Chapter 61: The UMA in the Bone Slurry

Lin Jie's furious shout shattered the formation their team had carefully established.As he desperately shoved the scholar Julian beside him toward safety, Sergeant William's combat instincts exploded into action like a leopard's.

The veteran didn't hesitate for even a moment, not even bothering to look up to identify the threat's source before his body was already rolling sideways. In those few seconds between rolling and standing, his Winchester rifle completed the entire tactical sequence of raising, chambering, and aiming—movements ordinary people could never accomplish.

The ceiling above them, constructed entirely from stark white bones, was currently "liquefying" in a nauseating manner.

The skulls and leg bones accumulated over centuries were melting like candles thrown into a furnace, transforming into puddles of grayish-white, viscous fluid resembling bone pulp, then gathering together and dripping down from the ceiling.

Immediately after, a blurred, semi-transparent, distorted figure seemingly composed of smoke and phosphorescence separated from that pool of "melting" bone pulp!

It had no fixed form, appearing like a swirling gray phantom wrapped around a human outline, but one could vaguely distinguish that it possessed elongated, deformed wings resembling a bird's, along with a disproportionately massive head.

On its blurred face, there were no other features—only a huge mouthpart that continuously emitted silent screams.

This was the "Soul Shepherd" of this death realm that used beautiful songs to lure its prey!

The UMA's target was crystal clear—it completely ignored William, who posed the greatest threat, and disregarded Julian who had just escaped, instead locking all its malice onto Lin Jie, who appeared the most vulnerable in their team but whose mental energy had the most distinctive "flavor"!

Phosphorescent forearms suddenly elongated, striking toward Lin Jie's heart at speeds barely perceptible to human vision!

This attack carried the surprise element and supernatural eeriness unique to paranormal creatures—any ordinary investigator would have been doomed.

However, the Cursebreaker Vambrace on Lin Jie's left arm, constructed from Chaos Brass, while unable to directly interfere with this energy-like UMA...

The passive force field contained within it, originating from Gremlins and representing "chaos" and "destruction," instantly created violent repulsion against the malicious aura filled with "mental pollution" emanating from the UMA.

An invisible repulsion field erupted before Lin Jie!

The UMA's seemingly certain lethal strike was actually blocked mid-air by this sudden repulsive force for a brief moment.

Phosphorescent claws made screeching sounds like nails scraping frosted glass less than three centimeters from Lin Jie's chest, but couldn't advance any further!

This priceless pause, lasting less than half a second, created a perfect shooting window for Sergeant William that could reverse life and death.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

William's Winchester rifle roared with fiery tongues!

Three "purification" bullets mixed with silver powder and consecrated oil formed a perfect equilateral triangle, completely sealing all possible evasion routes for the UMA!

The UMA clearly hadn't anticipated this mortal veteran possessing such terrifying marksmanship.

Its special constitution that could merge with walls and immune to most physical attacks finally tasted painful consequences when facing these alchemical ammunition specifically designed for "spiritual entities"!

Three bullets accurately pierced into its smoke-like body.

These weren't the dull thuds of piercing flesh.

"Zzzzt—" Accompanied by intense sizzling sounds, the UMA's body instantly disintegrated in a large section!

It emitted a scream devoid of any "beauty," containing only pure agony, then retracted and unreasonably merged into the adjacent bone wall, leaving no trace behind.

A heart-pounding encounter had begun in an extremely abrupt manner and ended in an equally bizarre fashion.

The shrine chamber returned to silence, now only marked by three bullet holes on the wall from the alchemical rounds that still emitted faint silver glow, along with the lingering ozone-like scorched smell in the air.

"That UMA! It's the 'Catacomb Nightingale'!" Julian leaned against the wall, his face deathly pale as he stood up, his scholarly elegance completely shattered by the death threat that had been so close.

"That was close." Sergeant William also had sweat beading on his forehead as he rapidly reloaded his scorching rifle, vigilantly scanning every inch of the surrounding walls.

"That thing is extremely cunning—strikes once and immediately flees if unsuccessful, showing no desire to engage us in prolonged combat."

Meanwhile, Lin Jie was supporting his left arm while gasping for breath. Although the passive "field repulsion" from the Cursebreaker Vambrace had saved his life, it had also drained the strength from his arm.

He could feel the "chaos" spirituality within the vambrace engaging in a small-scale "neutralization" and "annihilation" with the "mental pollution" aura left by the Catacomb Nightingale, causing waves of soreness and stinging pain in his arm.

"No... it's still nearby." Lin Jie raised his head, his slightly reddened eyes locking onto the chamber's only narrow exit.

"It didn't leave. It's 'observing' us, waiting for us to show an opening."

At that moment, beautiful singing drifted from the dark exit passage.

The song matched Julian's earlier description—it had no lyrics, only a melodious melody.

"Cover your ears quickly!" Julian's expression changed dramatically as he shouted.

Based on his previous research of similar documents, this type of sonic attack could be effectively defended against simply by blocking hearing.

But he was mistaken. Unlike the Sirens legend where sailors plugged their ears with wax...

This melody seemed to possess its own life, effortlessly bypassing your reason and vigilance to directly resonate within your soul with the voice you most longed to hear in this lifetime.

Even with his ears covered, Lin Jie still "heard" it—he heard the voice of his mother from his previous life, who had died long ago in a car accident, calling his childhood name with the gentle tone he remembered most fondly, urging him to "come home."

An overwhelming impulse to rush toward that voice instantly flooded his mind!

Beside him, Julian had already lost focus in his eyes, a mesmerized, blissful smile spreading across his face as he murmured a woman's name, his feet uncontrollably shuffling toward that lethal darkness.

Only the iron-willed veteran William could barely maintain clarity, but his face also showed intense internal struggle!

Clenching his jaw tightly, his entire body trembled violently from resisting the mental temptation, veins bulging on his forehead as he endured immense pressure!

"Serene Heart!" Lin Jie desperately screamed in his mind at the final moment before his will completely collapsed!

Using his last ounce of strength, he drew the revolver from his waist equipped with the "Guardian Scale" and "deep-sea hearing bone"!

"Hum—"

A powerful mental force field blending the tranquility of "zen" and the resilience of "protection" erupted from the firearm!

The deadly "heavenly singing" haunting their minds was forcibly neutralized by this purer, more resilient power!

Both Lin Jie and William simultaneously broke free from the terrifying mental control.

Lin Jie immediately rushed forward and delivered a sharp slap to Julian, who was nearly entering the passage!

"Smack!" The crisp sound snapped the scholar, who had almost been taken away by "his first love's whispers," back to awareness!

"It was her singing..." After regaining clarity, Julian's face showed a trace of lingering fear.