Chapter 157: A Skeleton Key


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    "You wouldn''t understand." Terry said in anger and took a step away from Adam. "In here, worthless genius is the bottom of the barrel, and I am sinking fast."


    "So, they sent you here because you''re worthless?" Adam asked. "To get you culled?"


    Terry gritted his teeth and nodded. "It ain''t the first time. This is my third time in here."


    "How''ve you survived so far?" Adam asked.


    Terryughed. "With luck. Amazing Luck."


    "Exin it further; it looks like we still have time." Adam said, and sat on top of the tombstone, looking around the foggy cemetery. "The skeletons aren''t here yet."


    "We should hide!" Terry shouted. "This Cullingsts for ten days! Ten fucking long days!" "Can we leave earlier if we kill all the Singing Skeletons?" Adam asked.


    Terry looked at him like he was looking at a fool.


    "Yes, but that''s easier said than done. They''re very strong, even if they aren''t the strongest kind!"


    "You can hide, only after you''ve exined how you survived." Adam crossed his arms. "Go on."


    "I was lucky, alright!" Terry shouted. "In my first Culling, I got the ck Locusts as the monsters and the arena was a big forest. So, I hid through the ten days!"


    "What about the second Culling?" Adam looked at him. "What happened there?"


    "I was again lucky!" Terry scratched his hair. "I got the easiest monsters possible-a group of rabbits! And the arena was a huge meadow. I just rxed and enjoyed the view."


    "That''s indeed lucky." Adam said with a chuckle.


    "Singing Skeletons are loud as they are always singing and slow, so we can get through this Culling if we just keep hiding and running!"


    Terry said impatiently, hoping to get Adam to join him.


    "Please, we still have time to find a ce to hide."


    "You know a lot about these monsters." Adam said, looking carefree.


    "I am good at studying, that''s it!" Terry said. "It''s the only reason why I haven''t been expelled yet."


    "You said your name is Kingston, correct?"


    "Yes, so?"


    "Is your father Markus Kingston, perhaps?"


    Terry looked at him in surprise. "You know my father?"


    "Know? No, but I''ve heard about him. Markus is one of the best archers in the New World. It has been said that he can hit a target from over a mile away with perfect uracy."


    "Yeah, he sure is awesome..." Terry sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Unfortunately, I didn''t get his skill with the bow. I''ve got good eyes for details, but my aim has always been terrible." "Don''t fret over it; just try to find something you''re good with."


    Adam jumped off the tombstone and walked to the center of the cemetery, but then came to a quick stop as soon as the fog cleared ahead of him.


    There was a strange hole at the center of the cemetery. It was shaped like a keyhole, but the key would have to be gigantic to fit it.


    Adam looked to the foggy sky and narrowed his eyes.


    "Can we go hide now?" Terry asked impatiently. "The Culling is about to start."


    "Aish..." Adam opened his inventory and brought out a box of strange cigar-looking objects.


    He lit one up, put it between his lips, and took a deep drag, causing a cloud of smoke to rise around him.


    After grabbing the cigar and taking it off his mouth, he turned to Terry and asked. "Want some?"


    "What''s that, a cigar?" Terry asked. "Aren''t you too young for something like that?"


    "It ain''t a cigar." Adam said. "This is a roll of kero."


    "A roll of kero?" Terry leaned closer. "I haven''t heard about that before.


    "It''s a special item that can enhance your mental fortitude." Adam exined. "It''s side effect


    is that it causes your health to lower for a couple of days."


    "Umm, I am not too sure." Terry said. "Will it cause cancer or something?"


    "Nah." Adamughed. "Want to have a taste?"


    Terry bit his lip and shook his head. "My mom wouldn''t like me to smoke something like that."


    "Why? It''s perfectly healthy." Adam said. "It''s not any different than any other Mortal Online item."


    "Uh, it sounds like there''re some risks involved." Terry said. "Like it makes me dumber."


    "There is a risk, and I already said it. You''ll health will be lower. You are only Coinfeeder, right?"


    "Yes," Terry nodded.


    "So your health is already low, so this will be even more dangerous to be used by you, but tell me this: do you want to get rid of your fear?"


    "This can do that?" Terry asked, looking at the roll of kero.


    "It can." Adam said and handed over the roll to Terry. "It''ll make you clear-headed."


    Terry hesitated for a moment but then put the roll between his lips and inhaled deeply.


    He instantly started coughing uncontrobly, regretting his decision.


    Adam justughed beside him. "I was just fucking with you. There aren''t any special powers in that thing. You think it is that easy to get rid of fear? Haha."


    "W-what?" Terry coughed out loud with tears brimming at the corners of his eyes. "You lied to me? Then what was that thing!"


    "It''s name is a roll of kero, but instead of it doing something, it does absolutely nothing." Adamughed. "Its basically just a normal cigarette without the cancer part."


    "Ah, you bastard!" Terry shouted, and then a fewughs escaped his mouths. "That tasted like shit!"


    "It indeed does." Adam replied with a smirk and stored the box back in his inventory. "How''re


    you feeling now?"


    "Eh, what do you mean?" Terry asked, still trying to cough the rest of the smoke from his


    lungs.


    "Are you still afraid?" Adam asked with a smile.


    "Eh?" Terry looked at him and noticed something strange.


    He didn''t feel scared anymore.


    "T-that actually worked? What?"


    "No, haha." Adam shook his head. "The fear is a fickle thing. All you needed was a


    distraction."


    "Oh..." Terry looked at him in amazement. ''That prank caused me to totally forget about the


    Culling-he is amazing.''


    "Now, listen." Adam wrapped his arm around his shoulder. "We''re not going to hide or run. That''s some pussy shit. Instead, we''re going to kill those skeletons!"


    "How?" Terry asked.


    "Are you a good runner?" Adam asked.


    "Y-yeah, I think so." Terry nodded.


    "Fine, the n is this..." Adam whispered in his ear.


    Terry''s face paled after hearing all of it. "You''re crazy."


    "If we do it correctly, we can return by the time the bell rings for the morning sses."


    Adam said, smiling.


    "Ah..." Terry sighed and nodded nervously. "Alright, I''ll do my best..."


    "Good..." Adam patted him on the shoulder and looked at the foggy sky. "It looks like it is


    about to start."


    A key made out of skeleton parts fell from the sky, stabbed through the cloudyers, through the fog, andnded at the keyhole in the middle of the cemetery.


    The ground shook.


    CLICK!


    With a loud click, the key turned ny degrees, and strange music began to y from the


    depths of the earth.


    It sounded like there was a music box buried in the ground.


    At that moment, skeletons, one after another, rose from the ground, and their mouths clicked together in a musical harmony.