Chapter Twenty-Seven: Seizing the Treasure from the Corpse Nest!

With the Black Rock City five-man squad leading the way and drawing the attention of the massive horde of corpse monsters, Tang Zhen could not have asked for a better opportunity.

Taking advantage of the chaotic scene, he carefully stepped into the area guarded by the monsters. He covered a distance of over twenty meters without attracting the slightest notice from any of the creatures. Seeing his own body blend perfectly into the surrounding environment, Tang Zhen couldn't help but marvel silently at how incredible this quantum stealth screen truly was. Yet, no matter how powerful the device, he dared not let his guard down; he chose a path that kept him as far away from the monsters as possible, even if it meant taking a longer, more circuitous route.

While he moved stealthily, the five-man squad from Black Rock City was putting on a magnificent display of combat. The strongest man in the group wielded a massive broadsword that shimmered with a flowing light. His movements were sweeping and powerful, his aura during the assault truly formidable. Every so often, he would let out a roar like an enraged lion. Compared to the fighting styles of ordinary wanderers, his attacks possessed a sense of rhythm and discipline, perfectly synchronized with his breathing and footwork. It was clear he had undergone rigorous training and possessed a wealth of combat experience. The shield-bearing ghoul soldiers that had previously left Tang Zhen in such a sorry state couldn't last more than two rounds against this man before having their heads lopped off or being cleaved in half.

The remaining two men and two women were split into two pairs, fighting with equal intensity. The men wielded red metal weapons resembling hook-sickle spears, which were normally carried in their packs in sections. They could be used individually or joined together to form a long weapon. Right now, they were using the combined form, swinging the spears through the swarm of monsters with a whistling sound, darting back and forth like venomous snakes. A single strike from the hook-sickle would punch a hole in a monster; a quick tug would tear away a chunk of flesh or trip the creature to the ground.

The women beside them wielded twin exotic hand axes that could slash or pierce, their blades shimmering with a cold, blue light that spoke of extreme sharpness. Whenever a monster slipped past the men, it was met by the women, whose axes danced up and down, carving the corpse monsters into pieces as easily as if they were cutting tofu. Though they were only five, they fought with the unstoppable momentum of a thousand-man army.

Tang Zhen stood and watched, feeling both shocked by their combat prowess and envious of their weaponry. Any discerning eye could see that the weapons they used were by no means ordinary. Perhaps these were the very same expensive magic weapons that Qian Long had spoken of. But now was not the time to ponder the value of such gear; Tang Zhen had to seize the opportunity created by the group and infiltrate the wild building.

Moving his feet carefully once more, Tang Zhen continued forward. After another ten minutes or so, he arrived at the entrance of the wild building. The pitch-black doorway stood wide open, the interior a void that seemed like the maw of a giant beast, ready to swallow anyone who entered. The grotesque monster reliefs on the building seemed to come alive, their eyes fixed on him with a sinister, mocking gaze. Feeling an oppressive aura emanating from within, a chill ran deep through Tang Zhen’s bones.

Collecting himself and casting a glance at the Shadow Ghost Scouts lurking in the darkness, he took a series of small, cautious steps into the building.

Darkness, cold, and oppression—these were Tang Zhen's first impressions upon entering. It felt as if a pair of invisible, giant eyes were emotionlessly scrutinizing his every move. He warned himself inwardly that if there were any sign of trouble, he must immediately initiate a teleportation to escape, or the consequences would be unthinkable.

After slowly adjusting to the darkness, Tang Zhen was finally able to discern his surroundings, but this only intensified his shock. He found himself in a vast hall decorated entirely in black materials, so expansive he could not see the end of it. Tang Zhen felt a secret confusion; from the outside, the building did not seem to have such depth.

Setting aside the size of the hall, he noticed two rows of black statues, each over three meters tall, standing on either side. They were carved in various poses, but all depicted fierce warriors clad in armor. Seeing their appearance, Tang Zhen was reminded of the Lord-level monster he had seen earlier; they seemed remarkably similar in design. As he looked at these lifelike statues and felt the faint, lingering aura of slaughter they emitted, he felt a deep sense of unease, as if they were all living monsters merely lying in wait.

Moving carefully along the black architecture to avoid making a sound, Tang Zhen walked for another ten minutes before encountering an enormous black statue. It could only be described as titanic; Tang Zhen tilted his head back, unable to see its head, which vanished into the darkness. He could, however, make out that the statue had six arms and legs of incredible thickness. It, too, was clad in strange, heavy black armor with peculiar, intricate patterns. The entire statue seemed to radiate a faint, blood-red mist that drifted slowly and ethereally around it.

Tang Zhen watched for a moment, and just as he was about to see if there was anything else unusual in the hall, his phone suddenly began to vibrate.

His heart jumped, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead as he cursed silently. Since arriving in the Tower World, this phone had never made a sound, yet now it was vibrating in this strange, ominous way. *Damn it, this is the deep lair of the corpse monsters!* If this broken phone decided to start blasting a dance track right now, wouldn't he be torn to shreds by that Lord-level monster he had yet to encounter?

He reached out, trying to stop the vibration or shut the device off entirely, but he miserably discovered he could not. However, as he fumbled with the phone, he realized the vibration only occurred when it was pointed in a specific direction; when pointed elsewhere, it faded to almost nothing. Struck by curiosity, Tang Zhen adjusted his course and began to walk slowly in the direction that triggered the vibrations.

After a few dozen steps, he discovered a doorway leading into a small room. Tang Zhen stood at the entrance, peering inside, and saw a metal chest, roughly half a meter square, sitting on a heavy table. The chest’s style matched the rest of the building—equally grim, bizarre, and radiating an ominous aura. But the moment Tang Zhen saw it, his mouth curled into a grin. *Haha, a chest placed in a wild building like this must contain something incredible! Is this the rhythm of opening a treasure chest and striking it rich?*

Glancing around the room one last time to ensure there was no danger, Tang Zhen lunged forward and swept the treasure chest into his storage space.

The very instant the metal chest was stored, Tang Zhen heard a faint, angry snort echo from the endless void! At that same moment, a roar of extreme fury erupted from the depths of the hall, followed by a thunderous, rumbling sound of heavy footsteps. A massive figure, cloaked in murderous intent, charged directly toward the room.

Judging by its size and aura, it was the terrifying Corpse Monster Lord!

Tang Zhen’s heart hammered against his ribs. Even with his slow reaction time, he knew he had taken something extraordinary—you didn't need to look twice to see that the Lord-level monster was lunging at him in a frenzy! If he didn't run now, when would he?