Chapter 246

Chapter 246

The black cat wasn't lying; they were indeed approaching.

However, this "approaching" was an insurmountable abyss for certain Perfect Humans.

Almost none of the investigators who had initially been tasked with protecting and guarding them could be seen anymore.

It wasn't that they had left; one after another, they had fallen, and there was no reinforcement in sight. Thus, the Perfect Humans realized on their own that the end was near.

Yet, the original decision-makers were still shouting, urging them not to scatter or run amok. In truth, there was no need for them to maintain order because anyone who hadn't gone mad could see that they were surrounded by anomalies on all sides. The only shelter they had was their fellow Perfect Humans, for as long as others were devoured, their time of death would be delayed.

In this moment, their peers were their sole shields.

Humanity's brilliance and ugliness were fully displayed. Some immediately pushed the Perfect Humans beside them out and frantically squeezed towards the center, their curses echoing nonstop. Others desperately shielded their friends, family, and lovers.

What was Kitridge thinking at this moment?

He wasn't thinking anything.

His mind was a blank canvas, and he would have crumpled to the ground, pushed along to his doom, if not for the support of someone beside him forcing him forward. Yet, even so, the incessant whispers in his ear grew more irritating, a maelstrom of savagery and despair swirling within his mind, threatening to tear him asunder and plunge him into the abyss of madness.

Why hadn't he broken down? Because someone was still guiding him forward.

"Keep moving..."

Jimmy's quivering voice echoed in his ear:

"There's no turning back now."

The entire line, like a decaying centipede, dragged itself forward on its many limbs, persisting until every nerve and scrap of flesh had withered away.

Suddenly, Kittridge noticed that there had been no screams coming from the front of the queue for quite some time.

They were replaced by cheers of salvation.

Had help... arrived?

Macha Latte, suspended in the limbo of death at the front of the line, had a clear view. A large feline figure was rushing towards them, carrying a human silhouette on its back.

Wait, only one person?

"Matcha Milk Green: So this is the reinforcement you were talking about? Just one person?"

"Druid: Don't rush things. I said it was special reinforcement. That cat runs the fastest, we're a bit slower, and Lane's followers are the slowest. There's nothing we can do about it!"

"Black Cat: And you'll be pleasantly surprised by this reinforcement!"

Curious despite being in a state of deathly stasis, Matcha Milk Green looked over. Before the person arrived, the two gorillas feasting on her corpse suddenly froze, then spontaneously combusted, engulfed in golden flames!

What was...?

Matcha Milk Green instinctively felt that this attack method was familiar. In the next moment, the abnormalities wreaking havoc in the Perfect Human team also began to ignite with golden flames. This time, Matcha Milk Green could see clearly: they were bullets, golden, burning bullets!

A blond man sat atop a large cat, charging towards them. The bumpy ride didn't affect his accuracy at all; he didn't even need to reload. Seven shots were fired, and seven monsters were consumed by golden flames.

The blond man's figure swiftly passed over Matcha Milk Green's corpse, continuing to slay the abnormalities. She got a clear look at his face.

"Matcha Milk Green: What the hell? Albert?!"

Indeed, what a delightful surprise.

He should be one of Lane's devoted followers. Though his presence isn't as noticeable as Carance, the beginner's mentor, or as prominent as Crease in the MIT lab, or Archy and Amos, he did have the experience of the MIT dungeon replica!

"Matcha Latte: We actually have NPC assistance???"

"Black Cat: Hehe, surprised, aren't you?"

"Matcha Latte: This is way too surprising!"

As everyone knew, NPCs were incredibly powerful, and generally stronger than players in this game.

Matcha Latte couldn't resist turning around, excitement coursing through her. Among the flawless beings, it seemed as if golden flowers were blossoming one after another, no, more like a connected constellation, judging from the connections.

Some of the flawless beings looked up in confusion, gazing at the burning golden flames that were so close. "So warm."

(Note: Albert's "Judge" ability is ineffective against those without sin.)

Though the two gorillas attacking the formation posed a significant threat to magic-less players, they were much easier prey for Albert, who possessed the Origin ability. Hardly any anomaly could withstand a single bullet.

Indeed, for the players, this was an incredibly reliable reinforcement.

"Madness Unleashed: Oh oh, yours have arrived too? So have ours!"

...

Though Madness Unleashed's team wasn't as desperate as Matcha Latte's, with four or five players still alive, they were now looking at the newcomers with excitement. The red-haired clown danced a bloody waltz under the blood moon, each slash of his dagger either sending a nearby creature tumbling or catching a distant one off-guard with his thrown knives.

It seemed like a circus stage had unfolded, with the creatures serving as Edmund's targets. The clown's 'acrobatics' were both fascinating and bizarre, leaving the creatures baffled. Seven or eight of them attempted to surround him, but as soon as they formed a circle, the clown would suddenly vanish from their midst.

"Welcome, to the Clown's Tightrope Act."

Edmund's voice echoed above the bizarre creatures, who instinctively looked up to witness the clown standing on slender wires, his grin bordering on madness under the crimson moonlight.

...

At that moment, in the escort convoy of the tax collector, he observed the bizarre assailants falling one after another without any visible trajectory of attack. A scent of flowers permeated the air. The tax collector sniffed, lifted his head, and spotted someone in a tuxedo standing atop a cliff beneath the red moon.

Unable to resist, the tax collector revealed a disdainful expression. He didn't particularly favor this NPC, well, despite the fact that he had just saved him...

"Whatever Lord Lann's command may be, wherever it leads me, I shall obey without question."

Amos's voice suddenly echoed beside the tax collector, having seemingly teleported instantaneously from the nearby cliff. He cast a satisfied glance at the diminished but still substantial group of Perfects and then lifted his gaze to the tax collector. "You've done quite well~"

The tax collector: "Oh." (Deadpan expression)

...

Aside from Clare and Archie, who possessed little combat capability, and Carrens, who remained in the Divine Kingdom, Edmund, Amos, and Albert had all heeded Lann's orders to aid various teams. Upon their arrival, they immediately alleviated the pressure exerted by the bizarre creatures.

Of course, as Lane gradually gained greater control over his essence, he no longer needed to rely on believers for strength. Instead, it was the believers who received the boons.

Aside from Amos, who was already on the sixth level, the others' levels soared rapidly, albeit not catching up to Amos yet. Nevertheless, they were more than capable of dealing with anomalies below the A-class, akin to slaughtering chickens.

The tense situation was significantly alleviated by their arrival. By the time the Black Cat and the others, riding on the large cats, arrived, or even when the Black Tree Folk showed up, there was no longer any need for them to intervene.

This display of power was truly reassuring.

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. The atmosphere that almost spelled doom just moments ago has completely turned around."

"Wonderful! I knew Edmund, Albert, and Amos were strong, especially Amos, but Edmund... Hm, I remember he was an NPC who appeared during the players' early days, when even fighting the lowest-level ghouls was a challenge. When did he become so powerful?!"

"Yeah, it's been a while since the Clown last made an appearance."

"It can't be that he secretly trained without the players knowing, right? Hahahaha."

"But it's such a relief. I thought we were done for, that everyone would perish. But they showed up, and now I feel much better."

To some extent, the players weren't too far off. Edmund had indeed been pushing himself to the limit, relying on Lane's ability to revive him as he fearlessly climbed the ranks of the Gap of Dreams.

He knew that as Lane faced stronger foes, if he didn't grow stronger, he would have even fewer chances to catch Lane's attention.

Originally, Lane rarely utilized them, despite Edmund, Amos, and the others being formidable. It was clear to any observant believer that Lane preferred using the weaker, eccentric, and fearless outsiders.

But look, they were still able to make a difference, weren't they?

Edmund pulled on the wires, severing several bizarre heads with their sharp edges. The players were stunned, momentarily unsure if the blood-soaked Clown was friend or foe.

With the immediate danger subsiding, the players eagerly recorded or took photos, finally able to relax after their tense moments.

When a large number of players arrived later for reinforcements, and the black tree men who were comparable to war beasts appeared, their originally suspended hearts became more at ease.

Not Crazy: "It's like transitioning from hell mode to easy mode, you could say."

"No! Please don't say it!" Milk Tea Dog looked at her warily. "Let's not jinx it by popping champagne mid-game!"

Not Crazy: ?

As a professional novel translator, I would need the specific text or context to provide an elegant and accurate translation. Please provide the lines or paragraphs you would like me to translate, and I will be happy to assist you.

Indeed, it's not over yet." The God, embodying in human form, stroked his chin and issued commands to the players, urging them to seize the moment and press forward.

Perhaps the players had already lost sight of the fact that this was the Dreamworld.

In the realm of dreams, the descent of an evil god differs from reality, where such an event would require numerous intricate rituals.

But there was no need here, for the dark deities had always resided within.