End of Days Game: I'm the Only One Who Can See the Hidden Cues

Chapter 266: The Soulless Ones

After confirming that the hidden entities around them did not exhibit any overt hostility, Jeremy took a step forward and spoke in a voice that was slightly louder than necessary.

"We bear you no ill will. We have no desire to harm you, and I sincerely hope that you do not harbor any hostility towards us either. If you are willing to provide us with some valuable information, we would be more than happy to offer you appropriate rewards in return."

Upon concluding his statement, Jeremy deliberately retrieved several energy gemstones and soul crystals from his pocket.

The moment the energy gemstones and soul crystals were produced, both Jeremy and Ritchie could sense a peculiar surge of energy fluctuations emanating from the surrounding area.

Ritchie appeared somewhat tense, lowering his voice as he posed a question to Jeremy.

"What should we do now? The energy gemstones and soul crystals you displayed seem to have provoked them."

Jeremy did not share Ritchie's anxiety, he felt that it was still unwise to take any immediate action.

After all, they had yet to ascertain whether the surrounding entities truly harbored any hostility.

Just as Jeremy hesitated, he suddenly noticed several humanoid figures materializing not far from him.

These apparitions floated toward Jeremy, extending their fingers toward the energy gemstones and soul crystals he held.

Understanding their intent, Jeremy promptly responded.

"If you are willing to provide us with information, we can offer you these energy gemstones and soul crystals in exchange."

Upon finishing his sentence, the closest humanoid figure spoke in a raspy and ethereal voice.

"What type of information do you seek? You may ask us questions, but for each question answered, you must provide us with one energy gemstone or soul crystal."

As soon as the figure finished speaking, Jeremy replied without hesitation, "No questions are off the table!"

He then raised an energy gemstone in front of the nearest humanoid figure.

"My first question is: who are you? Why are you here?"

"We are the Soulless Ones, and we find ourselves here because we have been exiled to this place." the nearest humanoid figure replied without delay.

Jeremy immediately tossed the energy gemstone to the entity.

Upon receiving the gemstone, the figure swiftly became transparent and vanished from Jeremy's sight.

"It seems that each Soulless One will answer only one question. However, given the abundance of Soulless Ones here, we should be able to gather ample information."

Jeremy quickly made a judgment and conveyed his thoughts to Ritchie.

Ritchie nodded in acknowledgment.

While Jeremy was engaged in a transaction with the Soulless One, Ritchie remained vigilant, carefully observing their surroundings.

He certainly did not want Jeremy to fall victim to an enemy ambush.

Jeremy addressed the second Soulless One that approached him, asking, "What is the current location we find ourselves in? Is it part of the Tower of Exile?"

"You are currently beneath the Dark River, this area does not belong to the Tower of Exile, and it is situated quite a distance away from it." the Soulless One replied.

From this response, Jeremy gleaned the name of the place known as the Dark River.

He could deduce that the water sounds he and Ritchie had previously heard must have originated from the Dark River above them.

After handing over another energy gemstone to the Soulless One, another figure promptly materialized in front of Jeremy.

"What is the precise location of the Dark River? If you cannot answer that, you may also indicate what areas surround the Dark River."

The Soulless One before Jeremy appeared to hesitate in response to the question posed.

Noticing the hesitation, Jeremy unhesitatingly produced another energy gemstone.

"If you are willing to answer my question, I can offer you two energy gemstones in return."

After a moment of deliberation regarding the reward offered by Jeremy, the Soulless One slowly began to respond.

"The Dark River is only connected to two areas, if you choose to go upward, you will directly enter the Dark River. If you choose to go downward, you will find yourself in the Giant's Graveyard."

Upon receiving this answer, Jeremy promptly handed over the two energy gemstones to the entity.

Of course, Jeremy could have pressed for further information regarding the Dark River and the Giant's Graveyard.

However, he sensed that if he were to pose such inquiries, the Soulless One would likely become quite irate.

This was due to their initial agreement that each Soulless One would only respond to a limited number of questions.

Taking a deep breath, Jeremy resolved to directly ask the next Soulless One for information related to the Dark River and the Giant's Graveyard.

Yet, before he could even open his mouth to inquire, the Soulless One before him spoke up.

"I know what you are about to ask. I can answer your questions, but I do not desire energy gemstones, what I seek are soul crystals instead."

Jeremy did not hesitate at the request presented by the entity.

Jeremy nodded in agreement and stated,

"As long as you are able to answer my questions, I am willing to provide you with either energy gemstones or soul crystals."

The Soulless One acknowledged with a nod, saying, "Very well, you may now ask the questions you wish to pose."

"My question pertains to the characteristics of the Dark River and the Giant's Graveyard. Will we encounter any dangers upon entering these two areas?"

"The Dark River possesses no distinctive features, anything that enters the Dark River remains trapped within it. Even those endowed with divine powers cannot escape its grasp.

The Giant's Graveyard is a burial site for giants. It is filled with enormous coffins, and I have heard that some giants were interred there while still alive.

Therefore, should you choose to enter the Giant's Graveyard, you must be wary of the attacks from those giants who are not yet fully deceased."

After receiving this information, Jeremy promptly offered the entity two soul crystals.

"I have another question I would like to ask: has any Soulless One ventured into the Giant's Graveyard?"

The Soulless One hesitated for a moment before ultimately providing a response.

"We do not know the answer to that question. This is because all Soulless Ones have lost the majority of their memories. The information we have shared with you is merely what we have gathered since arriving beneath the Dark River."

Jeremy nodded in understanding and casually handed over the two soul crystals to the entity.

Subsequently, Jeremy engaged in transactions with several more Soulless Ones.

However, he did not receive any significantly more useful information from them.

This implies that Jeremy and Ritchie must continue their journey, they are headed toward the Giant's Graveyard as mentioned by the Soulless One.

"From the information we have gathered, it can be inferred that our only path forward leads to the Giant's Graveyard. Anything that enters the Dark River will be eternally bound within its depths.

While we could dismiss the intelligence provided by these Soulless Ones, their very name suggests that the Dark River is considerably more perilous than the Giant's Graveyard."

Jeremy articulated his thoughts to Ritchie.

Ritchie nodded in agreement.

"I believe you are correct, the Dark River is likely far more dangerous than the Giant's Graveyard. After donning the Ravager's Gloves, I can sense a powerful shadow energy emanating continuously from above us."

"I believe that this formidable shadow energy is likely the very power possessed by the Dark River. Such potent shadow forces are certainly capable of binding any existence.

Therefore, we should hasten our journey to the Giant's Graveyard. Perhaps we might encounter some giants who have not yet fully perished. They should be able to provide us with valuable information!"

Ritchie contributed additional insights.

His information corroborated the intelligence provided by the Soulless Ones.

This further reinforced Jeremy's confidence in the validity of his judgment.

"Very well! Let us set off at once! According to the information given by the Soulless Ones, we need only continue downward through the cave.

We must avoid any upward paths, every branching point must lead us downhill. Only in this manner can we reach the Giant's Graveyard."

Before departing, Jeremy left behind some energy gemstones for the Soulless Ones once more.

In Jeremy's perspective, these Soulless Ones bore him no ill will and had been immensely helpful to him.

Providing them with more energy gemstones could enhance their goodwill towards him even further.

"If they were to encounter danger in the future, the Soulless Ones might indeed provide them with some assistance."

After bidding farewell to the Soulless Ones, Jeremy and Ritchie swiftly advanced through the dimly lit cave.

As they progressed, they encountered numerous forked paths, each presenting two distinct choices. One option led upward, while the other descended downward.

After approximately an hour of navigating through the cave, Ritchie and Jeremy finally arrived before a massive bronze door.

This enormous bronze door was intricately carved with the likeness of a cyclops.

Upon seeing this grand door, both of them realized that beyond it lay the Giant's Graveyard.

"It seems that the information provided by the Soulless Ones is indeed accurate. We should proceed to enter the Giant's Graveyard next!"

Jeremy took a deep breath and spoke to Ritchie.

He felt a slight twinge of anxiety, as he sensed a formidable presence lurking behind the bronze door.