Diablo traveled through time and became a necromancer

The heavy oak door of the Cathedral of Holy Light, inlaid with a massive golden holy emblem, slowly closed behind them, isolating the solemn and tense atmosphere within. Wu Ye, Leah, Vera, and Juliana's team emerged together, bathed in the cool, late-night sea breeze from Kurast Harbor. The air still lingered with the salty smell and the distant bustle of the tavern, but the solemnity of the Papal Chamber, like an invisible veil, temporarily enveloped everyone's heart.

The Pope's reaction was more severe than anticipated. Upon hearing of the corruption of "Mother of Green Shade," Karastri, and the suspected Worldstone fragments at her core, the usually composed elder abruptly rose to his feet, the sound of his holy staff slamming to the ground echoing throughout the empty prayer hall. He immediately summoned the archbishop and Horadrim scholars responsible for regional cleansing and issued a direct, top-level "Holy Light Purification Order."

"Julianna." The Pope's voice was filled with unquestionable majesty. "You, Selina, and Grom, immediately lead the 'Hammer of Dawn' purification team to the Spider Forest. Seal off the area and establish a purification barrier. Never allow the corruption to spread! No one is allowed to approach the core of the tree hole without my order!"

"As you command, Your Majesty!" Juliana knelt on one knee, her right hand resting on her chest. The Holy Flame Sword hummed softly at her side. Selina and Grom also solemnly accepted the order. Their faces were no longer fatigued, only the resoluteness of warriors accepting their mission.

"As for you," the Pope turned his deep gaze to Wu Ye and the other two, and said in a slightly slower tone, "Thank you for bringing back such crucial information. But the danger in the core of the tree hole is far beyond what you can currently handle. The next purification work will be handed over to a professional team. You need to rest." His gaze lingered on Wu Ye for a moment, as if he had noticed something, but ultimately did not point it out.

"The shadow of Kurast Harbor remains. Perhaps... you can find the power that needs you elsewhere."

The Pope's implication was clear: the Church had taken full control of the incident involving the Holy Tree of the Elves. Their team was temporarily "unemployed."

Leaving the church's heights and rejoining the crowds at the harbor, the subtle sense of alienation that had followed the Church's takeover gradually dissipated. While the Pope's decision was reasonable, personally uncovering such a vast secret, only to be unable to explore beyond its core, inevitably left one feeling a sense of loss.

The streets of Kurast Harbor were brightly lit, the armor of the patrolling guards glinting in the light. An invisible city defense array enveloped the area. It seemed as if a nearly transparent magic circle loomed in the sky. Wu Ye knew it must be Kurast's defense array, but he couldn't understand how a small Gidbin could provide such a defense array with such lasting power.

"Huh..." Leah took a long breath and rubbed her stiff shoulders. "Finally... it's over? It feels like I've finished a marathon with no end." Without the invisible, cold oppression from the undead around her, she felt a lot more relaxed.

Vera moved her wrist, and the Tyrant's Sting on her back drew a faint blue arc of light in the night: "Okay. I don't want to smell the smell of that place again in my life." She looked at Wu Ye.

"What's next? The Pope said we'd better rest up."

Wu Ye looked at the dim lights of the port and nodded: "Well, let's rest. Replenish supplies and deal with those 'souvenirs' we brought back." He was referring to the dark gold equipment and things in his backpack that he couldn't use for the time being.

"By the way... ask for some information. Kurast Harbor is the largest intelligence hub in the East. Perhaps we can hear some interesting news."

He paused, his gaze fixed on the brightly lit and bustling area in the eastern part of the harbor. "Let's go to the 'Giant Serpent's Lair' and take a look."

"The giant snake's nest?" Leah asked curiously.

"Kurast's largest adventurer's guild, and a gathering place for mercenaries, information dealers, and all sorts of scoundrels," Vera explained, a familiar, slightly feral smile curling her lips. "It's a mixed bag, but they're well-informed. Maybe you can find something good, or...get some new work."

The "Giant Serpent's Lair" is not a lair, but a magnificent building constructed from massive, rugged logs and heavy stone slabs, resembling a giant snake coiled on the east bank of the harbor. Shekou is the main entrance, handling a constant stream of people.

Entering the main hall, a clamorous heat washed over me. A massive mission board filled an entire wall, densely covered with parchment bounties. The air mingled with the scent of sweat, alcohol, rust, cheap tobacco, and the salty smell of the ocean. Shouts, laughter, and arguments echoed in a variety of languages ​​and accents.

Leah was stunned by the bustling scene, her ice-blue eyes looking around curiously: "This place... is a hundred times more lively than the Seagull Inn!" Vera was like a fish back in water, her sharp eyes scanning the crowd and the bulletin board. The Amazon warrior's instinct allowed her to quickly assess potential dangers and opportunities.

Wu Ye's goal was clear. He led the two through the bustling crowd to a relatively quiet area off to the side of the main hall—the union's simple library and information trading area. An elderly man with graying hair and thick crystal glasses sat behind the counter.

"Excuse me, Old Parker." Wu Ye walked to the counter.

Okay, this is the continuation of the story, focusing on Wu Ye asking Old Parker about Cui Fanke's news:

Chapter Title: Whispers in the Shadows: Echoes of Travink

"Excuse me, Old Parker." Wu Ye walked to the counter, his voice clearly penetrating the surrounding noise.

Old Parker, with gray hair, raised his head. Behind his thick lenses, his cloudy eyes swept over Wu Ye and the other two, lingering for a moment on Wu Ye's calm face. He then slowly pushed his glasses, which had slid down to the tip of his nose. "Oh? A stranger? Or... an old friend dressed in a new outfit? What's going on? Buying or selling information? There's a fee for borrowing maps, and ten times the compensation for damage."

"Buy news." Wu Ye spoke concisely, tapping his fingers on the counter. "About Cui Fanke. Any news, the newer and more detailed the better." He calmly pushed a gold coin onto the counter, and the gold coin reflected an attractive luster under the oil lamp.

"Truviank?" Old Parker's cloudy eyes seemed to brighten briefly in the golden light, but then a deeper shadow cast over them. He slowly put away the gold coins, his movements even slower than before, as if simply mentioning the name required extra effort. He didn't immediately turn to the notebook. Instead, he lifted his eyelids and studied Wu Ye closely. "Young man... why are you asking about that place? It's not a good place for adventure right now. It's... the gateway to hell on earth."

His voice was low, filled with an almost instinctive vigilance and deep fear.

"We have our reasons." Wu Ye's voice was calm, but with unquestionable persistence.

"The Pope is very concerned about the corruption of the rainforest. Any information about the core stronghold of the devil is of vital importance." He cleverly brought up the name of the Pope, which was more important than any explanation.

Old Parker's cloudy eyes rolled around, as if weighing the pros and cons. The Pope's title had clearly played a role. He finally sighed and fished out the thick, hardcover book from under the counter. His bony fingers traced the yellowed pages, finally stopping at a page near the end that was noticeably darker than the rest, even bearing slight scorch marks.

"Chui Fanke..." he muttered to himself, his voice as hoarse as sandpaper rubbing against rusty iron.

"Ever since the Zakarum Council completely fell, it's become a living hell. A demonic carnival, a slaughterhouse for living people... The latest news comes from those desperate 'scavengers' or the lunatics who managed to escape. It's hard to tell whether it's true or not, but... it all exudes an evil aura."

He flipped the pages, his fingertips running over lines of scribbled words:

"First, there's the 'Council.' Those three madmen... Mephisto's puppets." Old Parker's voice trembled slightly. "'Ice Fist' Tork is still around. It's said he's entrenched in the former Templar headquarters, now the entrance to the 'Prison of Hate.' His icy breath can shatter a person's soul, and his subordinates are 'ice puppets' who have been frozen and revived. They're more formidable than zombies."

"Ishmael the Fire Eye... His territory is at the site of the former Incense Council Hall, now known as the entrance to the River of Fire. Hellfire burns constantly there, and anyone who approaches can be roasted dry. He enjoys throwing captured humans into the lava to 'purify' them, and listening to their screams for fun. His minions are the Flame Walkers, skeletons coated in hellfire, their arrows brimming with explosives."

"The most mysterious is 'Evil Claw' Gilleb... Some say he hides in the deepest reaches of the Trevanc sewers, where he leads to even darker places. He specializes in curses and plagues, turning people into pus-soaked zombies. His territory... is said to be called the 'Furnace of Pain'? There's very little information about it, and those who enter rarely come out. His minions are 'Plague Spreaders', and if they're killed, they'll cause a poisonous cloud to erupt..."

Old Parker paused and took a breath, as if saying all these names had consumed a lot of his energy: "These three are the rulers of Travink in name only, but everyone knows that the real master is the one imprisoned in the deepest part of the Prison of Hate... the Lord of Hate." He didn't even dare to mention Mephisto's name, only using a pseudonym, his eyes full of fear.

"Then there's the environment..." He continued turning the pages.

"The entire city of Travink is shrouded in a perpetually black mist with a sulfurous smell. Those who enter say breathing feels like swallowing a knife. The ground is cracked and scorched, flowing with boiling pus and magma. The buildings...most of them have collapsed, and the remaining ones are twisted and deformed, covered with wriggling flesh vines and screaming demonic moss. The Zakarum Cathedral...that once holy place is now the core of the corruption of the entire area, emitting the most intense aura of hatred, and just being close to it can drive people crazy."

"Monsters?" Old Parker laughed bitterly. "Besides the minions directly under the three councillors, there are countless flayed beasts, jungle demons, and corrupted Zakarum berserkers wandering the city... They are more crazy than demons, and will chop anyone they see. In the sky fly Hell vultures, and in the water... if that boiling blood plasma can be considered water... there are poisonous water demons hiding. Deeper in the city... there are said to be giant stitched monsters and hell banshees twisted by Mephisto's power..."

He closed the book, his fingers unconsciously stroking the charred edge of the cover. "Recently... there have been rumors that the 'energy' within Travink is unstable. Some say they saw unusual bursts of purple lightning from the direction of the Prison of Hate, which lasted for several days before subsiding. And some scavengers claim to have heard an unprecedented, deafening wail near the sewer entrance, like the wailing of countless souls. It lasted all night, frightening them so much they fled back... Some say it's the power of the Lord of Hate stirring, while others say... something is trying to rebel against him? Who knows, perhaps some overconfident fool has triggered some restriction..."

Old Parker looked up at Wu Ye, his cloudy eyes filled with deep worry and a hint of warning. "Young man, listen to my advice. Travink is not a place for you. It is Mephisto's domain, despair itself. Anyone who sets foot on that land will either become food for the devil or... become one of them. It's good that His Holiness the Pope is paying attention, but purifying Travink... that would require a true legion of angels, or... a miracle."

Wu Ye listened in silence, committing this information to memory. Ice Fist, Fire Eye, and Evil Claw… the names, locations, and characteristics of the three members of the Corrupted Council; the harsh environment and dangerous monsters of Travink; and the recent energy fluctuations and wails… This intelligence, while harsh, was extremely valuable, and it also overlapped with the memories he was about to forget.

He wasn't deterred by Old Parker's warning; instead, his gaze grew even more resolute. He pushed out another gold coin: "Thank you, Old Parker. This information is valuable." He didn't explain his intentions, but Old Parker seemed to sense his calm determination.

Old Parker sighed, put away the gold coins, and shook his head: "Alas... young people nowadays..." He said no more, but lowered his head and continued to fiddle with his tattered book.

Wu Ye turned, and Leah and Vera immediately followed. Leah's face paled slightly, clearly frightened by Travink's terrifying description. Vera's eyes were sharp, and her fingers unconsciously stroked the javelin bag behind her, as if assessing the strength of the future enemy.

"Ice Fist... Fire Eye... Evil Claw..." Vera repeated these three names in a low voice, "They sound much tougher than those guys in Spider Forest."

"Lord of Hate..." Leah's voice trembled. "Are we really going to that kind of place?"

Wu Ye did not answer directly, but took the two women back to the Seagull Hotel first, because the consumption of these battles was really too much. Although there were potions to replenish mana, it was like people staying up all night. You stayed up all night, and although you can still stay up normally the next day, your spirit has been depleted, and your body also needs rest, right?