268: Dogs fighting dogs? You might as well just die!

Western Suburbs of Jiangyuan City.

A group of dozens, dressed in high-level black robes of the Shadow Worship Cult, were fleeing in panic through overgrown weeds and broken walls like stray dogs.

They were the core high-level members of the Shadow Worship Cult's headquarters, figures who usually controlled a region of shadows and made countless people tremble with fear.

However, at this moment, they completely lacked the gloom, majesty, and poise expected of high-ranking cultists.

Instead, they were extremely flustered and wretched, their faces filled with ultimate terror and bewilderment.

The leader was a thin old man with sunken eyes and an aura that had reached the Peak of the Sixth Rank.

He was the Vice Cult Leader of the Shadow Worship Cult, "Shadow Nightmare."

Following behind him were several Sixth-Rank Elders and over a dozen elite disciples at the Peak of the Fifth Rank.

Under normal circumstances, this force would be enough to stir up a bloodbath in the shadows and leave a city in unrest.

But now, they were like rabbits chased by a hunter, wishing their parents had given them two more legs.

"Fast! Faster! It's just ahead!" Shadow Nightmare's voice was hoarse, carrying an uncontrollable tremble as he looked back from time to time, as if something terrifying was chasing them.

Shadow Nightmare ran frantically, his eyes bloodshot and filled with disbelief.

Gone... all gone... just now, in a mere ten minutes.

All the strongholds they had set up in Jiangyuan City, all the squads—their life signals and communication signals had completely vanished!

They had operated in Jiangyuan City for many years with a deep Foundation, boasting dozens of experts above the Fifth Rank alone!

Furthermore, Shadow Priest was presiding over the main altar. How could they be uprooted in such a short time?

He couldn't understand it.

The final messages sent back were also extremely chaotic.

Some said they were attacked by Spiritual Energy Bureau squads, but more of them mentioned the sky!

They said they saw a red stream of light.

And then, there was nothing!

All resistance and distress signals were cut off almost instantly!

It was as if they had been casually erased by some incomprehensible existence!

For a moment, all the surviving Shadow Worship Cult executives shuddered in unison, a chill rising from the soles of their feet to the crowns of their heads!

When did the Spiritual Energy Bureau have an expert of this level?

Or was it some terrifying hidden master who happened to be passing by and decided to act on behalf of heaven?

Whatever it was, it meant they had provoked an existence they absolutely could not contend with!

Their original plan was to cooperate with the "Abyss" forces that had suddenly contacted them.

Using the power of the Abyss, they would hold a grand Shadow Master Descent Ceremony in Jiangyuan City.

By turning this prosperous city into a paradise of shadows, they would gain supreme power and endless authority.

Who would have thought that before the ceremony even officially began...

The influence they had built over many years in Jiangyuan City was uprooted and slaughtered to the last person in this short time, like dry weeds before a storm!

Immense fear completely overwhelmed them.

Ambitions for hegemony, the favor of the shadow master—all of it had become nonsense at this moment!

They had only one thought now—flee! Flee to the Abyssal Emissaries!

Only those terrifying beings from another dimension might be able to protect them against that unknown god of slaughter!

"We're here! This is it!" Shadow Nightmare looked at the abandoned steel mill ahead, which crouched like a giant beast, and a final glimmer of hope erupted in his eyes.

The gates of the steel mill had long since rusted, but at this moment, they faintly emitted a heart-palpitating wave of Evil Energy.

Following the previously agreed-upon method, Shadow Nightmare channeled the shadow power within his body and traced a twisted rune on the rusted iron gate.

"Buzz—"

The iron gate let out a low hum and slowly opened inward, revealing a passage leading into the dark depths.

A dense, pure aura of Evil Energy rushed toward them, lifting the spirits of the Shadow Worship Cult members as if they had found their pillar of support, and they hurriedly filed inside.

The interior of the passage was exceptionally spacious; the original steel-making equipment had long been cleared away.

The floor and walls were covered with even more complex and ancient Abyssal Runes, emitting a dim red light.

Dozens of powerful figures wearing dark red hooded robes that covered their entire bodies stood quietly in the center of the empty factory building.

The Evil Energy fluctuations emanating from them were at least at the Sixth-Rank level at their weakest.

Among them, there were even several whose auras were so obscure and deep that they made Shadow Nightmare's heart race; they were likely Seventh-Rank existences!

These were the vanguard forces sent by the "Gloomy Abyss" to rendezvous with the cultists of this world.

The intrusion of the Shadow Worship Cult members immediately caught the attention of these Abyssal Emissaries.

The leading Abyssal Emissary slowly raised his head, and two points of crimson light lit up beneath his hood.

A cold, raspy voice without a hint of emotion sounded:

"Shadow Nightmare? Why have you come here early? And in such a wretched state? The time for the ceremony has not yet arrived."

Seeing this person, Shadow Nightmare felt as if he had grasped a life-saving straw.

He hurriedly stepped forward a few paces, ignoring etiquette, and spoke urgently and incoherently:

"Lord Emissary! It's bad! Something huge has happened!"

"Our forces in Jiangyuan City... are finished! All finished!"

"Just now, all of our strongholds and all of our personnel were uprooted almost simultaneously! All signals have vanished!"

"The last message we received mentioned something red in the sky, and then they were instantly destroyed!"

"Was it the Spiritual Energy Bureau? Or something else? We don't know! But it's too terrifying! That was definitely no ordinary power!"

"Lord Emissary, save us! That thing, it might have followed us! We can only rely on you and the protection of the Abyss now!"

Shadow Nightmare poured out the situation like beans from a bamboo tube, his face full of pleading.

He had thought that upon learning their collaborators had suffered such heavy losses, the Abyssal Emissary would be equally shocked.

And then, he would take immediate action to protect them or even help them seek revenge.

However—

After hearing Shadow Nightmare's account, the crimson light beneath the Abyssal Emissary's hood flickered violently, and his entire aura instantly became cold and furious!

"Fools!!!"

An angry roar containing terrifying mental pressure exploded in the empty factory like a thunderclap!

It made the ears of the Shadow Worship Cult members ring and their blood churn; several with weaker cultivation even knelt directly on the ground!

The Abyssal Emissary took a sudden step forward, his dark red robes fluttering without wind, emitting a suffocating pressure.

His voice was filled with rage and disdain:

"Who gave you permission to cause such a huge commotion in the city right now?! Huh?!"

"Did we not repeatedly warn you to keep a low profile during this recent period?!"

"You actually acted on your own without reporting to us. Do you have a death wish?!"

"Do you have any idea what kind of attention this will attract?! It will ruin our great plan!"

Suddenly faced with such a severe scolding, Shadow Nightmare and the Shadow Worship Cult executives were stunned.

They completely hadn't expected this reaction.

Their people had all been killed, and they had come to seek help—why were they being scolded instead?

Shadow Nightmare also lost his temper. He was, after all, a Vice Cult Leader; when had he ever suffered such indignation, especially in front of his own elites?

He was instantly enraged and retorted, "What do you mean by that?!"

"You were the ones who approached us first, agreeing to help us welcome the 'shadow master's' descent. In exchange, we would act on your behalf in the human world!"

"But what about you? Aside from giving some ambiguous runes, what substantial help have you provided?"

"We have worked hard to set things up in Jiangyuan City for so many years, helping you gather information and resources, even preparing blood sacrifices! In the end, there wasn't even a splash!"

"What's wrong with wanting to open up the situation as quickly as possible?! Did you never intend to cooperate sincerely? Or are you just using us as cannon fodder?!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere on the scene instantly became tense!

Although the Shadow Worship Cult members were afraid, they were also provoked by the other party's attitude and glared back one after another.

The Evil Energy around the Abyssal Emissary fluctuated violently; he was clearly enraged as his crimson gaze stared fixedly at Shadow Nightmare:

"Using you? Cannon fodder? Hmph! To become servants of the Abyss is an honor for you low-level creatures!"

"How can the Master's plans be speculated upon by ants like you?"

"Failing to follow orders, acting on your own, and attracting a powerful enemy—and now you have the face to question us?"

"I think you are..."

Just as the Abyssal Emissary's killing intent was boiling and he was preparing to give these reckless human evil cultivators a profound lesson—

A voice filled with ultimate contempt and playfulness rang out abruptly above the factory like a ghost.

It clearly reached the ears of every being present:

"I originally just came to clear out a few nests of rats. I didn't expect to see such a good 'dog eat dog' show."

"However, let the farce end here. Are you all prepared to die?"