If you listen carefully, you can hear a dense ’click-click’ sound coming from tens of ters behind him.
This rhythmic clattering does not sound like the footsteps of humans or creatures.
It sounds more like the sound of tal blocks striking the ground.
Seconds later.
On the sa road section, seven or eight chanical devices more than three ters high appeared in succession.
These chanical devices resemble certain giant land birds. Normally, after thousands of years, even the best chanical devices should be mostly ruined without maintenance.
But bizarrely, these chanical devices seem to be very well maintained.
Yet, the bizarre thing is not this.
It’s the fact that the backs of these chanical land birds are eerily seated with goblin corpses wearing uniform clothes.
That’s right!
They are corpses!
Their skin is dried to the point where it’s almost entirely deep wrinkles, with eyes that only seem to have the whites, expressionless, operating the chanisms to chase the Federation male ahead.
"Damn it, there’s no escape now, fight it out!"
The burly man in a Federation Major’s uniform is sweating profusely from his forehead, his face flushed, showing signs of physical strength nearly reaching its limit.
The exhaustion and stimulus of impending death prompted him to recall the entire exploration process of the team.
This godforsaken place seed normal at first.
But from a certain point, after they ventured deeper into so area, an omnipresent whispering began, as if a woman were constantly speaking softly in one’s ear.
This situation can drive an ordinary person mad in less than ten minutes.
Even well-trained as they were, team mbers began to beco irritable, easily angered, and gradually went mad.
Moreover, the creepy things behind them started to appear suddenly and attacked them.
Corpses?
chanical monsters?
This combination of monsters has extraordinarily powerful combat strength, and coupled with the ubiquitous whispers, from their team of twelve, he’s the only survivor now.
But the problem now is, he has lost direction, completely devoid of hope for escape.
"I can’t accept this! I still haven’t sent out the intelligence!" The Federation Major, sowhat regretful, murmured.
Despite the omnipresent whispers, his thinking remains relatively normal and clear due to wearing a Soothing Talisman.
As the team leader, he knows very well if he can’t relay the situation here, then the sacrifices of his team, including himself, would be for naught.
If the Federation sends another team to investigate later, they are likely to follow in their footsteps.
This place is too bizarre and terrifying.
"Swish!"
Suddenly, from an empty spot beside him, ripples appeared in the air like a water mbrane, next mont, a hand pulled the Federation Major into the ripple.
In the next second, the Federation Major seed to vanish into thin air, leaving no trace.
In a place invisible to the naked eye.
"Shh!"
"Don’t make a sound!"
It was then that the Federation Major discovered that he had arrived at an open space, surrounded by so cylindrical magnetic devices, and on the ground complex witch arrays were drawn, with six or seven people busily working.
At the center of the space stood an old man in a silver-gray Wizard Robe, who had just pulled him in, thoughtfully staring at him.
"You... you are Lord Haleem!" The surviving Federation Major exclaid.
Before the mission, the entire team had seen the portrait of the old man before them, the dean of the Federation chanical Research Institute, and naturally could recognize him at a glance.
"Looks like I guessed wrong, you should be sent here to find us." Said Haleem, nodding with a smile.
"Yes, Lord Haleem, since you are unhard, why haven’t you sent out a ssage?" The captain, eyes slightly red, said.
To search for Lord Haleem, his elite team has been reduced to just him.
Therefore, regardless of the high rank of the other party, he demanded an explanation!
"It’s not that I don’t want to, but that I can’t." Haleem seed unfazed by the slightly impolite questioning from the captain in front of him and answered calmly.
"These are magnetic shielders; if not for conveniently bringing this set of devices, I might have encountered misfortune too." Haleem pointed to the four cylindrical devices around the open space.
"Hmm?" The captain was montarily confused.
"The entire ruins are covered with a detection device of Ancient Goblins, otherwise, how could those goblin corpses precisely track you all the ti?" Haleem retorted.
Indeed!
The Federation Major was puzzled, he never understood this aspect.
Several tis team mbers voluntarily sacrificed to lure away the pursuing monsters, but soon the monsters caught up again, and more nurous.
This was simply incomprehensible, turns out the issue lies here.
"Without this shield, we couldn’t have concealed safely for this long here, but once activated, all ans of communication beco invalidated," Haleem explained.
"I see, but... Lord Haleem, with your strength, can’t you break out?" The Federation Major asked with improved deanor, after the knot in his heart was untied.
As even before the mission, it was heard that Lord Haleem was extrely powerful, second only to the Federation Guardian Level.
"If it’s just breaking through those corpses and chanical land birds you encountered, it’s actually not difficult. But the scariest aspect here isn’t that."
"You’ve heard the constant whispers echoing in your ears, right?"
"I have, they seem to have a mind-disturbing effect. If not for the Soothing Talisman, I might have ended up like the others..." At this point, the Federation Major’s voice choked up again.
"Soothing Talisman? Truly a fortunate one."
"Look, this isolation witch array on the ground is to block the whispers of this unknown ancient Evil God," Haleem pointed to the elaborate witch array on the ground.
"Ah, I bla myself, I thought with the Prototype No. 1’s support, even if unsuccessful in exploring these ruins, we could retreat successfully. Unexpectedly, soon after deeper exploration, the prototype suddenly lost control."
...
anwhile.
In a small conference room located in the core area of the Federation Capital, within the Parliant Building.
Bertrand, Trena, and several high-ranking Federation officials were discussing sothing.
Since the situation described by Trena involves newly discovered ruins of the Ancient Goblin Empire, Vice Speaker Bertrand specifically invited relevant officers from the Federation Military Departnt and Industry Departnt.
"No! I disagree! That is likely the ruins of the Ancient Goblin Empire’s capital city, agreeing for an Empire genius to explore might leak the ancient goblin technology within." A Federation General expressed a clear refusal.
"Especially since this genius has not clearly stated to join the Federation." An elder with a notable pipe also disagreed.
"If disagreent persists, I can assure we will forever lose the chance of the young and powerful Lord Rein joining the Federation." contemplated Trena.
Her calm expression, seemingly stating a fact.
Recalling the expression of Rein when he said those words, Trena knew this young man was not jesting.
"Every year there’s a genius, perhaps next year even better suited to the Federation than Rein." The elder knocked out the ashes from his pipe.
"But there exists only this one ruins site of the Ancient Goblin Empire capital, once the advanced goblin technology inside is leaked, it would lessen our bargaining chips with the Empire."
"This is rely a risk matter, moreover..." Trena argued matter-of-factly.
"But I deem it unnecessary to take this risk."
"Alright! Fellow mbers, I believe I understood what both of you ant." Vice Speaker Bertrand knocked on the table, interrupting the dispute between Trena and the pipe elder.
He pondered for a mont before stating:
"I agree in principle to allow Lord Rein to go to the newly discovered ruins of the Ancient Goblin Empire."
Upon hearing this, the Federation General and the pipe elder visibly furrowed their brows, lips moved slightly as if wanting to say sothing, but Bertrand tily signaled to stop them and continued:
"However, it cannot be just him alone. Trena, please inquire Sword Saint Terrio and Crown Hernandez if both agree, let them accompany."
"Thus, with these two along, even if Rein intended acquiring ancient goblin technology, would prevent chances."
"What do you think?"
...
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