Chapter 1325: Chapter 1325

After returning to Ruen using the Spiritual Lodestone and Real Illusion, Jenkins groaned and collapsed onto the sofa. The sudden movement startled Alexia, who had been waiting for news, but Jenkins managed to prop himself up a few seconds later, pressing a hand to his forehead.

"That was a close call. What in the world is this curse? I can't believe it's actually this powerful."

He couldn't help but cough a few more times, though this time it was just from choking on his own saliva as he sat up. Now that he was away from Nolan, with the other four parts of the curse no longer resonating with the one on him, he could bear the one-fifth portion of the burden.

"What on earth happened?" Alexia asked, unable to contain her curiosity as she took his hand and sat beside him.

"It's... incredibly complicated. Yes, very, very complicated. It's difficult to explain right now, but could you please take a look at this for me? What is it?"

He used the Book of Memories to project the pattern the writer had touched on the Corpse Gentleman's morgue drawer just moments before.

"You don't even know what this is? It seems Mr. Oliver's lessons have fallen a bit behind. You should catch up on your studies when you get back to Nolan... Alright, no more jokes. This is clearly part of a Psionic Apparatus. This one has been optimized, but there's no mistaking it."

"It's a technology passed down from a primordial era, supposedly created based on a god-descending ritual and a strange chain ability called 'Our God is Here.' To be specific, it's a device certain races with unique talents used to transfer their minds and control avatars. The souls and consciousness within two bodies connected by the Psionic Apparatus can be exchanged. But while the technology has survived, no one can use it. Only those primordial races, who now exist only in legend, could endure the agonizing transfer process without dying."

Alexia explained patiently, then added when she saw Jenkins's confused expression:

"And I'm not talking about elves and dwarves. While those races have also vanished from the material world, we can at least confirm they truly existed. The primordial races I'm referring to are those that appear only in myths, leaving behind almost no trace of their existence. Jenkins, I think you may have stumbled into some very serious trouble this time."

After having Alexia temporarily suppress the curse on his body, at least enough to prevent it from resonating with the other four parts upon his return to Nolan, Jenkins decided not to let her accompany him. Instead, he entrusted a large batch of bone powder collected by Dolores to a Star Spirit for delivery to Nolan, and then asked the Star Spirit, Rakul, if she knew anything about the Psionic Apparatus.

Since it wasn't a secret related to the end of the epoch, the book-hugging Star Spirit quickly gave Jenkins an answer. Her explanation was much like Alexia's, only far richer in detail. When Jenkins showed her the pattern and asked if she knew which race commonly used it, Rakul uttered a name so unexpected it made Jenkins feel as if he had been thrown back into a mythical age.

While Jenkins was rushing about, the game inside the room continued. Although the writer's story had reached the "Bound by a Curse" ending, the tales of the others were far from over.

The main problem now was whether to trust the letter found in the morgue drawer and whether to carry the sixth skeleton out of the hospital. The four players held two different opinions, resulting in a perfect two-two split—the inherent flaw of voting with an even number of people.

At the same time, having learned from the writer's ending that leaving the hospital concluded the game, Hathaway vehemently argued for a swift departure. She had grown weary of this game. While parts of it had been amusing, she had spent the last two hours genuinely terrified for Jenkins and Briny.

If she had known this would happen, if she had known the events in the story would manifest in reality, she would never have set foot in this room.

"Miss Skylark, if you wish for the noble lady to leave, we have no objection, but the curse we all released has yet to be resolved. I have made my decision. I will take that letter and the skeleton and explore the underground boiler room behind the main building to find the entrance to the mine."

Mr. Hood declared with an air of self-righteousness. Hathaway found his words a bit strange.

"That's a fine idea, but respected Mr. Hood, have you considered what we will do if that underground boiler room is a deadly trap, just as Mr. Candle said?"

Again, Hathaway felt there was something odd about her words. The two of them seemed to be deliberately adding superfluous words to their conversation, avoiding any contractions or shortcuts, as if they were trying to stall for time...

"What are they waiting for... All right, I understand."

It wasn't just Hathaway who understood; Mr. White Cat and the Corpse Gentleman realized it as well. Just as the latter was about to announce the start of the next turn, a new, cloaked sculpture materialized at the edge of the set.

"Look, our friend has arrived."

Mr. Hood smiled, clearly pleased.

"I knew Mr. Candle wouldn't do something useless for no reason. He's even faster than I expected." Get full chapters from noⅴelfire.net

"Will he be enough on his own? I thought he would have called his 'friends' over as well," Magic Miss said dubiously.

"A stranger has broken into the abandoned hospital. The intrusion has awakened the residual resentment and power within its walls. From now on..."

The Corpse Gentleman paused mid-sentence, his attention, along with everyone else's, fixed on the game board. Around the lifelike wooden carving representing Mr. Candle, several metal statues symbolizing resentful spirits had appeared. The statue of Mr. Candle didn't even use a weapon; it simply stomped its foot, and a golden light erupted from its body, melting the surrounding spirits away.

Even the thin white mist around it was pushed back as if by an invisible force field—a phenomenon they had never seen before.

"I always knew Mr. Candle was strong, but I never imagined he was this powerful," Mr. White Cat remarked, watching the scene with great interest. So far, only Magic Miss and Mr. Hood were fully aware that Mr. Candle was a follower of the God of Lies.

"Gentlemen, please declare your next move," the Corpse Gentleman urged, his voice monotone and devoid of any discernible emotion.

"If there's no danger nearby, then we choose to do nothing. We'll just wait for Mr. Candle to find us," Mr. Hood said with a nod.