On the second day of the Dark Abyss's appearance, the Eight Directional Undead Monarchs still patrolled outside the city, showing no signs of attack, and the Dark Abyss also remained eerily silent.
In the past, the appearance of the Dark Abyss was always accompanied by terrifying disasters.
But now, it hung heavily over the Ancient Capital, transforming into an undispellable shadow in everyone's hearts.
Endless undead besieged the Ancient Capital, turning it into an isolated city. Ordinary citizens could barely escape, and even Mages found it extremely difficult to enter the city.
Just then, a gigantic azure beast charged from somewhere, trampling over the dense corpse piles and fiercely rushing into the Ancient Capital.
Two figures leaped down from the beast's head.
Upon seeing the newcomers, Lu Huan immediately greeted them with a joyful expression: "Hunter King!"
Han Ji also quickly walked over.
Behind them, a group of Super-Order Mages stood ready.
"How are things?" Du Xiao asked impatiently after a brief exchange of pleasantries.
"Things are not optimistic. You've seen the Eight Directional Undead Monarchs. They've been eyeing the city from outside, ready to attack at any moment. We must constantly monitor the movements outside the city," Lu Huan said with a worried frown.
He added, "And the Dark Abyss, though it hasn't made any moves yet, has been continuously releasing a large amount of death energy since its appearance. Moreover, we all agree that the Eight Directional Undead Monarchs are waiting for the Dark Abyss's next move!"
Du Xiao looked up at the Dark Abyss, which resembled a hellish furnace, and felt a jolt of horror.
The Dark Abyss, that was the most terrifying black forbidden zone!
Even he, a Advanced Level Mage and the Hunter King among hunters, was as insignificant as an ant before the Dark Abyss.
Lu Huan's expression was solemn as he said in a deep voice, "We cannot sit idly by. The undead tide's offensive is not too fierce yet. We plan to immediately clear the undead on another side of the Ancient Capital's city wall, open a safe passage, and escort residents to evacuate. Now that you're here, our operation can be even faster!"
"Alright, I will give my all wherever I am needed!" Du Xiao readily agreed without hesitation.
"Hunter King, you two talk, I'm heading out first," said the figure who had arrived at the Ancient Capital with Du Xiao.
"No need, Mo Fan, I can help you investigate your friend's whereabouts," Du Xiao said.
"Then hurry up and investigate!" Mo Fan was anxious.
As soon as the news from the Ancient Capital broke, Mo Fan tried to contact Jiang Yuan, but his phone was always off, and he couldn't reach him.
So he frantically booked a flight to the Ancient Capital, but all transportation to the Ancient Capital was suspended due to the undead tide.
Fortunately, he found Hunter King Du Xiao through the Qingtian Hunter Agency and, after much pleading, managed to have Du Xiao bring him to this perilous Ancient Capital.
"Chief Lu, might I trouble you to help me find a young man named Jiang Yuan?" Du Xiao asked Lu Huan.
"Jiang Yuan?" Lu Huan found the name somewhat familiar, as if the imperial jade seal had been brought back from outside the city by a young man named Jiang Yuan some time ago.
Lu Huan summoned Fei Jiao to inquire.
"Jiang Yuan? He went to the Demon Capital Research Institute," Fei Jiao said as soon as he arrived.
"What the heck?! How did he end up at the Demon Capital Research Institute again?!" Mo Fan was instantly dumbfounded.
He had risked his life to come to the Ancient Capital, only to be told that Jiang Yuan wasn't even here?
"Since your friend isn't in the Ancient Capital, then don't stay here any longer. Once the safe passage is cleared, you can evacuate with the others," Du Xiao said.
"The Black Vatican's Cardinal Salang is behind this Ancient Capital incident, and things could change drastically at any moment. We're going to the North City Wall now to prepare for the plan," Han Ji stepped forward and urged.
"Black Vatican?" Mo Fan keenly seized on this keyword and quickly pressed, "Did these beasts from the Black Vatican orchestrate this Ancient Capital catastrophe?"
The disaster in Bo City was still vivid in his memory, and Mo Fan would never forget the atrocities committed by those from the Black Vatican.
He hadn't expected to find traces of the Black Vatican in the Ancient Capital again.
"That's right." Han Ji glanced at the unfamiliar young man in front of him and said, "You see this rain, right? We received information that the Bo City disaster over a year ago was precisely a rehearsal for this Ancient Capital catastrophe..."
Before he could finish, Mo Fan interrupted, "The Bo City disaster was a rehearsal for the Ancient Capital catastrophe?! Damn it, the Black Vatican actually used an entire city as a rehearsal?!"
His eyes were bloodshot, and fury burned fiercely in his chest.
Han Ji frowned and said, "That's right, it was merely a rehearsal. The people of the Black Vatican are inherently inhumane. We have made many efforts to root out the Black Vatican, but there are still Black Vatican members lurking in the Ancient Capital. They are too deeply hidden, and search efforts have yielded minimal results."
At this moment, General Instructor Fei Jiao received a message from a Military Law Enforcer and said, "The residents are mostly gathered. We can begin the operation."
Without further ado, everyone quickly moved to the North City Wall.
However, Mo Fan did not follow them. He quietly left the group and infiltrated the inner city.
At this moment, Mo Fan's mind was completely consumed by rage, and his heart was filled with murderous intent.
Those beasts from the Black Vatican, he absolutely had to find them!
To casually use the lives of an entire city's people as experimental subjects, did they truly care so little about human lives?!
...
The rain in the sky grew lighter and lighter, yet thick dark clouds still obscured the sunlight, leaving the Ancient Capital in gloom.
At the North City Wall, the Super-Order Mages cast spells, struggling to clear the undead for the residents and open a safe passage.
Suddenly, the situation changed dramatically.
A ghostly figure blocked their path, and a seductive yet bone-chilling voice resonated:
"Before the King awakens, no living creature is allowed to leave the Ancient King's Capital!!"
At the same time, the Eight Directional Undead Monarchs on the other side of the city wall also began to move.
Upon receiving the news, everyone stopped their actions.
"Jiu Youhou!" Lu Huan said with a heavy heart.
Among the Eight Directional Undead Monarchs, only the Mountain Peak Corpse was a Supreme Monarch, while the other eight monarchs were all Great Monarchs.
If they were to truly fight, they were no match for the Eight Directional Undead Monarchs!
"What do we do now?" Fei Jiao asked anxiously.
Lu Huan sighed deeply and said, "First, notify the outside world. Mages below Advanced Level should not come here to die in vain. The situation has completely spiraled out of our control. We... we might have to abandon the Ancient Capital. Please ask the old seniors to come out and help us get the residents out first."
"As long as the green hills remain, there will always be wood to burn!"
In the shadows, Mu He witnessed this scene.
He sneered, "Ridiculous, still dreaming of leaving the Ancient Capital. The Ancient King is about to awaken, and everyone will become souls in the mouths of the undead. It's almost time, Salang-daren's apotheosis ceremony is about to begin!!!"
...