Chapter 292: Fission Scream: Wudu

Chapter 292: Chapter 193: Fission Scream: Wudu

Before Li Miao could even ask a question, the figure before him vanished in a ripple of distorted space.

Li Miao frowned.

Now, only he and the person on the stage remained in the entire performance hall.

‘No, that’s not right. There’s also a corpse.’

He glanced at the corner. A shriveled corpse was lying there, as if it had collapsed from exhaustion.

Judging by its attire, it looked like a butler or a guard.

As Li Miao stepped forward, a stream of red energy flowed into his body.

[You have gained the qualification to enter a certain place.]

Li Miao’s eyes lit up. He immediately thought of the cave he had encountered at the start.

‘Looks like I can get in now?’

Despite his excitement, he didn’t head there immediately. Instead, his gaze returned to the performance hall.

‘I should finish things up here first.’

The nursery-rhyme-like song continued.

“Grape leaves sway with laughter…”

[Song of Exile: Xia Limier]

Although this Xiali Milir was only of the Molten Slag Ash Tier, Li Miao still approached cautiously, wary of any sudden changes.

But Xiali Milir showed no reaction, still singing the gentle song.

Li Miao was also able to see his face clearly.

Xiali Milir had long hair, and his androgynous face possessed a certain elegance, a look that perfectly matched the title “Song of Exile.”

But when Li Miao got a clear look at what was in front of Xiali Milir, his expression froze.

It was a pile of skulls!

Most of them looked quite small—they were unmistakably the skulls of children.

Around the periphery, an eerie, blood-red aura swirled around the skulls in a peculiar pattern, lingering without dissipating. Thin, faint wisps drifted toward Xiali Milir’s eyes, as if he were absorbing something from them.

Xiali Milir reached out a hand, making a gentle caressing motion in the air. He wore a smile, like a tender mother lulling her child to sleep.

But Li Miao only found it indescribably bizarre and horrifying.

A thought instinctively surfaced in his mind.

‘What Xiali Milir is doing in this performance hall… it’s probably some kind of sacrificial ritual, a ritual concocted in collusion with “Madness”…’

‘The pile of children’s skulls in front of him… they could be… the Sacrifices.’

At this thought, Li Miao took a deep breath.

If that was true, it would explain the source of the Madness spreading through the Mysterious High Platform.

It was highly likely that Xiali Milir, much like the Mad Fallen Lord from the Seaside Town, had touched “Madness” to achieve some goal, and had been corrupted by it as a result…

‘But…’

Li Miao also sensed that something didn’t quite add up.

‘If that’s the case, then what about Wudu? And what was that bloody figure from just now?’

‘That figure demanded I kill the so-called “muddled one,” which probably refers to Wudu, right? Why would it want me to kill Wudu?’

‘Wudu’s request, on the other hand, was clear. He wanted me to kill everyone in the Xiali Mir Orchestra to help him regain his senses…’

Their requests were clearly in conflict with each other.

‘Who should I help?’

Li Miao’s brows furrowed, his thoughts racing.

After a moment of thought, he turned to head for the Milestone Spirit Candle, intending to ask other players for advice.

But just as he was about to leave the performance hall, a voice racked with pain echoed in his ears once more.

“…Help me!”

“…Kill him!”

“…I’m begging you!”

At the same time, a game notification appeared.

[Warning: You must make a choice now, or this event will proceed along its predetermined course.]

Seeing this, Li Miao stopped in his tracks, his brow tightening.

‘A real-time event? This is tricky. Going back to ask other players is definitely not an option now.’

‘So… which one do I choose?’

After a moment, he let out a breath and raised his Frost Riding Spear.

‘No matter what, Wudu did help me get the Mourning King’s Ash Annihilation Spear, a High Tier Battle Ash, and even helped me fight monsters… I’ll trust him for now!’

With that thought, Li Miao no longer hesitated. He lunged at Xiali Milir with a Frost Piercing.

SHHNK! A chunk of Xiali Milir’s Blood Volume disappeared, and his song faltered.

“…”

A crimson light began to spill uncontrollably from between his brows.

The crimson light twisted and coalesced, and in the blink of an eye, it formed several blood-red mad Soldiers on the ground. They roared and charged at Li Miao.

Moreover, as Xiali Milir continued to release them, the number of Mad Soldiers grew.

CLANG—

His Law Knight’s Shield blocked an incoming Arrow. With a thrust and a sweep of his Frost Riding Spear, he killed two Mad Soldiers.

But Xiali Milir hadn’t stopped summoning them. It would likely take Li Miao some time to eliminate all the Mad Soldiers.

BOOM!

An armored Giant Monster even appeared among them. It swung its massive fists with incredible ferocity, putting considerable pressure on Li Miao.

‘These Soldiers… do they belong to some army?’

Li Miao frowned. With no time to think, he decided to go straight for the leader and look for an opportunity to kill Xiali Milir.

But the moment the thought crossed his mind, something unexpected happened in the performance hall.

“…Wherever the wind blows, Maranovit’s windmill will turn…”

Xiali Milir paused for a long moment. The Madness finally stopped spilling from between his brows, and he began to sing the gentle nursery rhyme once more.

“AHHH!!!”

The agonized screams of the Mad Soldiers caught Li Miao’s attention. He turned to see that the figures of the Soldiers summoned by Xiali Milir were starting to blur, as if they might dissipate at any moment.

‘Huh… Friendly fire?’