Chapter 481: Is it Over or Not? (Bonus - )
"Is it over?"
"I don’t think so."
"Let’s just leave. This place is creeping me out. I’d rather try my luck in the desert than stay any longer in this town."
Whispers and murmurs spread throughout the various streets.
Those who managed to survive the ordeal were all trembling in trepidation, their faces still pale from everything they had witnessed.
For many of them, this was the first time they had ever experienced such a roller coaster, leaving their minds completely shaken.
Their hearts pounded heavily against their chests, while many gripped their weapons tightly, their eyes shifting back and forth as they remained on guard against any unexpected danger.
Some groups did not even stop to consider anything as they raced toward the town gate, fearing that staying another second would cost them their lives.
"My goodness..."
"How terrifying is the Grim Reaper?"
"Don’t tell me he is going to kill everyone in the town?"
Watching the carnage, the brutal remains of the Horn Lizard Soldiers’ corpses were scattered along the street, creating a horrifying scene that none of them would ever forget.
Those who had not witnessed the battle could not help but shiver, sucking in a cold breath as the gruesome sight entered their eyes.
Dry blood could be seen everywhere.
Arriving at the town gate, they saw weapons and armor dismantled beyond human comprehension, with shattered fragments scattered across the ground.
Heads were scattered everywhere with their bodies nowhere to be found, making the entire area resemble a battlefield from a nightmare.
Apart from the numerous heads, there were cleaved arms, tails, and legs in every direction, leaving almost no clean place to step.
It was so gory and brutal that those escaping felt their legs turning into jelly, while many struggled to suppress the urge to vomit.
If they had been ordinary humans, they would have long since fainted from the horrifying scene before them.
Rushing out of the town, many breathed a deep sigh of relief.
What they had previously thought was their sanctuary had turned into a horror town, one they never wished to enter again.
"What should we do? Do we need to keep running or stay?" a young woman asked, staring at her group with a conflicted expression.
"What? You still want to stay near the town after everything that happened?" a young man, who was a Level 34 Samurai, asked, staring at her with wide eyes as though she had gone mad.
The other members of the group looked at each other before they turned to look at the open town gate behind them, their expressions equally conflicted.
They all understood their situation.
Leaving the town and heading deeper into the Crimson Dune was like entering a lion’s den.
At the same time, staying back near the town was like standing beside a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment.
Who knew what would happen next?
They were lucky to survive now.
Next time, they might not be so lucky, and that thought alone made their hearts sink.
"We should stay near the town," a tall woman said in a low voice, her expression unusually calm despite the tense atmosphere.
Before the others could question her, she continued, "I’m not commanding all of you to stay near the town. If you wish to venture deep into the Crimson Dune and try your luck, then that’s fine."
"But I will advise you to stay near the town. Even though we don’t know what the Grim Reaper wants to do, I don’t think he’s going to attack innocent people."
"Besides, if he wanted to attack us, we could see him from a distance and flee just in time before he ever reached us."
"So, you can decide."
With that, the tall woman walked to a small dune on the right and, before everyone, she took out a makeshift tent from her inventory and began to set it up with practiced ease.
Seeing this, the group was stunned for a moment before they followed her actions without saying another word.
What could they do?
Her reasoning was solid and difficult to refute.
Compared to rushing into the Crimson Dune like idiots, their chance of survival was much higher outside Horn Lizard Town, where they could still observe the situation from a safe distance.
With the first group taking the lead, the groups that arrived outside the town afterward gradually followed their actions.
One after another, makeshift tents appeared on the surrounding dunes as everyone quietly settled down while keeping a cautious eye on the town in the distance.
Meanwhile, inside the Horn Lizard King’s residence, Thoren toured every corner and had already found the hidden tunnel without much difficulty.
But he chose not to enter the tunnel. With steady steps, he walked out of the almost destroyed King’s residence.
Behind him, there were only two undead servants, making him appear ordinary and weak to anyone who did not know the truth.
But when those monitoring the residence saw him, they all shivered, and their spines were drenched in cold sweat.
"Come out," Thoren said calmly, his expression remaining as indifferent as ever.
His words were not loud, but everyone near the King’s residence heard him loud and clear, as though his voice had echoed directly inside their ears.
For a moment, no one reacted, their hearts pounding heavily against their chests while fear rooted them to the ground.
A moment later, a figure draped in a black cloak stepped out from the shadows with hesitant steps.
He removed the hood over his head, and his bald head came into view under the pale moonlight.
"Y...Your High...My...Lord...His...Excellence..." he stuttered, his lips trembling uncontrollably as he struggled to form complete sentences.
Beads of sweat gathered on his forehead. Although he was a Level 36 Assassin, before the Grim Reaper.
He had lost all the courage to speak, and even standing upright required all the strength he could muster.
Thoren turned his gaze and looked at him for a moment before he averted his gaze as though the assassin was not worth his attention.
"What are you doing? Do you want me to drag you all out?"
Ah!
Listening to his voice, those hiding behind closed doors did not dare delay any longer.
Humans and Beastmen alike, each of them trooped out of their hiding places, trembling visibly as they lowered their heads.
Among them, Thoren saw the Mantis Men, but his expression did not change in the slightest.
"I’ve killed the Horn Lizard King and his army. Now, you don’t have to worry about living here."
"As for the other Horn Lizard Men, nothing must happen to them. This is their town."
"When daybreak comes, I want you all to send a message to the Crimson Arc Guild to return to the town."
"As of this moment onward, this town is under the control of the Crimson Arc Guild. Before their return, you can try to play dirty, but expect my visit."
His voice was calm even though he was threatening them, making his words even more terrifying..
Not a single trace of emotion could be heard in his tone, as though he were merely stating an undeniable fact.
"Finally, no one must step into the King’s residence without my permission."
"Is that clear?" he asked, sweeping his gaze across the trembling crowd.
"Ah...Yes. Yes,"
The crowd answered as many nodded their heads continuously, wiping the sweat from their foreheads while not daring to meet his eyes.
Some nodded so vigorously that they nearly lost their balance, afraid that even the slightest hesitation would invite disaster.
"Good."
He nodded lightly and turned around, returning into the King’s residence without another glance at the crowd.
Watching his departing back, the group could not help but breathe a long sigh of relief, as though a massive mountain had finally been lifted from their shoulders.
They looked at each other before they slowly made their way back to their houses or inns, each carrying complicated thoughts inside their hearts.
As of today, everyone knew the fate of the Crimson Dune had once again changed because of a single human Awakener.