Chapter 488: The March of the Undead.
Standing deep inside the Scorpion King Palace was a small hill with yellowish plants growing upon it.
The gentle slope appeared peaceful under the pale glow of the three moons, while the countless plants swayed quietly beneath the desert breeze.
This was an area where only the Scorpion King could step into.
A sacred ground of the Scorpion Clan.
For years, the sacred ground had remained quiet except for the gentle desert wind that rustled the leaves.
No ordinary clansman dared approach this place, let alone step onto the sacred hill.
The yellowish plants could be seen everywhere, making the sacred ground entirely different from any other part of the palace.
Their soft golden hue blanketed the hill like an endless field, giving the place an almost divine atmosphere.
To those looking at the sacred ground, it was beautiful and peaceful.
But all this was a façade.
The small hill housed the dangerous tunnel that connected the Scorpion Clan to the Horn Lizard Clan.
It was a secret passage hidden beneath generations of deception.
Apart from the king who knew of this, the other being that knew of this was the Ancient One.
But now, things were about to change.
Thud! Thud!
From beneath the hill and through the cave entrance, two figures appeared.
Undead.
Their deep hollow sockets burned fiercely with eerie pale yellow soul fire that flickered continuously inside their empty sockets.
The Undead General held its massive saber firmly, while a strong intimidating undead aura emanated from its body without restraint.
The oppressive energy spread quietly through the sacred ground like an invisible tide.
Beside it, the Undead Kharv held its massive axe with an almost equally terrifying undead aura.
Under the effect of the undead energy, all the surrounding yellowish plants withered at a visible speed.
Their vibrant color faded.
Their leaves curled.
Their life force rapidly disappeared.
Within only a few breaths, the once flourishing vegetation had become dry and lifeless.
Turning the sacred ground into a land of death.
Thud! Thud!
The two undead walked forward, turning every part of their path into dead ground.
The lush plants continuously withered wherever the undead aura passed. Behind them, undead soldiers continuously walked out of the cave tunnel.
One after another.
Without pause.
Their synchronized footsteps echoed throughout the sacred ground like the march of an army returning from the underworld.
With each passing second, dozens continued to march out.
The number rapidly increased.
One hundred.
Two hundred.
Five hundred.
Five minutes later, every corner of the sacred ground was covered in undead energy.
The once peaceful sanctuary had completely transformed into an undead domain. One thousand undead soldiers stood in perfect formation.
Only the burning soul flames inside their hollow eye sockets illuminated the surrounding darkness.
Standing at their front were the Undead Kharv and the Undead General. They resembled two immovable mountains guarding the entrance of hell itself.
Just then, a figure walked out of the cave entrance.
He looked ordinary without any strong intimidating aura nor any overwhelming undead energy.
His breathing remained calm and his expression remained indifferent. At first glance, he looked no different from an ordinary human.
But to those who knew him, he was far from ordinary.
He was Thoren Starfall.
The Grim Reaper.
As he walked forward, his steps were casual and unhurried.
It was as if he were in his own backyard, taking a leisurely stroll rather than walking deep inside enemy territory.
The space around him trembled slightly as five undead Sanguine Vultures rose into the sky. Their enormous skeletal wings spread wide as they circled silently above the sacred ground.
From high above, their blazing soul flames overlooked the entire Scorpion King Palace.
He did not dare look down on the Scorpion Clan because he had defeated their army.
He knew that defeating their army did not mean defeating the entire clan.
For the Scorpion Clan to have stood at the top of the pyramid for countless generations, that alone proved their means were beyond normal understanding.
More importantly, for them to be the gatekeepers of this world’s history, looking down on them would be nothing but folly.
"Advance..." Thoren commanded through their mental link.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The ground inside the sacred ground trembled as the one thousand undead soldiers moved at the same time.
Their synchronized footsteps sounded like the beating of a gigantic war drum, causing the surrounding earth to vibrate continuously.
The previous beautiful scenery had long vanished, and in its place was death marching forward, looking for blood.
Outside the sacred ground, a team of powerful Palace Guards patrolled the vicinity.
They carried themselves with disciplined expressions, completely unaware that unimaginable danger was rapidly approaching from behind the sacred walls.
The ten meter stone wall that separated the sacred ground from the outside made it impossible for them to know the chaos that was about to unfold.
Nevertheless, the trembling ground beneath their feet could not be mistaken.
"What is happening?" one of the Palace Guards asked, his face filled with confusion as he instinctively tightened his grip around his spear.
All the guards halted in their patrol, their faces filled with shock and confusion. Their eyes immediately shifted toward the towering wall surrounding the sacred ground.
This was the first time they had witnessed the ground around the sacred ground trembling.
"Captain, do you know what is going on?" another guard asked, staring at their captain with anxious eyes.
As their captain, they believed he was the most knowledgeable among them, and if anyone was going to know what was happening, he would be the one.
He would be the one. At least, that was what every guard believed as they silently waited for his answer.
"This is strange." The Captain shook his head. "This has never happened since I started working as the sacred ground guard."
When the guards heard their captain, their shock deepened. However, before they could deliberate on the situation, another violent tremor interrupted their thoughts.
The trembling ground intensified. The vibrations became stronger with every passing second, making even the stone pavement beneath their feet shake noticeably.
It was as though something was getting closer and closer with each passing moment.
"Captain!" one of them screamed. His voice contained unconcealed panic as fear rapidly spread through the group.
Now, the thunderous sound of the heavy footsteps could be heard.
Worse, it was coming from inside the sacred ground. Every step sounded heavier than the last, shaking the surrounding area continuously.
Instantly, the atmosphere changed, and tension gripped the guards. Without speaking, each unsheathed their weapon.
Their expressions became solemn. Cold sweat gradually appeared across many of their foreheads as they prepared themselves for an unknown enemy.
"We need to report this to the king at once..." the Captain whispered.
Boom!
Before one of them could take the urgent news to their king, the massive gate to the sacred ground was shattered into countless pieces.
***
[AN: Bonus Chapter shall resume tomorrow. I’m a bit exhausted today.
Thanks for your support.]