Chapter 163: Death Storm (Part-1)

Chapter 163: Death Storm (Part-1)The guards’ leader didn’t believe them, so he decided to consult his superiors in the city. "Wait here," he said before leaving to seek guidance.

Kaleb showed no annoyance and, along with the others, waited patiently. After a while, the guard returned with a surprisingly elderly man, so frail that even walking seemed difficult for him.

An elderly man with a kind smile nodded to them and said, "Sorry for the inconvenience, but the situation here is tense, so you need to take some measures." Kaleb and others nodded in understanding, and with that, the elderly man took out a small crystal ball.

"It can find what you are saying, true or false."

After hearing what the small crystal can do, all of their expression changed a little, but they immediately controlled their expression.

No matter what, they all had secrets that they didn’t want to share, and items like the truth crystal were so bad for them that they wanted to remain as far as possible.

But it was Kaleb’s job as he was the acting leader, and the others watched intently to see how he would behave.

However, he remained calm and showed no hesitation.

"Please place your hand here, and don’t worry—we won’t ask much, just a simple question," the elderly man said, holding the crystal ball in front of him. Kaleb calmly placed his hand on it.

Here’s the proofread version of the passage:

"Are you travellers?" the elderly man asked.

"Yes," Kaleb replied.

Immediately, the crystal glowed with a green light.

"True," the elder confirmed. "Then, the second question: Have you come here to harm the city and its people?"

"No," Kaleb answered. This was the important question, and the guards and others watched the crystal ball intently. If it turned red, they were prepared to attack immediately, ready to sacrifice their lives to protect the city. On the other hand, Kaleb remained calm, as these questions were straightforward and didn’t conflict with their intentions.

The crystal again glowed with bright light to ease the tense atmosphere.

"Okay, that’s it," the elderly man said. "The others just need to answer the questions, and then all of you can enter the city quickly, as a Death Storm might hit at any moment."

The elderly man smiled as he said this, though he was quite tense himself. He could see that each of them was very strong, and if a fight broke out, the city might not be able to handle them quickly.

Hearing the elderly man say, Apollo, others were relieved as he didn’t ask troublesome questions. The elderly man knows that everyone has secrets; if he tries more, it can be counterproductive. Since they are not here to trouble them, why make enemies of them in troubled times?

One by one, each of them was checked, even the pussy king, and finally, the elderly man himself led them inside the Crimson City, which seemed to be built on crimson soil, giving it its name.

The elderly man guided them through the gates of Crimson City, his steps slow but steady despite his frail appearance. As they entered, the group took in the sight of the city. The crimson soil that covered the ground gave the entire place an eerie, otherworldly atmosphere, further intensified by the dark, swirling clouds above.

Despite the urgency, the people of Crimson City moved with a sense of grim determination. The city was surrounded by towering walls that seemed ancient, bearing the scars of countless battles. The buildings were sturdy but worn, their crimson hue blending with the soil beneath.

The elderly man led them to a large building near the centre of the city, where a group of officials and warriors were gathered, deep in discussion.

"This is our city lord Rex." The elderly man led them to meet the city lord directly, as the group was too strong to be ignored, and if they could receive their help, then the security of the city would increase.

"Oh, this must be the group of travellers. Welcome, welcome." The City Lord, Rex, noticed the group from afar as they were being led into the city. He could naturally sense the mysterious aura surrounding them.

Apollo and the others were also shocked to see the City Lord. Surprisingly, Rex was much stronger than they had anticipated, and his presence was as deep and vast as an abyss, making them feel a terrifying pressure.

Kaleb and the others weren’t as sensitive as Apollo, so they could only guess at Rex’s strength. However, Apollo could perceive it more clearly than the rest. The City Lord Rex standing before them was a Saint and not just any saint. Judging by the depth of his aura and his incredible control, Apollo was certain that Rex was stronger than Kaleb. He might have even reached the peak of the Saint stage.

Kaleb, maintaining his composure, stepped forward and offered a respectful bow. "City Lord Rex, it is an honour to meet you. We are indeed travellers, and we’ve come to offer our assistance in defending Crimson City."

Kaleb knew what the city lord and other officials of the city expected from them, so he directly gave them that, as it was also their task, and it would be better if they had the help of the city instead of any unnecessary conflicts.

Rex nodded, his eyes sweeping over each member of the group, lingering briefly on Apollo and Pussy King on his shoulder. "Your presence here is most welcome. These are troubling times, and we need all the help we can get." His voice, though calm, carried an underlying authority that commanded respect.

"Your help could be the difference between survival and destruction for Crimson City," Rex said to them.

"Death storm isn’t an ordinary storm; it is the representative of death and despair in these deserts. The storm carries with it the essence of death itself, a force that can weaken even the strongest warriors."

"It corrodes the soul and physique of anything that gets caught in it, and it is still the easiest part of it."

Hearing this, Apollo and the group were surprised that such a dangerous storm was still the convenient part, but they didn’t stop City Lord Rex.

"The dangerous things are the next part; as the death storm envelops the desert, it brings back those countless dead that are buried in these deserts back to life in the form of weird and mindless zombies, which will massacre and suck everything in its path."

"Those zombies are like an almost endless swarm will attack everything, and they are not weak, as some zombies will still have their strength when they are alive, making them almost unstoppable."

The gravity of Rex’s words weighed heavily on the group as they absorbed the full extent of the threat. The idea of a storm that not only carried the essence of death but also reanimated the dead into mindless, relentless zombies was far more terrifying than any of them had anticipated.

Apollo was still calm, but he felt the danger of this trial. This first section of the task is this difficult; wouldn’t the next section be more deadly?

Kaleb exchanged glances with the others, each of them silently processing the information. They had expected danger, but this was going to be more difficult than they thought.

Even the pussy king also seems to think about something, as it is still lazily sitting on Apollo’s shoulder.

Rex continued, his tone sombre. "The Death Storm has already claimed countless lives over many centuries. Our city has survived before, but at great cost. This time, with your help, we may stand a better chance."

Kaleb nodded, his expression resolute. "We won’t let Crimson City fall, City Lord. We’ll fight, and we’ll give it everything we’ve got."

Hearing this, City Lord Rex felt relieved, and after that, they left the place to plan their next step.

They found an empty and only open restaurant as most of the people were hiding in some place, but for some reason, this guy still remained open.

"So, what are your thoughts? According to the City Lord, the death storm will hit at nightfall; we have only a few hours." Kaleb sat on the chair and asked the group for their opinions.

Aiden, deep in thought, was the first to speak. "We need to understand the terrain and the city’s defences better. If the storm brings the dead back to life, we should expect a large-scale assault. We’ll need to identify the most vulnerable points in the city and fortify them."

Their task was to save the city; most would survive the dead storm if they remained in their house, but the problem was the zombies as if they were countless, as the City Lord described, it would be the problem.

One of the other grandmasters nodded in agreement. "If we can direct their movements, we’ll have a better chance of containing them."

One after another, they all started to give their ideas, but only Apollo and Alyona, who don’t seem to like to talk much, remained silent.