Chapter 1327: Chapter 1327

Recalling the ancient race the Star Spirit had mentioned, Jenkins knew an uphill battle awaited him. He took some time to eliminate the corpse monsters and spectral entities that had surrounded him. When a final leaping slash split the female head of a corpse centipede in two, he was left panting heavily, utterly exhausted.

"Alright," he breathed, "what's next..."

After a brief rest, he ventured deeper into the hospital grounds, following his memory and intuition. The dilapidated path was nearly swallowed by weeds and dead leaves, and his boots made an odd crunching sound on the ground. The noise carried far in the thick white mist, but by the same token, Jenkins could also detect sounds from a great distance.

He suddenly thrust his sword into the mist to his right, feeling the blade pierce something soft and slimy. He then noticed that the mist in the area he had struck was distinctly thicker than its surroundings, and it dawned on him that someone was using a Mist Form ability.

"In this environment, Mist Form is certainly the perfect tool for an assassination," he thought.

Jenkins cautiously scanned his surroundings. Although the fog was held at bay a few feet around him, he knew he couldn't afford to be careless.

He stood his ground, vigilantly awaiting the next attack. Holding his breath, he suddenly spun around. The motion whipped his arm through the air, bringing the White Bone Holy Sword down in a powerful arc that cleaved a dense clump of mist behind him. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by novel-fire.net

He faintly heard a man's scream as the white mist blossomed into a crimson cloud before rapidly dissipating. A few seconds later, a man appeared twenty feet away, crouching as he clutched his left shoulder, from which blood was pouring freely.

"Impossible! How could you see me?"

"As long as you exist in the material world, my eyes can see you," Jenkins declared. "I'll give you a chance to live. Tell me, what role did the Perfume Appreciation Committee play in the matter of that forbidden tobacco?"

"How did you know I was... Just kill me. I won't tell you any secrets."

"Let me rephrase. You've already admitted to being a member of the Perfume Appreciation Committee. Are you a follower of the 'Spiraling Mist'?"

"Why should I tell you that? Kill me."

The injured man shouted defiantly.

"So you really aren't a follower of the 'Spiraling Mist'. It seems my guess was correct. This whole tobacco affair must have been orchestrated by some fallen believers and outsiders. It's just as a friend of mine once said, every sect is bound to have a few scoundrels..."

That was how Magic Miss had described the mad poet.

"One last question. Why did you and your companions come to this hospital today? Don't tell me you were really here to ask for the Corpse Gentleman's help."

Jenkins pressed, but the man remained silent. Frowning, Jenkins walked over to him, only to find he was already dead. He must have taken a special poison to end his own life; there was no other reason for him to have died so quickly.

"A hard man to the end."

He muttered, hoping to find some clues on the body. But the man had nothing on him—his pockets were empty, without so much as a single coin. This only served as further proof that the letter the explorers had found on the roof of the main building was most likely a fake. There was no reason to carry important documents on a mission , especially when his companion was carrying nothing at all.

"What could they have wanted from the Corpse Gentleman? Were they after the white mist here?"

The more he considered it, the more plausible the theory seemed. He tried to connect the white mist, the tobacco, and his own speculations about the coming cataclysm, but the mental leap was too great. For now, it was just a conjecture.

Besides these Enchanters, Jenkins knew there was an injured ghoul hiding somewhere in the hospital. But the creature was well hidden, and Jenkins didn't have the time to hunt it down. He glanced back at the heavy black clouds hanging over the distant city, then quickened his pace toward the explorers' location.

The group of four had been wandering in a daze since leaving the collapsed building. As Jenkins ran along the path and rounded a corner, he saw them not as four living beings, but as four translucent figures shimmering with a faint blue light.

He could just barely make out their facial features by the varying intensity of the glow, and he instantly recognized his cat and Briny.

"The explorers have finally encountered an intruder. He observes them from a close distance, and they observe him in return. Suddenly, an inexplicable chill washes over their senses, and their hearts fill with terror and unease. Please roll for Inspiration and Spirit to determine what happens next."

The Corpse Gentleman's voice echoed, breaking a long silence.

The four rolled their dice one by one. Only the sailor succeeded on his Inspiration roll, but he failed his Spirit roll.

"Through his own eyes and mind, the sailor perceives that the creature standing before them is not merely a man. He has the vague sensation of touching the tip of a vast iceberg. When his spirit probes the details hidden beneath the surface, he realizes with a start that he is peering into the most terrifying abyss. The sailor goes mad—"

The Corpse Gentleman stopped abruptly. He remained silent for three seconds before amending his narration.

"The stranger tells the explorers, 'I am a good person, and I am here to help you.' The explorers trust the stranger's words completely and are filled with a profound sense of spiritual bliss. From now on, the stranger joins the party. Whenever the stranger takes an action, it will mark the beginning of your action round."

"Mr. Candle is truly something else," Mr. White Cat couldn't help but praise. "He earned their trust so easily. As expected of a follower of the God of Lies."

"Perhaps he only managed to become your friend because of his lies," the Corpse Gentleman interjected suddenly. But Mr. White Cat simply snorted and ignored him.

"Corpse Gentleman, your scheme is about to be exposed," Magic Miss snapped. "It's useless to try and drive a wedge between us now."

"My scheme is about to be exposed?"

The Corpse Gentleman's unhurried reply was infuriating in its calm deliberation.

"Are you still refusing to admit that you're the one pulling the strings behind all the strange occurrences in this hospital?"

Hathaway accused him, but the Corpse Gentleman showed no reaction to her words. He truly was as impassive as a corpse.