"Run! Monsters have broken into the city!!!"
Panic, like a breached floodgate, instantly engulfed the streets and alleys of Sumeru City.
News of the complete collapse of the defense line had already arrived, and now, witnessing the dark, skeletal torrent of Death Knights pour into the streets, the last vestiges of order completely crumbled.
People cried, pushed, and ran in all directions like headless chickens, trying to find a hiding place that didn't exist.
Shops were knocked open, stalls were overturned, and the cries of children intertwined with the wails of the injured, forming a mournful symphony of the apocalypse.
Layla, clutching a thick, incredibly precious Ancient Astrology Book, was swept forward by the crowd.
Her pale face was filled with terror and exhaustion, her breathing rapid, feeling as if her heart was about to leap out of her chest.
"Get out of the way! Don't block the path!"
A panicked burly man suddenly crashed into her!
"Ah!"
Layla cried out, and the book in her arms flew out, falling onto the chaotic street.
"My book!"
Those were her notes and observation records, compiled with countless hours of effort!
Layla didn't hesitate for a moment, immediately pushing against the flow of people, stumbling as she lunged to pick up the book.
Just as her fingertips touched the cold cover—
Whoosh! Bang!!!
A cold, gleaming Spear, engraved with strange runes, pierced the ground right in front of her with a sharp tearing sound, only inches from her fingers!
The Spear shaft still trembled, emitting a chilling hum!
"Ah—!"
Layla was scared out of her wits, falling onto the ground, her heart almost stopping.
She fearfully looked up, only to see a Nazarick High-Tier Guard, clad in ornate golden armor, with eerie blue soul fire Burning in its eye sockets, coldly "looking down" at her.
Behind it were more Nazarick Veteran Guards, armed with swords and shields, marching in formation, and a Death Knight, like a moving iron tower, exuding a suffocating sense of oppression!
Layla was terrified. She clutched the book she had managed to retrieve, shrinking back desperately like a frightened small animal until her back hit the cold wall, with nowhere left to retreat.
Her whole body trembled uncontrollably, and tears welled up in her eyes.
The High-Tier Guard seemed "satisfied" with her harmless reaction. It made a simple gesture.
The Death Knight behind it immediately took heavy steps forward. Its iron-clad giant palm ignored Layla's weak struggles and terrified whimpers, easily grabbing her by the back of her collar like picking up a kitten, and lifting her up.
Then it turned and walked towards the square set up by the Undead Legion for the centralized detention of Sumeru civilians.
On the other side, on a High Rooftop.
"Roar!!!"
Two Death Knights stood side by side, their Tower Shields, as massive as city gates, slammed heavily onto the ground, forming an insurmountable steel barrier that perfectly blocked the deluge of dendro element arrows unleashed by Tighnari and Collei.
Swish swish swish—!!
The moment the arrows were blocked by the shields, several Nazarick Senior Guards lightning-fast emerged from the gaps and behind the shields!
They no longer held melee weapons, but longbows that also shimmered with enchanted light!
Cold Bone Arrows, like venomous snake tongues, shot precisely and swiftly towards the two figures on the high ground!
"Collei! Watch out!"
Tighnari shouted, abruptly tackling Collei beside him, and the two rolled clumsily behind the building's Parapet.
Thud thud thud! Several sharp arrows deeply embedded themselves in their previous position, their fletchings still violently vibrating.
Collei quickly rolled over, shooting at several Lower-Tier Undead attempting to climb up from the side, accurately blowing their heads off.
But her face grew paler and paler, and her speed became slower and slower.
Below, more Senior Guards formed a tight formation.
The front row defended with shields, while the back row drew bows and fired arrows, carrying out ruthless suppressive fire!
They cooperated flawlessly, their arrows like an incessant rain, forcing Tighnari and Collei to keep their heads down, with very few opportunities to retaliate.
"Teacher! They have too many arrows!"
Collei cried out anxiously, her voice tinged with a sob.
Tighnari gritted his teeth, knowing that they would eventually be worn down and killed if this continued.
However, just as they were fully dealing with the frontal arrow rain, several incredibly agile High-Tier Guards had already used the blind spots and shadows of the buildings to silently creep up behind them like ghosts!
"Wh-...!"
Tighnari's ears suddenly perked up, but it was too late when he noticed the wind behind him!
His and Collei's close-combat abilities were far inferior to Cyno's and Alhaitham's!
Almost instantly, both their weapons were knocked away, their arms twisted behind their backs, and they were firmly subdued on the ground!
"Damn it! Let go of me! You Monsters!"
Collei struggled desperately, tears mixing with dust as they streamed down her cheeks.
But the High-Tier Guard holding her possessed astonishing strength and remained completely unmoved.
These skeleton soldiers wasted no words, roughly dragging the two to the edge of the rooftop, then mercilessly throwing them down!
"Ah—!!"
The sensation of freefall instantly struck!
But the anticipated impact did not come.
Below, a Death Knight had already raised its massive, iron-clad palm, catching the falling Tighnari and Collei as precisely as if catching two pebbles; the immense impact didn't even make its arm waver.
Subsequently, it closed its palm, confining the two within it, and walked towards the prisoner assembly point.
On another street.
"Fall back! Everyone behind me!"
Senior Faruzan's voice still carried a scholar's crispness, yet it was filled with an unprecedented resolve.
She held a longbow, arrows imbued with ancient anemo element runes, constantly firing at the approaching undead.
At her feet lay the wreckage of several defensive mechanisms she had temporarily modified with her clockwork artistry, now riddled with countless arrows like pincushions.
Behind her were several injured scholars and Kaveh, sitting on the ground with a pale face.
"Ugh..."
Kaveh gasped, a Bone Arrow deeply piercing his shoulder, blood staining his ornate Architect's Coat.
He pressed firmly around the wound, trying to stop the bleeding; the intense pain contorted his handsome face, and cold sweat streamed down, but he still tried to remain conscious, shielding the other scholars who had completely lost their combat ability.
They were completely surrounded by over twenty Nazarick Senior Guards.
These elite skeleton soldiers, holding Enchanted Shields in one hand and sharp Longswords in the other, formed a shrinking circle of death.
Their hollow eye sockets were fixed on Faruzan, the only one still capable of resistance, pressing closer step by step.
Faruzan's breathing was ragged, and the hand holding the bow trembled slightly from the continuous battle.
She knew that she might be torn apart by a swarm of blades at any second.
But in the eyes of this scholar from a century ago, an unyielding flame burned. She drew her bowstring to its fullest, aiming at the head of the nearest Senior Guard, making her final, futile resistance.
A desperate atmosphere, like a cold spiderweb, entangled the hearts of every survivor.
Sumeru City was slowly sliding into the abyss of complete downfall.