Chapter 587: Carnival of Desire [19]

Ember’s amber eyes were deep and unfathomable as they swept over the trembling faces of the players before him. Seeing the faint traces of the golden magical sigils hidden on their foreheads, along with their submissive attitude, Ember finally let go of some of his suspicion.

"Lead the way." Ember snorted coldly before stepping forward and following the group of players.

At the same time, in another direction, Nick gripped his dagger tightly, cautiously following behind the three players leading the way. Although the bloodlust in his eyes had receded somewhat at the mention of Adrian’s name, every muscle in his body remained tense. His heart was beating so fast that it almost hurt. He looked rather lacking in confidence, but given that the artists who had witnessed the scene where Nick was found were there, they still didn’t dare underestimate him.

The two groups traveled through different side passages from opposite directions, eventually stepping through the same shattered gray stone door at almost exactly the same time, entering the vast vaulted hall of the Museum of Petrification.

The sight that greeted them instantly silenced the previously bustling space.

Around the stone platform, countless players were either kneeling or sitting beside rolls of parchment, whispering among themselves in the quietest voices possible.

Seeing the group return with Nick and Ember, with their numbers not diminished in the slightest, everyone’s trust in Adrian surged even further. No one dared harbor any more foolish thoughts.

Ember swept his gaze over the crowd before heading straight toward the throne.

At this moment, atop the towering dark-gray stone throne in the center of the museum, Adrian had his eyes tightly shut, his entire body curled up into an almost bizarre position, to the point that one couldn’t help but wonder whether an ordinary human could even contort themselves like that. His golden hair hung lightly over his forehead, while his robe completely covered his body. The mocking smile that was usually present on his lips had disappeared, replaced by a delicate and tranquil face as flawless as a perfectly carved statue. The only sign of life was the steady yet sluggish rise and fall of his breathing.

Well, at least he’s still alive.

Ember thought to himself before muttering, "Do you think you’re a snake or something...?"

Nick had arrived as well.

"You’re here?" Ember said by way of greeting.

He stepped closer to the stone platform and crossed his arms, looking down at the sleeping young man. The corners of his lips curled upward in mockery, yet his eyes concealed a meticulous scrutiny.

"What’s wrong with him?" Nick hurried over, his voice hoarse from exhaustion, his bloodshot eyes filled with worry as he looked at Adrian.

Ember remained expressionless. "Do you know much about Silvanus?"

Nick was at a loss for words. He didn’t want to admit it. But obviously, Ember didn’t know much about Adrian either.

The fans in Nick’s livestream chat immediately went into an uproar.

[What’s with Ember’s attitude?!]

[Nick was obviously just asking a question.]

[I’ve always found Ember unpleasant. When is this collaboration going to end?]

[It’s because Nick is always so timid that Ember thinks he’s easy to bully!]

[Am I the only one who thinks those two are actually pretty similar?]

Meanwhile, viewers in another livestream chat couldn’t help but speculate as well.

[Could it really be because he’s turned into a snake too many times?]

[Even though everyone always calls him a snake, his true form doesn’t really look that much like a snake.]

[Exactly. He even has horns. Maybe he’s actually a dragon.]

[Am I the only one who thinks he’s simply sleepy?]

Nick said nothing, and Ember didn’t say anything more either. He casually sat down on the stone step directly beneath the throne, crossing his arms and closing his eyes to rest.

Nick silently sheathed his dagger at his waist, then leaned against the edge of the stone platform opposite him, his exhausted eyes remaining fixed on the surrounding players as he kept watch.

...

While Adrian slept, the task of piecing together the map continued at a frantic pace under Ember and Nick’s close supervision. None of the rescued players dared to conceal anything. They gathered all the hand-drawn map fragments they had made from dozens of different passageways, connecting the locations of hidden traps, the movement patterns of the glass walls, and the mist-shrouded paths they had encountered.

"The structure of this maze shifts according to a temporal cycle, but its central point is this very throne in the museum!" An experienced mage pointed at the enormous composite map spread across the stone floor. "If we head through the northern passage, cross the fifth row of glass walls, and turn left immediately at the spot with the mercury-colored crack, we’ll reach the only exit!"

"Is it done? Then let’s go," Ember said without hesitation, already hoisting Adrian onto his back.

Guided by the composite map and escorted by Ember and Nick, the large group of players charged into the northern passage. Any traps or Mirror Creatures that sprang out along the way were crushed in an instant by Ember’s flames and Nick’s ruthless slaughter.

After nearly an hour of continuous movement through countless narrow twists and turns, the final glass wall before them suddenly cracked and exploded.

CRASH!

A blinding burst of light swallowed everyone’s vision.

The very concepts of space and time seemed to be completely overturned in the span of a single breath. As the dazzling light gradually receded, the icy sensation of mercury and the musty smell of gray stone had vanished completely.

In their place was a completely unfamiliar space—a vast, seemingly endless hall, pure white from floor to soaring ceiling. There were no walls, no passageways, only a pure white light radiating from the air itself.

"Where... where are we?!"

"Did we escape the Mirror Maze?"

A wave of astonished murmurs erupted throughout the hall. The players who had followed Adrian looked around in shock, and they soon realized that other groups of players were also standing at various corners of the vast white hall, each in a different state.

They were the surviving artists who had made it through the separate challenge zones of the Dungeon!

To the east, the Vaelthor Guild had managed to preserve its entire formation. Their captain stood at the front of the group, his presence calm and steady. Although the members were somewhat exhausted, none had suffered serious injuries.

To the west was the Abyssus Guild. However, the atmosphere surrounding this team was extremely grim. Their captain, Natalia, stood at the center, her expression cold as ice as a terrifying pressure radiated from her. Thanks to Natalia’s overwhelming combat prowess and ability to adapt to changing situations, her team had lost only a single member. Even so, the loss still left her deeply dissatisfied.

The worst off was the Themisia Guild in the south. Only two members remained, both barely managing to stay on their feet.

The vicious sugar coating had gnawed away at half of Lily’s face, transforming it into a grotesque layer of translucent candy shell. Meanwhile, Julian’s left arm had completely turned into a solid candy limb that could no longer be restored.

"Natalia? And the entire Vaelthor Guild too?" Lily gritted her teeth, her voice warped into something strangely distorted by the candy shell covering her face. Her eyes were filled with wariness as she scanned the surroundings.

"Why were all of us suddenly teleported into the same space?!"