Caught off guard, they were blown about by this sudden energy storm.

"Lu Zhaoming, you cunning fellow!" Shi Hu roared, steadying himself and glaring angrily in the direction where Lu Zhaoming was hiding.

However, before he could react, the traps on both sides of the passage were triggered.

"Boom..."

Countless stones rained down, crashing down on the Stone Tiger Squad like a torrential downpour.

"Watch out!" Shi Hu roared, swinging his battle axe and shattering some rocks into dust.

However, some team members were unable to dodge in time and were hit by the rocks, immediately suffering head injuries and collapsing to the ground groaning in pain.

Taking advantage of the chaos in Shi Hu's squad, Lu Zhaoming leaped out and rushed into the crowd like a ghost.

He moved with agility, weaving through the crowd like a butterfly flitting among flowers, using both fists and feet to defeat his enemies one by one.

"Bang bang bang..."

Gunshots rang out, and bullets rained down on Lu Zhaoming.

But he was prepared and used his time-delay ability to easily dodge all the attacks.

"Pathetic!" Lu Zhaoming sneered, sending one of his teammates flying with a single punch.

Upon seeing this, Shi Hu roared and charged at Lu Zhaoming, brandishing his battle axe.

"Lu Zhaoming, I'm going to kill you!" he roared, his voice as ferocious as a wild beast.

"You?" Lu Zhaoming said disdainfully.

He fearlessly charged forward and engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand combat with Shi Hu.

Both were formidable warriors, their punches landing with brutal force and each move potentially fatal.

Each collision produced a dull thud that sent chills down one's spine.

However, Shi Hu was ultimately stronger.

With his superior strength and extensive combat experience, he gradually gained the upper hand.

Lu Zhaoming felt the pressure increase.

"It seems I have no choice but to use that move," he thought to himself, preparing to unleash his last trump card.

However, at that moment, the "Doomsday Judgment System" suddenly issued a warning: "Life energy is about to be exhausted. It is recommended to stop using it immediately!"

Lu Zhaoming's expression changed.

He hadn't expected that using the ability to expand the range of his powers would consume so much life energy.

"Damn it!" He gritted his teeth, knowing he had to end the fight as soon as possible.

He took a deep breath, enduring his physical weakness, and once again mobilized the energy within his body.

"I'll fight to the death!" he silently vowed to himself, preparing for a desperate struggle.

Just as he was preparing to go all out, a mechanical sound suddenly came from deep within the ruins...

"Click...click..."

Although the sound was faint, it was exceptionally clear in the quiet underground hall.

Lu Zhaoming abruptly stopped what he was doing and looked warily into the depths of the ruins.

Shi Hu also noticed something was wrong. He stopped attacking and frowned as he looked in the direction from which the sound came.

"What is it?" he asked in a low voice, a hint of doubt in his tone.

Just as Shi Hu was trying to break through, a mechanical sound suddenly came from the depths of the hall... The "click...click..." sound did not stop, but instead, it was as if the old machine had finally been powered on and suddenly came to life!

The sound became more intense and louder, with a heavy and grating metallic friction sound, and it felt as if the entire floor of the underground hall was vibrating slightly.

Hey, that's quite a commotion! The air seemed to freeze, and the cool sensation felt against my skin.

Everyone froze, whether it was Lu Zhaoming who was ready to fight to the death or the ferocious Shi Hu. At this moment, it was as if the pause button had been pressed, and they all turned their heads to look at the dark depths from which the sound came.

That feeling is like suddenly hearing someone call your name from behind in the dark – it's terrifying!

"Holy crap!" Afu was so startled that he almost dropped the wrench in his hand. He clung tightly to Professor Lin, his eyes wide with shock.

Professor Lin's face turned deathly pale, whiter than a wall, his lips trembling as if he were recalling some ancestral nightmare: "Oh no! This is...this is the ruins' automatic defense system! How...how did it activate by itself?!" The old man's voice changed, clearly indicating that this was not some friendly welcome.

"Defense system?" Lu Zhaoming's heart skipped a beat, and a strong sense of unease instantly rushed to his head.

It sounds impressive, but who knows if this outdated defense system will indiscriminately wipe out enemy and land a map-wide attack?

His brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly, and his sharp gaze swept over Professor Lin: "Professor, if this thing is fully activated, wouldn't we be..."

The words were left unsaid, but everyone understood the meaning.

If this defense system attacks indiscriminately, then they are now like turtles in a jar, no, like sardines in a can, and the kind that are about to be sterilized by high temperature!

Shi Hu was also bewildered and serious. He clearly realized that this suddenly emerging "third-party force" might be even more dangerous than Lu Zhaoming and his group.

Lu Zhaoming took a deep breath, suppressing the surging fear and suspicion in his heart. He stared intently at the darkness emanating from the mechanical noise, his voice low and somber, as if he were talking to himself, yet also announcing a cruel possibility to everyone: "This is troublesome... what if it seals off all the exits..."