"We have no choice but to go forward!" Ning Yu made a quick decision and pulled Mu Xue toward the depths of the cave.
The swarm of insects pursued relentlessly, the rustling sound growing louder and louder, as if the footsteps of death were approaching.
Ning Yu and Mu Xue stumbled and fell several times as they ran through the narrow cave, the slimy insect corpses and mucus under their feet nearly causing them to slip and fall.
"Ning Yu, look!" Mu Xue pointed ahead, her voice trembling with a hint of hope.
At the end of the darkness, a faint light appeared, like an exit, or perhaps a new trap.
Hope was within reach, but the swarm of insects behind them was getting closer and closer.
Ning Yu could feel those disgusting insects crawling onto the back of his feet; the sticky sensation made his scalp tingle.
"Faster! Faster!" Ning Yu gritted his teeth and ran forward with all his might.
The light grew closer and clearer. Just as they were about to burst out of the cave, Ning Yu felt his footing give way, and he plummeted downwards once more…
"Ah—" Mu Xue's scream echoed in the darkness, then stopped abruptly.
The feeling of weightlessness from falling almost suffocated Ning Yu, and he instinctively hugged Mu Xue tightly.
With a loud thud, they crashed to the ground, a sharp pain shooting from their tailbone straight to their head.
Before Ning Yu could recover, a tidal wave of insects surged down, engulfing them in a nauseating blackness.
"Ning Yu!" Mu Xue screamed in terror, grabbing Ning Yu's arm tightly.
Ning Yu grunted and brandished the dagger in his hand, frantically slashing at the dense swarm of insects covering his body.
These insects had hard shells, and the dagger could only leave shallow scratches when it was cut, but the strong stench and the splattered green fluid still made Ning Yu feel nauseous.
"System, is there any way?!" Ning Yu roared in his mind.
"The system has detected that the host is in extreme danger. It is recommended to use the 'Blazing Sky' skill." The system's cold voice rang in Ning Yu's mind.
"Blazing Flames? But..." Ning Yu hesitated. This skill was extremely powerful, but it also consumed a great deal of energy. Using it in such a confined space could very well burn them to death.
"It's too late!" Mu Xue's voice was tinged with despair.
Ning Yu looked up and saw that the faint light at the crack in the cave ceiling was rapidly shrinking and almost disappearing.
"I'll fight to the death!" Ning Yu gritted his teeth, mobilized the little energy left in his body, and roared, "Blazing Flames!"
A dazzling burst of fire erupted from Ning Yu's body, engulfing the surrounding insects.
The high temperature scorched the cave walls, causing them to crackle and pop.
Mu Xue pressed herself tightly against Ning Yu, feeling the scorching heat emanating from him, as if she were in a furnace.
The firelight illuminated the cave, and Ning Yu finally saw where they were.
It was a small space, the ground was covered with the corpses of insects, and the air was filled with a pungent, burnt smell.
Not far in front of them, a narrow crevice in the stone was emitting a faint light.
“That’s it!” Ning Yu pointed to the crevice in the rock, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes.
He pulled Mu Xue up and stumbled towards the crevice in the rocks.
The crevice was very narrow, allowing only one person to pass sideways.
Ning Yu squeezed in first, then turned around and grabbed Mu Xue's hand.
"Hurry up!" Ning Yu urged.
Mu Xue took a deep breath and tried to squeeze her body into the crevice.
Just then, Ning Yu suddenly felt a tremendous force coming from deep within the crack in the rock, pulling him violently backward...
"Ning Yu!" Mu Xue exclaimed in surprise, her hand slipping...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
