Xia Sahui pushed the door. It swung inward with a soft, protesting creak, revealing the chamber within.
Five figures were scattered about the room in crude repose: two perched on the edge of the lone bed, one on the floor, another leaning against the rough-hewn wall, and the last occupying the room’s only chair.
As Xia Sahui entered, all movement ceased; five pairs of eyes snapped toward her, sharp with suspicion and wariness.
Lu Er peered over her shoulder—since she was taller than him—and saw: two females and three males.
‘Were they playing war council in the bedroom? They couldn’t have picked a better location?’
One of the females, her posture rigid, stepped forward. “Who might you be? This is a council for the leaders of this refuge. You should leave.” Her voice was tight, attempting authority but edged with uncertainty.
Xia Sahui remained where she stood, her gaze sweeping over them with detached assessment.
‘Wow,’ Lu Er mused inwardly. ‘She clearly heard everything and yet acted as if she hadn’t.’
“Hmm…” Xia Sahui’s voice cut through the tension, ignoring the question posed to her. “Are you the ones who formed this temporary alliance?”
“Yes! Yes, we are the ones who gathered everyone, Lady Xia!” A young man blurted out with excessive enthusiasm. He was of a height with Cai Hong, with a long face, cropped hair, and eager black eyes. His entire demeanor reeked of sycophancy.
Instantly, the glares of the other four converged on him, their expressions thunderous. Feeling the weight of their bloodthirsty gazes, his enthusiasm withered. He quickly suppressed himself and sank back into a sullen silence.
“Hoo…” A soft, noncommittal sound escaped Xia Sahui’s lips. She glided across the room, her steps silent on the gritty floor, until she stood before a burly youth ensconced in the chair—the sole piece of proper furniture. She simply looked at him, and he, after a moment’s stunned appraisal of her poised figure and unreadable eyes, seemed to deflate.
“Ah! Of course, Young Lady, you should take this seat.” He scrambled to his feet, flustered, and hastily moved aside.
‘Is this some romance drama? Oh, wait—now that I think about it, they’re all just sixteen-year-olds. It’s normal, I suppose. Sigh…’ Lu Er lamented.
While she sat, Lu Er seized the moment to pull the bewildered Cai Hong fully into the room. “Watch the door. We’re going to discuss important matters,” he ordered the youth at the door, then shut it.
Cai Hong, initially flabbergasted by the sudden manhandling, quickly composed himself. He understood the need to assert his position now, lest he be permanently relegated to the bottom of this makeshift hierarchy.
Yet, what he anticipated did not come to pass.
In fact, nothing happened.
The atmosphere grew palpably tense, thick with unspoken calculations and mutual suspicion. An awkward silence stretched, punctuated only by furtive glances. When eyes accidentally met, they would dart away, as if burned.
“Haah…” Lu Er let out an exasperated sigh.
Clap!
He brought his hands together sharply. “Alright, everyone! Since it seems no one is inclined to break the ice, allow me to make the introductions. I am Lu Zhiheng. This is Cai Hong—you’ve likely seen him skulking about, as he was the one who directed us here. And that,” he gestured with a tilt of his head, “is Xia Sahui, of the illustrious Xia family. Now, would you care to reciprocate?”
His words startled the room to attention.
‘Why is he introducing a scion of the Xia family? First, he shouts her identity for all to hear, and now this. His actions are utterly bizarre. Does he have a death wish?’ Xu Qin thought, her eyes darting nervously toward Xia Sahui. Swallowing her apprehension, she spoke, “Greetings, Young Lady. I am Xu Qin, and this is Zhu Yan.” She gestured to the other young woman, who offered a timid nod.
Following her lead, the previously enthusiastic young man stirred. “I am Yao Ming, and this—” He was abruptly cut off by the burly youth who had surrendered his seat.
“I am Chen Yuan,” the latter declared, his voice carrying a residual note of authority. “And this is my brother, Chen Tao.”
“Mm.” Xia Sahui gave a slight, approving nod. “Now, would one of you care to explain the situation? In its entirety. I wish to know everything from the beginning.”
“Of course, Lady Xia!” Chen Yuan exclaimed; his earlier fluster replaced by zealous fervor. “It is our profound fortune that you have arrived at this critical juncture. We are in dire need of guidance.”
Yao Ming stared at him, awestruck by the sudden and complete volte-face. ‘Damn, Chen Yuan… I didn’t expect him to pivot so swiftly. This guy has no shame!’
“Allow me to elucidate,” Chen Yuan continued. “It’s not a long story, honestly. All of us right here descended into this region when the game commenced. But when we opened the map, we found the location of both temples. Our current theory is that entering a certain proximity to a temple reveals its location on one’s map.
My brother, Chen Tao, and I descended together. We were, naturally, overjoyed at our discovery and immediately sought to claim it.
It was there that all six of us—the original group—converged. The sixth was named Hu Jian. Claiming the temple required solving a series of trials, so we formed a temporary alliance to overcome them collectively.
The trials were mere puzzles—simple yet time-consuming. After hours of labor, we succeeded.
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
"It was then that we discovered the temple's abilities."
He counted on his fingers. "First, the temple is a formidable flying fortress powered by essence stones. It is virtually impervious to conventional assault and has large reserves that can't be moved, so fuel isn't a problem. But there's a catch—the temple moves only along predetermined paths, all ending slightly outside the central zone."
These are the ones we’ve recorded by memory.” He took out a crude map—a section of treated waterskin, its surface marked with charcoal lines—and handed it to Xia Sahui. It was primitive but functional.
She studied it as he resumed. “Second, it can harbor numerous Unawakened within, along with a single Guardian. Third is the Guardian’s ability: Metal Elemental Control. It grants the holder complete morphing authority over metal. In essence, the Guardian can mass-produce weapons and armor or use metal in a fight, provided the raw material is available. The only limitation the guardian has is the limited supply of metal.
While armor, in particular, is invaluable.
Outside the temple, we have encountered numerous offensive artifacts but scarcely any defensive gear.
Leveraging these advantages, we were able to assemble a group of nearly twenty Unawakened—almost all who had descended in the vicinity. We reached a consensus of no fighting amongst ourselves until the final stage. We would only hunt outsiders for fragment points. Anyone who broke this pact would be collectively hunted by the group. This maintained a fragile peace.
Hu Jian was the primary contributor in solving the temple’s puzzles, so we agreed to his temporary position as Guardian, with the understanding that a final contest would decide the permanent holder.
That was the status quo… until two days ago. The scion of the Hua family, Hua Yong, arrived with his own retinue. They came from the western mountains.
According to some, there was a large, gold-glowing treasure chest on one of the mountain peaks, and reaching there was impossible until someone could fly there, so they came here looking for the temple.
Coincidentally, one of the temple’s predetermined paths also passed through the mountains and the exact location of the treasure, so it was speculated that both were linked.
And Hu Jian—that bastard—betrayed us at the first opportunity. He transferred Guardianship to the scion. Hua Yong’s group already numbered ten; with Hu Jian’s defection, they had no need for more. They immediately began hunting us.
That night, many of us who went to loot for food and supplies were killed without reason.
The rest of us were too cowed to retaliate—facing a scion and his authority—but fortunately, most managed to escape.”
‘Heh. He makes it sound like we were the ones who were unjustly done wrong. This is a game where you’re meant to kill. The reality is they just got intimidated by the bigger authority and didn’t get the chance to hop on the other side in time,’ Lu Er thought, listening with a cynical internal commentary.
“So, we regrouped here,” Chen Yuan continued, “gathering the remnants and any new arrivals. We have been awaiting an opportunity to strike back. Now, it seems fortune has finally smiled upon us. If Lady Xia leads us, I can guarantee we’ll finally be able to fight properly.”
“You’ve mentioned nothing of the monster,” Xia Sahui observed, her tone flat.
“That, we believe there is no monster. It is likely a fabrication by those in the temple to sow chaos and fear.”
“Oh! no-no. It is real. The monster is real.”
“Huh?” All eyes shifted to Lu Er.
“I fought it once and fled a second encounter. Whatever it is, it is formidable and entirely corporeal.”
“What? This…”
“You need not be unduly concerned,” Xia Sahui interjected, her voice calm. “Our purpose here is both to secure the temple and to gather sufficient strength to confront this creature. Who knows what rewards such an endeavor might yield? But they are sure to be bountiful.”
The occupants of the room exchanged uneasy glances.
“You fought it? What is it like?” Xu Qin asked, her voice hushed.
Lu Er’s expression grew somber. “Well… its face looked completely black from the ears to the neck. Oh! You all remember how black the awakening stone was—they were nearly similar, except there were some white spots, rarely shining like stars in the night sky.
The eyes were completely white, with no pupils, and his hair was also completely white. While his hands and lower body were just like a human.
As for the clothes, it was just wearing normal black clothes with no distinct patterns last time I saw it, but I remember that it occasionally changes clothes, so that information might be lacking.
Nearly seven-foot-tall, towering figure who probably doesn’t bleed, plus has skills similar to space-related abilities and is very strong. That’s all I know.”
A collective frown settled upon the faces in the room.
“If what you say is accurate, then this is a severe complication,” Xu Qin deduced, her tone growing concerned. “If the monster persists, not only do we risk losing fragment points, but we could also face its assault when we are most vulnerable—for instance, in the aftermath of a battle for the temple. When we are weakened and depleted, it could clean sweep the remnants.”
She turned to Xia Sahui. “Lady Xia, do you think this monster has enough intelligence to think that far?”
“Hmm, usually it depends, but as far as I’ve heard, I’ll believe it does in fact have high intelligence.
The fact that it chose to sabotage your side when you were attacked gives enough proof—I think he might have also killed some from the temple, but it works in our favor.”
“So, what do we do now?” Cai Hong asked, after bearing his utmost courage—and thankfully, no one looked at him.
All attention returned to Xia Sahui.
“Any ideas?” she asked, slumping slightly in her chair, as if bored by the proceedings.
Chen Tao spoke for the first time. “I think the best thing to do right now is to gather and obtain the temple. Isn’t the temple similar to a fortress? It will be good defense against the monster, even if we have to worry about him attacking us.
Staying will only dwindle the motivation of others—we have to capitalize on them as soon as we can, otherwise they won’t follow and will break apart. We still have the advantage of numbers, with more than twenty Unawakened, although many have died, but with more joining every day, the number is actually increasing.”
“Are you deaf? Did you not hear that the monster has space-related abilities? The fortress will only do any good if it protects against space-related abilities too,” Lu Er retorted snarkily.
“You’re right, but the temple’s whole point is to provide a safe space—why wouldn’t it protect against a literal monster?” Chen Tao replied, his brows creasing slightly, his tone rising. Clearly, he did not appreciate Lu Er’s remarks.
“Hmm. A sound proposition. Any other thoughts?” Xia Sahui murmured, her eyes now closed, her hands dangling over the arms of the chair.
“I concur,” Yao Ming chimed in, eager to please.
“It is our best choice. We do not even know the monster’s whereabouts; it may not appear again for days. Securing the temple is necessary for the armor-production capability.
If Lady Xia is to guide us to victory and contend for the final survivor’s rewards—and the mountain treasure—she will require every advantage. Who else but Lady Xia is worthy of such prizes?” His sycophancy knew no bounds.
‘Now that’s some high-level bootlicking.’ Lu Er thought, mildly impressed.
“I also agree,” Lu Er raised his hand.
“Me too.”
“I agree too.” One by one, the others voiced their assent.
“So, what is the plan?” Lu Er directed the question to Xia Sahui.
“Nothing—we rest today and attack tomorrow. Look at the Fragment map, they’re still moving slowly and are well within range.
They probably want to get as many kills as they can, that’s why they’ve stopped the temple right now to rest.
Their trajectory, according to this map,” she tapped the waterskin, “leads toward the mountains. Our sole window for a viable assault is the moment when they pass through this specific abandoned ruin. Otherwise, if they move toward any open area or go high above, we’ll lose any chance of a proper attack.”
“But if they want to get fragment points, why didn’t they attack us right here, where we are gathered?” Cai Hong asked.
“Hua Yong is shrewd,” Xia Sahui explained, her eyes opening to slits. “He is allowing his subordinates to fulfill their own fragment point quotas, thereby reserving the points from the treasure chest—and control of the temple—for himself, as a contingency should he fail to become the final survivor.
Attacking a fortified position of twenty, even with his advantages, would be costly and require him to leave the temple’s safety. Hence, they pick you off gradually through targeted hunts.”
“That… makes sense.”
“So that’s just the plan? Sleep and then attack? Seems a little underwhelming,” Lu Er blurted, with his eyes closed.
“What? Do you expect me to use military warfare? The best method is to attack them after we’ve rested enough and are in our best condition. So yes, that’s just the plan. We’ll discuss the details in the morning—so be ready with some good ideas.”
“Now, all of you, get out. I need to sleep.”
“Wait—didn’t you just wake up after sleeping for two whole days? How come you’re—”
“Lu Zhiheng, get out.”
“Let me finish—”
"I said get out. Don't talk anymore."
"Fine." He walked out.
A Transmigration Progression Fantasy
LitRPG Transmigration Progression Anti-Hero Lead Grimdark High Fantasy Local Protagonist Non-Human Lead
Death is a minor setback for the Night Lich.
Quill, commander of the Rotten Scourge and the most feared necromancer of the Westlands, is cornered by the Circle mages. In a final act of defiance, he casts a soul-transfer, only to awaken in the frail body of an elf orphan with his Black magic stripped away.
Yet fate grants him an ironic gift: a rare White Core fractured by Black. Creation is stained with death and decay, but when light meets darkness, it instead births something strange. Something unique. Something unstoppable.
Quill will claw his way back to power, forging a new army with centuries of forbidden knowledge. He’ll master reanimation along with creation–and this time, revenge will be absolute.
But dancing with death always comes at a price, and the Forgotten World doesn't take kindly to a missing soul.
- Steady Progression: Studying magic is hard.
- Crunchy Magic System: Raw and intimate spell theory.
- Army Building: Necromancer-turned-Golemancer.
- Morally Gray MC: Balancing morality with convenience.
- Competent MC: Wise and avid book reader protagonist.
- Lite-LitRPG: No +9999 notifications except for stat sheets.
- No Harem: Only one character at a time.