Chapter 982: Chapter 553: What the Hell Happened to Hamlet!_2

Sacrifice can cleanse flesh, but those external things will not disappear.

The piles of scattered scrap and debris on the ground illustrate how fierce the battle was here, with some bloodstains and chunks of flesh forming a layer, sticking unpleasantly underfoot.

Amid the intense stench, everyone wore broken and corroded armor, stained with blood and adhering flesh, which made even the Lord somewhat inconspicuous.

Yet they all acted as if nothing was amiss, eating and drinking as though the hellish surroundings were of no concern.

Everyone present had been through wars and understood the significance, more shocked by how such a small number managed to hold the place, marveling at the strength of those selected for the Honor Guard.

Barton brought men to rebuild the position and organize a new line of defense, while Lance finally found himself freed.

But he did not stop there.

"I need to explore further ahead, Scholar, come with me."

After half a day of rest, everyone’s condition had improved significantly. Lance wanted to rely on Alhazred’s knowledge and sense of corruption to scout ahead and see the state of the Old City Ruins.

"Boss, I want to go too!" Boudica, restless after being exhausted, became energetic again after a good meal and rest.

With that, the others also began to volunteer, and Lance, observing their condition, realized it was best to act promptly.

"Barton stays here to build the temporary camp. Dismas, Balistan, Tadiff, once the camp is done, each of you take a squad of Honor Guard to understand the surrounding area as best you can.

Finish everything and return here before nightfall. We can’t afford uncertainties as we need to hold this place long term.

Alhazred, Junia, Geralt, Junia, you guys come north with me."

Lance gave some simple instructions and then led a group northward.

It seemed the Heretics had gathered for a counterattack and were wiped out, so they encountered no enemies along the way.

Being near the ruins meant even the Giant Spiders, a wild specialty, were scarcely seen, replaced by ruins overrun by wild nature.

Trees sprouting from all corners, even brick structures couldn’t stop their yearning for sunlight,

thick roots upheaving the compact roads, cutting off communication outside.

Weeds and vines greedily sucked at any nutrients in the cracks, covering everything and erasing human traces.

The tenacious vitality of nature was well demonstrated here, even human works couldn’t resist.

Yet this was not the Old City, just the peripheral border areas that might have been suburbs or farms guarding the city, now reclaimed by the wild over time.

"No signs of Heretics, seems they don’t care about these areas either."

Upon activating [Bloodhound Tracking], Lance found no trace of Heretics, and neither did Alhazred dissent.

"Keep moving."

The group continued onward along the long-ruined road, now only scattered stones remaining.

The towns and farms had accompanying fields that should be laden with ripe wheat, a golden wave stirred by autumn breezes. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Children would frolic nearby as adults joyfully celebrated the harvest, such vivid life still seemingly visible.

But now, the vast flat fields beside the road were wholly overgrown with weeds and trees, as if the earth itself, close to that evil place, exuded a grim aura.

Trees’ leaves wilted, trunks twisted and deformed, resembling specters, while peculiar vines vigorously spread among them.

Lance couldn’t help but feel saddened, thinking of how many could have been fed by these abandoned fields?

Damn it, how did Hamlet come to this!

A glint of cold light, the edge broken Axe Spear cleaving the obstructive vine, revealing Boudica’s figure and her complaints.

"I don’t think the Mountains had anything this odd."

Looking at the strange pink goo oozing from the cut vines, with purple-black, eye-like tendrils, everyone understood her words.

"An aura of evil, the power of corruption," Alhazred examined a piece of vine briefly.

Junia also brought forward a torch, as the vine twitched like a living thing, bizarrely. But it couldn’t stop the Holy Flame from burning it to ash.

"Even nature itself is a victim of this ever-expanding corruption, twisted by vile intent."

This didn’t surprise Lance; after a casual remark, he continued forward calmly.

Such corrupt vines couldn’t hinder Lance and his companions, who soon reached the wild’s edge, vaguely seeing the vast structures ahead.

In these times, without reinforced concrete, buildings of two or three stories were already tall, with only specially meaningful structures like church bell towers reaching higher.

Big cities were also expansions of small ones, walls previously built but later torn down for greater development.

Or like in Totnes, new outer walls demarcating districts.

Hamlet, despite its military elements, oddly lacked walls, allowing the current scene to emerge.

Looking afar, the Old City Ruins stretched endlessly, hinting at Hamlet’s former strength, likely not rivaling today’s Totnes.

Yet from afar, vast collapsed buildings could be seen clearly, more pronounced in decay compared to bustling City That Never Sleeps, Totnes.

"Our family’s fallen..."

Lance sighed. Always hearing tales of Hamlet’s past, seeing it now evoked deeper understanding.

Such a grand legacy, even a pig wouldn’t squander it all in a decade or two.

Lance’s gaze drifted, seemingly aware, toward the city’s northeastern cliff’s edge, an old manor nestled there.

Damn it, old ancestor...

But he soon withdrew his gaze, pressed onward without speaking further.

The others felt Lance’s somber mood, probably touched by the scene, recalling the family’s struggle against the evil cult, leaving him as the last.

Even Boudica spoke little, merely following behind Lance.

The good news was, the closer they got, the more wilted the plants were, leaving only bare, twisted dead trees; even the corrupt vines ceased growing.

Without wild plants obscuring, the ruins appeared more clearly, with no vegetation damage.

If cannons or wagons reached here, they’d face no restrictions, with perfectly level ground, devoid of weeds.

However, this also meant the corruption here was stronger, as even nature shunned the area, lacking any vitality.

After crossing the transitional zone, the team officially entered the ruins, judged by the ground beneath.

When the city was established, great funds were invested, with even the outskirts paved with bricks.

From afar, the ruins appeared majestic; up close, the decay and ruin were more palpable.

The silence from losing human presence seemed to amplify sound, footsteps echoing crisply off the stone floor.

The vast, quiet ruins instilled intense fear, an unplaceable emptiness, a stark lack of security distinctly felt.

But before they ventured deep, the ruins seemed to come alive, welcoming long-missed visitors.

"The scent of death!"

"What’s that sound?"

"Oh! My Holy Light..."