Chapter 16 The Forest of Living Corpses
The King of Argos provided them with everything they could, except for direct assistance.
So much so that on the third day of the four's journey to vanquish the monster.
King Argos only learned of this news from his attendants.
Meanwhile, the King of Argos...
It is located inside the temple.
The temples in Argos were dedicated to only three gods.
They are Zeus, Hera, and Ares.
Ares, the god of war, is a personality cult of the King of Argos.
The vast majority of the city's inhabitants worshipped the two god-kings, Zeus and Hera, while some also worshipped the sea god Poseidon.
However, most people believe that Zeus is the king of the gods and all other gods are under his jurisdiction. If that's the case, why bother to seek trouble and serve more gods?
However, this is also due to the "Prophecy Child" incident five years ago.
King Argos then moved Zeus from the primary position in the priesthood to a secondary position, and subtly and intentionally treated those who were obsessed with Zeus unfairly in terms of law and morality.
Thus, after five years of change, the main deity worshipped in Argos became "Hera".
The high priest, who was the diviner who divined the "prophecy," claimed to be the messenger of the goddess Hera and became the master of this magnificent temple.
Footsteps echoed within the empty and dimly lit temple.
The three main god statues, from left to right, are "Zeus", "Hera" and "Ares".
The high priest, dressed in a long white robe and holding a scroll, sat cross-legged beneath the magnificent statue, seemingly writing something or performing some kind of divination under the watchful eyes of the gods.
"Any results?"
The voice of King Argos echoed within the temple.
The high priest placed a perfectly round, lustrous gemstone on the scroll, then reached out and rested his hand on it, with the three statues of the main gods watching from behind...
Instantly, a beam of light, invisible to mortals, shot out from the eyes of the Hera statue.
It disappeared into that magic crystal...
The high priest suddenly opened his eyes, his white beard and hair falling over his robes. He addressed King Argos, saying, "Your Majesty, the son of Zeus is indeed not dead..."
King Argos sighed deeply, looked up at the statue of Zeus holding thunderbolts, and said helplessly, "I knew it..."
"Then Poseidon, the sea god, will only find that child troublesome..."
"How could anyone gladly accept it and offer it as a sacrifice?"
King Argos turned to the high priest and asked, "Do you know where that child is now?"
"On a deserted island, living with wild beasts?"
"Or perhaps, far from Argos, they will return in the future with ten thousand warships..."
Every night, the King of Argos would have that nightmare: he dreamt of himself, old and dying, dying by the sword of the son of Zeus, and of the magnificent city of Argos collapsing in flames.
Everything that I have created with all my might throughout my life.
They will all be destroyed by the son of Zeus.
Until it fades into dust in history and is swept away by the wind.
The high priest looked at the magic crystal and, in a weathered voice, told his king the unfortunate truth—
"Neither, Your Majesty..."
"The prophecy is evident."
"That child has always been located within the city of Argos..."
King Argos's eyes suddenly turned bloodthirsty and tyrannical...
Inside the temple, before the statue of Zeus, he roared hysterically:
"Then let's find him!"
"Kill him!"
"If I can't kill him, then let Yara kill him!!"
The high priest glanced at the enraged king beside him and sighed:
"Your Majesty, but Nayara is not a decisive person…"
"He couldn't bring himself to harm a child..."
"Then force him to make a move!"
The King of Argos's eyes flashed with a fierce light, his killing intent almost solidified.
Thump—
The evening bell tolled.
The sound echoed throughout the temple. The priests, who were walking about, stopped what they were doing and rushed towards the statue, chanting ancient prayers praising the gods...
The mountain behind the temple.
The rusted bronze tower stood tall, bathed in the crimson glow of the setting sun...
Like scarlet blood, it slowly flowed out...
The priests often did so late at night,
Hearing the wind change its tune...
The sound was like the weeping and wailing of a young girl...
It seems to be telling a story that has been buried for a long time...
Sad memories.
...
The mountains and rivers separated Yara, so Yara crossed them;
The river blocked Yara's way, so Yara crossed it.
Until there was no trace of pedestrians or cart tracks left on the road, the identical desolate scenery around them made it impossible for them to tell which way was which. The vast, arid forest, shrouded in mist, couldn't even let in sunlight. The small animals that used to be everywhere, even the noisy insects of autumn, had all vanished...
At this point, Yara and his group were completely convinced.
They had reached a deserted place not marked on any map...
That demon's stronghold, a dwelling place inaccessible to mortals...
Their destination—
North of the Nemean Plain.
...
The group set up camp against a large tree.
The nearly two-month trek had left everyone exhausted...
Dick tapped on the flint, trying to start a fire so the group could regroup...
But no matter how he tried, he found that the flame simply could not be lit.
We haven't even seen many Mars sites.
"What happened?"
Why can't I start a fire?
Old Tyr then came over, and Dick showed him what had happened.
Old Tyr truly lives up to his reputation as a seasoned veteran who has traveled far and wide.
He had experienced a similar situation in his early years, so he told Dick the possible reason:
"Perhaps it was influenced by the elements of this place."
"element?"
Dick asked, puzzled.
At this moment, Yara and Pan also came over, and they were also very curious about the concept of 'elements'.
Old Tyr waved his hand, his cloudy eyes gazing into the distance, and slowly recounted his past: "When I was young, I explored some places and had several thrilling adventures..."
"I learned about a not-so-popular saying."
Everything in the world is made up of elements...
"Earth, wind, water, and... um... fire."
"In some places, perhaps due to strange phenomena, the elements become unbalanced... For example, here, perhaps the fire element is pitifully scarce... or the water element is far greater than the fire element, therefore flames cannot rise..."
Yara asked, somewhat surprised:
"Master Tyr, do you believe that the Nemean Lion has disrupted the balance of the elements here?"
Old Tyr nodded, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword and constantly and cautiously observing the situation in the surrounding mist. He continued, "Elemental imbalance can cause terrible things... natural disasters, or something else."
Pan looked at old Tyr with eyes full of admiration.
He particularly liked this powerful and knowledgeable old man.
"If I am fortunate enough to return, I must treat you to a good drink and hear your story, Master Tyr."
Pan scratched his head and laughed.
Yara suddenly had a bold idea, and he asked:
"In those myths, are the divine powers of the gods... related to the so-called imbalance of elements?"
Upon hearing this, the other three were all taken aback.
However, Old Tyr quickly offered his opinion:
"Maybe...
"It's not an imbalance of elements..."
"But a far more sophisticated method—"
"Control the elements."
There was no flame.
The group could only sit down on the ground to rest and recover.
We'll wait until we're full of energy before continuing our journey.
Dick leaned against a large tree, trying to find some semblance of security.
But as soon as he sat down, he inexplicably felt an itch on his back...
He turned to examine the seemingly normal dead tree behind him.
He used a dagger to make a cut on the tree trunk...
Suddenly, a scarlet liquid began to flow from the tree trunk...
It resembled fresh blood, and carried a strong, foul stench of blood...
"Oh my god, look!"
"This tree is bleeding!"
Dick exclaimed in surprise.
Seeing this, Pan, who was standing nearby, took out his spear and shield and stood in front of Dick. He then kicked the withered tree with all his might.
A snap.
The dead tree was actually kicked in half.
Dick was about to praise Pan for his superhuman strength.
But Pan's hair stood on end, his pupils trembled uncontrollably, and his voice shook.
"A person, a dead person..."
"There's a dead person hiding in this tree!"
Pan pulled Dick back and stood with Tyr and Yara, facing the strange, withered tree.
From among the withered tree emerged a pale corpse, dripping with sticky blood...
The deathly pale face stared at the group with its dark, lifeless eyes.
In an instant, the dead man opened his mouth and let out a chilling shriek—
As the cry echoed through the deadwood forest, countless dead trees cracked open inch by inch, revealing a putrid corpse hidden in the middle!
"No...that's not a dead person..."
"Those are living dead!"
Old Tyr drew his longsword, his face ashen.