Chapter 71 – Goddess Icon (Start)
Only following the stone steps straight down did everyone then learn that the end of the stone steps surprisingly lead to an underground room.
This underground room was also similarly constructed of masonry. However, the area was less than the above chamber by a bit. Different to the room void of anything above, this place seemed to be extremely messy, the floor was filled with random objects, even practically lacking leg space.
The air was even more diffuse with a fishy and mouldy scent, utterly unpleasant to smell.
As for the 9 man squad that went down in a successive order was respectively: Howard, Lancas, Scarlet Mary, Rosa, Shaka, Hero, Peter, Adam and Rumont.
As a earnest and conscientious Commander, although Howard’s left forearm was injured, it did not obstruct his right hand from utilizing a sword at the present, thus, he was the first one to bear the brunt, the first to go down.
After treading down the steps, he practically paid no attention to the nasty smelling air suffusing the room, he only had a gloomy face while cautiously and prudently observing the surrounding situation.
Outside of his expectations, the bugbears that he was originally expecting to find, did not come out charging with murder. The surroundings were quite tranquil, apart from the footstep and breathing sounds of the members behind him, nothing else was seen nor heard.
Seeing this kind of scenario, because they had already received a certain lesson, Commander Howard was exceptionally cautious, he still didn’t dare to relax. He grasped his sword in continuing on with extreme caution as he examined the surroundings.
Following down close behind his back was Commander Lancas of the other squad.
The always easygoing and steadfast youth at this moment was also evidently taking it quite leisurely. As for his bearing, it allowed Scarlet Mary who was following closely to have an even more prominent smile.
Different to the members of Howard’s squadron, Lancas’ squad was provisionally formed. The members in the squad also did not know of each other mutually prior to this exploration.
This venture was also their first time in working together. Thus, in regards to the deaths of their teammates, it did not at all provoke any sort of arising emotion. At most, it was a simple sympathy with a like-minded person sort of feeling.
As a result, taking the initiative to go on with this operation, as far as Scarlet Mary was concerned, was but for the opportunity to increase the contact with Commander Lancas.
“What’s that smell huh, man it’s really revolting!” as Scarlet Mary walked down the steps, she had one hand holding onto the sword, while the other hand covered her nose, her face was full of an expression of disgust. When she saw the situation of this chamber, she even wrinkled her brows deeply, almost wishing to vomit.
And in complete contrast to her display behind her, Rosa, who was following behind, had quite the undisturbed expression. Females were innately fond of being clean, and although when she smelt the unpleasant air, had similarly contracted her eyebrows, her display was not yet as exaggerated as Scarlet Mary’s. As for her bow and arrows within her hand, they were held onto all the more tightly.
Behind her, Shaka, Hero, Peter, Adam and Rumont had also quickly descended.
The reactions of the trio, Shaka, Hero and Peter was nearly the same, they had nearly, when they saw the situation of the underground room, displayed a disappointed expression on their faces. However, they still kept their vigilance in regards to their surroundings; guarding against sudden changes.
So to speak, there are times when a person’s character could be easily shown when they only climb a short staircase.
And the displays of the few people in front of him were all different. Since he did not display any sort of anxiety, he also did not display any sort of disappointment, he even did not display any disgust or being unacceptable of the surrounding environment.
From the very beginning, he had silently went along at the very back of the squad. Walking as carefully observed the surroundings. He had already started his movements the moment he had begun walking through the entrance.
Actually, the reason why he would go at the very back of the squad was not at all because Rumont was cowardly, but because he had other thoughts.
What Rumont primarily wanted, was to better see the surrounding situation in better detail.
During the time he descended the stone steps, he had once lifted his head and used his hand to feel the inner edge of the entrance a bit. The result was that when he felt a lock shaped object, he did not need to see and only relying on touch, he could form an image within his mind, that the shape of the lock was definitely almost identical to the lock with the figure above.
This proved his preliminary conjecture, that this passageway had a mechanism both interiorly and exteriorly. This also explained the situation of how the group of bugbears could come out from inside. And if this thought was again explored more deeply, bugbears being able to find this mechanism, in addition to knowing how to utilize this mechanism to attack everyone, then it was evident that bugbears had not only used this passageway once. Supposing that they really did come out from this place, then their lair shouldn’t be too far from this place.
Following the road from the stone steps, some vestiges appeared on the surrounding stone walls, which also attracted Rumont’s attention. He used his hands to lightly feel one of the marks, he slightly wrinkled his brows. These were markings drawn by the swings of blades, apart from some marking on the stone walls, there were even some bloodstains. From this, it could be seen that this place had formerly had people in passing, furthermore an intense fight had also occurred. Was it with bugbears then?
“Everyone be on your guard, when you inspect this room take note of your safety. If you discover anything, then inform everybody. Don’t act alone.” at this moment, after Commander Howard had done a preliminary inspection of this situation, he had not discovered any traces of bugbears. However, he still decided to again carefully inspect it well once more.
Everyone also successively agreed before separating apart and started to each inspect. At this time, Rumont had also just arrived from above, before moving to the front of Howard. “Commander, the bugbears ought of have entered the chambers from this place. I believe that there could well be another passage in this place, connecting to another area.”
“It’s also the only explanation. Let’s see if we can discover it then.” Commander Howard spoke with a collected face.
Because they had the experience from when they searched the floor in the chamber above, thus, this time, everyone during the searching process, seemed to be completely more careful and prudent.
“Look at this place guys!” at this moment, a member had suddenly called in a loud voice. The other 8 members quickly hurried to his vicinity in a short moment and looked carefully. As it turns out, in the front of this person, there was a wooden club lying on the floor.
One end of the wooden club was slightly smaller, the other end was thick and solid. Generally speaking, the workmanship wasn’t done carefully, but it was still a weapon that was fitted for the use on the battlefield.
“It’s a bugbear’s wooden club. Looks like, they really did come to the chamber from this place. This place also has their footprints. Following their footprints, we’re sure to find the place where the bugbears are hiding.”
As expected, in a not too far off place from the wooden club, a place which seemed to have comparatively less garbage, a few not too obvious sets of goblin footprints were making a road towards a wall; ultimately fading away at a large area with an environment of discarded junk.
Everyone controlled their breathing and carefully crept along to the front of the junk pile.
“Ah!” suddenly, Scarlet Mary’s leg was caught on something, she almost slipped down and fell on the ground. Her arm had pulled and materialized an arm bone of a human before she then threw it away.
Following on, she then threw her body into the embrace of Lancas who was by her side. Lance furrowed his brows but still did not act to push her away.
As for the others, after this mishap, they had quickly cleared the junk in the area off to the side, and the scene that was revealed in front of them was so mind startling that not even Howard, who was such a veteran Adventurer, could inwardly refrain.
What they saw in the front of them due to the objects no longer covering it, was the countless human corpses piled up together. This kind of revelation was filling the atmosphere.
Bones of the dead in piles. All separately piled together. Such a large quantity, was honestly eye shocking and heart startling1. There were some skeletons that still maintained the posture of crawling before their deaths. Some were scattered corpses and bones that even an entire set could not be assembled together. Swords and such weaponry were disorderly dispersed to the sides of the corpses and bones, or perhaps through them.
“Heavens! Why’s there so many dead people?” at this moment someone had shouted in alarm.
Once one had broken the heavy mood, the other people had naturally also aroused their minds from shock.
When Scarlet Mary saw this kind of situation, she had immediately stuck her body even closer to Lancas. Seeing that the other did not at all object, her face shortly displayed a brilliant smile.
However, what she did not know was that at the same time she was embracing, Lancas’ face had just quietly flickered past with a trace of a sneer.
Merely quite quickly, the touch of disdain and contempt had disappeared without a trace.
Only extremely observant people would have discovered it. In fact, the smile of this youth would never reach the depths of his eyes.
At this time, Commander Howard was squatting on the ground, carefully examining the remains. When others saw the remains that appeared to be frightening and dreadful, what the veteran Adventurer saw instead were only the traces of the people that died, nothing more.
And after his inspection, he had finally reached a certain verdict.
“Only a small portion amongst them had actually been killed by weapons. The larger majority don’t have any signs of injuries on their remains. It’s quite possible that they died of other reasons.” standing up, Commander Howard then explained to everyone.
Everyone’s mood immediately fell. Could it be that in this place, apart from bugbears, there were still other terrifying menaces?
“Commander, come quick and look sir. There seems to be something here.” and at this moment, another member had discovered something.
Hearing him call out, everyone promptly went over and saw the abandoned pile in front of them was already dug through.
An enormous slit was shortly exposed on the wall.
The crack in the wall didn’t seem to be have been man-made, appearing slanted on the wall, having a rather frightening quality.
However, if it was carefully examined, then it would be discovered that the crack was approximately one handspan in width, and not sufficient enough to allow bugbears to pass through.
Howard nodded and immediately denied that this conjecture was the other passageway.
Since it wasn’t the passageway, Howard naturally wouldn’t waste time checking it out.
Precisely when he was preparing to leave to inspect the other area, suddenly, a shrill howling was sounded and emitting from within the crack. At the same time, a large colony of bats had flown out from the crack.
1. [觸目驚心]↩
Bo~ 
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