Published at 8th of August 2026 7:48 am

Chapter 1910: Strange Mutation

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"Ghouls!"

Michael shot to his feet, his hand reaching toward his sword in a blur.

"Calm down, now." Daerona’s relaxed voice echoed in the room. "As long as the talisman holds and no doors or windows are ajar, they cannot come inside."

She walked toward the window, passed Adam and Genevieve, and closed the curtains.

"Don’t be rude. Open the door, please. I just want to have a chat. I promise!"

The creature’s words echoed from outside, but the elf paid them no attention. She turned to Genevieve, who was still wide-eyed from shock, and said:

"There’s your lesson, girl. Always keep the doors locked and windows covered. Those things..."

Her words trailed off, and a frown slid into her face. No doubt she remembered something that made her face scrunch up for a brief moment.

"Those things are strange," she continued. "A mutated version of ghouls. Not only are they skilled at basic shape-shifting, but they’re also capable of inducing illusions."

Adam gently helped Genevieve to her feet. He turned to Daerona and said grimly, "Alteration and Illusion? That’s some mutation they’ve gone through."

The elf nodded. "This place... it does strange things to those monsters. Usually, ghouls are ugly things, and look closer to zombies than humans. The ones here are very strange."

Adam remembered the ghouls he and his party had faced in the woods. They looked very human. Even the aura they radiated wasn’t unlike a typical undead creature’s. Their auras very strange, but not completely like a zombie either.

"Illusions?" He couldn’t help but ask solemnly.

As someone who employed illusion magic during battle, he knew exactly how dangerous it could be. Especially in a place like this.

"They weave illusions and take on the appearance of the target’s loved ones," Daerona said. "Then they convince them to open the doors and let them in."

Something like that takes a decent degree of intelligence, Adam thought.

They’re not mindless like the zombies and other undead.

What sort of strange mutation is this?

Perhaps a result of the one who created them?

Then... what does that tell about the creator?

"I’d say they’re the most dangerous ones in this place," Daerona added. "Although there exist even more vile and terrifying creatures, they reside deeper in the woods."

They walked back to the center of the room and sat down. The three newcomers were silent, trying to come to terms with the new reality that they’d found themselves in.

They had thought that the city would offer them more safety. But it seemed that in more ways than others, it might be even more dangerous than living out in the woods.

"New friends! New friends!"

"Let’s get to know each other."

"Girl, why don’t you open the door?"

"We have loads of stories to share."

Knock! Knock!

Tap! Tap!

The voices were gentle and friendly. Even the way they knocked on the doors and tapped on the window pane suggested they were mild and easy-going people.

"Ugh, I hate spending nights outside in the city!" the swordsman in Daerona’s team complained.

"They do this all night?" Michael turned to him and asked warily.

"Yes." The swordsman nodded. "They make it impossible to sleep. Those foul bastards!"

Adam suddenly asked, "How are the defences around the City Hall? I’d assume most of these monsters would be concentrated around it."

"Defences are solid," said the elf. "In the past, there have been few instances of these monsters breaking in—"

Michael cut her off. "They broke in? How?"

"The mind can be fickle," Daerona said, not minding being interrupted.

She knew the other person was on edge. Also, she found it petty to be offended by something like that given the situation they were in.

"And as I said," she continued. "These ghouls will pretend to be your friends and families, lower your guards, and then insidiously influence you into opening a pathway for them."

"And they’re not even the strongest ones here!" One of the archers commented. "They are some really heinous beasts out there. All kinds of crazy!"

"What happens after there’s a break in?" Adam pressed. He needed to be sure about the type of place he’d be spending his time in.

"Death and destruction." Daerona shrugged. "Some of our people are killed. We kill a few monsters. Then we seal all pathways. Once all the gates and doors are sealed shut again, everything is back to normal."

"How... how can this be normal?" Michael was descending into full-blown panic.

"Michael." Adam turned to him and spat his name. "Control yourself. Regulate your emotions. Or this place will kill you quicker than any monsters get to you."

The Paldin gulped. He nodded silently.

Daerona cast a scrutinizing glance at Adam. She then said seemingly casually, "You seem oddly calm for a newcomer."

Adam turned to her and smiled.

If I tell you about the things I’ve faced in the Dark Valley, this place will seem like a children’s playground.

"I’ve faced some dangers like this in my youth," he said.

"Youth?" An archer scoffed. "You speak like someone whose experinced the vicissitudes of life, boy."

"Something like that." Adam’s smile didn’t waver.

He turned to the elf again, then asked, "What’s the fighting force at the City Hall like?"

Derona looked deeply at Adam, then answered, "About five hundred, give or take."

"Five hundred?" Genevieve softly exclaimed. "That’s a lot more than I’d imagined."

The elf’s lips curled into a wry smile. "People have been falling into this accursed place for a long, long time. With no hope of ever leaving this place... Ah, forgive me. I didn’t wish to sound like a buzzkill."

Adam had a faint smile on his face.

But inwardly, he was sneering.

Imagine giving up, he thought contemptuously.

"But you all do look for a way out, don’t you?" Genevieve couldn’t help but say. "You can’t just give up!"

"We do, of course." One of the archers nodded. "From time to time, when we go out scouting the woods, we do look for potential ways out."

"But we’ve found no success until now," said the other archer with a sad smile.

Adam really wanted to laugh. But he controlled himself. Instead, he asked:

"How long have you been here? You mentioned the first adventurers built the underground tunnels. How long ago was that?"

Daerona’s team looked at one another. Finally, the elf spoke, "Amongst ourselves, I’ve been here the longest. Three hundred years."

Adam’s eyes narrowed.

Genevieve and Michael were astonished.

"As for the first adventurers..." Daerona continued.

"It’s hard to say, but it’s definitely over fifteen hundred years."

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