Chapter 510 The Rat Family
Whispering Plaza·Whispering Alley.
The Moon Rabbit stood in front of the gate of Whispering Alley. She had just completed an important transaction with the old halfling woman Eloldis Stareye, which not only deepened her understanding of the complex world of Whispering Square. Understand the power structure, and also learn the key clues about the [Emetic Inducer] and the ritual of entering the Whispering Alley.
During the transaction, she learned about the eight major forces entrenched in the Magic Fountain area, as well as the gods, secret sects, and families that they relied on.
These forces are an integral part of the Whispering Square, and their existence maintains the apparent order and prosperity of this area.
In addition to these sunny forces, Whispering Square also hides a darker side.
Whisper Alley, located in the square, is the core stronghold of most cults.
This place, far away from the prosperity and splendor of the square, has become a place for some extremely dangerous activities, cult rituals, life sacrifices, secret medicine trading and other activities.
Whisper Alley is like the shadow of Whispering Square, collecting all the unknown secrets and taboos.
At this moment, the Moon Rabbit is holding a strange candle, which is made from a rare mixture of shadow grass and noctiluca. When burning, it does not illuminate but devours the surrounding light.
It was this reflective flame that made the guardians of Whispering Alley willing to let her group pass smoothly. This special candle symbolized that they were not ordinary intruders, but visitors with special permission to enter this secret space.
As she walked deeper into the alley, the surrounding light seemed to be sucked away by the candle, paving a path of shadows for her.
The steps of the Moon Rabbit are firm and cautious, each step stepping on the looming stone slabs in the alley.
Her eyes were constantly scanning the surroundings, looking for the sign mentioned in the old woman's intelligence - an ancient wooden door carved with deep sea monsters, which was said to be the source of goods for all the secret medicine merchants in Hell's Kitchen. point.
At the same time, her teammates also quietly entered the Whispering Alley. They were divided into groups and each looked for clues.
These highly trained commandos all carry the same shadow candle, allowing them to thrive in the shadows of the alley.
Their goal is clear - to find the two emetic members who sell banned drugs.
The alleyway is narrow and winding, with high stone walls on both sides. The walls are covered with moss, and from time to time there is a smell of decay.
The dim light shines from the sparse lanterns, barely illuminating the path underfoot.
A variety of stalls and secret facades can be seen along the way. They are either hidden in dark corners or decorated with strange spells and totems. Everywhere reveals ulterior secrets.
The Moon Rabbit held a tube of light-hiding agent tightly in his hand, and its liquid shone with a faint blue light under the dim light. Her eyes were as sharp as a cheetah's, scanning every corner of Whisper Alley vigilantly.
In this narrow alley full of secrets, the Moon Rabbit finally found his target - an ancient and mysterious wooden door. The door was carved with lifelike deep sea monsters, as if they would emerge from the wooden door at any time. Jump up and swallow everything.
Taking a deep breath, the Moon Rabbit carefully opened the door and stepped into this unknown territory.
Zhizhizhi——
Behind the door is a space full of strange atmosphere, with various strange utensils and medicine bottles placed everywhere, emitting an inexplicable light.
However, what really shocked her were the busy figures.
Those creatures have human bodies, but have rat heads and claws. They shuttle through the room, holding various strange items in their hands, busy and orderly.
[Ding——]
[A dangerous race has been detected - Skaven! ! ! 】
【Unknown clan: 3000+】
[Adam’s reminder: There is a huge difference in combat power between the enemy and us. Please do not engage in a fight with the other party. Please wait until the firepower is sufficient before taking the path of justice! 】
A rare and spectacular gathering gathered in the hidden supply point. More than 3,000 Skaven gathered here. Their figures flickered in and out of the dim light, creating a strange scene. A touching picture.
These are thin but extremely agile creatures, generally between 2 and 4 feet tall. Their gray or dark brown fur looks darker in the weak light, and their eyes shine with an ominous light, like the middle of the night. Will-o'-the-wisp.
Their equipment is made up of various shabby cloths, stolen armors and strange accessories. Although it looks messy, it contains power that cannot be underestimated.
This unknown clan of Skaven wield a wide variety of weapons, from rusty daggers to strange, mechanical devices.
There is a suffocating smell permeating the supply point. The damp musty smell, the pungent smell of chemicals, and the unique body odor emitted from Skaven's body mix together to form a thick fog that can almost materialize.
For the Skaven, this is both a sign of their survival and an oath to this territory.
When outsiders step into this space full of secrets, they will immediately become the center of attention of all Skaven.
Thousands of dim light eyes surround the visitor, and one-third of the dose of the subliminal state of awareness cannot fully function under the gaze of so many eyes.
When the Moon Rabbit stepped into the airtight and dark atmosphere of the supply point, she immediately became the focus of thousands of Skaven.
Those countless pairs of twinkling eyes were locked on her body, making her scalp numb involuntarily, and an unknown feeling of fear and tension spread in her heart.
Adam's warning woke her up from her momentary stiffness. She immediately adjusted her spirit and was ready to inject a full dose of the concealing agent and run away.
As the Moon Rabbit stepped into the source of goods wrapped in secrets and shadows, the tense atmosphere instantly solidified.
Surrounded by a dense crowd of Skaven warriors, they clutched their weapons - crossbows, firearms, wolf guns and throwing tools filled with poison. Their eyes were focused on this reality that made them feel Stripping woman body.
This unusual existence that broke into their territory, with an aura that was not of this world, made the Skaven uneasy.
During this confrontation, Moon Rabbit held the light-invisible agent tightly in her left hand, and her star breath gun in her right hand. This weapon full of magical power shimmered with starlight in the dim light.
Facing 3,000+ Skaven, she knew that even a regular elite team composed of ten second-stage thaumaturges would be unable to cope with such a force.
Faced with such overwhelming power, she felt deeply fearful.
And...
The Moon Rabbit's eyes gradually focused on the front - the Skaven leader who looked different.
He stood before the pack of rats, significantly taller than the average Skaven, reaching 4 feet.
His dark black fur is dotted with dark red spots, and his green eyes sparkle with a cunning and ferocious light, as if he can understand every thought of his enemy.
His front teeth were slightly exposed outside his mouth, adding a hint of hoarseness to his words, making him look even more terrifying.
The special black metal light armor worn by the leader of the Skaven shines coldly in the dim environment, and the staff in his hand is inlaid with strange gems. It is not only a symbol of power, but also reveals His unfathomable magical power.
"New face?" The Skaven leader said to the Moon Rabbit in his half-baked Terran Common Tongue full of accents.
While speaking, he raised his hand to signal the rats around him to put down their weapons.
The rat people put down their weapons at the leader's signal, but they still stared at the Moon Rabbit with vicious eyes.
"Hey, rabbit over there, what are you doing here?" Shadow Fang Scrik held the law of the cane and walked up to the Moon Rabbit.
The pungent smell coming from the opponent's body made the Moon Rabbit behind the mask couldn't help but frown, but she knew that she couldn't have stage fright at this moment, so she looked at the rat leader with a calm and cold gaze, and answered concisely. Road:
“Purchase goods.”
There are too many mistakes, so her answers will be as brief as possible.
“Incoming goods?”
The rat leader Skrik was obviously surprised by her answer. His expression changed from surprise to a sinister smile, which contained contempt and provocation.
“Hey, Rabbit. I didn’t receive any notification from the Four Liquid Instructors and the potion researchers. They didn’t tell me that the secret sect had another secular communicator.”
< br>"I got the information from Scratch Dirty Claw." The Moon Rabbit replied calmly.
"Scratch Dirtypaw?" The ratman leader recalled the wretched businessman with evil eyebrows and goblin eyes. "That greedy and cunning goblin businessman? He told you the news? Why?"
" According to what our boss said, we gave him an offer he couldn't refuse." Bright Moon Rabbit replied again, knowingly or unknowingly revealing her background to the Skaven in front of her.
“An offer that cannot be refused.” The rat leader muttered these words unconsciously.
He always felt that this sentence was full of strange magic.
"You will never see that goblin businessman again. He left Hell's Kitchen and the world with very generous terms. I will be your new contact from now on."
The Moon Rabbit started to talk nonsense, and now she needed to stabilize the Skaven leader in front of her.
“Anyway, you have lost a communicator, and I happened to be a replacement. For you, I am better than that trash Scratch Dirty Claw, and my appetite and sales channels are better than him. ."
"Oh." The rat leader became interested.
He glanced at the rabbit ears on the Moon Rabbit's head, and then felt relieved.
Not human. Shadow Fang Scrik concluded in his heart.
Yes, the way he summarized it was so straightforward and unintelligent.
As Skaven, even if they are the leader, they are not necessarily very smart - this is the culture of Skaven.
A large number of warlord clans constitute the main body of ratman society. At its peak, a warlord clan has thousands of tribesmen and numerous strongholds scattered throughout the country.
I don’t know how many clans live in Terra or even in the worlds, but I am sure there are hundreds, possibly thousands, of clans. Powerful warlord clans are always actively seeking out and destroying smaller clans, absorbing each other's warriors or slaves, and even simply using them to satisfy their hungry stomachs.
There is no family or friendship in the warlord clan, only superior-subordinate relationships.
This is a rat-eat-rat society, and the weak are often killed or devoured.
Most rat people have relatively short lifespans. If they want to gain power and status, they must fight early, so they are obsessed with short-term investments that just take it as long as they are good, regardless of interpersonal relationships or making money.
They use false touts and promises to build their increasingly complex network of relationships, chasing any "opportunities" that arise for illusory wealth and questionable transactions.
Shadow Tooth Skrik was born into a small clan - the Dark Claw Clan.
The clan is renowned for its mastery of poisons and bioengineering.
Skrik has shown a talent for poison and chaos magic since he was a child. His thirst for power and worship of shadows have led to his rapid rise in Skaven society.
Once upon a time, Scrik was just an ordinary member of the Dark Claw clan, but his thirst for power and pursuit of success far exceeded those of his peers.
Through a series of assassinations, betrayals, and scheming, Scrik gradually climbed to the top of the Skaven's dark world.
He expanded his sphere of influence at all costs, reaching out to every corner of Whisper Alley, and eventually became the absolute controller of the supply point.
His ambition is not just to become the leader of a clan, but to control the entire Whisper Alley and even the wider underground world.
He still has an enemy now, that is another rat family, they are not Skaven.
Rather, they come from the Golden Court and the Werewolf family on the border - Werewolf can transform between full human form, full rat form, and a half-human, half-rat hybrid form. This ability gives them great flexibility in performing a variety of tasks, and makes them loathed by the Skaven.
Currently, the convenient ability of the Werewolf family accounts for two-thirds of the market share of secret medicines in Whisper Alley. The Skaven, whose market share is less than one-third, can only look at it with helplessness. Looking at the back of the Werewolf Man, even with the banner of "Buy one, get one free", it is difficult to attract attention.
Faced with this situation, the top leaders of the Skaven decided to make a change - a bold, almost crazy decision: sales must increase by 200% this year!
This goal caused a burst of laughter in Whisper Alley. After all, this was an almost impossible task.
But the leaders of the Skaven don't seem to care whether this is impossible. Their slogan is:
Don't care whether it is impossible, we are going to do it anyway!
One day equals 20 years, 200% is just around the corner!
Werewolf people are garbage!
Therefore, facing the big customer who boasts a huge appetite, Shadow Tooth Sk couldn't help but said greedily:
"How big is your appetite? 200 kilograms of hallucination mist ? Or 100 tubes of Black Bile Essence and Black Bile Sorrow? 20 tubes of Blood Wrath and Mucus Illusion?”
The Moon Rabbit silently listened to Scrik’s words. Some of the medicines were currently circulating in Hell's Kitchen, and some were ones she had never heard of.
Just like hallucination fog, which is a fine powder that burns to produce smoke that can cause hallucinations.
Those who inhale this smoke will experience a soul journey, which is said to allow the user to face and purify their inner fears and desires. However, this stuff is extremely addictive, and many ordinary people in Hell's Kitchen have lost their lives because of taking this stuff.
Black bile essence is a concentrated black liquid that is said to be able to violently purify black bile in the body and trigger a strong vomiting reaction. The user undergoes an excruciating process of purification, followed by spiritual clarity and awakening - the user's skin gradually becomes pale and develops dark spots, and their eyes lose their sparkle.
"I need to inspect the goods. If the quality is acceptable, I will pay a deposit first and purchase in large quantities." The Moon Rabbit's voice was as cold as ice, and there was no emotion in her words. fluctuations.
Hearing this, the Skaven leader couldn't help but show a smile that he thought was harmonious, but was actually a ferocious smile. He turned around and yelled at the smelly Skaven nearby:
< br>“Didn’t I hear that the distinguished customer wants to inspect the goods!!!”
哐哐丁丁——
The leader's order was like a chaos bomb, immediately causing panic among the Skaven crowd. They were in a mess for a while, and the crackling sounds were endless, but soon, in the chaos, a group of Skaven began to move in an orderly manner. They took various goods and trotted to the leader and In front of the Moon Rabbit.
"This is the product you want, don't worry, we are conscientious merchants and never sell fake products." After saying that, the rat leader raised his staff and waved it hard, an ancient and simple iron brazier Floating in front of him.
Crash——
With a tap of the staff, flames began to burn on the brazier.
What is burning in the brazier is not an ordinary flame, but a special blue flame. It emits a faint and mysterious light, illuminating Scrik's cunning face.
"I can inspect the goods for you right now."
The ratman leader held a small bag of hallucination mist powder in his hand. He opened the bag roughly and poured out 1 gram of hallucination mist powder. Into the brazier.
The moment the powder comes into contact with the blue flame, it immediately turns into a dazzling smoke that rises slowly. The smoke has a strange aroma, a mixture of unknown herbs and the abyss, which is irresistible.
“Come here!”
Skerrick grabbed the rat head of the Skaven closest to him, and before the other party could react, the other party was pushed onto the brazier. .
The poor Skaven was forced to open his sharp teeth, and after just one puff, he began to greedily continue sucking up the rising smoke.
With each inhalation of smoke, his green eyes began to become blurry, and the twisted dance of smoke reflected in his pupils.
His body gradually relaxed, his limbs seemed to no longer belong to him, and his entire existence began to drift away, as if he had escaped the shackles of the real world.
The surrounding sounds and colors began to become distorted and wonderful, and Shushu felt that he was slowly ascending into a world full of illusions and miracles.
In this world, he is no longer a dispensable Skaven, but a being who freely shuttles among infinite possibilities.
There is no clan society where rats eat rats, there is no endless work, and there is no irritable clan leader. He has a beautiful little nest and a beautiful Skaven family...
He saw it Strange sights, unknown melodies heard, and unprecedented feelings experienced.
The Skaven who drank the fog of illusion were completely immersed in their own mental illusions, unaware of everything in the outside world.
Everything was so beautiful, until he saw a sun, getting closer and closer to the ground.
touch——
Like exploding watermelon juice, the Skaven who had taken an overdose of the fog of illusion were blasted with a fireball from the clan leader's head.
“Hoo~”
Skerk blew out the white smoke on the staff, then looked at the other fearful Skaven, and then he directly followed his finger He pointed at the four rat men who were dressed in rags and had been working hard at jobs that could be replaced at will.
"Chief, we have been working..."
"Come here!" Scrik yelled violently and unusually.
He doesn't like rebellious slaves, and his strength is undeniable!
Strength created the first generation of slaves, and the cowardice of the slaves made them slaves for life.
Four poor, honest Skaven came to the Skaven leader and received four tubes of reagents respectively.
Every Skaven here bears the tragic screw-like social division of labor that can be replaced at will.
The first Skaven, he is a frontline warrior.
In the Skaven army, he is cannon fodder for the charge, a life that can be sacrificed at will on the battlefield. Although he showed extraordinary bravery in battle, in the cold eyes of the Skaven leader, he was just a consumable in the war machine.
After being injected with blood rage, his skin gradually turned an unnatural red light, and his eyes burned with the desire to fight.
He was pacing back and forth, growling, as if the beast in his heart was about to break through its shackles.
His movements became more rapid and he rushed towards the leader.
Then, he was beaten into a hornet's nest by other indifferent Skaven around him.
The second Skaven, scout and intelligence gatherer.
He was once forced to sneak into hostile territory, collect intelligence, and live in constant risk and fear. Although his job is critical, his safety and well-being are easily ignored in the wider Skaven society, and he may be abandoned at any time due to a failed mission.
After receiving the injection of Yellow Bile Terror, his body began to tremble, and his eyes were filled with deep fear and uneasiness. The shadows around him turned into terrifying monsters in his eyes, and every sound made him scream in terror. He tried to hide, squeezing into the darkest corner, holding his head tightly with his hands, mumbling incomprehensible words, completely dominated by fear.
The third Skaven, makers of machinery and weapons.
He toils in the Skaven weapons workshop, crafting tools for warfare and assassination. Despite his mastery of skills, he is little more than a cog on the production line in the Skaven social system, his creativity and personality gradually being worn away in repetitive and monotonous work.
After being injected with the Secret Potion of Black Bile, the Skaven became extremely silent. He sat on the ground, hugging his knees, with empty eyes. Everything around him seemed to have nothing to do with him, and his expression revealed deep melancholy and loss. From time to time, he would make a low whimpering sound, as if he was recalling some sad past events, and his entire being was wrapped in deep sorrow.
The fourth Skaven, healer of wounds and diseases.
In Skaven society, he is responsible for treating the injuries and illnesses of his kind. Although he has the ability to save lives, in the constant war and conspiracy, his work is often taken for granted, and he himself He is just a character who can be replaced at any time, and his efforts and sacrifices are often unknown.
The last Skaven who was injected with the illusion of mucus, his behavior became extremely slow and calm, as if he had entered another time dimension. His eyes became blurred, a smile appeared on his lips, and he danced, as if he had seen a wonderful sight that only he could see. His skin gradually became transparent and shone with blue light, as if he was drowned in a sea of illusions, far away from the pain and suffering of the real world.
“I think I am a master, but I am more like a slave.”
Staring at this absurd scene, the Moon Rabbit could not help but feel a chill in his heart.
(End of this chapter)