The Paladin in the Abyss-Chapter 551 - 575 Breaching the Fortress

Chapter 551: Chapter 575: Breaching the Fortress Chapter 551: Chapter 575: Breaching the Fortress The ambush was very successful, from Lancelot’s surprise attack to the end of the battle, the total time used was less than a minute. After the soundproof barrier was removed, the noisy sounds from outside the door came back in again, clearly the remaining guards inside the fortress had not realized the battle here and were still desperately preparing for their last stand.

After gathering their equipment, the group left three corpses behind and carefully walked out of the barracks. Outside the room was a circular corridor, with an open courtyard in the middle. Looking down from the edge of the corridor, they could see they were on the third level of the fortress, and each level of the corridor was lined with dozens of Frost Giants holding javelins and throwing axes.

These guards were tensely watching the first floor’s hall, their attention all focused on a large pile of debris stacked against the wall on the east side of the hall, unaware of the stealthy group. With each dull thump that came from outside, the pile of debris also trembled, presumably, behind it was the main entrance to the main building.

“Damn, look at what that is…” Bruto whispered, pointing to three cages within the pile of debris, “Snacks for the fortress guards?”

Lancelot had seen those cages earlier, each one as large as a carriage, stuffed with members of the mortal races like humans, dwarves, and halflings, looking like they had just been pushed out from the kitchen to be used as heavyweights to barricade the door.

“If the zombies burst through the main door, they will definitely tear apart the creatures in the cages immediately,” the Elf Priest said with concern, turning to the Human Knight, “Can you order those undead giants not to attack the creatures in the cages?”

“That kind of command is too complex for both the zombies and me,” Lancelot shook his head, “But as long as I stand nearby, they won’t initiate an attack. Luckily, the fortress guards probably haven’t realized that these living people can be used as hostages, so we might still be able to do something…”

...

“What’s your plan?” the Dwarf asked quietly, “Jump into the middle of that pile of debris?”

“Basically, yes,” Lancelot nodded, “But we need to distract those guards’ attention first…”

The group retreated back to the room they were in before, and using the Qingyuan Sword Technique, Lancelot poked many small holes in the ceiling which eventually formed a circle with a radius of five feet.

“As long as more than two giant zombies stand on it, this part of the ceiling will collapse, those remaining guards would never expect the fortress to be breached from the top,” Lancelot confidently told his companions, “While they are resisting an unending stream of zombies from the third floor, we’ll take the opportunity to go down to the hall and protect those people locked in the cages.”

“Sounds like a great plan,” Bruto nodded, “But how are you going to get those giant zombies up on the roof?”

“I…” Lancelot suddenly faltered, “Oh, right, the outside giant zombies are mindless undead creatures, without the kind of psychic connection I have with little Isha, it seems there’s only one way to issue orders to them…”

“Let’s switch to another room to hide first,” Lancelot suggested helplessly, shaking his head, “I’ll figure out a way later…”

The group quickly slipped into another empty room diagonally across from them. It was also a bedroom with four stone beds but located far from the stairs leading up from the second floor, making it unlikely to be affected when the fight broke out. A single rope was all they needed to descend into the hall on the first floor, making it a perfect hiding spot.

Lancelot asked his companions to wait in the room for a while, then he walked out alone. Suddenly, darkness fell over the three-story Stone Fortress, as the light emitted by the torches was blocked by some invisible force. From a distance, it appeared like ghostly flames flickering in a cemetery, barely illuminating the area within less than a foot.

“In the name of the Savior of Oasis Fort, Mogrondale, and Pascaler, protector sworn by the demons, Paladin of the Abyss…” A resonant voice suddenly erupted, causing the entire building to tremble slightly. “I hereby order, all to climb atop this building and retaliate against any hostile actions!”

The moment the voice disappeared, the light also returned. The remaining Frost Giants looked around frantically, but the voice seemed to have come from every corner of the building at once, making it impossible to pinpoint its source. Meanwhile, Lancelot quietly returned to the room where his companions were hiding, a bit hesitant to meet their gazes.

“Big brother, don’t be like that, I think it was pretty good,” Bruto consoled, “As long as you’re not embarrassed, it’s the others who should feel awkward.”

Lancelot rolled his eyes, deciding to ignore the Dwarf. Above their heads, the ceiling began to resound with heavy footsteps. The Zombie Giants, which lacked self-awareness and any sense of pain, followed Lancelot’s orders with zealotry. They did not hesitate to thrust their finger bones and arms into the stone walls to climb upward, completely disregarding the damage it did to themselves.

By the time the Frost Giant Guards realized what was happening and started rushing towards the third floor, it was already too late. Accompanied by a thunderous sound of falling rocks, the trap Lancelot had set was triggered; aside from the first few Giants who fell nearly broken to pieces, more undead giants attracted by the scent of the living soon leaped down, colliding precisely with the few guards who ran the fastest.

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A bloody battle erupted immediately. The living Frost Giants were stronger and better equipped, and their devotion to the Prince of Wrath made them fearless, but the undead Frost Giants, more numerous and devoid of the concept of death, were formidable on their own. Additionally, perhaps it was Lancelot’s imagination, but these zombies seemed to become even more frenzied during the fight.

Could it be that they had sensed Geogad’s presence and awakened certain memories ingrained in their bones?

Whatever they had sensed, Lancelot himself noticed nothing special. He and his companions had already tied ropes around the heavy stone tables. Taking advantage of the fierce battle, they grabbed the ropes and dashed out of the room, leaping out of the corridor.

The Stone Fortress had only three stories for the Giants, but for races of normal stature, it was equivalent to a ten-story tower. Such a leap required great courage for most people, yet even Kalalin, the least athletically inclined, jumped without hesitation and without any protective spells.

Of course, as he jumped, he subconsciously moved closer to Lancelot, as if the Human Knight were the source of his courage.

Some of the Frost Giants noticed the people repeatedly kicking against the wall and, while loudly shouting to alert their companions, prepared to throw their javelins.

“Damn it!”

Lancelot cursed inwardly while quickly activating the Protective Sword Shield. Instantly, a light green barrier appeared around him, highly visible as it swayed in mid-air, making him a perfect target.