Chapter 467: Ape Visitors (Part 2)

A dozen or so Ape Warriors had somehow captured five Patrolling Knights and were holding them hostage. They were surrounded by nearly a hundred Evil Spirit Wanderers, and the dark muzzle of Jet Shooter-2 was already aimed at them, just waiting for the command to turn the Apes into Swiss cheese. As for the five captured Patrolling Knights, they should be fine under Jet Shooter-2’s attack… right?

Despite facing Evil Spirit Wanderers who outnumbered them severalfold and had them completely surrounded, the Ape Warriors showed no signs of panic. They stood with cold, defiant glares, looking entirely calm and composed.

They hadn’t attacked, merely holding the Patrolling Knights hostage. It seemed they had no intention of starting a war.

‘Are they waiting for me?’

A realization dawned on Li Ziyu, and he averted his gaze. Since they were waiting for him, he might as well see what they were planning.

Without sparing a glance for the three Apes staring expectantly, Li Ziyu directly led the Skeleton Undead away… and was gone…

He’s… gone?!

Gangben Black Ridge and his group were stunned, their mouths hanging slightly open. ‘Holy shit, what about our food? Even as captives, we shouldn’t be treated like this!’

…

On the plains, the Ape Warriors and the Evil Spirit Wanderers were locked in a standoff.

One of the Evil Spirit Wanderers moved forward. It stopped in front of the Ape Warriors, pointed at their leader, then at itself, and finally off into the distance.

The lead Ape Warrior understood its meaning. He nodded and took a step forward. The Evil Spirit Wanderer turned its vehicle around, but just as it was about to move, an Ape Warrior from the back reached out and grabbed his captain.

“Captain, be careful. It might be a trap.”

“Our kin are waiting for us. We of the Ape Race are fearless!”

The Ape Captain’s voice was low and resolute as he spoke. He then stepped forward decisively, following the Evil Spirit Wanderer. Seeing this, the other Ape Warriors said no more. Grabbing their Patrolling Knight hostages, they followed their captain.

The Evil Spirit Wanderer led the way, moving at a slow pace that allowed the Ape Warriors to keep up. The other Evil Spirit Wanderers flanked them, forming an escort.

As they drew closer, the Ape Warriors got a clear view of the tall structure ahead. A sharp glint flashed in the Ape Captain’s eyes.

An Ape Warrior hurried forward to the captain’s side and whispered, “Captain, when did a city appear here? I’ve never seen one before.”

The Ape Captain shook his head and whispered back, “I don’t know. I’ve never seen this city here before, either. The Skeletons appeared out of nowhere.”

The Ape Warrior flinched at his words. “Could it be them?” he asked.

The Ape Captain nodded. “It has to be. I can’t think of anyone else who could make a city this large appear out of thin air.”

Upon realizing who they were dealing with, the Ape Warrior grew hesitant. “This is bad, then,” he stammered. “These people are hostile to us. Maybe we should retreat for now? We can go back to the Tribe and gather reinforcements.”

The Ape Captain shot his subordinate a sideways glance, clearly displeased by his cowardice. “Do you think we can just leave now? We Apes are not some skulking rats; we face challenges head-on! Have you become a coward?”

The Ape Warrior puffed out his chest and snarled, “You can’t insult a Warrior of the Ape Race, not even if you’re the captain! Ape Warriors know no fear!”

Seeing the warrior’s reaction, the Ape Captain finally nodded in satisfaction. ‘Now that’s more like a warrior of the Ape Race,’ he thought. ‘What’s a little danger? Besides, the fact that they’re willing to meet with me instead of attacking outright means there’s still a chance to resolve this.’

The Ape Warriors fell silent and continued to follow the Evil Spirit Wanderer.

The closer they got, the more astonished the Ape Captain became. ‘This city is huge!’ he thought. He took in the high walls, the towering structures, and the vast number of Skeletons visible everywhere. Then there was the sky. From a distance, what had looked like a green Aura encircling the main building was, on closer inspection, a swarm of Ghosts—a terrifyingly large number of them.

At the base of the Undead Fortress, two rows of Elite Heavy Hammer Skeleton Warriors stood at attention, waiting for the Ape Warriors to ascend.

Gazing up at the Skeleton Warriors, who were much taller than them, the Ape Captain nodded to himself. ‘I’m not afraid of these things,’ he thought, ‘but I can tell just by looking at them they won’t be easy foes. To command warriors like these, their leader must have considerable fighting strength.’

The Evil Spirit Wanderer led the Ape Warriors before the Elite Heavy Hammer Skeleton Warriors, gave them a nod, and moved aside. The Ape Captain paused for a moment, his gaze shifting from the fortress walls to the elite Skeletons. Then, squaring his shoulders and holding his head high, he strode toward the Undead Fortress.

‘No matter what danger lies ahead, we are representing the Ape Race. We cannot lose face.’

Upon reaching the Bone Plate Platform, the Ape Warriors were led further inside. Ranks of Skeleton Undead closed in around them, obscuring their vision. ‘I still underestimated their strength,’ the Ape Captain realized. The sheer number of these warriors was immense. ‘This is a powerful faction. I must proceed with caution.’

His vision was obscured, allowing the Ape Captain only glimpses of tall structures in the distance. The rest was a blur. Then, the Undead parted, revealing a Pyramid-like structure before the Ape Warriors. The Ape Captain looked up at it, marveling internally. ‘This building is magnificent… truly beautiful.’

Just as with Gangben Black Ridge and his group, Skeleton Undead stepped forward to lead the way. A gateway opened on the surface of the Great Tomb, guiding the Ape Warriors inside. They were brought to the same chamber Gangben Black Ridge’s group had experienced, where they finally saw Li Ziyu upon his throne.