Chapter 125: The Temple of Death

Ling was eager to volunteer, her ability had already proven to be uniquely useful in such situations. If she could quickly bring forth spring water from the ground, she certainly could clear the sand swiftly.

But Wu Qingsong gently tapped her, shaking his head at her.

He still couldn’t fully trust Sacker and his men. In such circumstances, Ling’s ability was a trump card, and definitely couldn’t be casually revealed to them.

Moreover, there were two outsiders in the team. What if Ling used her ability? What then? Kill them to silence them?

Since arriving in this world, he had seen much bloodshed, killed many, and indirectly caused the deaths of many others. But those were individuals who had courted death themselves. He wasn’t yet prepared to dispose of those who had once helped him and hadn’t reached a level of trust, as if they were mere tools.

In this world, vastly different from modern society, there were things he approached with a sense of joy and eagerness, like his affection for women or the thrill of adventure. Some actions were taken out of necessity, such as killing enemies or even displaying their bodies as a warning. Yet, there were lines he believed he should never cross, boundaries that, if overstepped, would mean he was no longer himself.

Except for the three girls, everyone immediately got to work, furiously digging through the sand and soil. Luckily, since the sand had been recently blown over from other areas, it wasn’t too hard to excavate. 

Guided by the two badgermen who pinpointed the entrance’s location, their labor was efficient, avoiding any futile effort. Within a few hours, they managed to clear a wind-blocking wall, and what appeared more as a window than a door gradually came to light.

For centuries, sands from outside had seeped in, filling up the entrance, yet the light of the setting sun still illuminated the immense space inside. A colossal statue towered at the back of the structure, with massive stone columns arranged to support the roof, their surfaces seemingly embellished with intricate carvings.

“Did Jerem and his team enter through here?” Wu Qingsong asked.

Both badgermen nodded in confirmation.

Wu Qingsong shouted into the interior and echoes faintly weaved through the columns back to him, indicating the building’s vast scale, far exceeding any ancient structure he had encountered in his previous world.

It seemed, that the Batiz Kingdom, known for its extensive use of undead creatures for labor, had achieved an astonishing level of productivity.

“This was the glory our ancestors once possessed,” someone commented from the side.

Wu Qingsong turned to see Sacker and his followers, their faces alight with zeal and pride, which left him utterly dumbfounded.

That long-past splendor they revered was hundreds, nearly a thousand, years old. What did it have to do with their descendants who had fallen to the status of bandits? Moreover, the downfall of such a formidable kingdom at the hands of the elven empire… The overwhelming might of the elves was far from a cheering matter.

“Let’s camp outside tonight and make our way in at dawn,” Sacker declared, brimming with confidence as if the treasure was already within his reach.

The camels, unable to fit through the entrance, would have to remain outside, necessitating a few to oversee and manage them. Additionally, there was a need for a continuous supply of water and food from the oasis. After deliberating, they agreed to leave four individuals from each group outside as backup, while the rest ventured into the underground palace. Their plan was to set up a camp at a secure spot inside and then progressively delve deeper.

“Beck, you’ll stay outside,” Wu Qingsong instructed.

“Sir, I…”

“You’re well aware of Ling’s and my capabilities, you don’t need to worry about us,” Wu Qingsong reassured him. “However, I need someone absolutely trustworthy to coordinate our support from outside, to watch over these people and ensure our way back is safe. Can you do that?”

Beck’s response was one of immediate eagerness, “Sir! You can count on me, I swear it on my life–”

“Stop, stop, stop! What’s with the hero act? I don’t need you to die for this, you can even run away if it’s crucial,” Wu Qingsong instructed. “Just keep a close watch on them and secure our exit path, understood?”

“Understood, sir!”

In reality, sleep eluded everyone that night. Wu Qingsong and Nina spent the time strategizing for potential challenges ahead, whereas Sacker and his crew speculated about the treasures they might find. They even performed an elaborate ritual, supposedly to signal to the spirits dwelling within the structure that their descendants had arrived, seeking their guidance to uncover powers capable of standing against the elves.

Wu Qingsong harbored doubts, though. If such powers were at their disposal, how had their ancestors fallen into despair?

Nevertheless, as the sun finally crept above the horizon, the weary group embarked on their venture into the underground palace.

The interior was brighter than Wu Qingsong anticipated. The notion that light from a single window could illuminate such an extensive area was astonishing.

Most of Sacker’s followers were catmen, adept in the dark, as were Nina and her wolfmen companions. The houndmen, too, boasted night vision, and even the badgermen could discern their surroundings in minimal light. It seemed Wu Qingsong was the only one whose ability to see in the dark was poor.

However, the group couldn’t see in complete darkness, so they had packed plenty of torches in their supplies. But now, only Wu Qingsong found himself in need of one.

The place they entered seemed to be a platform around the second floor of the grand hall, which Wu Qingsong guessed might have served as a viewing space for those of slightly lower status to observe ceremonies.

The ground was blanketed in sand, much of which had spilled into the area below. Even the parts that remained uncovered hinted at the hall’s past splendor.

Exquisite bas-reliefs adorned the pillars, while the walls boasted murals and carvings etched into the stone. Such places were unlikely to bear inscriptions of critical importance, hence the group spared little effort in their examination.

“We’ve found footprints,” one of the wolfmen accompanying Nina announced.

“They’re likely Jerem’s,” Wu Qingsong said.

They followed the tracks forward and quickly came upon a staircase leading down to the ground floor.

What awaited them was a space even more vast.

The distance from the floor to the ceiling stretched at least thirty meters, with enormous pillars offering support throughout. These columns were etched with Batiz script and an array of patterns. After a brief inspection, Sacker informed them that these inscriptions were verses in praise of the god of death, and the patterns depicted legends associated with this deity, celebrating his formidable power.

Without a doubt, this building was a temple dedicated to the sole deity worshipped by the Batiz people.