Chapter 32: 24. “Noland Lee” is dead.
Translator: 549690339
“Enjoy the carnival! Heh-heh-heh.”
The Death Herald Guild spy chuckled condescendingly at the entrance of the Stone Tomb Gate, then disappeared into the gate with a quick flash.
As soon as his laughter died down, drastic changes happened to Tomb Level Two!
The Spirits that were previously hovering mid -air changed from green to red, their bodies glowing all over with the color of hot iron.
Their eyes were filled with even intenser red, almost as if they could bleed out.
In an instant, the whole area of Tomb Level Two was illuminating with a fierce red glow.
The piercing red light shone intensely over the yellow-green Poisonous Fog, blinding everyone and making it impossible to open their eyes.
Everyone’s field of view immediately shrank by a considerable amount.
The back of Corporal Mars disappeared from Noland Lee’s sight, completely obscured by the red-glowing fog.
Sergeant Major Alvin Stafford and his soldiers were similarly obscured by the fog, leaving only their occasional roars and the crashing noises as proof of their existence.
Meanwhile, the three Spirits pursuing Noland Lee charged forward madly, their earsplitting screams echoing as they rushed towards him.
This was the effect of the “Fanatic Command”!
The spy activated the “Fanatic Command” of the Soul-binding Stone Tomb, he knew how to modify the Undead Runes!
Noland Lee immediately understood what had happened, but found himself with no way to deal with the current situation.
Three Spirits, glowing bright red, arrived before him in just two seconds, each eagerly rushing through his body.
The sensation of cool and hot converged upon his soul at the same time.
The feeling of Spirits moving through his body felt like nothing more than ice water pouring down the collar of his shirt.
They unearthed Noland Lee’s overwhelming warmth, seeping from behind to the front, from the outside to the inside, moving through his chest.
Noland Lee’s sensed the “Heat” in his soul.
It was a fiery burning pain.
It was like someone using a laser cutter to tear his soul into two halves.
This torment of ice and fire came fast and departed just as quickly.
After the Spirits penetrated his body, Noland Lee staggered a few steps, yet he didn’t collapse nor did he turn into a desiccated corpse.
Why am I not dead?!
Noland Lee stood stunned where he was.
The three Spirits melted into the nearby fog and disappeared, seemingly oblivious to the living person in front of them.
Now Noland Lee was completely confused.
He touched his face and chest, and then looked down at his thighs. There wasn’t a lost piece of flesh, a spritz of blood, or a strand of hair.
What’s going on…
[System Message: You have been attacked by the Soul-binding Spirits. You have permanently lost 1 point of Soul Strength. Your current Soul Strength is now 1 point.]
The Soul Strength has decreased from 2 points to 1 point.
That part of Soul Strength he got from the Original Master, was taken away by the Spirits of the Stone Tomb!
Noland Lee widened his eyes, feeling incredulous.
The Soul Strength left behind by the Original Master, it actually saved him from a fatal attack!
[System Message: You have received a mortal attack from the Soul-binding
Stone Tomb Spirits.]
[Passive Deconstruction Activated!]
[The deconstruction degree of the Soul-binding Spirits has reached 100%!!] [You have attained the Panel Information of the Soul-binding Spirits.]
[As you have used the Passive Deconstruction Technique, and have deconstructed the Soul-binding Spirits by 100%, you receive 5 Energy Points.]
Noland Lee stabilized his mind, knowing it wasn’t a good time to carefully examine the panel of the Spirits.
For some unknown reason, the Spirits only absorbed 1 point of his Soul Strength and didn’t absorb all of it.
But that didn’t matter anymore, he had to reunite with Corporal Mars as quickly as possible.
As soon as Noland Lee took his first steps, another line of characters appeared in his mind.
[System Message: Due to the “Soul Sacrifice” feature of the Soul-binding Stone Tomb, you have received a ‘Soul Mark’.]
“Soul Sacrifice”?
“Soul Mark”?
Noland Lee could no longer suppress his curiosity.
He slightly slowed down his running speed, splitting a bit of his focus to tap on the ‘Soul Mark’ entry in his mind.
A 3D Mark made up of 4 Undead Runes appeared in front of him, its overall appearance resembling a rectangular token.bender
Noland Lee squinted at it.
The Undead Runes that make up the “Soul Mark” are the four characters of
“Grudge Teachings”.
Noland Lee instinctively cast his Deconstruction spell on the “Soul Mark” and was surprised to find that it can be deconstructed by the system. [System Message: You are attempting to deconstruct the “Soul Mark”.]
[It is estimated to consume 1 point of energy to achieve 100% degree of deconstruction.]
[You currently have 5 points of energy. Do you confirm the deconstruction?]
Noland Lee didn’t want to be entangled with something ambiguous, so he directly consumed 1 point of energy to carry out the deconstruction.
[Name] Grudge Teachings of the Soul Mark, simply known as Grudge Mark
[Type] Death-type Magic Mark
[Level] 1
[Uses]
You have not yet acquired knowledge about this mark’s meditation.
You can use a magical catalyst (for example a rune staff) to engrave this mark on an object, granting the item a certain death-type magic effect.
With this mark, the mindless undead summoned by the Undead Cult Resentment Faction will not see you as a target of attack unless you show them intention to attack.
Because you have biochemical bait in your body, the actual effect of this application will be weakened.
[Source]
Soul Sacrifice.
Sacrifice 1 point of soul strength to any undead creature that possesses the “Grudge Mark” , and you can obtain this mark from them. Repeated acquisition of this mark can elevate the level of the mark and enhance the effect of using the mark.
With the correct method of asceticism, this mark can be obtained.
[Explanation]
Due to your lack of understanding of death-type magic, this panel’s “Meditation” and “Asceticism” entries are missing.
This panel will be updated synchronously when you obtain more information.
This “Grudge Mark” is a pass for the Grave Vault!
Noland Lee’s eyes lit up.
No wonder he ran towards the Stone Tomb for so long, and not a single Stone Tomb Bound Spirit came to cause trouble.
It turns out that in the eyes of these bound spirits, he, a living human, is equivalent to a member of the Undead Cult.
If it weren’t for the biochemical bait, wouldn’t it be as comfortable as strolling while walking in this tomb?
At this instant, Noland Lee came up with the idea of finding a chance to break away from the Legion and search for an exit in the Suffering Borderland all by himself.
The next second, he dismissed this idea.
Reason is simple…
Although he wouldn’t be attacked by the undead here, he is not an undead but a living person after all.
Living people need to eat, drink, pee, and sleep.
It’s better to stay in the Legion and take advantage of his immunity to undead attack, muddle along, and make something out of it…
But one thing caught Noland Lee’s attention.
The panel clearly states that the “Grudge Mark” can only make mindless undeads from the Undead Cult – Resentment Faction not attack him.
If he encounters other factions of the Undead Cult, or undead with intelligence, he will still receive “warm” reception.
So here comes the problem…
How many factions are there in the Undead Cult?
Can’t be that each faction has a type of Soul Mark, right?
How much soul strength does one need to sacrifice to collect all the soul marks from all factions?
Noland Lee sneered, feeling a headache.
So far, the only way he knows to increase soul strength is through traversals.
Besides that, he has no clue.
Where could he go to increase his soul strength?