11. Ambush
The scorching sun scorched the cracked asphalt, sending up twisted, transparent waves of heat. Like a weary horse, the off-road vehicle raced northward along the deserted road, its wheels kicking up dry loess and leaving a long trail of dust.
Inside the car, the atmosphere was dull and subtle. A day and night of high-speed driving had left everyone exhausted, but even deeper was the indescribable estrangement that had quietly enveloped them since their reunion. Su Lin spent most of his time dozing against the car window, his long eyelashes casting a faint shadow beneath his eyelids, his face still a little pale. Physical exhaustion was secondary; the mental shock and the complex and indescribable emotions after that night left him even more at a loss. Occasionally, when he woke up, he would meet A Yan's undisguised, fiery gaze, Mu Lin's gentle yet deep gaze, or even Lei Qing's scrutinizing and protective eyes from the rearview mirror. His heart would race, and he would have to hastily avoid them.
Ah Yan seemed restless. He fiddled with the dancing flames on his fingertips, then leaned closer to Su Lin, trying to find some topics to talk about. His voice was a little hoarse from deliberately lowering it: "Su Lin, would you like some water? Your lips are dry." Or, "Damn it, when will this hellhole end? When we get to the northern base, the first thing I'm going to do is find a place to take a bath!"
Mu Lin would hand over a bottle of water at the right time and gently remind: "Ayan, let Su Lin rest more." When his eyes swept across the faint red marks on Su Lin's slender neck, he would pause almost imperceptibly, then move away, tighten his fingertips slightly, condensing a small piece of ice crystal, quietly lowering the somewhat hot temperature in the car.
Lei Qing remained silent, his back straight, like a mountain that never slackens its composure. His gaze scanned the road ahead, the increasingly rugged terrain on either side, and the towering rock faces that began to appear. His composure contrasted sharply with the undercurrent of emotion surging in the car, but his tightly pursed lips and the occasional, almost inaudible sigh that escaped his throat betrayed that he was not entirely unmoved.
"We're almost at Death Canyon." Lei Qing's deep voice finally broke the silence, like a stone dropped into a viscous lake. "The map marks this as the choke point leading to the north. The terrain is steep and easy to defend, but difficult to attack." He paused, then emphasized, "Everyone, be extremely alert."
His warning was like a gust of cold wind, instantly dispelling the somewhat charming atmosphere in the car. A Yan's playful laughter subsided, his eyes becoming sharp. Mu Lin also sat up straight, a subtle chill spreading around him. Su Lin opened his eyes and looked out the window.
The canyon's entrance resembled the gaping maw of a giant beast. On either side, dark red cliffs, as sharp as a knife and an axe, towered into the clouds, casting an unsettling shadow. The light within the canyon suddenly dimmed, only a narrow strip of sky overhead revealed a pale, pale glow. The wind took on an eerie sound, whimpering through the cracks in the rock, bringing a chill that penetrated deep into the bones.
The vehicle slowed down, and the roar of the engine echoed in the narrow passage, seeming particularly abrupt.
Just as the front of the car completely entered the shadow of the canyon——
Boom!!!!
A deafening explosion suddenly erupted from beneath the front wheel! A scorching blast of air, carrying gravel and dirt, lifted the SUV like a volcanic eruption! The bulletproof car body creaked with metallic distortion under the weight, and the windows were instantly covered with spiderweb-like cracks!
"Enemy attack! Hold on!" Lei Qing's roar was drowned out by the explosion. He gripped the steering wheel tightly and slammed on the brakes, trying to stabilize the vehicle on the verge of losing control.
Almost simultaneously, dozens of dark figures suddenly appeared from the towering rock faces on both sides, like ghosts! They wore uniform combat uniforms bearing the Blackrock Base emblem, and their various firearms spewed out deadly flames! A dense barrage of bullets, like a torrential downpour, crackled and pelted the vehicles, sending sparks flying everywhere!
"Fuck! It's that bastard Xiao! It's haunting me!" Ah Yan's eyes were bloodshot, and he quickly rolled down the window. The blazing fireball roared like an angry meteor, smashing into the rock wall on the left! Explosions and screams suddenly filled the air.
Mu Lin's body was engulfed in cold energy. A deep blue light spread out from him, quickly forming an arc-shaped, crystal-clear ice shield around the vehicle. Most of the bullets collided with the shield, making crisp crackling sounds and sending ice shards flying. However, the attacks were too intense, and the shield was repeatedly penetrated. His powerful supernatural power then quickly repaired it, and his face turned pale at a visible speed.
The vehicle was completely stalled and lying across the middle of the road, becoming a sitting duck.
"Get out of the car! Find cover!" Lei Qing acted decisively, kicked open the deformed car door, and rolled out first. The sniper rifle in his hand was useless at close range, so he pulled out the military dagger from the side of his leg with his backhand, his eyes as cold as ice.
A Yan and Mu Lin quickly dismounted, each seeking cover under rocks, unleashing their powers without reservation. A Yan's flames raged furiously, attempting to suppress the firepower points on the rock wall; Mu Lin continuously condensed ice cones, accurately firing at any enemy who attempted to peer through the wall.
However, the real threat does not come from these miscellaneous soldiers.
A terrifying pressure that was as heavy and condensed as the earth suddenly came from the front of the canyon, deep in the smoke and dust of the explosion.
The smoke and dust slowly dissipated, and two figures gradually became clear.
One of them was none other than Owl, his arm in a heavy plaster cast, his face as pale as paper, yet his eyes held a venomous glare like a dagger dipped in poison! He had actually managed to catch up so quickly despite his wounded body!
The man standing beside him was even taller and more muscular than he, nearly two meters tall, his body bulging with muscle, as if carved from solid rock. His features bore a passing resemblance to the owl's, though his features were more rugged and hardened. His eyes, like permafrost, held no emotion, only a pure, crushing, icy will. Simply standing there, he evoked an unshakable, mountainous, and oppressive presence.
Owl's brother - Yankui!
"That's them!" Xiao pointed at Su Lin, who had just been escorted down from the back seat of the car by Lei Qing. His voice was sharp and twisted with extreme resentment, like the cry of a night owl. "Brother! That healing guy! We must catch him! And those three bastards, I'm going to skin them alive and grind their bones to dust!"
Yan Kui's icy gaze swept across the four trapped men, finally settling on Su Lin, who was securely protected by Lei Qing. His gaze was like that of a rare treasure about to be acquired, filled with assessment and determination. He didn't waste a word, not even glancing at Xiao. He simply raised his massive, calloused hands, rough as rock.
Rumble——!
The earth groaned in pain and began to tremble violently! The ground beneath their feet surged and heaved like waves! Massive stone spikes, each as thick as an adult's thigh and tipped with incredibly sharp points, burst forth without warning, fiercely stabbing the SUV's chassis and the area where the men were standing! Simultaneously, the rock walls on either side seemed to come alive, emitting a deafening roar. Countless tons of boulders, as if propelled by invisible giants, rolled and roared, crashing down like a blanket of dust!
This was a truly catastrophic attack! Human power seemed so insignificant in the face of such immense power!
"Be careful!" Lei Qing pushed Su Lin away and narrowly avoided the stalagmite under his feet. However, a piece of flying gravel scratched his cheek and blood oozed out instantly.
Ah Yan roared, his blazing white flames attempting to melt the falling boulders into magma. However, the rocks seemed to contain some strange energy, and the flames burned through them, leaving only charred marks, with little effect! Mu Lin's frost spread wildly, attempting to freeze the ground and slow the rockfall. The ice and rock collided with a harsh cracking sound. Faced with this large-scale, brutal change in the terrain, his control seemed extremely difficult.
Lei Qing pushed Su Lin toward a relatively solid depression in the rock face and sternly shouted, "Hide well! Don't come out no matter what!" Then, his figure flashed like lightning, moving like a ghost among the constantly collapsing rubble and piercing stalagmites, attempting to close in on Yan Kui and decapitate him! However, Yan Kui seemed to be surrounded by an invisible force field, with flying sand and rocks automatically forming a barrier, making long-range sniping impossible.
The battle instantly became one-sided. Xiao frantically shouted orders from the sidelines, while his men fired even more fiercely.
Yan Kui's power was terrifying. He seemed to be the master of this canyon, able to change the terrain and cause disasters with a single wave of his hand! The ground continued to crack, forming bottomless ravines. Huge rocks fell like raindrops, and the canyon seemed to be about to collapse completely at any moment, burying everyone!
"We can't go on like this! We must find a way to break out!" Mu Lin struggled to maintain the constantly shattering ice shield, a trace of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, and it was obvious that his supernatural power had been consumed greatly.
A Yan's hair stood on end, the flames burned almost to the extreme, but he could not break through the thick and seemingly endless rock defense. He let out an unwilling roar.
At this moment, Yan Kui seemed to be tired of this cat-and-mouse game. He took a sudden step forward, and his huge foot landed on the ground like a meteorite!
Boom!!!!
A roar more terrifying than all the previous explosions combined erupted! The ground amidst the crowd suddenly collapsed, instantly forming a massive crater over ten meters in diameter, swallowing up the wreckage of the off-road vehicle and the surrounding shelters! Simultaneously, the hundred-meter-high rock walls on either side let out a final wail, like a dying giant, finally unable to bear the weight. Unprecedented landslides erupted with a bang! Countless tons of rock, mud, and broken wood mingled in a torrent of death, like a gray tsunami, instantly flooding the entire canyon passage with overwhelming force!
"Su Lin!!"
"Catch me!"
Amidst the apocalyptic devastation, his vision was completely obscured by the tumbling earth and rocks, leaving only a deafening roar. Lei Qing only had time to see Su Lin's figure being swept across the canyon by a turbid mudslide. A Yan and Mu Lin were also forcibly separated by the different waves of earth and rock, their cries drowned out by the clamor. The next moment, he himself was struck in the chest by the edge of a huge rock the size of a small house, a sharp pain radiating through his body. His vision went black, and the last thing he knew was Su Lin's eyes, filled with fear and reluctance...
The devastating ambush, the absolute crushing force, and the complete collapse of the terrain ultimately led to the worst outcome.
The team was separated again, and their lives were in danger.
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