361 The Dead (2/2)

The figure slept in the fire and blurred. The sound of the flames was muffled as well like a farewell. After a long time, there was no more sound.

-

Sam was thirsty as he slept. Some sweet liquid fell onto his face and flowed into the dry and cracked lips. He moaned and subconsciously sucked the droplet by the corner of his lips. What filled in the mouth was a cold iron taste. It was blood.

He awoke from his dream and saw the burning town. Miller was carrying him on his back. He was still thin but a faint deep blue showed under his skin like steel covered with a layer of leather.

”You're awake?” Miller smiled wryly. ”I thought you would sleep for six months.” Then Miller applied the medicine for him again. He hesitated but took out a tube to give Sam a shot. Now, Sam was finally sober. His tiredness disappeared and he became energetic again. Even the cracks on his face revealed some faint glow.

He had slept for so many days that, if it were not the dark musician's attack, he would still be lying in the church. At the beginning of the attack, the first to be destroyed was the church. Miller had rushed into the burning church, carried out the sick Sam, and ran until now.

When Baro found him, he was surrounded by a group of demons. If it was a little later, the demons might have feasted on him and Sam. It was Baro who had come all the way to gather the musicians. There were about thirty flustered musicians. None of their usual demeanor and reserve could be seen. They were like a group of wandering beggars.

Baro had a broken hand and bloodshot eyes. He muttered something like a psychopath. He had forced too much beast nature out, which was about to crush his sanity. However, the crazier a Summoning musician was, the more powerful! In particular, he unified the phantom beasts with the sound of heart ”Tiger Bone” to forcibly repress the beastly nature. He barely managed to stay sane.

Around him, the invisible flying sycles were inflated several times, emitting strong murderous intent. Even the recently-stitched giant corpses were torn up by the furious phantom beasts.

”Now that the grandmasters disappeared, where are we going?” After understanding the situation, Sam looked to Baro who was guiding the road. ”Rushing out is impossible. This is the dark atrium that the dark saints had evolved with their scepters. They probably want to capture all of us. And...”

He smiled wryly and looked at the high wall up to the sky in the distance. Maybe those nations didn't expect that the elite musicians of the new generation would be trapped in behind this wall when they built in order to isolate the plague.

”Go north.” Baro wiped the blood on his face. His voice was hoarse. ”First we evacuate to the Snow Hotel where I came from. There is a grandmaster there.”

”Which one?”

Hearing this, all the people became excited and began to ask questions. The morale turned high when they got to know the details. Even the effect of the music scores became stronger.

”Be careful! Don't attract any monsters.” Miller sighed. ”We'd better save our strength. I already feel my body starting to fade. The dark atrium is suppressing us.” As a Choir musician, he was obviously the most aware of his physical condition. He could surely detect the silent erosion from the dark atrium. The repression on the strength was not the worst, but the dark atrium's force directly influenced the spirit. If they did not pay attention, they could be turned into demons without realizing it.

Hearing this, everyone became alert. After a short break, they began to walk north. However, Sam stood still. He sat on the ground, looking at Baro's back.

”Where did Baro go?” Sam's voice was hoarse but the words stirred in the crowd.

Baro looked back at him, frowning. ”What are you talking about?”

Sam's expression was unchanged. He asked, ”I said, where's Baro?” In the silence, only the sound of distant flames and collapsing buildings could be heard.

Sam looked at Baro coldly. After a long while, Baro chuckled. His eyes were no longer bloodshot. ”I thought I was perfect.” He sighed. ”What's wrong?”

”There's nothing wrong with you. You are playing well.” Sam coughed violently and spat out bloody phlegm. His voice was still hoarse.

”Baro likes to bully others and hold grudges. He's narrow-minded and neurotic. He despises those who are weaker than him. He is a paranoid b*stard. So, never once did I hear the word 'let's' from his mouth, not to mention helping so many people along the way. He'd never be as 'kind' as you.”

When saying the word 'kind', Sam's eyes became harsh like the scorching sun. Among the charred cracks on the face, blood lit up like lava. ”Let me ask again. Where is Baro?”

”Is he such a man in your mind?” 'Baro' sighed. ”If he heard that, he must be very sad. His last words before dying were, 'Sam you finally woke up. Great...' When I killed him, he thought he was dreaming.”

”Grandmaster… What about the master?” Someone in the crowd was about to break down. ”Where is the grandmaster?”

Miller finally processed everything. The former friend beside him had been replaced by a demon. A wisp of redness emerged on his ashen face like boiling blood.

Master? There was no master at all. This was only a well-prepared trap! What could be easier than letting the prey come voluntarily?