The symbols on the stone twisted like tadpole characters, flashing a faint green light. Ye Ling carefully traced them with her fingertips, feeling the rough texture of the stone surface.
The air deep in the ruins was thick with a strange smell of rusted metal. From time to time, the sound of mechanical turning could be heard all around, like some giant beast muttering in its sleep, which was creepy.
Ye Ling was on edge, always alert to any disturbances around her.
Duan Yu leaned against a broken stone pillar, his face a little pale, obviously his previous injuries had not yet healed, but his deep gaze always followed Ye Ling's figure, like a bright light, dispelling the darkness around her.
Ye Ling would occasionally look up at him and exchange glances. There was no need for words, as the tacit understanding between them had long been ingrained in their blood.
"Oh, Ye Ling, you really have the leisure time!" A sharp voice broke the tranquility of the ruins.
Evelyn twisted her slender waist and walked out from behind a huge rock, with a hypocritical smile on her face, but her eyes were full of greed.
She walked straight towards Ye Ling, staring intently at the stone in her hand: "Let me see, what treasure did you find?"
"What's it to you?" Ye Ling retorted bluntly and hid the stone behind her.
"Don't be so stingy," Evelin approached, her tone becoming colder. "Whoever grabs the things in these ruins will own them."
Before she finished speaking, Evelin suddenly attacked, as swift as a venomous snake spitting out its tongue, aiming directly at the stone in Ye Ling's hand.
Ye Ling was prepared and dodged Evelin's attack by moving to the side.
"Want to steal my things? No way!" Ye Ling sneered, and his eyes instantly became sharp.
The two men fought each other, punching and kicking each other, and every move was fatal.
Evelyn's attacks were tricky and ruthless, and every move was aimed at Ye Ling's vital points. Ye Ling, relying on her familiarity with the environment of the ruins, dodged and moved flexibly.
The surrounding stone pillars and broken walls became her shelter, allowing her to escape danger time and time again.
“Ye Ling, do you think you can hide from the first day and the fifteenth day?” Evelin’s voice was full of resentment, and her eyes flashed with madness.
She suddenly pulled out a dagger from her waist, which flashed with cold light and stabbed Ye Ling in the chest.
Ye Ling's eyes flashed, and she dodged the fatal blow with a backflip. Then she turned around abruptly and sneered, "Evelyn, do you think you're the only one who can play dirty? The good show has just begun..." Ye Ling seized the opportunity and kicked a loose stone slab hard.
The stone slab flipped over, revealing a bottomless trap underneath.
Evelin couldn't dodge in time and fell down with a scream.
"Ah——!" A shrill scream echoed in the ruins, followed by a muffled sound, and everything returned to silence.
"That's it? A rookie!" Ye Ling clapped her hands, looking disdainful.
She had discovered this trap a long time ago, but she never had the chance to use it.
Now it’s okay, I finally got rid of this annoying fly.
The tense atmosphere around them suddenly relaxed a lot. Ye Ling was in a good mood. He hummed a little tune and prepared to continue studying the tadpole script on the stone.
Suddenly, a muffled groan was heard. Ye Ling turned around abruptly and saw Duan Yu holding his chest, his face as pale as paper, and beads of sweat the size of beans rolling down his forehead.
"Duan Yu!" Ye Ling's heart sank suddenly, and she rushed to his side, "What's wrong with you?"
Duan Yu's lips were pale and his breathing was rapid. He stretched out his trembling hand, wanting to grab Ye Ling, but his hand fell down weakly.
"Don't be afraid, I'll call Li Qing over right away!" Ye Ling's voice trembled, and her eyes were full of fear.
The air around seemed to freeze, so oppressive that it made people breathless.
"No... no need..." Duan Yu endured the severe pain in his chest, but a gentle curve appeared at the corner of his mouth. He stretched out his trembling hand and gently stroked Ye Ling's cheek. His fingertips, with scorching temperature, stroked her delicate skin.
His eyes were focused and affectionate, as if he wanted to imprint her deeply in his mind, "Ye Ling, if... if I can get out alive, I... I must marry you..."
Ye Ling's heart seemed to be hit hard by something, beating wildly, and her cheeks instantly turned red, like a ripe apple.
She looked at Duan Yu's pale but still handsome face, her eyes full of emotion and shyness. For a moment, the danger around her seemed to disappear. Only their breaths intertwined together, and an ambiguous atmosphere spread, making people blush and heartbeat.
"What nonsense are you talking about!" Ye Ling glared at him in reproach, but her tone was filled with a barely perceptible tenderness. However, deep down in her heart, she was already in a mess because of Duan Yu's words.
She gently held Duan Yu's hand, giving him strength, "You will be fine, we must get out alive!"
With Ye Ling's encouragement, Duan Yu seemed to have gained some strength. He forced himself to sit up, staring at the stone in Ye Ling's hand with deep eyes.
Ye Ling took a deep breath and focused her attention on those tadpole-like symbols again. She felt as if she had entered a wonderful world. Those symbols were jumping and changing in front of her eyes, as if telling her ancient secrets.
She concentrated her mind and began trying to match the knowledge she already had in her mind with the symbols.
Time passed by minute by minute, and the air seemed to freeze.
Suddenly, Ye Ling's eyes lit up. She quickly drew a few strokes on the stone, and the green light began to flicker and emit a strange buzzing sound.
"I cracked it!" Ye Ling shouted excitedly. She hugged Duan Yu, her joy beyond words.
"Well done!" Li Qing beside him also clapped excitedly. He looked at Ye Ling with admiration in his eyes, "Ye Ling, you are a genius! I didn't expect you to crack such a complicated part so quickly!"
The joy of success filled the entire space. Everyone temporarily forgot the danger and immersed themselves in this rare joy.
However, Ye Ling was not overwhelmed by joy. She quickly calmed down and turned her attention to the remaining symbols on the stone.
She knew that this was just the beginning and the rest would be more difficult and more dangerous.
She also felt that something seemed to be awakening in the depths of the ruins, and a dangerous aura was gradually approaching.
Ye Ling looked at the remaining puzzles, took a deep breath, and prepared for the final sprint...
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