118: Chapter 118 Crossing the River Styx and the Price of Oblivion

Behind them was a bloody battlefield where demons and cultists fought with heaven-shaking intensity, like an Underworld version of a meat grinder, where roars and explosions formed the most jarring background music. Lin Chen, however, led Su Qingyu, Zhang Hao, and Little Red Clothes (along with her doll) as they quietly slipped away from the main battlefield like ghosts, swiftly moving toward the source of the special signal on the system map.

The further they got from the center of the Barren Bone Plain, the more eerie the surroundings became. The gray mist grew thick, and the ground beneath their feet was no longer bone, but a viscous black sludge that seemed to breathe, occasionally releasing foul-smelling bubbles that caused dizziness. The light was extremely dim, and they could only see by the light of the Yin soldiers' soul fire and the faint glow emitted by Lin Chen's system.

"Boss, this place... feels even more sinister than that temple just now." Zhang Hao shrunk his neck; his Mind Reading was heavily interfered with here, only able to capture chaotic, frantic fragments of whispers that made him very uncomfortable.

Su Qingyu gripped her weapon tightly, alertly observing her surroundings. Her heart was filled with concern for her mother, whose memories she had regained, and she was even more determined to uncover the truth about the Thousand Faces Cult and the "Nether Lord Bloodline." Little Red Clothes, on the other hand, was unusually quiet, and the cloth doll in her arms even trembled slightly, seemingly possessing an instinctive fear of this area.

Lin Chen did not speak, merely navigating precisely through the thick fog and sludge according to the system's guidance. He could feel an ancient, chaotic rule-based power permeating the air, one that rejected all outsiders. Had he not possessed the Nether Lord Bloodline and system permissions, he likely would have been lost or torn apart by the rules here long ago.

After an unknown amount of time traveling, the sound of splashing water suddenly came from ahead.

Passing through the final patch of thick mist, an incredibly wide river with turbid, gray-yellow water flowing slowly blocked their path. The river's surface was eerily calm, without a single ripple, yet it emitted a terrifying aura capable of eroding the soul and causing the mind to lose itself. On the opposite bank, hidden behind even deeper mist, twisted and grotesque outlines were faintly visible; that was the "Unknown Chaotic Area" where the signal source was located.

"This... this couldn't be..." Zhang Hao looked at the river, his voice trembling slightly.

"The River of Oblivion." Lin Chen calmly spoke its name, his expression becoming solemn. Even he could feel the terrifying power of the rules contained within this legendary river. Attempting to cross by force would likely have a severe impact even on him.

Just then, a dilapidated small wooden boat slid silently across the gray-yellow river surface. Standing on the boat was a hunched figure draped in a tattered cloak, face invisible, holding a long bamboo pole.

The Ferryman.

It stopped at the shore, and from beneath the cloak, two hollow gazes seemed to sweep over Lin Chen's group. A dry voice, sounding like two stones rubbing together, rang out:

"Ferrying... one person... 100,000 nether talismans... or... equivalent... memory..."

"100,000?! That's highway robbery!" Zhang Hao blurted out.

The Ferryman did not react, simply waiting in silence.

Su Qingyu and Little Red Clothes both looked toward Lin Chen.

Lin Chen frowned. Directly paying nether talismans was the simplest way, but he keenly sensed that the "equivalent memory" mentioned by the Ferryman seemed to have a deeper meaning.

"Memory, how is it calculated as equivalent?" Lin Chen asked.

The Ferryman slowly raised a withered finger and pointed at Su Qingyu: "She... the memory fragment of 'mother's warmth'... can pay for one person."

It then pointed at Zhang Hao: "He... the 'guilt when first betraying others'... can pay for one person."

It pointed at Little Red Clothes: "She... the memory of her 'name before death'... can pay for one person."

Finally, it pointed at Lin Chen: "You... the 'momentary confusion when first awakening the system'... can pay for one person."

It accurately pointed out the memory fragments deep within everyone's hearts—fragments they might not have even cared about themselves, yet possessed a certain special significance!

Crossing the river with nether talismans was a transaction. Crossing with memories felt more like... a sacrifice? Or perhaps, it was part of the rules of this River of Oblivion?

Su Qingyu's expression changed slightly. To have her hand over the memory of her mother's warmth? That felt worse than cutting her own flesh! Zhang Hao's eyes flickered as well; how could that bit of guilt, which had long since been forgotten, be worth this much? Little Red Clothes hugged her doll tightly; she had even forgotten who she was before she died, so where would a name memory come from?

"Boss, this..." Su Qingyu looked at Lin Chen, her eyes filled with struggle.

Lin Chen looked at the Ferryman, then at the turbid waters of the River of Oblivion, and suddenly smiled.

"Playing this game with me?"

He directly raised his hand, and the system interface shone with a brilliant light. An aura of Underworld authority, far more ancient and fundamental than this Ferryman or even this branch of the River of Oblivion, erupted forth!

"Look closely!" Lin Chen's voice carried an unquestionable majesty, and within the depths of his pupils, Underworld stars seemed to revolve. "I am the Inheritor of the Nether Lord Bloodline, in charge of the nether domain asset system! Everything in the Underworld can theoretically be priced! This broken boat of yours, and this wretched stretch of river, are no exception!"

He directly invoked his highest authority to forcibly scan the Ferryman and this small section of the River of Oblivion!

[Ding! Target analyzing... Ancient rule creation 'Defective Product · River of Oblivion Ferryman (No. 73)'... Associated area: 'River of Oblivion Tributary (Unregistered Development Zone)'...]

[Calculating the authority and cost required for 'Forced Acquisition' or 'Temporary Requisition'...]

The Ferryman's body, which had remained as still as a well, trembled violently for the first time. The hollow gaze beneath the cloak was filled with unbelievable horror! It felt the suppression originating from the highest power of the Underworld!

"You... you are..." Its voice was no longer dry, but carried a terrified tremor.

"Cut the crap!" Lin Chen didn't bother to say more to a rule-based creation, directly choosing the more expensive but more direct option—"Temporary Requisition"!

[Ding! Consumed 10 million nether talismans, successfully requisitioned target 'Defective Product · River of Oblivion Ferryman (No. 73)' and its boat. Validity: 24 hours.]

In a flash of light, a nether talisman brand belonging to Lin Chen appeared on the Ferryman's bamboo pole. It lowered its head stiffly and spoke in an incredibly respectful (and even fearful) tone:

"Hon... Honorable Master... please... please board the boat."

Zhang Hao's eyes nearly popped out of his head: "Holy crap! Boss! You can even forcibly requisition a River of Oblivion Ferryman?! Do you even care about the basic laws anymore?!"

Su Qingyu also breathed a sigh of relief; there was no need to sacrifice precious memories now.

The group boarded the dilapidated small boat. The Ferryman respectfully pushed off with the bamboo pole, and the boat slid silently into the turbid River of Oblivion.

The water seemed calm, but around the boat, countless transparent, painfully twisted humanoid phantoms could be seen struggling and wailing, trying to climb onto the boat only to be blocked by an invisible force. Those were the Lost Souls sinking within the River of Oblivion.

The process of crossing the river was exceptionally oppressive. Even with the protection of the Ferryman and Lin Chen's authority, the soul-eroding power still made everyone except Lin Chen feel uneasy, as if they might forget who they were and why they had come at any moment.

Finally, the boat reached the opposite bank.

Stepping onto the soft ground of the opposite shore, which seemed to be paved with Memory Dust, everyone felt the sensation of their souls being peeled away dissipate slightly.

The Ferryman stopped respectfully at the shore, indicating it would wait there.

Lin Chen reconfirmed the location of the signal source and pointed into the depths of the mist: "It's not far ahead."

Everyone pulled themselves together and continued forward. The mist here was colored, sometimes gray-white and sometimes dark red. Light spots flickering with sporadic images floated in the air; upon touching them, one would feel brief fragments of memories belonging to others, chaotic and complex.

After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a relatively clear area appeared ahead. There was no mist there, only a desolate stretch of black earth filled with cracks. In the center of the land stood a massive black stone tablet covered in moss and fissures.

And that faint, ancient homologous signal source was coming precisely from this stone tablet!

As the group approached, they saw ancient characters and patterns carved into the stone tablet, long since blurred and filled with the vicissitudes of time.

Just as Lin Chen was about to step forward to investigate closely—

"Buzz!"

The stone tablet suddenly vibrated slightly, and those blurred patterns on the surface seemed to come alive, beginning to flow and reorganize! Eventually, they condensed into a blurry, Aged One, endlessly weary facial contour.

That stone face slowly "opened" its "eyes," which were formed by two cracks, and "looked" at Lin Chen.

A weak, raspy intent, carrying a hint of excitement and disbelief, was transmitted directly into Lin Chen's consciousness, while also faintly echoing in the minds of Su Qingyu and the others:

"Latecomer... finally... I have waited for you..."

"Inheritor... who flows with the blood of the orthodox Lord of the Underworld..."

(Hook: The stone face's gaze moved past Lin Chen and fell upon Su Qingyu behind him, its weary intent suddenly carrying a violent ripple: "Wait! On your body... how can there be... 'her'... Bloodline Curse?!"》)

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