Chapter 45 Ghost Fire
The guns in the world of Vales are not driven by gunpowder. The core components of the gun are a pair of parallel guide rails and an enchanted power supply device. The power supply device usually has a constant 1-ring arcane "electric claw". After starting, a high-voltage current is activated immediately, so that the energized guide rail and the bullet form a closed loop, and the electromagnetic repulsion generated in the guide rail is used to push the bullet. It is said that the impact force is far stronger than that of ordinary crossbows, and it is said that it can easily penetrate a skinned wooden shield a hundred steps away.
The structure of the firearm is simple, and the manufacturing cost is not low. In order to ensure the initial velocity of the metal projectile, the guide rail must be cast with a special magic crystal alloy. In order to maintain the continuous power supply of the excitation device, the magic crystal must be added during the enchanting process. What's more terrible is that the magic crystal is constantly worn out during the use of the gun , if the magic crystal is not replenished in time, the firearm will become a fire stick. Magic crystals account for no less than 70% of the total cost of firearms. Expensive magic crystals lead to high cost of firearms, which prevents this new type of weapon from being popularized, at least in the short term. Inexpensive traditional crossbow.
...
Sissi and Jerry, the siblings, originally lived in the "Unfrozen Lake" in the forest on the upper reaches of the Delin River.
The so-called "unfrozen lake" by the fairies is actually a big hot spring, about 40 miles away from Delin Town on a mountain road.
Under the guidance of Nick and his younger brother, Joan and his party rode along the Delin River Valley. The deeper the valley was, the denser the vegetation on both sides of the river became, and the road became rough. Sometimes, they had to dismount and walk. The sword cuts through the thorns and vines that block the way.
The group set off in the morning and did not reach their destination until the sun went down. The sky was getting darker, and Flint Anvil's face became more and more serious. He said to Joan, who was riding side by side, "Even if we arrived at the lake, it would already be dark. We dwarves have dark vision. It doesn't matter, you, Conti, and Brother Tyndale don't have night vision capabilities, so it's best not to clash with ghouls at night... Let's find a safe place to camp near the ice-free lake, and wait until dawn before doing anything. Not too late."
Joan nodded, fully agreeing with the old dwarf's judgment. Most undead creatures like ghouls also have dark vision. The night does not hinder their vision, but provides a layer of cover. In order not to fall into a passive position, it is undoubtedly a safer approach to deal with the group of water ghosts when the light is sufficient tomorrow.
According to the information provided by Sissy and Jerry, this place is very close to the Unfrozen Lake. Continuing forward is likely to alarm the water ghosts entrenched by the lake, so Flint decided to camp nearby. It is best to set up the camp in an open area away from the river beach and dense forest, so as to prevent the water ghosts from sneaking into the camp along the river or under the cover of the dense forest. Launch a sneak attack.
Everyone got off their horses one after another to move their stiff hands and feet and relieve the fatigue caused by long-distance riding. While looking for a campsite, Qiao An accidentally noticed a faint fire flickering in the forest ahead, and couldn't help being stunned for a moment.
At this time, Tom also noticed the light in the forest, which looked like an orange lantern from a distance, and shouted excitedly.
"Look, everyone, there are lights ahead, maybe we don't have to sleep out tonight!"
"It looks like the lights of people in the mountains. We can go there to lodge and inquire about the water ghost by the way." Dick said.
"Wait a minute! Don't you think it's strange? How could there be someone living in this barren mountain and wild forest, and besides, there is a nest of water ghosts nearby. Isn't this family afraid at all?" Roger asked cautiously.
"Roger is right, that group of lights looks suspicious, we'd better be careful." Joan had a faint sense of foreboding.
"If the light is not the lights of people in the mountains, could it be the campfire of travelers?" Conti made another guess.
"I'm afraid it's not a campfire." The old dwarf stroked his long beard with a serious expression, "I've lived a hundred and fifty years, but I've never seen a campfire that can move."
As Flint said, the orange-red fire was floating in the forest, and as time went by, it continued to approach the area where everyone camped.
The half-breed winter wolf's perception was the keenest, sensing the evil spirit contained in the firelight, it immediately roared.
Joan squatted down and patted Jamie's back to calm it down, and then told his companion: "Jamie has sensed the evil aura of the undead. If I guess correctly, the light is probably a will-o'-the-wisp formed by the gathering of resentful spirits."
Hearing the word "wild fire", everyone including Flint couldn't help but change their faces. Will-o'-the-wisps are a general term for a class of incorporeal undead, mostly formed by the negative energy pollution of the souls of those who died unexpectedly. They often haunt battlefields or wilderness where bandits are rampant, wandering around with strong resentment towards the living, spreading fear and despair. The souls of creatures killed by will-o'-the-wisps are also polluted by negative energy and merged into the will-o'-the-wisps. The more wraiths absorbed by the will-o'-the-wisp, it is like adding more firewood to the bonfire, and its power will become stronger.
The will-o'-the-wisp that was approaching Qiao An and the others looked as big as a washbasin, and it had absorbed the souls of many innocent dead.
"The will-o'-the-wisp... Maybe it's a scout sent by the water ghosts." Flint stroked his beard and said.
Dick flashed his tomahawk and said loudly, "It doesn't matter if it's a will-o'-the-wisp or a ghost fire. If it's not a good thing, then you're welcome to chop it off with an axe!"
"Don't go there, let me come!" Roger quickly stopped his impulsive and reckless brother, took off the shotgun behind his backhand, reloaded the bullet skillfully, and raised the gun to aim.
"Can you hit it?" Dick looked at his brother with concern.
"It's hard to miss such a conspicuous target."
The corners of Roger's lips curled up in a confident arc, and with the help of the front sight, he locked on the fluttering will-o'-the-wisp, and calmly pulled the trigger. A flashing electric arc spewed out from the muzzle, and the buckshot whizzed out of the barrel, hitting the will-o'-the-wisp a hundred feet away.
The moment he was shot, the will-o'-the-wisp trembled slightly, and then disappeared out of thin air, and the light in the forest immediately dimmed.
Tom held the torch high and looked around blankly. "Did the will-o'-the-wisp go out after being hit by a shotgun?"
"Roger be careful!" Dick suddenly pushed his brother away. At the same time, a ball of orange-red flame suddenly emerged from the place where Roger was standing.
"Go to hell, monster!"
The fierce Dick raised his tomahawk and slashed at the will-o'-the-wisp. The sharp ax blade cut through the will-o'-the-wisp without encountering the slightest obstacle, as if cutting through a cloud of nothingness, and slammed heavily on the gravel-covered ground, splashing dazzling sparks.
Dick slashed through the air with an axe, and staggered forward under the influence of inertia. The will-o'-the-wisp hit him, and the moment the two sides collided, a strong electric current burst out from inside the will-o'-the-wisp, lashing Dick like a flashing whip, knocking the strong boy down to the ground, trembling and paralyzed.
The will-o'-the-wisp floated towards Dick, who was lying on the ground, as if to give him a fatal blow and absorb his soul.
At this moment, a big hand made of condensed magic power flew across the sky, and slapped the will-o'-the-wisp away from Dick with a heavy slap!
PS. The alloy used to make the electromagnetic rails of magic crystal guns has superconducting properties at room temperature.
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