purgatory artist

Chapter 169 Tunnels
A group of snow camels moved slowly in the snowstorm.

Liu Ping said loudly:
"Uncle Zasha, how long will it take to reach the border?"

On the other snow camel, a thin man responded: "Master Paladin, we are almost at the checkpoint, look—"

Liu Ping looked in the direction of his finger.

In front of you is a towering mountain that can't be seen at a glance. This mountain is like a wall, completely covering the entire plain.

A winding path stretches forward all the way to the foot of the mountain.

At the foot of the mountain, there are several buildings.

"Both of you, that's the border post. You need to check your pass, and then you can pass through the mountain through the underground tunnel and reach the other side of the mountain—that side is the territory of the Kingdom of Ceylon." The guide Zasha Said.

"What's the weather like on the other side of the mountain?" Hua Qingkong asked.

The guide smiled and said loudly: "You two, please be prepared. This mountain blocks most of the icy air from the Kingdom of Ceylon, so the town of Cold Hammer can still exist. Once you cross this mountain, the climate will change." It's even worse, and ordinary people can't survive at all."

The camel team moved on.

at last.

The whole team arrived at the sentry post.

Zhasha went to settle the camel caravan, while Liu Ping and Hua Qingkong went to verify the pass.

In the warm spring-like office, a man with a big belly looked at the pass carefully and said:

"Are you from the energy exploration team?"

"Yes." Hua Qingkong said.

"It's really young." The man said with emotion.

Liu Ping glanced at his epaulets and said with a smile, "So we are just trainee members."

——The other party was a major.

I'm afraid he is the highest-ranking officer in this outpost.

"Get to know me, I'm Major Bart, who is in charge of the sentry here." The major put down his pass, cleared his throat, and said, "That's right, two deposits have been found in the underground tunnel. I hope you can help me to investigate. Make a note."

While talking, he casually placed the two passports beside Zhang Zi, and continued:

"It won't take much time, and I'll stamp your pass and give you something to protect yourself when you get back—what do you think?"

Liu Ping and Hua Qingkong looked at each other.

If it's just for recording, of course it's fine.

It is said that the exploration of minerals also needs to be recorded by a profession like them, and reported to the top, and then they will send people to carry out the next step.

"Yes." Hua Qingkong said.

"Then it's settled," said the major.

He stood up and led the two of them outside.

Liu Ping looked around, and suddenly found a marching chess set on the other side of the desk.

This is a very popular game in the military.

"Huh? Major Bart, you can also play marching chess?" Liu Ping asked with interest.

Major Butt didn't expect him to ask such a question, he was stunned, and responded: "In a place like the border, there is no decent entertainment at all. Playing chess is a good way to pass the time-alright, let's hurry up and go Look at those mines."

He walked out of the room with the two of them.

……

underground tunnel.

Every 100 meters, there is a dim lamp, illuminating the spacious tunnel.

"Strange, this tunnel is never mentioned in the book."

Liu Ping said.

"This tunnel existed a long time ago. During the continuous expansion of the empire's territory, it was discovered, not our people digging it." Major Bart said.

"So it's not the achievements of the empire, no wonder there's not much written about it." Liu Ping said in relief.

The ground is paved with neat small stones, which are quite firm to step on.

Liu Ping squatted down and touched it.

"Qinglan Stone." He whispered.

"Yes, this stone is very good for paving the road, and the roadbed below is also very strong, so we basically don't have to worry about it." Major Bart said.

Liu Ping looked around again.

On the rock walls on both sides, some residual colors and outlines of objects can occasionally be seen. At first glance, they are murals from long ago, but they have been eroded by a long time, and now they are completely invisible.

He stepped forward to touch it and sighed:

"Pretty advanced mural painting skills, if nothing happened, I really want to stay here for a while."

"You still know this? I remember you were prospectors." asked the major.

"Ah, I was an artist when I was alive—in certain fields." Liu Ping said casually, admiring the incomplete murals.

Hua Qingkong interjected: "Does this tunnel lead all the way to the Kingdom of Ceylon?"

"Yes," said the major.

"Such a tunnel is very necessary for historical research, why no one came here, and there are no decent records?" Liu Ping asked strangely.

The major shrugged and said, "I don't know, we just guard here, who knows what the higher-ups think."

After walking for a while, there was a fork in the road ahead.

"Look, there are five passages here. The mineral deposits we discovered are in two of the tunnels, and you need to go and record them separately."

The major waved his hand, and a group of soldiers followed him out.

"Ms. Hua, they will take you to one of the tunnels; follow me, Mr. Liu, and we will go to the other side," the major ordered.

Hua Qingkong glanced at Liu Ping.

Liu Ping nodded.

"Alright." Hua Qingkong said.

She followed the soldiers toward one of the tunnels.

Liu Ping and the major remained where they were.

"Let's go the other way," said the major.

"it is good."

The two walked into another tunnel under the dim light.

rustle……

The tunnel was very quiet, only the footsteps of the two could be heard.

walked for a while.

The major stopped and pointed to a collapsed wall in front of him and said, "That's where the mine was discovered."

Liu Ping looked over and saw that the wall had collapsed, exposing large chunks of rock behind it.

"Is that the stones?"

"Yes."

"Very good, I'll go and have a look." Liu Ping said happily.

He was about to move forward when he stopped suddenly and said:
"Major Bart, I also like to play marching chess very much, and I had to pass the No.3 game once when I was in school. When we are free, let's compete?"

"Haha, yes, if you don't rush to leave, you can play a few games with me tonight." The major laughed.

"Let's wait until we come back, and then we'll compete." Liu Ping said.

"No problem! Now please go and record the situation of these ores." The major said.

"of course."

Liu Ping walked forward step by step.

Behind him, the smile on the major's face gradually faded, and he stretched out his hand and twitched lightly.

A card appeared in the major's hand.

The major glanced at the card and tossed it away.

"Goodbye, knight."

The card turned into a flame, flew out, and slammed into Liu Ping's back.

Bang!
Before the fire light touched him, it seemed to be blocked by something, and it immediately spread out and went out.

Liu Ping turned around slowly, and said with a smile: "Major, I noticed just now that these are all ordinary rocks, and there is no need to record them."

Major Bart's face darkened, and he said in a low voice: "This is impossible, you obviously have no defense!"

Liu Ping spread his hands and said: "In fact, there are many things in the world that we have never seen before, so there is no need to make a fuss."

In the void, lines of burning small characters have long stayed there:

"You sent a battle invitation to Major Butt: 'Let's compete when we're free'."

"The other party's answer was: 'Haha, yes, yes'."

"The condition has been met."

"As a prison knight, this battle has entered your exclusive battle mode: Soul Gambling."

"The soul of the loser shall belong to the winner."

All fine print is gone in a flash.

Lines of new burning small characters quickly emerged:

"The opponent's spell card attacked you."

"Attack failed."

"Under the current soul gambling mode, the opponent must defeat all your cards before they can cause damage to you."

"—Just like the bartender who fought you back then."

Liu Ping didn't look at these prompts at all, just stared at Major Bart and said:
"As an imperial soldier, you also took refuge in that cult? Tsk, it seems that this time the matter is serious."

In front of him, three half-human, half-worm monsters quietly appeared.

Major Bart showed a look of regret, shook his head and said, "Isn't it better to simply die?"

"I would feel very ashamed to be killed by a sneak attack," Liu Ping said.

Major Bart took two steps back and read in a low voice:
"Give me strength!"

A card quietly appeared above his head.

This is a card that Liu Ping has never seen before.

Infinite black awns appeared on the card, so that it was impossible to see what was painted on it.

"Then, next you will only see true despair." Major Bart said.

The card turned into a black mist that surged downwards, completely covering the major.

boom--

Large swaths of black fog obscured the tunnel.

next moment.

A bony hand stretched out from the black mist and swiped lightly.

Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!
Three crisp sounds.

The three-headed worms standing in front of Liu Ping were instantly killed.

At the critical moment, a white awn suddenly appeared and swung forward vigorously——

when!
A violent clash sounded.

Zhao Chanyi showed her figure, blocked Liu Ping behind her, and said in a low voice, "Be careful, it's very strong!"

Liu Ping looked at her arm.

In just one fight, Zhao Chanyi's fair and slender fingers were already cut open.

Blood gurgled out.

Looking at the three worms, I saw bursts of flames burning from their bodies, and they were burned to nothing in an instant.

Liu Ping's expression changed, and he took out three cards.

The three-headed worms on the card were gradually disappearing, and the card also turned into powder and scattered from his hand.

A line of burning small characters emerged:

"You have completely lost three cards: Graveyard Corpse Worm."

one strike!
Kill three level 11 Corpse Worms with one hit!
What a power this is!
In the black mist, a strange voice sounded:
"As I said, from now on, you will only feel hopelessness."

(End of this chapter)