NOVEL WEB Chapter 16: New Character Unlocked
The battle raged on. It was a test of skill, endurance, and precision. Until, at last, only one enemy remained.
☰ Choice:
✔ Kill him and send a warning to Kai-Hoon. (Spreads fear but escalates aggression.)
✔ Let him flee with a message. (Manipulate the enemy's strategy.)
✔ Capture and interrogate him. (Potentially uncover new intel.)
I chose to capture him.
The warrior struggled as I forced him to his knees. "You fight well," he spat. "But the Emperor's Tomb will be your grave."
The Emperor's Tomb. That was where Minister Zhao was waiting.
☰ Mission Update: Enter the Imperial Tomb.
The Emperor's Tomb – A Forbidden Place
☰ New Gameplay Unlocks:
✔ Dungeon Mechanics: Solve ancient traps and unlock hidden doors.
✔ Tomb Guardians: Battle supernatural enemies protecting the Emperor's secrets.
✔ Hidden Lore: Uncover the truth behind the Emperor's final resting place.
The tomb loomed ahead, its entrance carved into the side of a mountain beneath the palace. A place sealed for centuries, untouched—until now.
The air grew thick with an unnatural stillness. The moment I crossed the threshold, torches lining the walls spark to life on their own.
☰ Gameplay Mechanic: Supernatural Encounters
✔ Ghost Warriors: Fallen soldiers bound to protect the tomb.
✔ Trap-Laden Corridors: Pressure plates, collapsing ceilings, and poison darts.
✔ Ancient Runes: Solve puzzles to progress deeper inside.
A whisper echoed through the chamber, not from any living voice. "Turn back."
But I pressed on.
The Emperor's Tomb was more than a resting place. It held a power long forgotten.
☰ New Mission: Unravel the Tomb's Secret Before Kai-Hoon Arrives.
Next mission Preview: The Emperor's Legacy
✓Bae Kae delves deeper into the tomb, solving ancient puzzles.
✓Kai-Hoon's forces arrive, leading to a deadly confrontation.
✓The truth behind the Emperor's power is finally revealed.
☰ New Gameplay Unlocks:
✔ Tomb-Raiding Mechanics: Climbing, puzzle-solving, and relic hunting.
✔ Boss Fight – The Tomb Guardian: A legendary warrior bound by fate.
✔ New Artifact Unlocks: Discover the key to defeating Kai-Hoon.
Opening Cutscene: Into the Depths
The moment my feet crossed the threshold of the tomb, the torches along the stone walls ignited on their own, their pale blue flames light without warmth. A deep, empty wind whispered through the chamber, despite the fact that there were no visible exits for air to escape.
☰ Mission Update: Unravel the Tomb's Secrets Before Kai-Hoon's Forces Arrive.
✔ Objective: Find the hidden counter-artifact sealed within the Emperor's tomb.
✔ Gameplay Mechanics:
°Ancient Puzzle Traps: Solve puzzles to advance.
°Supernatural Encounters: Spirits of the Emperor's fallen warriors.
°Rival Hunter Mechanics: A dangerous treasure hunter is also after the artifact.
The Puzzle of the Shifting Pillars
The first chamber was a maze of towering stone pillars, covered in old celestial symbols. At the center of the room was an altar with a golden pressure plate.
☰ Puzzle Mechanic: The Celestial Alignment
✔ Rotate and shift the pillars to align the symbols.
✔ Beware of False Paths – Choosing the wrong symbol activates traps.
✔ Solve within a time limit before the room collapses.
I stepped carefully, examining the carvings. They depicted a draw of constellations, but something was off—the stars were out of alignment.
I reached for the nearest pillar, and twisted it. Stone ground against stone, and the constellation shifted.
☰ Choice:
✔ Align the Pillars to Form the North Star. (Safe Path.)
✔ Align the Pillars to Match the Emperor's Birth Constellation. (Secret Path.)
✔ Ignore the Puzzle, and Force Open the Door. (Triggers a Guardian Battle.)
I chose the Emperor's Birth Constellation.
The air trembled violently. A deep hum sounded from the walls. The pillars locked into place—and suddenly, the far wall slid open, revealing a hidden passage.
But before I could move forward, a voice called out from the shadows.
---
Enter the Rival Treasure Hunter
A slow clap rings out through the tomb.
"Impressive. You're either a scholar—or a very lucky thief."
☰ New Character Unlocked: Jian Mu – The Phantom Raider
✔ A rival treasure hunter seeking the same artifact.
✔ Skilled in traps, deception, and ambush tactics.
✔ Moral Alignment: Unknown – Ally or Enemy?
I turned to face him. A lean figure stood atop a nearby pillar, his dark robes blending into the shadows. Twin daggers rested at his hips, and his smirk was the kind only a man who enjoyed danger wore.
Jian Mu jumped down, landing without a sound. "You're after the artifact too," he guessed, eyes scanning me like a predator assessing its prey.
☰ Dialogue Choices:
✔ "I don't have time for this. Stay out of my way." (Hostile – Might provoke a fight.)
✔ "We can work together—split the reward." (Neutral – Could lead to an uneasy alliance.)
✔ "What do you really want, Jian Mu?" (Insight Check – Learn more about him.)
I chose Insight.
Jian Mu chuckled. "Smart. Most people assume I'm just another greedy thief. But this isn't about gold for me." His fingers traced a scar along his jaw. "Kai-Hoon isn't the only one with claims to this empire's relics. Let's just say… my past is tied to this tomb."
☰ New Side Quest: Jian Mu's Hidden Agenda
✔ Unravel his connection to the tomb, and his true motives.
Before I could press further, a distant tremor shook the ground. Something had awakened.
---
The Guardian of the Tomb
☰ Boss Encounter: The Jade Sentinel – The Emperor's Eternal Guardian
✔ A towering, spectral warrior in jade armor.
✔ Can phase through attacks and regenerate from wounds.
✔ Weakness – Must be bound using ancient seals before it can be killed.
The air grew cold as frost spread across the stone walls. A deep, voice echoed from nowhere, and everywhere at once.
"Defilers of the sacred tomb… your bones shall rest here for eternity." Then it appeared.
A massive warrior, over ten feet tall, formed out from the shadows, its armor shimmering with ghostly green light. A massive glaive rested in its hands, the edge gleaming with an unnatural sharpness.
☰ Combat Mechanics:
✔ Dodge Phase Strikes – The Guardian can shift between realms.
✔ Use Sacred Seals to Bind It – Find symbols hidden around the room.
✔ Break its Armor with Relic Weapons – Normal attacks are ineffective.
Jian Mu cursed, flipping his daggers in his hands. "Great. You woke up the angry ghost. Now what?"
☰ Choice:
✔ Work together with Jian Mu to take it down. (Temporary Alliance.)
✔ Use him as bait, and escape deeper into the tomb. (Betrayal – Might cause future conflict.)
✔ Challenge the Guardian alone to prove your worth. (High-risk, high-reward.)
I chose to work together.
Jian Mu smirked. "Good choice. Just try to keep up."
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Tomb Expansion – The Inner Sanctum
After an intense battle, the Guardian collapsed into dust, leaving behind a jade amulet. The path forward was finally open.
☰ Mission Update: Enter the Emperor's Inner Sanctum
✔ New Area Unlocked – The Emperor's Secret Chamber
✔ New Artifact Clue – The True Counter-Relic's Location
✔ Rival Faction Alert – Kai-Hoon's forces are closing in.
The air grew thick with the weight of forgotten history. Somewhere within these ancient halls, the relic awaited.
But so did more secrets… and more dangers.