God-Tier Extraction Talent: Reincarnated in a Game-like World! Chapter 562: A Massacre

Gabriel felt compelled to ask for more details. Numerous thoughts raced through his mind, each one seeming crucial enough to warrant further inquiry. The looming threat of the Demonic Sect, the mysterious spike, the sealed deity, and the unnerving possibility that his future recollections were becoming unreliable all presented dangers he couldn't afford to overlook. Before another word could escape his lips, the spectral projection abruptly flickered. The ancient alchemist's form wavered, and the ethereal light composing his body diminished significantly. A look of irritation crossed his face as the recording began to destabilize. "Tch... the remaining energy is waning," he grumbled. Gabriel's eyes narrowed. "Wait." "If you manage to endure, young one, you will eventually grasp a fundamental truth," the alchemist stated calmly. "Mere strength does not dictate the victor at the journey's end." The surrounding light fractured. A moment later, the projection dissolved entirely, leaving the chamber in profound silence. The luminous array beneath the table rapidly faded, its faint glow vanishing completely. Gabriel remained stationary for several seconds, his fingers drumming lightly against his arm. His thoughts meticulously processed everything he had absorbed so far. While the alchemist possessed limited knowledge of the tomb itself, the revelations concerning the Demonic Sect were already deeply troubling. Slowly, Gabriel retrieved the shard the knight had entrusted to him. The dark crimson crystal lay inert in his palm, faint patterns still shifting beneath its surface. In contrast to the ephemeral projection, this felt substantially more trustworthy. "The answers likely lie within you," Gabriel murmured softly. After a brief examination, he returned it to his inventory. Extracting its contents within the tomb still posed too great a risk, especially now that unknown adversaries might already be traversing these passageways. Several minutes elapsed before Gabriel made his way back toward the primary resting area. His footsteps resonated faintly within the chamber, preceding his full emergence from the deeper corridor. The sound immediately put several ChaosKnight members on edge purely out of instinct. VV's helmet lifted first upon recognizing him, before returning to its previous activity. ChaosCleric spun around abruptly, his staff held tightly, and two injured members near the shelves almost rose before realizing the newcomer's identity. The tension only marginally subsided once Gabriel stepped fully into view. "You move too stealthily," ChaosCleric complained, exhaling slowly. "One day, someone will strike you out of reflex." Gabriel disregarded the remark, his gaze methodically sweeping across every ChaosKnight member present in the room. His eyes lingered longer than usual, and though his face remained concealed by his mask, the palpable suspicion radiating from his posture was evident enough for even IceQueen to notice. The chamber grew unnervingly quiet. One injured member shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny, while another frowned slightly in bewilderment. ChaosCleric lowered his staff somewhat and looked between Gabriel and the others. "What is it?" he inquired cautiously. Gabriel offered no reply. The alchemist's warning echoed persistently in his mind: the Demonic Sect operated in secrecy, avoided open confrontation, and could already be within the tomb. This implied that anyone present might be an agent of theirs. IceQueen's eyes narrowed slightly. "Did something occur?" Gabriel finally turned his attention to her, and after a prolonged pause, he responded, "Nothing. I was merely curious about our companions." A few seconds of silence followed. Several members exchanged uneasy glances, but no one pressed the issue further. Whatever Gabriel had uncovered deeper within the chamber had evidently altered his disposition, and no one present was foolish enough to dismiss that change. Eventually, Gabriel glanced back towards the corridor. "We should proceed. Lingering in one spot for too long within this tomb is unwise." IceQueen offered a swift nod. The majority of the injured members had recovered sufficiently to walk, and delaying further would only heighten the risk of encountering another hostile wave. The ChaosKnight members quickly regrouped, despite the palpable tension that still permeated the air. VV hefted his immense sword once more. ChaosCleric muttered to himself while inspecting the remaining mana potions on his belt. Others gathered their equipment before the group resumed its advance. Gabriel took a position closer to the front this time. His senses remained alert, quietly probing the adjacent passages, while his thoughts were occupied by the shard, the Demonic Sect, and the escalating intensity of the qi emanating from deeper within the tomb's recesses. As they ventured onward, the corridors began to subtly transform once more.

The encroaching darkness deepened, and the oppressive dead qi grew more potent. Even the ancient stone carvings adorning the walls appeared significantly more battered than before. Long, deep gouges marred the stonework in several places, indicative of something enormous violently forcing its passage through the narrow confines.

"I genuinely despise this forsaken place," a voice grumbled.

"No one compelled you to venture in here," another member responded with visible weariness.

"The promise of coin coerced me."

After navigating another constricted passage, the party emerged into a substantially larger chamber, halting abruptly at the threshold.

The very atmosphere underwent a dramatic transformation.

A pungent, dry, metallic odor permeated the air, causing several of the ChaosKnight members to freeze, their minds instantly processing the horrific tableau. Even IceQueen’s typically composed demeanor flickered with a notable change upon witnessing the ghastly scene.

Corpses.

An entire guild, Tianlan, had met their demise within this very chamber.

Dismembered remains lay strewn across the stone floor in disarray. Some were brutally severed, while others appeared to have been subjected to immense crushing force, powerful enough to invert armored plating. The crimson stain of blood coated almost every surface.

One unfortunate individual had been hurled with such ferocity that they embedded themselves in the wall, leaving a human-shaped indentation nearly three feet deep. Another still clutched a fractured sword hilt, their arms missing entirely.

ChaosCleric audibly swallowed.

"What... could have possibly done this?"

No one offered a reply, for that precise question echoed in the minds of every single person present.

The silence within the chamber grew heavy, each ChaosKnight member subconsciously tightening their grip on their respective weapons. A palpable wave of fear rippled through the group as the grim reality began to sink in.

This was no mere skirmish with a few casualties.

An entire guild had been ruthlessly slaughtered.

...

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