Chapter 225 - 137: Catch a Live One
’Doesn’t this moron have a single shred of caution?’ Benjamin was about to go crazy. He shook Percy by his clothes and roared, "Get up! Get up now! Those stars aren’t normal!"
"What’s wrong with... Holy hell, they’re coming down!" Percy, who had been about to argue, suddenly shrieked.
Benjamin immediately looked up to see the streaks of green light, which had been circling overhead, suddenly reverse course and plummet toward them.
Damn it!
Benjamin cursed inwardly, let go of his grip, and bolted, showing no concern for whether his teammate lived or died. Percy didn’t dare stay on the ground either. He scrambled nimbly to his feet and sprinted after Benjamin’s retreating figure, shouting, "Wait for me!" while running for his life.
But no matter how fast they were, they couldn’t outrun the weightless, floating Wandering Souls.
Several Wandering Souls swooped down from the sky and passed right through their bodies.
Wandering Souls were spiritual in nature and could not make physical attacks. However, as they passed through them, the icy Death Qi made Percy and Benjamin feel as if they’d been plunged into an ice pit. It felt like their blood was freezing solid. Neither had a chance to scream before they both collapsed, their lips deathly pale as they lost consciousness.
...
「An unknown amount of time passed.」
"Are the two of them dead...?"
"They’re still alive..."
"Why bring them back alive...?"
"Be careful next time..."
Faint, indistinct voices drifted in and out. Benjamin gradually regained consciousness, his eyes darting back and forth beneath his eyelids. He slowly opened them, his vision blurry.
’Where am I? Who’s talking?’
Benjamin forced his eyes open and tried to push himself up from the floor, but his limbs were stiff and unresponsive. Even lifting a hand took immense effort. However, his returning circulation was rapidly chasing away the chill, and the stiffness began to recede. He finally managed to struggle into a sitting position, and the world swam into focus.
Lying beside him was another person—it was Percy. He looked around and found himself in an incredibly spacious hall. The walls were built from various bones. Directly in front of him, a lazy-looking young man sat on a great White Bone Throne, his chin resting in his hand.
The young man was flanked by two others of a similar age. Off to the side stood a Cat Girl, Wandering Souls...
The Undead City Lord, Li Ziyu!
Benjamin’s mind snapped to full alert, his eyes widening in horror.
"Oh? You’re awake," Li Ziyu said, seeing Benjamin was conscious. He shifted in his seat, his tone still lazy. "Do you have anything to say? Something to trade for your life, for example. Information, or whatever. If not, well... you’ll have a chance for some last words."
"Wait! We can talk!" Benjamin said quickly, raising his hands with palms facing Li Ziyu to show he meant no harm.
"I don’t like wasting time. If you want to live, come up with something useful to ransom your life," Li Ziyu said, waving a hand dismissively, gesturing for Benjamin to get on with it.
Benjamin glanced at Percy beside him. The man was still out, dead to the world. ’He’s not going to be any help.’
His mind raced as he tried to figure a way out of his predicament. It wasn’t until he saw the impatient expression on Li Ziyu’s face that he blurted out, "My fortress is full of good things! Spare me, and I’ll give you all of my resources!"
Li Ziyu gave him a look one reserves for a fool. He clicked his tongue. "You still haven’t figured out the situation, have you? You’ve already lost. You don’t have to ’give’ me anything. Your fortress is already my spoil of war."
’Looks like this was a waste of time.’ Li Ziyu waved his hand in boredom. ’I knew this would happen. The Wandering Souls are still a bit lacking. I don’t need prisoners. What was the point of bringing him back alive? A corpse would have been enough. Now this is just extra trouble.’
Two Skeleton Undead advanced with swords in hand. They seized Benjamin’s arms and began to drag him away. Scared out of his wits, he screamed, "Wait, wait! I said let go of me! I have something else to say!"
The Undead paid no attention to Benjamin’s pleas and kept dragging him out. In a moment of desperate inspiration, Benjamin yelled, "I have information! I have information!"
"Bring him back," Li Ziyu said quietly.