novelraw Chapter 497: The Madman
Chapter 497: The Madman
A mad, unfathomable thought. The kind of idea only a madman could conceive.
To possess the body of an Ancient God, as a mere human.
Lu Li knew little about the Ancient God, but the ruins in the abyss beyond the altar spoke for themselves. This being was far more dangerous and enigmatic than any Evil God.
"You have no idea what you're dealing with," Lu Li stated.
He knew from his own experience.
Their power was immeasurable. Unlike a lion or a deer, whose strength could be gauged, these entities existed beyond the scope of human comprehension.
A high wall might protect you from an enemy army, but not from the omnipresent wind.
The power of these beings transcended human imagination, just as an ant could never understand how humans built trains and ships, creations vastly superior in size and might.
If ants could think at all.
In the Shadow Swamp, Lu Li had merely approached the empty husk of the old Mother of the Swamp—the vessel that had imprisoned the new one—and it had nearly shattered his sanity.And that was just a shell, devoid of consciousness, hostility, and power.
Lu Li couldn't fathom the true power of the Ancient God, but he could imagine that merely approaching its vessel—a single breath, a glance, or even a fleeting thought in its presence—could obliterate the soul of a weaker person.
This wasn't mere speculation. When Lu Li had entered this unknown underwater abyss, the Night Calamity and the whispers from the In-Between had vanished.
And this was only the Ancient God's resting place.
"I'm a madman in your eyes, and madmen do mad things," Richard sneered.
He knew what he was doing. Fanatics are always certain they're in the right.
Understanding this, Lu Li asked, "What is the purpose of this trial?"
In the watertight underwater altar, the two enemies exchanged questions and answers.
Richard had framed Lu Li; Lu Li had forced Richard into hiding for months. They were enemies who would try to kill each other at the first opportunity.
But Lu Li never let emotions cloud his judgment, and Richard... was as unpredictable as any madman.
"I believe it's a trial from the residual consciousness of the Ancient God." Richard gazed into the depths of the passage and whispered, "I know you feel it too. You've passed two trials. That's why you're here..."
"Then I am your rival," Lu Li said.
"Question time is over. I must do what I must do." Richard's smile vanished. He took a deep breath of the altar's cold air and declared, "I won't let you pass the third trial. This is your only warning. If you take one more step... you won't like what happens."
"Is that so?"
Lu Li's composure remained unshaken. He took a step forward.
"...Again... you..." Richard's face twisted into a mask of fury, his body trembling. Taking another deep breath, he regained control, his expression turning impassive.
"If you think you have what it takes, then follow me."
He shot Lu Li a heavy glare before turning and venturing deeper into the dark passage.
Lu Li watched Richard's retreating figure, lost in thought.
If he left now, he could escape. But it would also mean failing to solve the problem of the Bloody Tentacles, rendering all his efforts useless.
The Bloody Tentacles in his mind might lose their power if Richard failed, or they might lead Lu Li down the same path. Or perhaps Lu Li could find another way to learn about them, which could lead to either success or failure. But if Richard passed the third trial and possessed the body of the Ancient God, he would have no reason to let Lu Li live.
It was a choice between danger and opportunity, between life and death.
Killing Richard now would only eliminate one of the possible outcomes.
Richard's figure had almost dissolved into the darkness. Lu Li cast aside his doubts and followed.
He hoped that the Ancient God sleeping here was not malicious—though such beings could hardly be judged by human standards of good and evil. Still, the first two trials had suggested that this "Ancient God," unlike most anomalies, bore no gratuitous malice toward humans.
Lu Li walked faster than the limping Richard, but strangely, Richard's figure grew increasingly blurry and indistinct, melting into the darkness.
After a few more meters, Lu Li stopped.
He should have been right behind Richard, but all he could see was an empty, cold passage.
Before he could process what had happened, the light around him began to fade, plunging the passage into absolute darkness.
Soon, Lu Li found himself in impenetrable blackness. He remained calm, waiting to see what would happen next.
He didn't have to wait long. A faint white light appeared ahead, forming an inscription.
Lu Li moved closer.
[You are stronger than you think.]
Lu Li looked ahead. Luminous dots materialized in the darkness.
It reminded him of the end of the first trial.
The third trial had begun without him even noticing.
[It has brought you here to face the final trial.]
The inscriptions appeared one after another as Lu Li walked forward.
[This is not without cost. If you pass the trial, you will receive a reward at the end.]
[It will help you.]
The luminous dots stopped appearing. In their place, the silhouette of Richard materialized.
But it was not the Richard he knew.
The Richard ahead of him looked filthy and emaciated, his tangled hair resembling a bird's nest.
His clothes were dry and different, his face gaunt from malnourishment, and his back was stooped.
Richard glanced around fearfully, as if terrified of this unfamiliar place. He occasionally looked back but didn't seem to see Lu Li, who was walking only a few meters behind him.
Suddenly, Richard's eyes widened as if he had seen something terrifying, and he stared in horror to the side. In the darkness, fragments of a wall appeared, bearing three hastily scrawled phrases.
[Do not listen to the laughter; it will weaken your will and make you forget your purpose.]
[Do not stay up late; it is your greatest enemy. Health is more important than you think.]
[Do not go outside. Monsters pretending to be children will hunt you, making you lose your faith amidst their laughter.]
Lu Li had seen these phrases before, during the first trial.
Richard, trembling, continued on his way, and Lu Li, following behind, began to understand.
He was witnessing Richard's trial—the one he must have faced when he first touched the Bloody Tentacles.
Did this mean Richard was also witnessing his?