24: Chapter 24 The Ten Thousand Ghosts Talisman explodes

Click.

The crisp sound of the snap, like a stone thrown into a calm lake, was almost negligible amidst the deafening clamor of the battlefield.

However, the instant this insignificant sound fell—

The world abruptly changed color!

The first to sense something amiss were the Aberrations and Wraiths charging at the forefront. A flicker of confusion had just passed through their crimson eyes when, immediately after, their charging steps jerked to a halt. They let out sharp, piercing shrieks, utterly different from their previous bloodthirsty roars, filled with extreme terror!

Because, at their feet, in the densely packed central area of the enemy formation, even right beside, behind, or *within* the bodies of some Bizarre Monsters and Thousand-Faced Cultists—

Without any warning, pinpricks of eerie light ignited!

The eerie light was initially only the size of needle points, but instantly swelled and spread! This was no ordinary energy glow, but countless twisted, agonized, venomous ghost-face runes! As if possessing life, they madly burrowed out—from deep within the earth, from the void, from the very bodies of those enemies who, guided by Qin Weiwei's "intelligence," had gathered in positions they believed to be safe!

[Ten Thousand Ghost Talisman - Heaven Grade] — Activated!

"Roar—!!!"

"No! What is this?!"

"Ah! My body!!"

Screams so shrill they seemed inhuman and the mournful wails of Bizarre Monsters instantly replaced the roars of the charge, becoming the battlefield's main melody!

In the core area of the allied formation of the Thousand Faces Cult and the Bizarre Monsters, countless vengeful spirits, resentful ghosts, and skeletal demon soldiers, composed of pure Netherworld Ghost Qi, appeared out of thin air as if summoned directly from the depths of hell! They had no physical form, yet carried a soul-rending chill and a frenzied desire to kill!

These Netherworld ghostly creatures, birthed by the talisman, made no distinction between friend and foe. Their sole purpose upon appearing was to destroy all living beings and energy entities around them!

A roaring, charging Stitched Corpse Demon had just lifted its massive foot when dozens of ghastly white skeletal hands burst from the ground beneath it, gripping its legs tightly and tearing at them madly! Simultaneously, three or four translucent wraiths shrieked as they pierced through its Huge body, It took away vast amounts of flesh and life.!

A Thousand Faces Cult priest in the midst of channeling a sinister spell had only recited half the incantation when the shadow at his feet suddenly came alive, transforming into a giant maw lined with sharp teeth that swallowed half his body in one gulp! Blood and viscera sprayed from between the shadowy fangs!

The Thousand Faces Cult phalanxes maintaining strict formations, preparing for long-range attacks, suffered utter annihilation! The Ten Thousand Ghost Talismans glowing beneath their feet were the most numerous and densely packed! Hundreds upon hundreds of vengeful spirits burrowed out from within their ranks, from the bodies of their own comrades, attacking everything around them madly! Their once-solid formations collapsed in an instant, turning into a living hell of mutual slaughter, ghostly wails, and divine lamentations!

Self-destruction! A trap! A complete and utter trap!

That so-called "energy core" location, that heavily "reinforced" periphery of Zone B7, was nothing but the collective burial ground Lin Chen had meticulously chosen for them...!

"No—!! This is impossible!!" From the rear, the Faceless Priest let out a roar of extreme shock and fury. He brandished his spinal staff wildly, trying to stabilize the situation and disperse the ghostly creatures. But the number of vengeful spirits pouring from the Heaven-grade talisman was too great, their resentment too heavy. His magic was like trying to extinguish a fire with a cup of water!

The entire enemy formation, starting from within, visibly disintegrated at a rapid pace, plunging into extreme chaos and mutual slaughter! The momentum of the charge came to an abrupt halt, replaced by desperate wails and the shrieks of ghostly beings!

On the walls of the Fortress, a deathly silence fell.

Everyone stared dumbfounded at the hellscape unfolding outside the city walls.

Zhang Hao, still holding his axe aloft, forgot to lower it. His mouth hung open wide enough to fit an egg, his mind occupied by a single thought: Holy shit! What the hell... what the hell is this?!

Su Qingyu covered her mouth, her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief and shock. She finally understood Lin Chen's previous arrangements—the so-called "panic," the "resource allocation bias"—it was all an act! All to lure the enemy into this fatal trap! To bury the main enemy force in one fell swoop!

And at this moment, the one feeling the most direct and intense impact was undoubtedly Qin Weiwei, whose shoulder was held in an iron grip by Lin Chen!

The color had long since drained completely from her face, leaving it as pale as paper! Her body trembled violently, uncontrollably, not from fear of the ghostly creatures, but from extreme terror and... collapse!

Fireworks...

So this was the fireworks he meant...

Using the false intelligence she had personally delivered, he had led the army of her own cult into this desperate situation of being devoured by ten thousand ghosts! She could even see, among the cultists being torn apart and dying under the attacks of the ghostly beings, many familiar faces!

It was her! She had killed them! She was the cult's sinner!

Immense regret, terror, and the humiliation of being played like a puppet gnawed at her heart like venomous snakes! She struggled violently, trying to break free from Lin Chen's grip, her voice sharp and distorted:

"Let go of me! Let me go!!"

Lin Chen's arm, however, remained unmoving, as if cast from steel. He even lowered his head to look at Qin Weiwei's pretty face, now twisted with extreme fear and rage. His face still wore that heart-chilling, mocking, and cruel smile.

"Good little sister," his voice was soft, yet like a demon's whisper, clearly reaching her ears, "are the fireworks beautiful?"

Qin Weiwei snapped her head up, meeting Lin Chen's eyes, deep and cold as a winter pond, seeming to see through everything. Her last line of psychological defense, at this moment, completely crumbled!