Sword and Sorcery and Martial Arts

Chapter 514 The Ancient City
Under the scorching sun, Rhodes and Michel were resting in the shadow of a boulder, and beside them stood the cold night that was constantly emitting coolness.

"Did we go in the wrong direction? Why haven't we seen the ruins marked on this map after walking for several days?" Michel said while looking at the animal skin map.

"It's only been two days." Rhodes replied after closing the system interface that only he could see.

Since leaving that oasis, he has been learning a magic called "Mind Stealing", which is a relatively high level of difficulty.

As long as this magic is turned on, the user can understand what the surrounding creatures are thinking, even if he can't understand the language of the other party.

The clarity of the read information depends on the mental strength of the user and the creature being read.

The greater the difference in mental power between the two parties, the clearer the information read by this magic will be, but the spiritual power of the creature whose thinking is read should not be too weak. Those creatures with too weak mental power, such as insects, may not have any ideas. read by others.

After two days, Rhodes has almost mastered this magic, so even if he encounters creatures with a language barrier, he can still communicate with them.

At least, he knows what other people are thinking.

This is also very helpful in battle. If in a battle, if he can steal some thoughts in the other party's heart, it can completely change the outcome of a battle.

"Have you rested yet? Since you are in such a hurry, let's continue on the road now." Rhodes said again.

"Anyway, the sandstorm has passed, so let's go." Michel stood up and patted the sand off his body.

……

In the evening, the two stopped after reaching the top of a sand dune.

Misaier pointed to a city in the distance and said: "Is that city the one on the map? Why is it different from the one on the map?
The map says that the vicinity of the city is an oasis, and the city is surrounded by deserts. "

"Go over and have a look," Rhodes said.

Generally speaking, cities will be built in places with sufficient drinking water, such as next to a river or a lake.

Only in this position can a city be developed and a whole city be fed.

"Could it be a dead city?" Michel recalled the legends about desert cities that he had heard before.

Rhodes also remembered a very famous story that Michel told him on the road these days.

A certain adventurer and his companions accidentally entered a city in the desert as the guards of a caravan. The people living in it looked no different from normal people, leading a busy and fulfilling life.

As a result, at night, the residents of the city turned into hideous skeletons, attacking them frantically.

After fierce battles, the adventurer escaped from that horrible city, while his companion was trapped in that city because he drank the water in that city.

When it was daytime, the adventurer plucked up the courage to enter the city again, only to find that his companions had all turned into very aggressive skeletons under the sunlight and were killed by the guards in the city.

Those residents who met the adventurer yesterday did not forget him, and were able to talk to him normally, and seemed to have no memory of what happened after the sun went down last night.

There are many endings for the story that happened next. For example, the adventurer abandoned his former companion, fled back home, and spread the story.

Others said that after many days of exploration, he finally discovered the reason for the curse of the city. After a battle of wits and courage, he broke the curse, and because of this, he married the daughter of the city governor.

Some also said that he did not escape the same fate as his companion in the end, and stayed there forever.

Or after returning to his hometown, he was killed by the curse that was tainted in that city, and his body was also occupied by the evil spirit that followed from that city.

Anyway, Rhodes doesn't quite believe the ending that said the adventurer died. If he died, then who spread the story and spread it so widely?

"No matter what, let's hurry over and have a look before it's dark. Even if it's a ruin, it's more comfortable than sleeping here," Rhodes said.

Michel nodded, and followed Rhodes towards the city built on the desert.

"I think the most reliable one is that this map was drawn a long time ago, when there were oases or rivers near the city.

Today, I don't know how many years later, the river changed its course, and the city became what it is now. " Rhodes said.

"I hope so, as long as this city is the one on the map, otherwise we don't even know where we are now, and which way we should go." Misel said.

An hour later, the two arrived below the city.

The city wall of this city is not high and looks very old. The rocks that make up the city wall are very weathered and are covered with cracked lines.

"Could this city be like the one in those stories, where there isn't even a single soldier near the city walls?" Michel said standing in front of the closed city gate.

"Let's go in and have a look. Even if there is any danger, the two of us should be able to deal with it." Rhodes stood at the crack of the city gate, put his hands on the city gate and pushed forward forcefully.

The city gate was slowly pushed open, and Rhodes didn't stop until a gap was exposed that allowed them to pass through.

"This door doesn't look like it hasn't been opened for a long time, or it won't be so easy to push open. You'd better be careful, maybe it's really like the story you told me." Rhodes Looking up at the sunset in the distance, he said.

Michelle nodded, and she took out the scepter from her bag and held it in her hand.

"I'll go ahead." Rhodes took Han Ye in his hand, walked through the city gate, and walked in.

After entering the city, Misaier stood on the street and looked around, and whispered to him, "It looks like there are people living here. Look, there are still a few pieces of fur hanging there that have just begun to be dried. Why is this so?" Can’t even see a single person on this street?”

Rhode pointed to the setting sun and said, "If this is the legendary city, if we came earlier, we should be able to see living people, and if we came later, we should be able to see skeletons."

"Impossible. I have sensed carefully just now, and there is no evil aura here." Michelle shook his head.

"Then let's go to the middle of the city and have a look," Rhodes said.

He took Han Ye and walked along the street.

The city is very quiet, as if there are no living things, but in this quietness, Rhodes can faintly hear whispers.

And these whispering voices continued to become clearer as he advanced.

Rhodes stopped suddenly, and he turned around and made a silent gesture to Missel.

He controlled his steps and walked slowly forward. He saw a group of alien races with scales sitting neatly cross-legged on the square in the center of the city.

……

(End of this chapter)