The Second Victim

The heavy doors opened soundlessly, revealing a crack that showed the space inside.

At the same time, however, as if hearing the sudden rush of Lynch's footsteps behind her, Dr. Jenna turned around alertly. She cautiously faced Lynch and Judy, but in doing so, she turned her back to the opening doors.

Countless pioneers had left behind lessons paid for in blood and lives: in any wilderness adventure, turning one's back to an unknown environment was an absolute taboo. Thus, the moment the doctor noticed Lynch's frantic pace, she realized her mistake.

But it was already too late.

What Lynch had imagined was not an illusion, but an omen.

Right behind the doctor, through the opening crack of the doors, massive plumes of gray fog were competing to surge outward.

Yet, if one focused under the lantern light, it was not fog at all. Instead, it was a cluster of eerie, grotesque, formless hands. The fingertips of these black, bizarre hands seemed to carry an unnerving sharpness, clawing toward Dr. Jenna's back like phantoms.

Dr. Jenna's face changed dramatically. Without a single second of hesitation, she took a step forward, closing the distance between herself and Lynch at maximum speed, while simultaneously pulling away from the unseen enemy behind her.

【Authority, Netherfire, Ability, Soul Resistance】

With her first step, over a dozen green soul fires drifted out from Dr. Jenna's chest and suddenly expanded outward. With a sharp sonic boom, the soul fires shot out in all directions, blowing away everything that drew near.

【Authority, Cold, Ability, Wall of Freezing】

With her second step, the sound of shattering glass echoed from behind the doctor. A blue wall of ice manifested from nothing, thickening in the blink of an eye to block all angles behind her.

The oncoming rescue was already before her. The mysterious Ms. Selene had reached out toward the doctor, their fingertips drawing closer and closer.

【Authority...】

Before she could take her third step, everything changed.

She was only a single step away from safety. Her fingers had even brushed against Lynch's fingertips, and her expression had begun to soften into a joyful smile.

But in the next instant, a dark shadow flashed before Lynch's eyes, and a black phantom hand burst violently out of the doctor's chest.

Neither the active defense of her Soul Resistance nor the passive barrier of the Wall of Freezing had any effect. The phantom hand from behind passed through all obstacles as if it had no physical form, piercing straight through the doctor's body.

Her smile froze before it could fully bloom, and her eyes went blank. Her forward-charging body seemed to lose all strength in an instant; her knees buckled, and she tumbled forward.

But Lynch did not stop. Taking a step forward, he grabbed the doctor's hand. Her palm was ice-cold, as if she had already frozen solid.

Without a second thought, he pulled hard, throwing the incapacitated doctor behind him. At the same time, he shifted his body, taking her place to face the onslaught of the phantom hands composed of gray fog.

The aura of death radiating from these formless things was palpable—definitely an effect brought by the authority of death. And other than disguise, the only effect of his round fan was immunity to death.

It did not make him immortal, but it allowed him to resist all effects stemming from the authority of death.

Using the round fan to lightly cover his face, Lynch stepped forward, stopping a few paces away from the self-opening doors, using his body to shield against all the fog.

In an instant, countless foggy hands reached out toward him. Thousands of piercing wails echoed in his ears, and a sinister wind capable of freezing the soul swirled around him, turning his breath to ice.

Yet, instead of retreating, Lynch took a step forward.

With that thought, Lynch swung his round fan with force.

A gentle breeze blew, meeting the encroaching fog head-on. Like sunlight hitting snow, the deathly aura surrounding him rapidly melted away under the breeze, turning into a harmless draft.

Wearing Ms. Selene's charming smile, he took another step forward, letting the deathly aura continuing to pour from the doors envelop his body. Then, struck by a sudden realization, he channeled the divine authority of death in his soul. Capitalizing on his immunity to death damage, he absorbed the surrounding deathly aura entirely into his body.

【Authority, Death, Ability, Death Extraction】

The seventh authority of death was mastered on the spot in this environment thick with death, allowing him to absorb the power of the departed for his own use.

With each breath, the deathly aura flowed completely into his body and then condensed at his fingertips.

Forming a gun shape with his thumb and index finger, the green skull formed by Death Coil swelled larger and larger at his fingertips. From its original thumb-sized shape, it expanded to the size of three basketballs. It glowed with a faint green light and radiated a chilling aura of death, smelling even more concentrated than the deathly energy pouring from the doors.

【Authority, Death, Ability, Death Coil】

The massive skull detached from his fingertips and shot straight into the open doors. The moment it entered, the power of death exploded violently. With a shrill shriek, the deathly energy purified by his divine authority swept through the space behind the doors.

“Hehehe...”

Chuckling, Lynch took another step forward, waving his round fan once more. For a moment, the area behind the doors was filled with violently surging deathly energy, and not a single trace of fog could escape the entrance.

Tap, tap, tap. Footsteps approached from behind.

Having bought a brief moment, Lynch turned his head and saw a lucid Judy supporting Dr. Jenna, stumbling toward the doors.

Dr. Jenna clutched her chest. A faint black aura swirled on her pale face, which was twisted in pain. Her limbs were limp, and her steps were unsteady; she only remained upright because Judy was supporting her.

Realizing Dr. Jenna's intention, Lynch stopped posing and rushed over to support the doctor's other side. The three ladies stumbled all the way to the half-open doors.

Dr. Jenna gasped for breath while clutching her chest. Suddenly, she opened her mouth, spewing a puff of black mist followed by a stream of black liquid. Only then did she steady herself against the stone door. While panting heavily, her fingers moved rapidly, drawing and writing on the stone door.

Lynch didn't have time to look closely. He waved his round fan several times, forcing back the fog that was trying to emerge again.

After three swings, although the fog inside was still spreading outward, it no longer carried such a strong deathly aura. Then, a dull thud echoed behind him. Turning around, he found Dr. Jenna slumped against the stone door. She panted for a long time before struggling to stand up with Judy's help.

“What happened?”

The moment Lynch asked, his expression changed.

He had seen it: Dr. Jenna had a hole in her right chest, precisely where she had been pierced moments ago.

No blood flowed from the wound, but black mist swirled around it, and the mangled flesh radiated a bizarre and cruel aura.

“I fell into a trap. How embarrassing,” Dr. Jenna said, wiping the black liquid from the corner of her mouth. She still wore her nonchalant smile, but her face was turning visibly paler by the second. “It's fine. It's been taken care of now.”

“Did the person you mentioned make a move?”

“No, I don't know. It's hard to tell if this was an inherent issue with this place, or if the person trying to sabotage the ritual did it.”

Dr. Jenna's voice was extremely weak, and black fog continuously seeped from her nose and mouth:

“I probably won't last until the end, but you still can. The doors are open. Hurry and meet up with them in the front tomb.”

“We're still continuing?” Lynch frowned. “I think we should send you back to Rhine first.”

“Don't you understand? It's useless. From the moment the fog rose outside, no one can leave this valley unless they enter the main tomb chamber.” Dr. Jenna sighed and said weakly, “I don't know how much longer I can hold on. Leave me here. There's no need to drag along a burden who will die soon anyway. Don't feel bad for me. Since I chose this line of work, I knew this day would come. I have no regrets. My only regret is failing to leave a bright future for Louise.”

Everything had changed too quickly. A companion who was chatting and laughing just moments ago had suddenly become weak and was now on the verge of death. Even though she was a companion of uncertain alignment whom he had only known for a few days, Lynch still felt a heavy tightness in his chest. Once again, he had truly witnessed the cruelty of the occult world.

“We can't leave her here,” Judy suddenly interrupted the doctor's final words. “Something is coming.”

Lynch's heart tightened. Holding his breath to listen, he realized that indeed, in the darkness behind the doors, rustling sounds were moving toward the entrance from a distance.

After a moment of thought, Lynch gritted his teeth. Ignoring the doctor's weak gasp of surprise, he hoisted her onto his back. Nodding to Judy, they slipped silently into the darkness, making their way deeper into the catacombs.