Both sides clashed messily again. Force fields fluctuated and shattered, while new fields were deployed. The once-restrained opponents grew increasingly volatile in the sweltering atmosphere, the tension igniting like gunpowder.
The temperature plummeted, and snowflakes began to dance.
At the same time, a fiery blast erupted, engulfing several figures from both sides.
[I canceled 1065N!]
–You’re something…– Some who were struck raged. The fight seemed on the verge of escalation.
–Watch out for the fire.–
–Monsters are here!–
Boom, rumble—from the other side of the land, earth-bound spirits surged forward in a swarm. Both sides fought their way into the temple.
Threads flickered, weaving through one chest after another.
{Find the people first, don’t let them bog us down!}
Robin Lo and his team charged straight for the underground passage. With them leading, Zhang Zhiquan and the others followed effortlessly.
–If a tiger doesn’t bare its teeth, you think I’m playing house?–
Glancing at those charging from behind, a flash of anger crossed Robin Lo’s eyes.
In the dark hall, footsteps echoed chaotically.
–Follow my orders!–
Robin Lo said in a low voice to those beside him, –Based on the previous team arrangement: squads one and two, prepare to split left and right after my command; squad three, keep moving forward and seize the chance to use the coordination orbs. Act on my hand signals.–
The people around glanced in surprise at the stout man from Yang Zicang’s team—he was basically in charge of the camp’s affairs.
–Robin Lo, are you serious? They’ve actually been quite restrained with us.–
Robin Lo glanced at the person beside him.
–But this time, we kill as many as we can. If we can’t, it’s still a deterrent. I don’t have time to play games. You in or not? If not, you can head back tonight.–
The crowd’s expressions shifted slightly. Some hesitated, then reluctantly nodded.
–Then get ready!–
The doorway where the mysterious figure had vanished was right ahead.
Robin Lo cast a sidelong glance at the pursuing shapes behind him and raised his hand. At his gesture, the scattered figures immediately veered left and right, spreading outward, while a few others continued charging forward.
{Stop!}
Cheng Yunze’s financing Moxel expanded outward in an instant. Zhang Zhiquan and the others slammed to a halt like they’d hit the brakes, red illusory flames flaring from their bodies.
{Robin Lo, is it? Want to encircle my people? Fine—looks like I need to get to know you again.}
Feeling the Moxel spreading without discrimination, Robin Lo let out a snort of laughter.
{What, you think I’d play along with your stupid games?}
Cheng Yunze said flatly:
{Stop. Let the people inside come with us. Otherwise, based on that move you just pulled, none of you are leaving here alive today.}
Robin Lo answered him with action. Several figures dashed toward the double doors—now stripped of their doors—and leaped down into the cave entrance.
……
Hong Haocheng ran around like a headless fly.
The blade in his hand swept through the cobwebs, startling the tiny creatures into scattering away. He only dared to tread these paths, because it meant no other large beasts had passed through here.
Gradually, the echo of his own footsteps returned again, hollow and empty—a sign that this was a relatively open space.
The red glow of the map between his fingers pierced the darkness like a firefly, as the young man’s eyes darted left and right with vigilance.
Even after spending over ten days on this deserted island, he had forced himself to grow accustomed to the dangerous darkness and solitude. Yet now, with only his own footsteps reverberating through the pitch-black, abandoned underground hall, he couldn’t help but feel a tremor of fear.
Suddenly, his leg brushed against something upright.
He reached out his fingertips, and inside that rock vat—shaped like a huge truck bed—the object covered in thick layers of cobwebs gradually came into view.
–A pillar.–
He used his sword to slice through the gray-white webbing, and beneath it, a pale blue, lusterless image appeared before his eyes.
–Legs… This is—an Earthbound Spirit!–
The Earthbound Spirit, devoid of its blue viscous radiance, lay still inside as if dead. Perhaps it had truly died long ago, but its body had not shattered like the others of its kind.
–So those broken walls… were they all just to transport you here?–
Hong Haocheng circled the large stone, trying to see if there were any burial goods inside.
He had braved danger to come all this way—he had to take something worthwhile back, or else it wouldn’t be worth the risk!
Unfortunately, this square stone trough, half again as large as a bedroom, contained only this earth-bound spirit.
Thump, thump, thump.
In the distance, chaotic footsteps could be heard.
Hong Haocheng heard the sounds. He looked around but saw no place to hide. Finally, he simply rolled over and jumped into the trough, squeezing into the gap beside the giant.
He hastily draped the spider webs that covered him over the broken hole, hoping to get by unnoticed.
–Where is he?-
–Not here.-
–Those scumbags are coming down. Quick, block them!-
Clang! Crash!
–Don’t run!-
Hong Haocheng burrowed deeper. Fortunately, the body was huge. Pressed close against the earth-bound spirit, he smelled an indescribable odor—not unpleasant, but instinctively repulsive.
He couldn’t help wanting to give it a lick.
But he held himself back.
–Damn, am I a pervert?-
Another flashlight beam swept over.
–There’s a stone coffin!-
–It’s huge!- Several footsteps rapidly approached.
Hong Haocheng squeezed his eyes shut, his hand gripping his sword tightly, as he continuously communicated with the Wish Talisman inside Moxel.
[I want to use the wish talisman.]
The footsteps that were about to get closer were once again drawn away by the sounds of battle.
[I’ll… wait a little longer.]
–Where did they go?-
–Boss, over there! Hurry and help, there are lights!-
–Charge, you bastards! You actually dared to strike hard—fuck your mother, you mongrel dogs from 41st City.-
–Thank God, just get the hell out of here.-
Hong Haocheng cursed them inwardly, then once again ignored the red thread that swept past his chest.
After a moment of silence, light suddenly swept back and forth again.
–So this is an earth-bound spirit? Why was it placed here?-
A female voice came.
Hong Haocheng’s spirit jolted. How had this person appeared before his eyes without any shouts or sounds of battle?
Who was she talking to?
–I think these are the bodies of those legendary sinners.-
–Could they be the ones who caused the destruction of City 11?-
Soft footsteps sounded near the stone coffin.
A man’s voice said, –That should be it. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been sealed and left here.-
–Why not kill him?-
–I don’t know. Only the higher-ups in that company would know. My personal guess is that someone still wants to uncover the secrets of the Tenth City. After all, these sinners carry pure Void-Zero Torrent bloodlines within them.-
This person knows a lot, Hong Haocheng couldn’t help thinking.
The footsteps gradually came closer.
–Eh?-
–Hmm?- A girlish voice came. –The cobwebs here seem to have been disturbed.-
The man’s low chuckle echoed.
–Come out, don’t bother hiding.-
Hong Haocheng held still, resisting the urge to move.
–You really need me to ask? Fine, then I’ll have to make my move.-
Hong Haocheng gritted his teeth.
[I want to use the Wish Charm.]
[I begin preparing to use the Wish Charm—Thousand-Tier.]
Near the stone coffin in the great hall, between two pillars, a slowly rotating curtain of light outlined a dim, chaotic gate, casting long, slender shadows of the two figures before it.
The man outside reached out toward the stone coffin, the Moxel on his chest glowing.
A broken line shot to his palm, where a virtual sphere of energy appeared; inside the sphere was a slowly extending, skeletal palm.
The palm was composed entirely of broken lines, replicating the complete skeleton of a being that resembled a human form but was not human—as if the bony arm truly belonged to a living creature.
The broken lines continuously sketched the hand outward, tilting it into the stone coffin, gradually revealing a shoulder blade like a war-cuirass.
Hong Haocheng’s tightly shut eyes opened. He was about to confirm the use of the Wish Charm when suddenly, a buzzing vibration began.
The deepest layers of energy around him started to rotate.
The faintest yet purest energy rose layer by layer from the bottom, stirring the air, stirring the blood in his veins, and even stirring his consciousness.
The Earthbound Spirit sealed within the stone coffin snapped open its eyes. In its gaze—
One, two, three bloodline rings instantly materialized.
Boom! A large hand with afterimages cutting through the air instantly struck the two people beside the stone coffin.
Bang bang!
Ning Jiajia was sent flying to some unknown place on the spot.
Cheng Yunze was protected by a skeleton warrior made of translucent light. The two of them rolled like balls through the hall, slamming into the wall with a thunderous roar.
–Jiajia!-
–I…- Ning Jiajia’s pained voice came from behind. The light gate became unstable, as if about to dissipate.
–Heh uh~!-
With a roar like rolling thunder, the figure charged at Cheng Yunze with a crash.
On its huge and dim body, patches of energy luster flickered and emerged several times.
But the moment the azure energy light appeared, shadowy ropes like ropes on its body suppressed them, preventing them from truly manifesting.
Bang! The Earthbound Spirit punched Cheng Yunze. The immense force shattered the floor tiles. The skeleton phantom conjured by Cheng Yunze on his body nearly shattered, but was quickly redrawn by Moxel to fill the missing parts.
The Earthbound Spirit grabbed hold of the light that was crumbling from the skeleton phantom. These lights that should have disappeared actually appeared in the monster’s palm.
Inside the coffin, Hong Haocheng placed both hands on the edge of the stone coffin, tremblingly poked half his head out, and looked outside with his eyes.
The impact of those fists was utterly terrifying, as if someone had swung the massive bucket of an excavator and slammed it against the ground with a resounding boom.
The skeletal beams of light should have dissipated like the glow of a light bulb after its switch is turned off, but this creature snatched the fading light from the air around it!
[I feel this big guy is really terrifying.]
The –broken bones- outlined by silver, zigzagging lines were frantically crammed into the ground-bound spirit’s mouth. As several of these –bones- entered its belly, one of the faint rope-like shadows that had been trying to suppress the azure light around its body snapped with a crack.
Cheng Yunze was coughing up blood from his mouth and nose. Meanwhile, the aged Ning Jiajia came limping over, the old woman screaming:
–Quick, someone! Bai Xiaoshou, invest in the captain right now!-
{I am investing! You guys lure it away fast!}
Footsteps and flickering lights approached.
The ground-bound spirit glanced back briefly, its eyes fixed on Ning Jiajia, who had survived its slap. Its figure abruptly accelerated until it was right in front of her.
–Run!- Cheng Yunze shouted in agony. –That’s a ground-bound spirit, what did you think it was!-
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