Chapter 263 - 262: Town Assimilation Ceremony

Chapter 263: Chapter 262: Town Assimilation Ceremony

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The brutal fighting in Trebot Town finally drew to a close.

The lingering scent of gunpowder and blood in the air gradually dissipated. All that remained was a post-battle silence and desolation, shrouding the war-torn town.

Gu Su stood on the wall, his gaze slowly sweeping across the town.

He instantly understood when he saw several figures stumbling out from the ruins in the town center.

It was Jin Chang, Xi Yue, and the others.

Judging by their tattered clothes and bodies covered in dust and blood, it was clear they had paid a steep price in their battle against the Boss.

Without further hesitation, Gu Su raised his hand and gave a light wave.

Just then, the subordinates Gu Su had sent out on the assault mission began to return, one by one, in triumph.

The ten Elite Skeleton Warriors tasked with raiding the train station were the first to return to the Graveyard Demon. Their off-road vehicle was piled high with various spoils from the station.

Bone Forest and his troops, who were responsible for contaminating the water supply, returned from all directions. It was clear they had collected the least amount of loot.

Bone Joint, who was tasked with destroying the church, arrived last. The Armor of the Skeleton Warriors under his command bore several new, deep claw marks, but no one from the unit had been lost. Bone Joint himself was carrying a corpse—clearly a Boss Level body he had dragged out of the church.

It was clear they had reaped considerable benefits from the battle.

Although Winter wasn’t present, meaning Gu Su couldn’t finalize the mission rewards, what they had brought back was more than enough for now.

Gu Su had his subordinates enter the Graveyard Demon first, then allowed them to set down their hauls and get some rest.

As for the Boss Level corpse, Gu Su checked it and confirmed it wasn’t the core body required to upgrade the Graveyard Demon, so he set it aside for the time being.

After Jin Chang, Xi Yue, and the others appeared, the Deceivers who had been hiding in their temporary encampment on the outskirts also swarmed into the town, led by Winter.

The moment they set foot inside Trebot Town, they grew visibly excited. They waved their arms, letting out bizarre shrieks and cheers, their faces alight with frenzied elation as if celebrating a hard-won victory.

Another contingent of Deceivers didn’t join the celebration. Instead, they quickly and vigilantly fanned out, striding toward the town’s ruined buildings to carefully inspect the damage, clearly assessing them for potential repair and future use.

Amid the crowd, only Winter, supported by several sturdy Deceivers, slowly approached Jin Chang and Xi Yue. His lips moved, and he said something in a low voice.

From his position on the wall, Gu Su was too far away to hear their conversation. He could only watch the expressions change on their faces.

A moment later, Gu Su saw Winter give a slow nod to Jin Chang and Xi Yue. Then, with the help of the other Deceivers, he began to remove the iron restraints bound around his body.

Winter had previously been corrupted by an eerie scarecrow, his body having long since twisted into something unnatural. It was these cold iron pieces, like shackles, that had bound his mutated form, barely allowing him to maintain a human shape.

The instant the last iron restraint was removed, Winter’s body was freed and began to mutate uncontrollably.

Withered yellow straw erupted from beneath his skin, densely wrapping around his limbs and torso. His once-humanoid frame began to hunch and twist.

The straw seemed alive, growing and constricting simultaneously, digging into his flesh with a faint, dry RUSTLE.

But Winter seemed completely unfazed, his face showing no hint of pain.

He broke free from the supporting grasp of the Deceivers and walked, step by step, toward the deep crater left by the explosion in the center of Trebot Town.

With every step, he left behind a trail of footprints, some deep, some shallow.

Around his footprints, withered straw burst from the ground like awakened vines, slowly spreading out to cover the ruins below.

The straw made a soft rustling sound as it touched the rubble and dust, as if engaged in some silent communion with the land itself.

Meanwhile, Jin Chang, Xi Yue, and the others sprang into action.

They quickly produced Scrolls inscribed with strange runes, glittering crystals, and items radiating Yin Qi, swiftly placing them at key locations throughout Trebot Town.

From their practiced movements and seamless coordination, Gu Su could tell at a glance that they had known their next task all along and were thoroughly prepared.

With the full support of the nearby Deceivers, their work was exceptionally fast. In just a few minutes, they had placed the items at key points like the town entrance and various crossroads, forming the faint outline of a simple ritual array.

Hair-thin lines of energy began to connect the Scrolls and crystals, weaving a net that slowly enveloped the entire town.

As she passed the Graveyard Demon, Xi Yue looked up at Gu Su on the Graveyard Magic Wall. She raised her voice and called out, "Gu Su, how are things on your end?"

Before Gu Su could answer, Xi Yue continued, "The Grass Thorn Deceivers are assimilating the city. Only when the assimilation is complete will we have truly taken Trebot Town.

"Move the Graveyard Demon just outside the town for now. After Trebot Town’s assimilation Ceremony is complete, we’ll tally the final results and claim our rewards."

Gu Su followed her words with his gaze, turning to look in the direction Winter had gone.

Winter’s figure had already disappeared into the massive crater in the center of Trebot Town, swallowed by the darkness at its bottom. All Gu Su could see was the straw at the crater’s edge, still growing and spreading.

The straw had already covered the crater’s edge like a carpet of withered yellow, and it was extending even further.

He didn’t hesitate for a second, issuing a command to the Graveyard Demon.

The Graveyard Demon, which had been stationary beside the wall, slowly rose from the ground once more. With a deep RUMBLE, its massive body retreated from Trebot Town under Gu Su’s command, coming to a halt in an open field on the outskirts, where it waited for further orders.

The stone spheres began to roll again, and the balloons reinflated, hoisting the entire Mobile City upward.

The instant the Graveyard Demon completely cleared the town’s border, Gu Su felt a bizarre and potent energy surge from behind him.

The energy was like an invisible vortex, violently pulling the surrounding air toward the deep crater in the center of Trebot Town.

Even the residual, unsettling energy lingering in the air was being drawn in by this force, flowing in a ceaseless tide into the crater.

Gu Su’s heart tightened. He whipped his head around, his gaze locking onto the town center as an expression of unconcealable shock flashed across his eyes.

He had never witnessed such a bizarre spectacle. The sheer strength of the converging power far exceeded his expectations.

Wind rushed in from all directions, causing the Red Balloons on the Graveyard Magic Wall to sway and even lifting the hem of Gu Su’s robes.

The crater, meanwhile, had become like a bottomless abyss, devouring everything that drew near.

Jin Chang and Xi Yue had already retreated to a safe area near the town entrance, their figures casting long shadows in the morning light.

Xi Yue glanced back at Gu Su and gave him a "wait" gesture before turning her attention back to the crater, apparently waiting for something.

Gu Su took a deep breath to steady himself, then fixed his gaze on the bottomless pit.

He knew the assimilation Ceremony to come would decide the town’s ultimate fate.

He and his Graveyard Demon had fulfilled their role in this battle. Now, all they could do was wait.