Mythos Reboot

Chapter 14

The deceased townsfolk staggered forward with stiff movements, as if all moisture had been instantly drained from them - withered, hardened, devoid of any vital essence.

Deprived of life, they craved it; thus Wayne and William became the primary targets of their collective assault.

Wayne didn't know how to classify these beings - undead, or perhaps zombies. If this was the success of the Deathwalker ritual, it was far too sinister - not only instantly killing the entire town, but erasing all vitality, even purging the very breath of life from the air itself.

The corpse horde surged forward, numbering over a hundred, including domestic animals like chickens and dogs.

Wayne weighed the crowbar in his hand, compared the combat strength of both sides, and followed his instincts to shut the door and start the car.

"Where are we going？" William took the passenger seat.

“Find Veronica and get the hell out of this damned place as soon as possible.”

Wayne's expression turned grave. The zombies moved slowly and were fragile—with just a crowbar, he could fight until dawn. They weren't truly frightening.

To put it in perspective: give a mischievous child a wooden sword, and no rapeseed field within a ten-mile radius would stand taller than a meter.

But his supernatural senses didn't lie—something terrifying pervaded the town, omnipresent, posing a serious threat to his life.

Wayne didn’t know much about arcane magic, so he tentatively labeled it as a curse.

"Do you know where Veronica is？ The town's so big—maybe you should retreat first while I look for her and Monica," William suggested.

“I know. We’ll just follow the scent.”

Wayne reversed the car some distance, shifted gears, and accelerated straight toward the zombie horde.

The family sedan's low chassis and decent price-performance ratio indicated it wasn't built for collisions. As the tires rolled over desiccated zombies, the vehicle jolted violently, managing only a short sprint before losing momentum.

Good enough!

The car broke through the encirclement, successfully clearing a path and accomplishing the mission Wayne had entrusted to it.

William was the first to leap out, wielding his crowbar with whistling swings through the air. Nearby zombies were shattered - none remained intact under his blows.

Maintaining a respectful distance, Wayne swung his own crowbar while shouting: "Veronica's at the church! We're running out of time - let's get her out now!"

With a fierce shout, William became unstoppable with his crowbar, carving through enemies like a lawnmower through grass.

For Wayne, zombies and spirits were two different beasts. After initial fluster, his muscle memory awakened - his body instinctively employed simple force techniques to maintain output while conserving stamina.

Experience points up, +1, +1, +1…

As they passed the town inn, two withered, hunched figures blocked their path - horrifying mummy-like forms bearing no resemblance to their living selves.

Wayne recognized their clothing - those generous and bountiful ladies. The bills tucked in their collars were the very ones he'd stuffed there himself.

With their laughter still echoing in memory, Wayne muttered "What a waste" through gritted teeth. Tears welling, he swung his crowbar, scooped up the cash, and hurried after William.

The town blazed with fire, scorching air accelerating evaporation. Yet bizarrely, no matter how fiercely the flames roared, the wooden structures refused to burn completely. Even the highly flammable zombies wouldn't catch fire.

Panting heavily, the duo reached the church at street's end - the only building untouched by flames. Its eerie silence stood in stark contrast to the surrounding hellscape.

A gunshot rang out. Both Wayne and William froze momentarily before charging through the fenced lawn, shoulder-slamming the church doors open in unison.

Neat rows of pews filled the interior. Before the crucifix, candle flames cast flickering amber shadows.

The priest wore immaculate black clerical robes, every edge perfectly aligned. But his withered face was beyond redemption - indistinguishable from the chaotic zombies outside.

The priest too had lost his life to the sacrificial rites.

Veronica held a pistol, confronting the priest. She had just fired a shot that hit the priest's chest, leaving a clearly visible gaping hole.

"You needn't stop the ritual. This town has been dead for years - it's time to let the townspeople rest in peace." The priest's jaws opened and closed, emitting a decayed voice as if from deep underground.

Veronica called out to William, who immediately understood her intention. He strode forward and swung a crowbar toward her.

A white halo bloomed beneath Veronica's feet, enveloping her in a sacred glow. It formed an immobile barrier that prevented her from leaving or casting any magic within its confines.

The prison was magic activated by the priest, also known within the Church as divine art - a power granted by God to restrain evil and make it remain quiet while listening to the Lord's glory.

It sounds impressive, but can actually be broken from the outside - far from invincible.

Moreover, the version hasn't been updated for ages. Several generations of firearm patches have been released, yet the Church's divine arts remain the old set, completely failing to keep up with the times.

With William's vigorous efforts, Veronica quickly escaped the cage. She punched at her side, shattering the white light that released Monica who had also been imprisoned separately.

The black cat blended perfectly into the environment - you couldn't see her unless she spoke.

"What do you mean the townspeople have been dead for years？" Monica demanded coldly. The eerie moon made her extremely uncomfortable, giving suspicion of blasphemy against the Moon Goddess. She had to get clear answers.

“Fifty years ago, Carfono Town was cursed. The townspeople became living dead. They didn't realize they had died - they still breathed, had heartbeats, bled when injured, could grow old and bear offspring. Everyone was still alive…”

“But the dead ultimately remain dead. Members of the Nelson family discovered the truth. Informed townspeople were invited to a meeting - I was one of those who knew the truth at that time…”

“The Nelson family were followers of the Death Goddess. They demanded immediate rituals to return the dead to death's embrace. The mayor and council members disagreed - no one wanted to give up their lives, nor had the right to end others' lives. Besides, they weren't truly dead and could live out normal lifespans.”

“I supported the mayor and council members…”

“The Nelson family stood firm in their beliefs, taking an extremely uncompromising stance. They recalled all family members from outside and insisted on performing the ritual, slaughtering many that night…”

“We won, swearing to bury the secrets of that night. We all believed that as long as the truth remained hidden, the townspeople wouldn't know they were already dead. Everyone could live and die like ordinary people until the younger generation took over the town.”

Like an NPC, the priest mechanically recounted the past fifty years. Due to his magical expertise, he retained his obsession, hoping the Nelson family's successor would complete the ritual.

But that was all. The priest's mind had long since decayed—he answered whatever was asked without reservation, revealing everything.

“Time proved us wrong. Every year on this day, flames engulf the town, returning it to that night…”

“The dead climb from their graves, the living reveal their true forms. The town has no future because newborns lose their lives at the moment of conception, and outsiders who enter this place become cursed…”

“This isn't a curse—it's more like perpetual death, some kind of law tormenting us, denying us peace.”

“I gradually realized my mistake. Back then, to keep the festering wound alive, we excised the healthy tissue…”

“Wait a moment!”

Wayne interrupted the narration with a grave expression, asking, "What does it mean that outsiders will also be infected by the curse？"