musicians of old

Chapter 858 Methods of Death
These team members knew.
The so-called "official knowledgeable organizations" no longer exist. Unlike the more than ten "large control zones" with volumes of "cubic kilometers" maintained by the remnants of the Special Patrol Department using "raging silver sheets," the "sanctuaries" maintained by some individuals or groups using some spiritual matter, intention, or anchor points are all shaky and pitifully small.

For example, in several places where we searched and recruited before, a painter was trying his best to copy a family heirloom painting, but he could only stabilize an area the size of a bedroom.

Another more memorable experience was when they found a dozen or so survivors sitting in a circle, collaboratively "carving" something out of scavenged scraps. No one could say what it was, but they all agreed that it "should be like that." The process was devoid of any artistry; it was purely a collective vow, anchoring themselves in the belief that "we are still thinking, still shaping." Surprisingly, it was effective. When the investigation team discovered it, the "shelter" was about the size of a basketball court.

However, this area, although its effective range is only rated as "medium," is relative to the Special Patrol Department's "large control area." In reality, its area is already strangely large, and it even includes a river.

Who knows what's inside?

"Understood, complete the recording within five minutes."

"Aim to resolve this in three minutes."

"The message has been reported to the Central Control Area via the 'Blade' particle."

The other team members, having understood the stakes, nodded slightly.

The five people quickly split into pairs, with two people standing back-to-back on guard, while the third person also sped up their recording and mapping.

"Captain, I feel something 'suck' at me!" Suddenly, an investigator from another group standing guard trembled violently.

"Don't think about it, there's nothing around you!" The captain's jawline tightened.

"There's something! Something on the east side! And something on the right side of my neck!"

"Shut up, calm down, we just came from the east side!"

"Rex, give him a dose of 'Sneaky Water'!"

The other investigator, standing back to back, immediately began rummaging through the box, but before he could take anything out, he suddenly felt the weight of his companion behind him disappear!
Those who sensed something was wrong either turned around or turned to the side.

They discovered that their companions were still standing in the same spot.

But the body seemed to have become an extremely thin, colorful paper-cut projection, maintaining a guarded posture with a gun, swaying slightly with an imaginary breeze!

"Damn it, what's going on?!" The captain's expression changed drastically.

He didn't dare reach out to pull the other person, but tried to poke at them with his gun, only to find that there was no obstruction in front of him.

Soon, the five people discovered that the "paper-cut projection" was actually imprinted on their retinas, moving with the movement of their eyeballs!
"Wait, there really seems to be something over there!"

Moreover, bypassing the obstruction of this retina, looking towards the east side that the team member had just pointed out, there seemed to be some indescribable colors on the ground, clumps made of rotting organic matter and transparent fascia, rustling and crawling towards them!

"Everyone, get to the border, quick!"

With personnel reduced again and even greater unknown dangers looming ahead, the squad leader made a decisive decision.

The six men felt as if they had been granted a pardon, but became even more nervous and quickly crouched down and ran towards the river.

Staff reductions?
There should have been staff reductions, but how come...?
The captain at the rear watched as the boots of the people in front pounded on the rotten soil, and felt increasingly confused and uneasy.

20 meters, 15 meters
The steps shouldn't be far, and it shouldn't take too much time. And indeed, they were getting closer and closer to that "boundary," but these people who were walking quickly felt that it took longer than expected.

"鴎獓？窳僋鞁喈锛峛!!"

As one of the team members was running, he suddenly began to mutter to himself in a language that no one knew, but whose grammar seemed extremely "complex and rigorous."

"Cortázar, what the hell are you doing?!" "Shut up! Let's talk inside!"

Two voices rang out reflexively, but the investigator named Cortázar spoke faster and faster, and his voice gradually became inhuman. None of the team members were attacked or injured, but everyone's memories began to merge, and they could directly hear each other's unfiltered, raw thoughts.

Individual boundaries quickly blurred, and eventually the group collapsed and melted into a multi-tonal aggregate of flesh that kept screaming contradictory commands and fragments of memory.

After wriggling for a while, the roaring gradually subsided, finally stopping just two meters away from the boundary of the "shelter".

The place has returned to its usual silence and unusually low background noise.

It wasn't until the bright daylight and the dim night had alternated for a cycle that another investigation team of more than ten people, led by two Enlightened Ones, finally arrived at the place after receiving the communication.

These people, also completely covered up, stood for several minutes in front of the boundary, staring at the sludge that had melted and collapsed on the ground.

"Another way to die that I've never heard of before."

The leader was a sturdy-looking man, his eyes scanning the surrounding vibrant and distorted environment with a wary gaze.

“Logically speaking, this place is not a suitable location to build a ‘shelter’,” the man said in a low voice.

There are also differences between anomalous zones. In some areas, the rules are more broken and the "worms" are more active. Even if you use "Rage Silver Shards" to build a large altar, the effect will be greatly reduced.

This area is clearly like that, no wonder the previous investigation team encountered an inexplicable turn of events.

Could it be that this "individual" or "group" in the "shelter" ahead hasn't figured out any lessons after the world has been in chaos for so long? Or was there some unforeseen accident that happened too hastily and without any other choice?
Neither of the two experts could think of any other possibility.

"Let's go in and have a look."

After collecting some key information from the scene, the leader took a deep breath and gave instructions.

More than ten team members were on high alert and stepped in one by one.

As soon as they retreated to the slightly pinkish border of the shelter, the nauseating noise and the sound of the wind ceased.

With his body tense, he took another ten steps or so.

"Thump—thump-thump-thump—"

Suddenly, the sound of the bass strings of a classical guitar was clearly heard by everyone, like a pebble thrown into stagnant water.

Moreover, it is merely a fuse, a fulcrum to pry open a deeper stream of sound.

"Buzz—buzz-buzz-buzz—" "Buzz—buzz-buzz-buzz—"

Between heaven and earth, the dark and heavy chords of "two short and one long" resounded, the blended timbre of string and woodwind instruments, the discordant augmented fourth interval, like an undeniable signal motif from the abyss, instantly choking everyone's breath.

Before they could react, the timbre of a tenor horn—slightly dull, yet carrying a melody with a certain ancient calling—calmly intervened at the rhythm of this signal motif.

The prelude, seemingly in B minor, carries a somber, ritualistic slowness, as if preparing to embark on an inevitable mission in the darkness!

music!?
The symphonic music produced by those musical instruments that people commonly understand!

Such complete, clearly structured, intentional, and even remarkable opening music?

Everyone in the team froze.

They stood frozen in place, the spells and guns in their hands seemingly losing their weight, and looked at each other with surprise and uncertainty!