Chapter 1326: Chapter 1326

“Staying put is a good idea.”

Magic Miss was quick to second Mr. Hood's opinion.

The moment Candle Mr burst onto the scene, the tabletop diorama truly sprang to life, its activity no longer confined to the explorers' immediate vicinity. The white mist blanketing the surface began to churn, and the miniature gravel and weeds stirred as if caught in a breeze. At the same time, more monsters emerged from the ruins of the buildings.

They paid the explorers no mind, their attention singularly focused as they charged toward Candle Mr.

“I'm with Candle Mr on this one,” White Cat Mr said with a sigh. “Corpse Gentleman is undoubtedly the mastermind behind this. He used the ‘Story within a Story’ and the five of us.”

Then he turned to Hathaway.

“Miss Skylark, I've noticed you've been silent ever since Candle Mr appeared. Has something strange happened?”

“No, I'm fine... But are you sure he'll be alright on his own?”

Hathaway remained worried.

Once the spirits were gone, he activated his Eye of Reality to survey the hospital, half-demolished by the earthquake. Before he could even begin to search for the explorers, auras of black and blue light surged toward him.

Through the thin mist, he could just make out the shape of the nearest monster. It was a centipede—a centipede pieced together from countless human bodies. Decaying corpses, all headless save for the one at the very front, were fused together end to end.

Its limbs didn't support it from beneath like those of a beast. Instead, the bodies were splayed out, arms and legs flush against the ground, scuttling forward on the tapping of their fingers and toes.

As it moved, the frantic tapping of its fingers and toes against the earth produced a dense, unnerving skittering sound. The sight, and the sound, sent a visceral shiver down Jenkins's spine.

“What in the world is that?”

Thoroughly repulsed, he drew his sword, ready to strike. But to his surprise, the giant human centipede coiled and began to scuttle up the wall of a nearby building. Most of its grotesque body vanished into the white mist and behind the structure, leaving only the pretty, detached head of a woman to peer down at him.

Simultaneously, more monsters materialized from the mist. Most were incorporeal spirits, but the few that possessed physical forms were monstrous amalgams of animal carcasses and human corpses.

“Will Candle Mr be alright?”

Watching this unfold, Hathaway asked from her seat at the table, her voice tinged with concern.

“He'll be fine... probably.”

Even Mr. Hood didn't sound entirely certain.

Their eyes were fixed on the wooden figurine on the tabletop when a sword materialized in its hand. Though it too was just a wooden miniature, the moment it appeared, all the light of the diorama seemed to converge upon it, letting the players know this was no ordinary blade.

Hathaway murmured, her tone hesitant.

“That's right. It's the sword of the Believers of Lies,” Magic Miss confirmed. “Indeed, our friend Candle Mr has always been one of them. I trust none of you have a problem with that?”

She glanced at the others.

White Cat Mr shook his head, indicating he didn't mind. Mr. Black Cat was a friend of his, and through their correspondence, he'd already had his suspicions about Candle Mr's identity.

As for Hathaway, the face behind her mask was lost in thought. She recalled the Twin Demons incident. She had been unconscious, and Jenkins, who had dealt with the demons, had attributed everything to a black-robed figure known for collecting strange artifacts. From that moment, Hathaway had known Jenkins was friends with this person in black robes; she had even suspected he was Jenkins's true mentor in the supernatural world.

And now, Candle Mr was revealed to be a Believer of Lies, the very group Jenkins had such a murky connection to... She sank deeper into her thoughts.

A brilliant white light flashed across the tabletop. Candle Mr couldn't use his full power, lest he be unprepared for what came next. Even so, in such an open area, the sweeping arc of his blade obliterated most of the monsters. The sword seemed exceptionally potent against spirits and the undead.

“I've speculated before that the sword of the Believers of Lies might be connected to the Skull Sword,” Mr. Hood said. “They look nothing alike, but the rumor originated from the Church, which makes it highly credible.”

“Will he be upset that we're speculating about his secrets ?”

White Cat Mr asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

“He's not that petty,” Magic Miss shrugged. “And of course, we won't be telling him about this conversation.” The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the N()velFire.net

She then turned to the host.

“I have no idea how Candle Mr's appearance will affect your plans, Corpse Gentleman. But since the story continues, please, do go on. We're quite interested to see things from the explorers' perspective.”

Jenkins was getting tired of the monsters swarming him. The spirits were manageable, but the corporeal ones—the stitched-together corpse-beasts—were not only repulsive but also possessed incredible regenerative powers.

Unless they were completely destroyed in a single blow, their wounds would ooze a black, greasy substance that instantly repaired the damage, allowing them to rejoin the fight.

Jenkins had no choice but to keep swinging his sword. Unleashing blasts of light consumed too much of his spirit, so he had to rely on physical strength. He actually had a much better option—the cane he had recently acquired would be the perfect weapon against these creatures.

But he was also keenly aware that a group of people was watching him from some strange perspective. He couldn't risk using a weapon that would expose his identity. If Jenkins Williams had just acquired a powerful cane, and a Believer of Lies suddenly produced one just like it... well, the people of this world might believe in destiny, but they didn't believe in coincidences that convenient.

This time, entering the hospital felt far worse than when he had come to the gathering with the professor. On his way here from the wardrobe in his home, he had already sensed a strange, oppressive atmosphere amidst the torrential rain and aftershocks rocking Nolan, but that was nothing compared to the feeling that permeated this hospital.

It wasn't just the intense sensation of being watched. A far more potent feeling washed over him—the sense that something ancient and mysterious was stirring. It was like being on a cruise ship passing over a deep-sea trench, completely unaware that in the abyssal depths below, a vast, ancient, and insane god was awakening and turning its gaze upward.