Chapter 496: Chapter 256: Eternal Night Evil-Gathering Array! (Five in One)_4 At the same time, her actions were somewhat disloyal to the former Emperor. However, the late Emperor was, after all, already dead. As a woman, she might have her needs, and expecting her to remain a widow indefinitely was indeed quite harsh. After all, even common women could remarry after their husbands died. Erice herself came from a lower-class background and didn’t place much importance on religious rites or etiquette, so naturally, she didn’t intervene in such matters. Firstly, she was a subordinate, while the other party was a superior. Secondly, she was an external official, and it wasn’t appropriate for her to meddle in harem affairs. If His Majesty himself said nothing, then she would also turn a blind eye. Still, she harbored some criticism in her heart. The actions of Prime Minister Larseis were even more outrageous. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞 If Erice hadn’t considered his status and position, she would have dealt with him long ago. Now that someone else was taking care of this for her, she was quite content to let them. Naturally, she had all the city defenses stand down. Given her own absolute strength, she wasn’t worried about inadvertently inviting the enemy in. As Chen Mo rapidly approached the Imperial City with his Skeleton Monsters, he was surprised to see that the soldiers on the city walls seemed oblivious to him and his approaching Skeleton Monster Army, showing no signs of defense. He even began to wonder if he was currently flying in an invisible state. Otherwise, how could they not see him? Once Chen Mo easily entered the city, his first priority wasn’t to find Nylia and Larseis. Instead, he followed the map coordinates straight towards the people from the Yongming Star System. These individuals had been lurking in the Imperial City ever since entering the instance, never showing themselves. Chen Mo believed they were thoroughly prepared to deal with him, so it was a perfect opportunity to see what tricks they had up their sleeves. "He’s here!" At this moment, the people from the Yongming Star System also noticed the change in the small dot representing Chen Mo on their map. Randy immediately ordered, "Activate the Array!" Instantly, a full 66 members of the Yongming Star’s hundred-person squad resolutely chose suicide, spilling their blood onto the small Array beneath their feet. Their sacrificial act was filled with a dark determination. The crimson blood seeped into the Array, instantly dyeing the ground red. Witnessing this, Randy and seventeen teammates around him began to chant incantations in low voices, their indistinct murmurs like a devil’s whisper. Simultaneously, they produced a pile of bizarre items—blood-red phials, twisted bone artifacts, and sinister talismans—throwing them one by one into the center of the Array. As these strange items were tossed in, a thick, bloody stench billowed from the Array, pervading the surrounding air. The suffocating odor seemed to carry limitless Dark Power. The next moment, everyone in the city felt something was wrong. A bizarre sensation struck their hearts; it was as if an invisible force was draining their blood, leaving them weak and uneasy. Desperate cries echoed through the city. Ordinary civilians were trapped beneath the shroud of this evil Array. Faced with this horrific reality, oppressive emotions crushed their spirits. As a massive, eerie, blood-red light curtain spread out, it completely enveloped the Imperial City. This crimson curtain gradually grew brighter and more intense, emitting a suffocating, malevolent aura. The entire city was submerged in this wicked light. A strange hum emanated from the blood-red light curtain, like a devil’s low drone, creating an oppressive and ominous feeling. As the humming reverberated, screams also began to echo through the city. Desperate and agonized cries filled the air. People screamed for help until their voices were hoarse, but they could not escape this nightmarish situation. Ordinary civilians suffered terribly under the Array’s curse. Some collapsed, their blood gradually dwindling, their Life swiftly ebbing away. Their eyes were filled with terror, their faces contorted in unbearable agony, and their feebly struggling bodies slowly grew cold. Screams rose and fell; despairing wails and pleas for help echoed in every corner of the city. A young man trembled, his voice laced with endless confusion and fear, "What’s going on? Why do I feel so weak?" His eyes were full of bewilderment. Before he could understand what was happening, he suddenly collapsed, all signs of life gone. A woman shrieked in panic, her voice filled with disbelief and helplessness, "Help! Can anyone hear me? What kind of Evil Technique is this?!" She looked around, but there was only darkness and terror, not a sliver of hope to be seen. She wanted to find an escape route but found herself trapped in this endless darkness. A middle-aged man trembled as he begged for help, his voice choked with despair and confusion, "What in the world is going on? Why is my blood draining away?" His gaze swept around anxiously, but apart from the blood-red light curtain, he could see no other clues. His thoughts descended into chaos; he couldn’t comprehend what was happening before his eyes. A young girl wailed, her voice filled with despair and utter confusion, "No! What in the world is happening?!" She desperately searched for a sliver of hope, but in this darkness and despair, she could only see death mercilessly drawing near. A middle-aged man roared in anger, his voice laced with helplessness and indignation, "Dammit, what kind of Evil Technique is this! Why is something like this happening in the Imperial City?!" His brow was tightly furrowed. He tried to struggle, but his furious roars were merely swallowed by the darkness. In their ignorance and confusion, their lives were mercilessly stolen. They faced death, oblivious, as despair completely filled their hearts.