AWB Chapter 44 Abyss Fortress
Chapter 44 Abyss Fortress
A colossal object, like a steel beast cast directly from a scorching furnace of hell, brutally tore apart the distant lead-gray horizon and rudely crashed into Lin Tian's field of vision.
The fortress was forged entirely from a strange metal that was dark as blood, as if it had been congealed with countless dried bloodstains. Its towering walls reached into the clouds, piercing the oppressive sky that made it hard to breathe.
The walls were covered with jagged, intersecting metal spikes, and the muzzles of giant ballistae, thick enough to pierce a dragon, were exposed. The cold metal surfaces were covered with dark brown, almost black stains—marks left from countless bloody battles, as if they had seeped into the very marrow of the metal, and could never be washed away.
A heavy pressure, a mixture of sulfur, rust, putrid blood, and the stench of the deepest abyss that sends shivers down one's spine, swept over us like an invisible giant wave, even from miles away, carrying a suffocating malice!
"Huff...huff..." Lin Tian stopped and deactivated the [Stealth] state he had been in for a long time. His chest rose and fell slightly, and the fatigue from the long journey was instantly dispelled by the shock of the scene in front of him.
He gazed up at the magnificent fortress that seemed to connect to an endless abyss, his eyes showing no fear but instead blazing with a fierce light, like a predator eyeing its prey. He muttered to himself, his voice tinged with a trembling excitement: "The Abyss Fortress... we've finally arrived!"
Below the fortress, the enormous arched doorway, large enough to allow giants to pass through, resembles the gaping maw of a giant beast, greedily opening to devour its prey.
Above the lintel, several enormous characters, inlaid with jagged, dark red ore resembling lava and seemingly containing flowing flames, radiate an ominous red light, silently proclaiming the identity of this place like a death knell:
————【Abyss Fortress】!
At the entrance to the fortress, the guards were several times more heavily fortified than those in Luoxia City. Several guards, clad in heavy dark armor with only their cold, scrutinizing gazes visible beneath their visors, stood like steel sculptures.
They exuded a strong stench of blood and the smell of gunpowder, their eyes sharp as knives, each glance seemingly piercing through the skin and reaching the soul.
The simple identity verification was carried out in a silent and oppressive atmosphere. The guard's gaze lingered for a moment on Lin Tian's level (Lv.10) and the "Mage" class mark, with undisguised doubt, but in the end he confirmed the passage permission, stepped aside to make way, his movements as stiff as rusty machinery.
Lin Tian remained calm and stepped in with his head held high.
The cold, biting wind wafting from the doorway carried a pungent smell of sulfur and blood.
He walked steadily along the wide but somber main road inside the fortress, heading with a clear goal toward the heart of the fortress—the command center.
The central area of the fortress is a fortress-like building constructed of massive black stone blocks, more solid and imposing than the surrounding barracks and workshops, resembling a small mountain peak standing within the fortress.
At the entrance to the fortress, two rows of elite warriors, exuding a fierce aura and equipped far superior to the city gate guards, stood like gatekeepers. The weapons they gripped gleamed coldly, and their eyes vigilantly scanned their surroundings.
Just as Lin Tian approached the fortress entrance's perimeter, two crossed halberds, radiating a chilling aura, clashed with a sharp clang, precisely blocking his path.
"Halt!" a burly guard captain with a menacing scar on his face shouted sternly from the left. His voice was as harsh as metal scraping against metal, carrying an undeniable authority. "This is a heavily fortified area. Unauthorized personnel are not allowed near! Get out of the way immediately!"
"I am an adventurer who has accepted a mission from Instructor Xiao Yan of Luoxia City to assist in clearing out the escaped abyssal monsters." Lin Tian stopped and calmly stated, while subtly sensing the oppressive aura emanating from the other party that far exceeded that of ordinary soldiers.
"Lord Xiao Yan?" The captain of the guards frowned and looked Lin Tian up and down. His gaze swept over Lin Tian's young face and his equipment, which, although well-made, was clearly from a low-level region, especially the glaring Lv.10 mark.
A sneer curled at the corner of his lips, and his voice suddenly rose, filled with mockery: "You? A mere level 10 mage?"
The guards beside him also let out a suppressed sneer, clearly finding Lin Tian's words utterly absurd.
The scarred captain waved his hand impatiently, as if shooing away flies: "Go away! Go play somewhere else! Abyssal monsters are not something you newbies who just left the beginner village can handle! Don't cause trouble here, or you'll lose your life!" His tone was full of contempt and a sense of being driven away.
Lin Tian frowned slightly, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes. He didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble, but the other party's attitude and the urgency of the mission were making him lose patience.
Just as tensions were rising and Lin Tian was considering whether to reveal a sliver of his strength and force his way through—
A voice, as steady as a rock yet carrying a touch of boldness, resounded like a great bell from within the fortress's heavy doorway:
"What's all this commotion outside? Such a racket, what kind of behavior is this!"
As the words were spoken, a tall and imposing figure strode out.
The newcomer was also dressed in the same standard but noticeably more ornate and heavy dark armor, with unique insignia branded on the shoulder armor.
He had a square face, bronze skin, and bright, piercing eyes. His features bore a striking resemblance to Xiao Yan, though he lacked Xiao Yan's explosive muscularity but possessed a more seasoned, composed, and iron-blooded demeanor.
He was none other than Xiao Tianhao, a member of Xiao Yan's clan and the supreme commander of the Northern Abyss Fortress of Luoxia City!
The scarred captain immediately dropped his mocking expression, straightened his posture, and bowed respectfully: "Reporting to Commander Xiao! This adventurer claims to have accepted a mission from Lord Xiao Yan to clear out monsters. Judging from his appearance, he's only level 10, and fearing he might be spouting nonsense and disrupting the fortress's order, I was about to persuade him to leave!"
"Oh? Xiao Yan recommended him?" Xiao Tianhao's sharp gaze instantly focused on Lin Tian, his gaze seemingly carrying a substantial weight, as if he wanted to see through Lin Tian from the inside out.
A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes at first, then he realized, and a hearty, apologetic smile spread across his face: "So it was you! Hahaha!"
He walked a few steps to Lin Tian, exuding an aura of authority and warrior's iron will, yet without any malice.
"Two hours ago, I did receive an urgent message from Xiao Yan using a magical mark, saying that a young friend with amazing potential had taken on the important task of clearing out the outer monsters and would arrive as soon as possible. However..."
Xiao Tianhao looked Lin Tian over again with a hint of surprise, making no attempt to hide his admiration. "I thought it would take at least half a day, but I didn't expect you to cross that dangerous area and reach the fortress so quickly! Amazing! It was my poor planning and negligence, please don't blame me!" He clasped his hands in a fist salute, his attitude sincere.
Immediately, Xiao Tianhao's expression turned serious, and he stepped aside to make a "please" gesture: "Since he was recommended by Xiao Yan, he must have extraordinary abilities. Young friend, please come in!" He completely ignored the expression on the scarred captain's face, which instantly turned from astonishment to embarrassment and even a little fear.
Lin Tian nodded slightly and followed Xiao Tianhao into the command center of this fortress, which exuded an aura of iron-bloodedness and murderous intent.