The connection is established.
I spoke, and at this moment, the Rebel Legion had fully linked up the river channel. Some of the larger skeletons were already waiting for the dark green water to flow in. Piles of white bones had been delivered, and those massive skeletons began assembling bone frames, one after another.
We should be able to slip inside soon, right?
I asked. Mr. Brown kept his gaze locked on the skeletons, while Yuna Ji perched on a jagged rock jutting from the cliff face.
So dull... When the time comes, you two better go all out!
I turned and shot her a glance.
Isn't this your problem to solve?
Ethan Zhang's right. Yuna Ji, we're just helping you out a little. You should handle your own affairs yourself.
Yuna Ji responded with a faint 'oh.' It had already begun—the Lost Souls, drawn by the Battle Instinct radiating from the depths of Netherhell, started drifting over from the River of Forgetfulness. Each Lost Soul was fitted into an assembled skeleton, and immediately, the skeleton jerked to life.
No matter how many times I witness it, it's still unfathomable.
"I really had no choice. In a place like this, digging alone for so long, of course I couldn't keep going. So I made use of everything here."
A horn sounded, and the ground in the distance began to rumble. Yuna Ji looked over.
"Looks like General Crimson Plume has arrived."
Yuna Ji said, as countless black dots began to gather densely in the distant sky. At first, it was hard to see clearly, but they were getting thicker and thicker.
"What are those things?"
I asked.
"They're things that the Engineer pulled out of the Styx and made. They're vicious."
At this moment, the skeletons below began to move. The front row, wielding bows and arrows, stood behind spiked barricades and aimed at the sky.
"Ordinary bows and arrows won't work. General Crimson Plume really is clever. Heh, these are General Violetwing's troops."
Yuna Ji said. I looked over—it was now clear. Each was a giant black eagle skeleton, over three meters long. They were black; the ones I'd seen before were white. And these giant eagle skeletons were surrounded by a visible layer of black mist.
"Your general is pretty clever. They know the ground is already frantically fortifying its defenses, so getting in won't be easy. That's why they chose a direct aerial assault."
A dense barrage of arrows shot out the moment the black giant eagle skeletons approached—an instant rain of arrows filled the sky.
"It's useless!"
Yuna Ji said proudly. Sure enough, the arrows struck the giant eagle skeletons but had no effect at all, instantly bounced away by the black mist swirling around the black bones.
"That's your power."
I immediately sensed it—this was Yuna Ji's unique power, a blend of ghost and corpse energies forming Nether aura. This is what constructs Netherhell itself.
Each giant eagle skeleton had a skeleton rider, but aside from a short dagger at their waist, they carried no weapons. What surprised me were the leather pouches slung across their backs. The giant eagle skeletons swooped down in a wide formation, dropping fist-sized black spheres from the sky.
With a thunderous boom, the ground erupted in violent explosions, instantly destroying many skeletons.
As the giant eagle skeletons circled upward, the second wave of attacks began.
In the distance, I saw an even larger giant eagle skeleton, about five or six meters long, with a crimson flag on its back. The skeleton riding it was General Crimson Plume.
The second wave of attacks came, triggering another round of massive explosions on the ground. The rebel defenses collapsed instantly, and the skeletons on the ground howled as some were engulfed in black-green flames, quickly melting away.
"No doubt that's another masterpiece from the Engineer."
Yuna Ji nodded proudly.
"They can't possibly win, can they?"
I said. Yuna Ji shook her head.
"Look over there."
I followed where Yuna Ji pointed—a tall, thin skeleton with a broadsword slung over its shoulder was running through the scattered skeletons, shouting all the while. The scattered skeletons immediately headed for the mountain wall.
Indeed, only by the mountain wall could they effectively avoid the crisis looming overhead.
The giant eagle skeletons began their third swooping attack. Suddenly, the tall skeleton stood on horseback, leapt high, grabbed a white skeleton from a giant eagle, pulled him down, then grabbed the reins and drew the broadsword with a swish.
Cracking sounds echoed in the sky as one giant eagle skeleton after another was taken down, opening a gap in General Crimson Plume's attack formation.
That tall skeleton, airborne and controlling the giant eagle skeleton, moved as if no one could stop him, slashing down one giant eagle after another. The skeletons that fell exploded violently—apparently, whatever was in those backpacks detonated upon impact.
"Are there smart and powerful ones even among the rebels?"
I asked. Yuna Ji nodded.
"There are only three who can rival my Nine Nether Generals. But this isn't one of them. They're doomed to lose. General Crimson Plume is the type who erupts when provoked."
Just as Yuna Ji spoke, General Crimson Plume, riding the massive giant eagle skeleton, lunged at the tall one.
As the two closed in, the tall skeleton swung his broadsword at General Crimson Plume. In an instant, she reacted, leaping gracefully onto the back of the broadsword and, with a swish, drew two crimson twin swords.
A cross-shaped flash of light appeared, and in that instant, the tall skeleton was split into four pieces. General Crimson Plume didn't return to the giant eagle skeleton but landed straight on the ground. Huge clouds of dust rose in the distance, and rows of skeletal warhorses could now be seen, charging toward us.
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Farther back, I saw carts hauling long wooden planks, apparently meant to be laid across the ravine so the army could rush into the enemy's heart and break through in one move.
"Should we join the fight?"
I asked, and Uncle Zhuang shook his head.
"Qingyuan, be patient. Wait a bit longer, until they're truly desperate—then we'll join the fight. The young master said, no matter when, the things you see in desperation shine brightest."
I replied with an 'oh' and could only watch quietly. Screams echoed as skeletons on the ground were shattered by crimson light. General Crimson Plume fought with wild abandon—no one could stop her, and she'd already slain several rebel generals.
The skeletal warhorses began to spread out to both sides, slowing down. Each skeleton on horseback drew a crossbow from its back. As they approached the ravine, a volley of arrows was unleashed, and those rebels still trying to organize a defense were immediately felled in droves.
After the carts stopped, tall skeletons lifted the planks from the carts and quickly built a bridge. The moment the planks connected the ravine with a bang, waves of skeletal warhorses charged across, bypassing the spiked defenses. More and more of General Crimson Plume's troops flooded into the rebel fortifications.
The scene was utter chaos, but the rebels were already collapsing. Some began to surrender or flee, but it seemed General Crimson Plume had given the order—no surrender. Every rebel was cut down without exception.
I'd known before that, despite their skeletal forms, these skeletons still felt pain when wounded or killed. What I saw now was simply too cruel.
"Let's move."
Yuna Ji said. The three of us immediately descended from the mountain wall, slipped into the chaos, grabbed rebel epaulets, put them on, and each charged into the fray.
I drew Belle, but didn't use its power—just stored the baleful energy inside me to boost my speed. With a few swift strikes, I cut down several skeletons.
The scene was utter chaos. The rebels fled north, but another force was already attacking from that direction, aiming to wipe them out completely. Time was running out.
Uncle Zhuang and Yuna Ji were completely dominating—those skeletons on skeletal warhorses were being crushed by the two of them. I sighed, and suddenly a chill swept over me. I twisted aside just as General Crimson Plume's sword slashed down, the speed nearly unbelievable.
A pair of hollow eyes stared at me.
"You've got some skill, huh? Hahaha..."
General Crimson Plume laughed, crossing her twin swords and slashing at me.
Having seen her moves before, I didn't dare to take it head-on—so I dodged to the side. I bore no hostility toward her; if I could just hold her off until Uncle Zhuang and Yuna Ji finished with her troops, they would probably retreat.
But just as I dodged, a voice echoed in my mind.
"Fight... fight... fight..."
Suddenly, I roared, flames bursting from my chest. Filled with rage, I raised Belle and charged at General Crimson Plume, swinging several rapid strikes. She blocked them and immediately kicked me away—bam! I was sent flying.
A streak of crimson light came straight at me.
With a swish, I watched as my left hand flew high into the air, my whole body sliding to the right. In that instant, I hadn't seen clearly—even using the Snake's Eye, I couldn't catch it. General Crimson Plume crouched on the ground, her body arched, jaws moving constantly.
"This is just too fascinating. War really is addictive."