members of the Fertile Soil School are lurking beneath my castle?"

"That's exactly right."

"Very well, the rift issue hasn't been resolved, and now cultists are causing trouble again."

Vittorio smiled and "happily" curled the corners of his mouth.

"At least we've found traces of them. Now it's best to go back the way we came and tell the others what we've found," Eileen comforted her.

"That's exactly what I was thinking." Vittorio nodded.

The two of them then turned back and started walking in the direction they had come from.

"Speaking of which, we've been down here for so long, and the rope has broken, so why haven't they come down to look for us?" Vittorio asked.

But he soon found out why.

Midway through the journey, a very deep and wide pool of water appeared before them, blocking their path. The pool was rising steadily, as if a spring was continuously releasing water.

Vittorio's face was grim as he watched helplessly as the water spread from a short distance from his feet to his feet, then quickly submerged the tops of his feet.

He could only keep retreating.

"The groundwater level has risen, no wonder no one has come looking for us, the area is blocked."

As the sound of water grew louder, the groundwater continued to rise and spread, forcing Vittorio to pull Eileen back into the depths.

He thought that perhaps there was an exit on the other side of the cave.

But reality disappointed him. When they ran as fast as they could to the deepest part of the village, a stone wall blocked their way.

At the end of the cave was a dead end.

Vittorio's face turned ashen. Before him stood an impenetrable, solid stone wall, and behind him, the sound of water growing louder and closer.

They're trapped here!