Chapter 632: The Temptation of Living Flesh
A Fleeing Fight
War erupted instantly. The Dragonhold soldiers, paralyzed by fear, could only watch as their comrades fell.
The four heroes fought while moving. Anyone blocking their path was either punched out of the sky by Clark or cleaved in half by Diana's longsword. Soldiers dropped in swathes, the encirclement was shattered, and a large open area appeared.
The heroes did not linger in the fight but charged out at full speed, vanishing in moments.
The fear wave disappeared, and the soldiers regained their ability to move. Remembering what had just transpired, their faces betrayed profound terror.
Such powerful combat strength!
Even without the element of surprise, they wouldn't have been a match.
Since when did the Underworld gain such power? We've never heard of them.
The soldiers' leader immediately contacted the City Lord. The situation had spiraled beyond their control; they clearly needed a stronger force.
On the other side, the four heroes flew at full speed for over half an hour, stopping only after they had left the area covered by Dragonhold.
The atmosphere was tense.
Faced with this situation, they felt like headless chickens stumbling blindly. Even Luke, usually unmatched in strategy, was frustrated.
Information was simply too scarce, chillingly so.
"What do we do now?"
Diana spoke first. Clark and J'onn exchanged a look and fell silent. They didn't understand the Underworld's language or magic. They had all the power but couldn't use it effectively.
Luke shook his head.
"The trouble isn't the Underworld Dragon; it's you three."
"Us?" Diana asked, confused. "What about us?"
Luke shook his head, stating seriously, "Didn't you notice? The way those soldiers looked at you, it was like hungry wolves spotting fresh, delicious meat."
The three paused, recalling the encounters. The more they thought about it, the more wrong it felt. A chill ran up their spines to the tops of their heads.
Luke continued, "If only one soldier had that thought, fine. The problem is, every single soldier had that look. They want to eat your flesh and drink your blood. That's what's giving me a massive headache."
Diana couldn't help but ask, "Why do they want to eat us?"
Luke shrugged. "Perhaps you are the Tang Monk."
"Who is the Tang Monk?"
"A monk. Eating his flesh is rumored to grant immortality."
"Such a person exists?"
"The world is vast and full of wonders."
Diana: "..."
Clark: "..."
J'onn said helplessly, "Alright, Luke, this is no time for jokes."
"Jokes aside, the reality is they genuinely want to eat you. The most urgent thing right now isn't finding the Valley of No Return, but figuring out why. Otherwise, we won't be able to take a single step."
"Do you have a plan?"
"No. We have to figure it out little by little."
The Innate Hunger
Half an hour later, Diana tossed a large-eared, pointed-headed monster onto the ground. The moment the creature saw Clark, its expression changed instantly. The fear vanished, replaced by sheer greed, and saliva even began to drip from its mouth.
The four heroes weren't surprised by the sight. They had already tried this repeatedly with the same result. Whether stitched-up monsters or intelligent species, anyone who saw Clark or J'onn revealed the expression of a starving ghost.
The two heroes were like glistening roasted meat, emitting an enticing aroma just by standing there.
Clark offered a wry smile. In all his years, this was the first time he'd encountered something so bizarre. The indestructible Man of Steel was being viewed as food.
J'onn used his psychic ability to probe the creature's thoughts. After a moment, he spoke with a serious tone,
"It's not a conscious thought; it's an instinct."
"It wants to eat us, and there's no reason why."
Diana asked, confused, "Why would that be?"
"Perhaps it's because of our living flesh. The Underworld is the realm of the dead. We are living beings. Our bodies contain something they desperately need."
The explanation was weak, but for now, it was all they had.
In that moment, the heroes finally grasped the horror of the Underworld. They were enemies of the entire world. Every creature wanted to devour their flesh and blood, akin to being in a zombie-infested world where a single wrong move meant absolute doom.
"It looks like we need to find a blacksmith."
"Armor alone won't be enough. We need magic. We need to conceal your life signs and aura."
"Luke, we're relying on you."
The three heroes were too conspicuous to move freely. Only a soul form like Luke could act unhindered.
"Don't worry. I know what to do."
After dispatching the pointed-headed monster, the heroes set off toward a nearby settlement to look for tools and materials to craft their new armor.
The Dragon King's Greed
Meanwhile, at the top of Dragonhold, Akorn the Half-Dragon City Lord passed through the impenetrable black mist and found the Underworld Dragon sleeping soundly atop a mountain of gold.
The mountain of gold was over a thousand meters high, stretching beyond sight, yet it was being crushed beneath Avogadro's body. One could only imagine the dragon's immense size.
Besides the mountain of gold, there were mountains of gems, crystals, and metals, all of which were top-tier magical materials. The multi-colored light illuminated the area, turning this section of the Underworld into a semblance of paradise.
Witnessing such a sight, even the fiercely loyal Akorn couldn't help but feel a pang of greed. Thankfully, he was skilled at concealment, at least outwardly.
Akorn prostrated himself on the ground.
"Great King, Ruler of the Endless Lands, His Majesty the Underworld Dragon, Avogadro, I have a matter of great importance to report."
He finished his statement, lowered his head, and remained motionless.
Time passed slowly. After a full ten minutes, the colossal creature on the mountain of gold finally opened its eyelids, revealing eyes larger than houses, black as ink, like bottomless abysses.
"What is it?"
"Invaders have appeared in Dragonhold. Their identities are highly suspicious."
Akorn used magic to replay the previous battle scene. The moment he saw Clark, Avogadro's head snapped up. Its expression was one of intense shock. It seemed unable to believe its eyes, scrutinizing the images before finally confirming its identity. The shock was immediately replaced by greed and desire. Its aura rapidly intensified, and its four wings spread out, momentarily overshadowing the entire world.
"Humans?"
"Humans are in the Underworld?"
Akorn asked, confused, "Great King, what kind of tribe are humans?"
"No, they are not a tribe. They are the children of the Gods, dwelling in a prosperous, vibrant world, where there is endless food and countless treasures."
Akorn looked utterly bewildered. Does such a place exist?
"Where are they?"
"They passed through a portal to the garbage dump earlier. The soldiers immediately spotted them and raised the alarm, but the invaders are extremely powerful. The guards were no match."
Akorn quickly distanced himself, shifting the blame to the guards.
"Go yourself."
The Underworld Dragon lowered its head, casting a shadow over Akorn like a creeping darkness. The air it exhaled was laced with death and cold, making the City Lord shiver.
"Capture them, no matter the cost."
"Remember, I want them alive."
"If you fail, I will eat you."
Akorn quickly pledged his loyalty. "Great King, His Majesty Avogadro, I guarantee you that I will bring them to you intact.
"Please wait. I will return shortly."
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