Free Web NovelChapter 33: Chapter 33: The Fog Bone Commander
The Fog Bone Commander stepped through the mist with the calmness of something that remembered war.
Unlike the wolves or ordinary soldiers, it did not rush at the camp immediately. It stood outside the lantern barrier, its rusted spear lowered, blue fire burning inside its ribcage. Behind it, six Fog Bone Soldiers formed a rough line. More wolves moved in the mist, circling the walls.
Qin Yuheng’s eyes narrowed.
This was not a simple wave.
It was a coordinated assault.
The panel appeared.
[Fog Bone Commander]
[Level: 13]
[Type: Elite commander creature]
[Abilities: Bone Spear Technique, Fog Command, Lantern Suppression]
[Weakness: Chest flame core, skull flame, command link disruption]
[Danger: High]
Level 13.
Stronger than any enemy they had fought on Floor 2 so far.
Qin Mo leaned closer to the central fire.
"Lantern Suppression sounds bad."
Qin Yuheng watched the commander raise its spear.
Blue-gray fog gathered around the spear tip.
The nearest northern lantern flickered violently.
[Warning]
[Lantern suppression detected.]
[Lantern Barrier Stability decreasing.]
The barrier number dropped from 80% to 76% in a few breaths.
Qin Yuheng immediately understood.
If they waited behind the walls, the commander would weaken the lanterns from outside, allowing the fog to flood the camp. They had to interrupt it.
But charging outside the barrier was dangerous.
The lantern line protected them. Outside, fog corrosion would increase, and the commander’s soldiers would surround them.
Qin Yuheng made a fast decision.
"We do not all go out. I will strike the commander and return. Qin Mo, prepare Blue Flame Pulse if the soldiers rush in. Yuchen, hold north gate. Qin Lian, watch for side breach."
Qin Yuchen’s expression tightened.
"You alone outside?"
"Only for a moment."
Qin Lian said quietly, "I can support from the side."
"You support from inside the barrier. Do not step into the fog unless necessary."
Qin Mo looked at the central fire.
"Blue Flame Pulse is still available. One use."
"Save it until I give the order."
The commander’s spear glow intensified.
Barrier stability dropped again.
[Lantern Barrier Stability: 72%]
Qin Yuheng moved.
Thunder Shadow Flash.
His figure blurred through the north gate and crossed the lantern line.
The moment he left the barrier, cold fog pressed against his skin like wet hands. Whispering voices rose around him, trying to enter his ears.
Talentless.
Failed heir.
Do not climb.
The Primordial Thunder Emperor Body burned faintly, resisting the fog.
Qin Yuheng ignored the voices.
He appeared before the Fog Bone Commander and slashed toward its spear arm.
The commander reacted.
Its rusted spear moved with terrifying precision, deflecting Qin Yuheng’s sword and thrusting toward his chest.
Qin Yuheng twisted sideways.
The spear tore through his cloak.
He stepped in, palm striking the spear shaft.
Thunder flashed.
The commander staggered half a step.
The lantern suppression stopped.
Inside the camp, Qin Yuchen immediately shouted, "Incoming!"
The six Fog Bone Soldiers rushed toward the north gate.
Qin Yuheng retreated, but the commander followed with sudden speed. Its spear technique was not wild. It was disciplined—thrust, sweep, hook, reverse strike. Each movement carried fog energy that tried to numb Qin Yuheng’s limbs.
He blocked three strikes and felt his arm grow cold.
A Tower warning appeared.
[Fog corrosion attempting to invade meridians.]
[Primordial Thunder Emperor Body resisting.]
Qin Yuheng’s eyes sharpened.
He could not duel outside for long.
He activated Thunder Shadow Flash again, shifting backward through the lantern line.
The commander stopped just outside the barrier, blue fire burning brighter.
The six soldiers reached the north gate.
Qin Yuchen met the first with his sword.
Qin Lian struck the second from the side.
Qin Mo activated a formation mark beneath the gate, slowing the third and fourth.
The soldiers pushed hard.
Unlike mindless beasts, they guarded each other’s cores. When Qin Yuchen aimed at one skull flame, another soldier blocked. When Qin Lian tried to flank, a rusted blade swept toward her path.
Qin Yuheng returned and joined the defense.
With him there, the pressure stabilized.
But outside, the commander raised its spear again.
Lantern suppression resumed.
[Lantern Barrier Stability: 69%] ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
Qin Mo cursed softly.
"It can suppress while its soldiers fight."
Qin Yuheng cut down one soldier after forcing its guard open with thunder.
"We need to break its command link."
Qin Yuchen said, "How?"
Qin Yuheng looked at the soldiers.
A faint thread of fog connected their chest flames to the commander’s spear.
If the connection was disrupted, their coordination might weaken.
"Qin Mo, can you see the fog threads?"
Qin Mo squinted. "Barely."
"Can you disrupt them?"
"With a clear-light formation, maybe. But I need a focus."
Qin Yuheng took out a Fog Bone Shard.
"Use this?"
Qin Mo’s eyes moved.
"Yes. If we reverse its resonance."
He grabbed the shard, placed it at the center of a quick formation circle, and crushed a small amount of Clear Mind Spirit Powder over it.
"Give me ten breaths."
Qin Yuheng and Qin Yuchen held the gate.
Qin Lian moved along the wall and threw daggers at the soldiers’ skull flames whenever openings appeared.
The commander’s suppression intensified.
[Lantern Barrier Stability: 63%]
The fog pressed closer.
One of the unstable lanterns flickered green-blue for a moment.
Qin Mo slammed his palm onto the formation.
"Now!"
A pulse of pale light burst outward.
The fog threads connecting the soldiers to the commander trembled.
For one breath, the soldiers’ movements became disordered.
Qin Yuheng seized the opening.
Thunder Shadow Flash.
He appeared behind the first soldier and shattered its spine core.
Qin Yuchen pierced the second through the skull flame.
Qin Lian killed the third.
The remaining soldiers recovered, but their formation was broken.
The commander lowered its spear.
For the first time, it entered the lantern barrier.
The blue flames burned its armor, but it endured.
The pressure inside the camp changed immediately.
The Fog Bone Commander thrust its spear toward Qin Mo.
It recognized the formation disruptor.
Qin Yuheng moved instantly.
His sword intercepted the spear.
The impact pushed him back three steps.
Qin Mo’s face turned pale.
"That thing holds grudges."
Qin Yuheng did not answer.
The commander’s spear technique was stronger inside the camp. The limited space made dodging harder. Every spear strike carried cold fog energy, and each time Qin Yuheng blocked, the numbness in his arms increased.
He needed to end this quickly.
"Blue Flame Pulse," he said.
Qin Mo looked at the central fire.
"If we use it now—"
"Now."
Qin Mo activated the central fire.
The pale-light guard raised its spear and struck the ground.
Blue flames erupted from every lantern at once, sweeping across the camp in a circular wave.
The remaining Fog Bone Soldiers screamed silently as their skull flames flickered.
The commander’s chest flame dimmed for a moment.
Qin Yuheng saw the weakness.
Chest flame core.
He stepped forward, no longer conserving.
The Primordial Thunder Emperor Body surged.
Violet-gold lightning wrapped around his sword.
The commander thrust its spear.
Qin Yuheng used Thunder Shadow Flash not to dodge away, but to shift past the spear line.
He entered the commander’s guard.
His sword pierced its chest flame.
Thunder exploded.
The Fog Bone Commander staggered.
Qin Yuchen attacked from the side, cutting into its spear arm.
Qin Lian’s dagger struck its skull flame.
Qin Mo activated the reversed Fog Bone Shard formation again, disrupting the command energy.
Qin Yuheng twisted the sword.
The chest flame shattered.
The commander collapsed into bones and fading blue fire.
A Tower message appeared.
[Fog Bone Commander defeated.]
[Third Wave repelled.]
[Camp Integrity: 43%]
[Lantern Barrier Stability: 51%]
[Commander Core acquired.]
[Evaluation increased significantly.]
The camp fell quiet.
Everyone was breathing hard.
Qin Yuheng pulled his sword from the bone remains. His arms still felt cold, but thunder slowly cleared the fog energy.
Qin Mo stared at the stability number.
"Fifty-one percent. That is too low."
Qin Lian looked at the lanterns. "The next wave may break the barrier."
Qin Yuchen said, "How long until dawn?"
The mission panel answered.
[Time until dawn: 2 hours 18 minutes.]
More than two hours.
Qin Mo looked at Qin Yuheng.
"Tell me there is no fourth wave."
The fog outside the camp stirred.
A bell rang again.
Once.
Twice.
Then the panel changed.
[Final Wave preparing.]
[Fog Bone Wraith presence detected.]
Qin Mo slowly sat down.
"I should have left with the rescued students."
Qin Yuheng looked toward the fog beyond the lanterns.
His eyes were calm, but his grip tightened.
Fog Bone Wraith.
The true boss of Floor 2 had arrived.
