Chapter 39 – Feast of the Forgotten
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Into the Depths
The temple stretched further than expected. Hallways crumbled into endless corridors, the air thick with a lingering hunger. Every step echoed as if the walls themselves were alive, listening.
> "So, out of curiosity, does anyone else feel like this place is intentionally trying to mess with us?" EchoStar mused.
Luo Fan smirked. "You think it has a personality?"
> "If it does, it's that of a starving ghost waiting for an idiot to step into its mouth."
Shen Mu shot them a glare. "This isn't a joke. We barely survived the last creature, and you're acting like this is a game."
Luo Fan shrugged. "I mean, technically—"
> "Boss, don't."
Shen Mu exhaled sharply. "I swear, if you say 'everything is content,' I'm leaving you here."
Luo Fan grinned. "Alright, alright. Let's focus."
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A Table Set for the Dead
As they entered the next chamber, they froze.
A massive stone table sat in the center, covered in ancient plates and goblets, all filled with… something. The food was perfectly preserved, steaming as if freshly served. Yet the smell was wrong—sweet and metallic, laced with decay.
> "Oh, fantastic. A cursed dinner party."
Shen Mu paled. "Don't touch anything."
Luo Fan narrowed his eyes. The carvings on the table were similar to the sealing array from before, but these felt… reversed.
Instead of sealing, they were offering.
> "So, uh… what's the bet that this is some kind of sacrifice table?" EchoStar muttered.
Luo Fan crouched down, tracing his fingers over the runes.
Suddenly—
The table moved.
The plates trembled. The food rotted instantly, blackening into dust. A deep, guttural growl filled the air.
From the shadows, something stirred.
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The Unseen Feaster
The temperature plummeted. A dense, oppressive force weighed down on them.
Then—
A voice.
"You… hunger as well."
Luo Fan's breath hitched. The words didn't come from any direction—they came from everywhere.
Shen Mu gripped her sword. "Show yourself."
Laughter. A choking sound, like something trying to speak through a mouth that no longer existed.
> "Yeah, I hate this. This is officially a bad time." EchoStar hissed.
Luo Fan exhaled slowly. "Who are you?"
The shadows twisted. The air behind the table shimmered, revealing—
A figure.
No, not a figure. A presence.
It had no defined form—only writhing darkness in the vague shape of something once human. Its face was a blank slate, shifting like ink in water.
"You carry the Devourer's breath."
Luo Fan's fingers twitched. He could feel it—this thing wasn't just a creature. It was part of the same hunger that had nearly consumed him before.
It wasn't trapped here.
It had waited.
For him.
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A Dangerous Invitation
"Eat." The entity gestured at the table.
Shen Mu tensed. "Don't."
Luo Fan didn't move. "Why?"
The entity tilted its head.
"You wish to grow. To understand. The Devourer consumes. But those who feast without knowledge…"
Its form rippled, flickering in and out of focus.
"Become what they eat."
Luo Fan's grip tightened. He understood. This was a trial. A choice.
Absorb this energy—risk corruption.
Reject it—possibly lose a chance to grow stronger.
> "Okay, Boss, I know you love risky decisions, but maybe let's not eat the haunted ghost dinner?"
Shen Mu's voice was cold. "He's testing you. Refuse."
But Luo Fan hesitated.
Because…
Deep inside, the void within him ached.
The hunger was real.
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A Test of Will
Luo Fan exhaled. Then—
He reached out.
Shen Mu cursed. "Luo Fan—!"
The moment his fingers brushed the table, the entire chamber exploded in movement.
The darkness howled, rushing toward him in waves.
> "Oh GREAT, you triggered the horror event!" EchoStar shrieked.
Luo Fan clenched his teeth. He had made his choice.
Now he had to prove—
That he could consume without being consumed.
The void surged within him. The energy of the feast clawed at his soul, trying to pull him in.
But Luo Fan didn't let go.
Instead—
He pulled harder.
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Breaking the Cycle
The force that tried to swallow him—he devoured it back.
The darkness reeled. The entity's laughter turned into a scream.
The chamber shattered.
Luo Fan gasped as the illusion broke, revealing—
Nothing.
The grand feast was gone. The entity was gone.
Only bones remained, scattered across the floor.
Shen Mu gritted her teeth. "You idiot."
> "Okay, but, like—what did you just eat?"
Luo Fan checked his hand. His veins pulsed with a new energy.
Devouring Echo Upgraded – [Feast of Echoes] Unlocked.
A slow smile spread across his face.
"Well. That worked."
Shen Mu groaned. "You're impossible."
> "And now we have a skill that literally has 'Feast' in the name. I hate everything about this."
Luo Fan chuckled. "Onward, then?"
Shen Mu shot him a glare, but followed.
Because whatever was waiting in the next chamber—
He'd be ready.
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[Chapter End.]