Zongman: All Heavens and Worlds Begin with the Devil's Curse

“If we can get through tonight, we can return to the royal city. Let’s take turns keeping watch,” one of the knights said.

"Great! It's finally over!" another knight exclaimed excitedly. "When I get back from this mission, I'm getting married."

"Me too, after all, we've reached this age."

"With this mission over, the knight assessment will be completed soon. How exciting!"

It wasn't time for their turn to keep watch yet, so the group chatted casually.

This world doesn't seem to have the concept of planting flags, but their words are full of promises.

"By the way, have you ever heard of a certain being?" A voice suddenly came from among the group.

"Existence? What existence?" Several gazes immediately focused on the person who spoke.

"Is this some kind of must-play horror story segment at night? Haha—"

"Why are you looking at me? I'm talking about a rumor." The man coughed lightly and said seriously, "A demon that only exists in rumors. It is said to be able to awaken the deepest fear in people's hearts, and once fear descends, it will kill them!"

"I think I've heard of it before..."

"It seems to lack self-awareness. It can speak, but the words it utters are the last words left by the person who was killed before," the knight who had started the conversation continued.

"Legend has it that a young mage summoned it from a tower by the sea—a completely uncontrollable monster that should have been lost to the annals of history; no one knows when it was born..."

"As long as you still have fear in your heart, it will speak or become what you fear most, appear, and devour you!"

"Stop talking!" an old knight suddenly shouted.

His voice was so loud that it made the campfire sway restlessly.

The next second, his voice suddenly softened, as if to cover up his loss of composure. He coughed twice before saying, "It's late at night, don't scare yourself. Keep watch."

"Fine," the knight who had sparked the conversation said with a shrug and a sigh.

"Name your number, and we'll take turns."

The old knight glanced around at the faces around the campfire. There were five of them; they could spend the night in peace.

He's too old to listen to the horror stories that young people are so fond of, especially those involving life and death.

"report!"

"Speak," the old knight said sternly.

"Um...we seem to be missing someone..."

Chapter 481 It's not my fault...

"Someone's missing! Who?"

The old knight paused for a moment, then counted again.

He had just glanced around and remembered there were five people. He wasn't so old and blind that he couldn't count the number of people within two meters.

But after he held his breath and counted again, a trace of fear still crept onto his wrinkled face.

The number of people... doesn't match up.

“Where is Illian? He was just sitting here!” the old knight asked, already knowing who was missing.

"Maybe he sneaked off to relieve himself; that's just his personality," a knight said nonchalantly.

"How is that possible!" the old knight roared. "He was just here, ten seconds ago! Saying that he was about to pass the test."

"Don't worry, there's nothing to be concerned about. We're not far from the capital of Demacia. If anything goes wrong, we can report it tomorrow..." a knight muttered.

"It's all this guy's fault. He was out all night and spouting all sorts of scary nonsense."

Seeing that the remaining three were about to start arguing, the old knight couldn't help but stomp his foot, just as he was about to signal them to calm down, when he suddenly caught a glimpse of a figure staggering towards the warm light of the campfire.

"Illian? Is that you?" the old knight called out to the figure.

The figure didn't reply, but silently walked towards the campfire. When he got closer and the old knight could see his face clearly by the light of the campfire, he finally felt relieved.

This guy is indeed good, but he looks a bit lost and dejected.

Knight Illian sat silently by the campfire, not uttering a word.

"Listen to me, everyone. Now, stop arguing." He stretched out his hands and pressed them down to signal for quiet. "Now, count off again. The five of us will take turns keeping watch in order."

"I am the first, one!" the old knight shouted, taking the lead.

"Two." The knight who had just started the conversation took over the order.

This was followed by a series of counting sounds.

"three."

"Four."

"five."

“Very well,” the old knight said in a deep voice, “Now I will begin…”

"Six... Hehehe—"

A hoarse sound, like the rubbing of dry twigs, suddenly rang out.

In that instant, a chill suddenly spread from the woods.

The campfire flickered, then dimmed in an instant.

Then came a soft "poof," and the only campfire that could provide warmth and light went out in the blink of an eye.

The darkness of night seeped into the ranks of the knights who were sitting in a circle.

The darkness was so thick that you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, as thick as ink that couldn't be dissolved.

“You…” the old knight’s voice trembled, “who was causing trouble just now…”

"I've finished telling the scary stories..."

The old knight's voice echoed in the darkness.

"not me……"

"It's not me..."

A series of voices rang out in rebuttal.

Most of these young men, though sometimes mischievous, are not incapable of distinguishing between right and wrong.

Especially considering that the old knight had just expressed his seriousness.

He held his breath and confirmed that there were only three voices besides his, meaning that only Irian, who had disappeared for a moment, had not answered.

"Ilian?" the old knight asked in a low voice, as if inquiring.

But after he finished reciting the numbers, he seemed to have gone mute, not uttering a single word.

“This is no laughing matter, child.” The old knight suppressed his anger; he was certain this fellow was behind it all. “You’d better explain yourself now, or else…”

“No…it’s not…I…” Illian’s voice finally rang out again.

When he spoke the first half of his speech, his voice was still familiar, but when he finished speaking, it suddenly turned into that heart-stopping scraping sound.

It sounded like metal scraping against metal, or like footsteps on dry branches; the unpleasant sounds blended together, definitely not human.

"Ilian? Child?" The old knight suddenly became alarmed. "What's wrong with you...?"

As the question rang out, Illian finally spoke again, but his voice had completely changed to that unpleasant tone.

He said, "Mission over... Assessment... Completed... I'm so... excited!!!"

A chill instantly permeated the darkness.

These words were like a bombshell dropped on the crowd, and a chilling fear swept through everyone's hearts in an instant.

They scrambled to their feet and fled into the woods.

"It's here! It's really here!!!" The voice trembled with fear.

From his original spot, the old knight felt a cold wind rushing towards him.

He heard a sentence.

When Ilian spoke, his voice had completely changed.

"I'm old... I'm going to die soon..."

The old knight's pupils trembled as a cold wind swept over him.

In the woods.

The young knight who had just caused the stir fled in a panic, running into the depths of the forest.

It's definitely it, it's definitely the legendary guy!

Their fears attracted a monster they shouldn't have, one that would devour everyone.

There was no way to resist.

The moment you fear it, you have become its prisoner, from the very first moment that fear arises.

"It's not my fault...it's not my fault..." he kept muttering, his sobbing voice echoing through the woods.

With a click, he suddenly collapsed to the ground.

Raising my head, this time what came into view was no longer darkness.

A gaunt figure stood in front, the lantern in the figure's hand illuminating its outline.

It just stood there, its shape slightly distorted, its face obscured.

The young knight swallowed hard, just about to get up and start a conversation.

The figure suddenly twisted in the next instant, sharp spikes sprouted from its body, and it crawled rapidly toward him on all fours.

That familiar, unpleasant voice rang out from the figure's mouth once again.

But this time, its voice was filled with fear.

"It's here! It's really here!!" the figure cried out in fear, mimicking the sound in a shrill and hollow voice as it lunged at the young knight.

After a sob, the world fell silent.

The woods fell silent again, shrouded in darkness, without a sound.

Suddenly, an incongruous voice rang out in the sky above the woods.

"This is the guy, we've found him."

In an instant, the whole world was enveloped in a dreamy, ethereal pale purple.

The once dark world was instantly illuminated, and a purple moon hung in the sky.

Zhou Lan floated quietly in the sky, dispelling the darkness.

Beside him, the Holy Lord gazed down with great interest.

He stared at the distorted figure and a smirk played on his lips.

This is what they're looking for; they just easily wiped out a group of poor knights.

"Fear?" the Holy Lord murmured.

Directly below, the twisted monster, resembling a reptile, raised its head, its neck gradually elongating towards the Holy Lord's body.

What a mind that was!

What a hateful face it was, twisted with countless complex emotions.

Fear, relief, joy, sadness...

Countless different emotions are being simulated on this distorted face.

The ancient terror, Fiddlesticks, opened its mouth and spoke to the Holy Lord in a hoarse voice, murmuring as if weeping:

"It's not my fault...it's not my fault..."

Chapter 482, the first one

"What does this have to do with me?"