A massive crack instantly tore the earth apart, as if it were about to devour the entire world!
Xu Yuehuai inadvertently stepped into the crevice and was immediately swallowed by darkness.
General Lin anxiously searched for Xu Yuehuai's figure at the edge of the crevice. However, several dark figures emerged from the shadows, wielding sharp blades, and surrounded General Lin. He fought back fiercely, but his opponents outnumbered him and were highly skilled in martial arts, so General Lin was entangled by the enemy.
"Your Highness! Where are you?" General Lin's shouts echoed across the wilderness, but no one answered. He was extremely anxious, but the predicament before him left him helpless.
Meanwhile, Xu Yuehuai slowly awoke deep within the crack. She found herself tightly bound by a thick vine, unable to move.
It was dark all around, with only a faint light from afar barely illuminating her vision. She struggled desperately, trying to break free of the vines.
"Oh, how could the dignified Regent's Consort of the Great Zhou Dynasty be in such a sorry state?" A cold voice suddenly rang in Xu Yuehuai's ears.
Xu Yuehuai was startled. She recognized the voice—it belonged to the leader of the transmigrator organization, a mysterious transmigrator.
She looked up and saw a tall man wearing a black cloak and a mask slowly approaching.
"It's you! How are you still alive?"
"Why did you capture me?" Xu Yuehuai asked, struggling.
The masked man sneered, "You're not dead, so how could I be? The one you killed last time was just my double."
"So, you created the Four Kingdoms Slaughter organization too?" Xu Yuehuai asked calmly. "What exactly do you want to do?"
The masked man nodded. "Of course I want everyone in the four kingdoms to be under the control of us transmigrators. Don't you want that too? Power, status, what do you want? We can cooperate."
Xu Yuehuai's eyes widened. "But all I want is peace between the four countries."
The masked man suddenly burst into laughter. “Peace? You’re incredibly naive! Do you know how we were summoned? They sacrificed innocent people to gain power from the demons, summoning us to be their weapons to kill their opponents. For thousands of years, we modern time travelers have been secretly enslaved by them. Not only have they enslaved us, they’ve also discarded us after we’ve served our purpose, trying to wipe us out in one fell swoop.”
As Xu Yuehua listened to the masked man's account, a chill ran through her. She had never imagined that such a cruel truth was hidden behind these time travelers.
"Fortunately, some of us were able to awaken special abilities. Not only did we survive their slaughter, we became even stronger than before," the masked man continued. "I spent a great deal of effort to lead this group of people out of the hellish place controlled by the four kingdoms. Now is our chance to turn the tables, how could I possibly give up? I advise you to choose the same path as us, after all, we are truly of the same kind."
Xu Yuehuai scoffed, "But you can't use such a cruel method."
The masked man gave her a cold look. "Cruel? This world is inherently cruel. If you want peace, you must have the power to protect it. Otherwise, you'll only become a stepping stone for others."
“Perhaps you’re right. But I believe that true peace is not maintained by violence and killing. It requires us to understand, to be tolerant, and to respect every life.” Xu Yuehuai clenched her fist tightly, her eyes still shining with a clear light.
The masked man was completely unmoved by her words, staring at her coldly. "Perhaps you are right. But we have already embarked on this path, and there is no turning back."
Xu Yuehuai looked at the masked man, feeling a sense of helplessness and sorrow.
She knew that there were many people like the masked man in this world, driven by hatred and desire, who had embarked on a path of no return.
But she also believes that as long as there are people willing to work for peace, there is still hope for the world.
Suddenly, a whooshing sound rang out as the masked man swung his arm, seemingly cutting an invisible crack in the air.
Immediately afterwards, two figures clad in black robes appeared out of thin air, their movements swift and silent, like ghosts in the darkness.
The two men in black robes walked towards Xu Yuehuai with a clear objective. Their hands gleamed with a cold light—sharp blades. The blades sliced through the air, severing the vines binding Xu Yuehuai one by one.
The moment the vine snapped, Xu Yuehuai felt a chill spread throughout her body, and she was surprised to find that her internal energy was rapidly dissipating.
"What did you do to me?" Xu Yuehuai struggled to stand up, but was firmly held by the man in black robes. Her face was pale, and her eyes were full of vigilance.
The masked man stood aside, coldly watching everything, and said indifferently, "Don't waste your energy. Those vines are coated with deadly poison, and your internal energy has already been sealed."
Xu Yuehuai's heart sank; she knew she was now powerless to resist. She had originally planned to use delaying tactics to await General Lin's rescue, but now it seemed that plan had completely failed.
"What exactly do you want?" Xu Yuehuai tried to remain calm, wanting to know what this mysterious masked man's purpose was.
The masked man didn't answer her question, but turned and left the valley. His words echoed in the air: "Take her with you."
The two men in black robes respectfully responded and then escorted Xu Yuehuai away from the dark valley.
When General Lin and his soldiers arrived at the valley, it was too late. They only saw vines covering the ground and the lingering smell of poison, but Xu Yuehuai was nowhere to be seen.
General Lin was extremely anxious and furious. He shouted, "The Princess must still be nearby! Everyone, split up and search. We must find her!"
"yes!"
"We must bring the princess back!"
The soldiers responded in unison and quickly dispersed to search along the clues around the valley.
In another place, Xu Yuehuai was taken to an ancient temple.
Hidden deep in the mountains, the temple appeared to have been abandoned for a long time. The temple gates were tightly shut, covered in rust and moss, as if no one had set foot here for ages.
Xu Yuehuai was led into a secret room in the temple. It was dark and cold, with a musty smell in the air. She looked around and found that it was filled with all sorts of strange instruments and books, making it look like some kind of laboratory.
"Why did you capture me?" Xu Yuehuai finally couldn't help but ask the question that had been bothering her. Looking at the masked man's indifferent back, she felt a strong sense of unease.
The masked man turned around, his voice filled with greed and madness: "Stop playing dumb. I know you have that map. As long as you hand over the map, I can take you back to the modern world."
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