Chapter 143: The End of Lost Existence

In this secret chamber, there were a total of seven members of the Black Scale Army.

From their attire, it seemed they all had considerable strength as leaders of the Black Scale Army, and the seven stood in a half-circle, surrounding the stone platform in the center, weapons at the ready, as if preparing to pounce on something.

Their actions were bizarrely frozen in that moment. While to Vilyric, they appeared to be living beings with breath and heartbeat, for some reason, they stood completely still, almost as if they were trapped by a super-powered immobilization technique—it was absurd and perplexing.

Without rashly touching the locked figures of the Black Scale Army, Vilyric observed them closely from a distance before returning her gaze to the magic formation and stone platform in the room, deep in thought.

Something must have originally been placed on this stone platform.

The reasoning was simple; this secret chamber had been sealed for a thousand years, accumulating a thick layer of dust, yet there was a very noticeable clean area on the stone platform, forming some irregular special mark.

This indicated that something had just recently been taken away.

As Miss Vilyric surveyed the room, the other three were naturally doing something similar. As an experienced adventurer, Murong Yun also immediately noticed the straw and scraps of armor scattered on the ground, his expression turning somber.

“To defeat four of these puppet guards at once, it seems the person who entered this secret chamber is exceptionally strong. I wonder what they’ve taken, and what’s the deal with these figures dressed like the Black Scale Army?”

“Hmm?”

Turning around, the Priestess looked at him in surprise.

“You just referred to them as figures?”

“Uh, indeed. Is there a problem?”

Pointing at those who still had breath and heartbeat, Vilyric confirmed once more.

“Are you mentioning these figures?”

Murong Yun paused slightly before nodding.

“There aren’t many decorations in this room; could it be that Miss Vilyric sees something I can’t?”

Raising her eyebrow, the black-haired girl didn’t attempt to correct the middle-aged man’s statement, but turned her gaze to the other two girls.

“And what about you? What do you see here?”

“……?”

Xiao Kong and Hen exchanged glances, and while they didn’t speak immediately, it seemed they were pondering something due to the Priestess’s ‘nonsensical’ comments. From their confused expressions, Vilyric understood what they implied.

I see.

In their eyes, these members of the Black Scale Army weren’t living beings, but rather some sort of realistically crafted sculptures?

If her perception wasn’t faulty, then it meant their understanding was obstructed by some force.

This situation was not impossible; Vilyric herself held several items that had similar effects.

But for Murong Yun to be unaware, even Xiao Kong and Hen, who had special powers, weren’t able to see through their true nature. It seemed that the changes in these people had truly involved the realm of [World Laws].

Not rushing to explain or make definitive judgments, Vilyric turned her gaze back to the few members of the Black Scale Army who were ‘frozen,’ and spoke solemnly.

“Let me share my perspective and thoughts…”

After a brief exchange.

“I see… So in Vilyric’s view, these are living beings, and they are indeed the genuine Black Scale Army, but they have become this way due to certain events?”

To Xiao Kong’s question, the black-haired girl remained noncommittal.

“It’s not a matter of feeling; from any angle, it’s clear they are the Black Scale Army. I’m more curious as to why you think they are lifeless objects?”

“Even if you say that, they are indeed sculptures.”

It seemed Murong Yun wanted to verify his perspective, stepping forward and using his meat-cleaving dagger to make a small cut on one of the soldier’s hands.

The sharp blade sliced through, instantly releasing blood.

It was a completely ordinary occurrence, yet Murong Yun immediately showed surprise and shock.

“Whoa, they really bleed?! These sculptures are made so realistically?”

“Hey, hey… what kind of international joke are you making? This tomb has been completed for a thousand years; how could there be modern military sculptures in a secret chamber? Anyone can tell they are living people who just came in recently!”

“That said, well…”

“Alright, alright, I get your point.”

The Priestess helplessly shook her head. Golden light flickered from her fingertips, and the wound on the female Black Scale Army officer’s hand instantly healed, disappearing without a trace.

“See? Only living beings can be healed; this should clarify things, right?”

“This… could they really be…”

Having reached this point, Vilyric seemed to understand the reasoning behind it.

Both sides saw the same scene; Murong Yun could also recognize the style of their armor, linking it to the Black Scale Army—none of that was an issue.

The only difference was that they could not perceive them as “living beings,” meaningless interference from the laws of the world—like the [Cognitive Obstruction Mask], the more powerful [Mask of the God Fox], and the [Void]—these things could not simply be judged rationally.

It seemed that this was the end faced by creatures deprived of [Existence].

[Existence] is the essence of living beings. Simply put, losing all [Existence], under the correction of world laws, they likely wouldn’t even perceive themselves as living beings, like completely still sculptures, meeting the end of their vitality in total emptiness.

If turning living beings into puppets like the Demon-Suppressing Sect only erased their thoughts, then depriving [Existence] was undoubtedly a more thorough method, directly severing all causality around them and completely stripping them away from this world—an act of malice.

This is a death more thorough than death itself, a torture known as [Oblivion].

“…Vilyric, you were right.”

Dispelling thoughts immersed in absurd assumptions, the Priestess glanced at the silver-haired girl, who had rarely spoken up, surprised.

“Hen, you can see through their true nature too?”

The latter just shook her head.

“From an emotional or intuitive standpoint, I can’t connect them with true life, but discarding those forcibly, at an absolute rational level, in conjunction with what you mentioned earlier regarding [Existence], this is the only possibility.”

“There wouldn’t just be sculptures of the Black Scale Army appearing in the tomb for no reason; their existence has probably been taken by someone, and their former companions likely no longer remember them, which is why they were abandoned here…”

Taking a deep breath, Princess Ling’s cold, beautiful face revealed a rare hint of seriousness.

“This power is truly terrifying and must not be controlled by those lacking moral boundaries.”

“Indeed…”

   

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