Chapter 155
After narrowly avoiding the trap, they finally reached the bottom of the rift valley without any major incident.
The bottom was wider than expected, with a murky, eerie dark green underground river flowing slowly, its waters emitting a strong, fishy stench.
On the opposite bank of the river, a huge, obviously man-made, irregularly shaped cave entrance, like the gaping, greedy maw of a giant beast, suddenly appeared before our eyes!
On either side of the cave entrance stood two eerie stone statues, each carved from a single piece of obsidian, with ferocious faces and holding twisted bone weapons!
The statue's eyes seemed to be inlaid with some kind of dark red gemstone, like congealed blood. In the absolute darkness, they emitted a faint, unsettling red light, coldly watching these uninvited guests, full of malice and warning.
Deep within the cave entrance, the chanting and bell sounds, clearer and more strangely rapid than those heard outside, seemed to possess a kind of magic that struck the soul directly, causing one's heart to race uncontrollably, blood to rush, and waves of dizziness to wash over them, as if stirring up the darkest desires in one's heart.
“This is it,” Su Zhelan said in a low voice, his breathing slightly rapid due to the great exertion of energy. His sharp eyes quickly scanned the cave entrance and the surrounding environment.
Sheng Xuan licked his slightly chapped lips, his Adam's apple bobbing as he gripped the hilt of his sword tightly. His voice was filled with suppressed excitement and tension: "How do we get in? By force?" He surveyed the two eerie stone statues and the dark entrance, his muscles bulging with tension.
Su Zhelan observed carefully for a moment, then slowly shook her head, her eyes extremely solemn: "Forcing our way in will not only immediately alarm everyone inside, but it will also likely attract the Gu worms, with unimaginable consequences."
He crouched down and took out several warm and translucent jade talismans engraved with fine runes and a small jar of specially made cinnabar that gleamed with golden light from a waterproof oilcloth bag he carried with him. He then began to move with fluid grace on the relatively dry ground near the cave entrance.
"Let's go!" Su Zhelan immediately stood up without hesitation, enduring the dizziness and nausea caused by the excessive consumption of her mental energy, and rushed into the cave that seemed to devour all light!
Sheng Xuan followed closely behind, his long sword fully drawn, its gleaming blade slicing a chilling light in the darkness!
Su Zhelan rushed into the cave first, followed closely by Sheng Xuan. The gleaming blades drew sharp arcs in the darkness, clearing a path for Su Zhelan. More than ten elite team members poured in silently like ghosts, quickly spreading out to guard the entrance.
The interior of the cave passage was far larger and more eerie than imagined. The rough, uneven stone walls were slippery and cold, covered with twisted and bizarre murals and incomprehensible, worm-like dark red runes. The murals mostly depicted bloody and cruel sacrificial scenes and distorted, tormented human figures, exuding a nauseating spiritual pollution.
The pungent, rotten smell in the air was so strong it was almost tangible, mixed with a heavy, cheap sandalwood scent and some indescribable herbal aroma, creating a bizarre odor that could drive an ordinary person insane.
The deeper one goes, the louder and more jarring the chanting and bells become, accompanied by a low, guttural background sound that seems to be the groans and sobs of countless people, like a demonic chant that disturbs the peace of mind.
Despite her discomfort, Su Zhelan used her extraordinary senses to guide the team quickly through the dimly lit and winding passages, constantly avoiding the scattered patrols and the hidden alarm arrays that emitted faint energy fluctuations.
Along the way, they passed several forks in the road, and some of the scenes inside the side caves were horrifying: in one cave, there were piles of white human skeletons and rotting offerings; in another cave, some people, bound by heavy iron chains, dressed in rags, emaciated, and with numb eyes like livestock, huddled in a corner, clearly prisoners captured by a cult or "materials" used for some kind of evil ritual.
Sheng Xuan's eyes blazed with fury, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, and his teeth were clenched, but Su Zelan held him firmly in place with a stern look—their primary objective was to destroy the Holy Source and capture the leader of the thieves; otherwise, even if they rescued these people, they would not be able to get them away safely.
Just as he was passing through a larger side cave, Su Zhelan's gaze inadvertently swept over a corner of the cave. His steps suddenly stopped, his face turned ashen, and his breathing became rapid!
Deep within that side cave, in the dim light of the fire, lay several bizarrely shaped racks and iron implements covered in dark brown stains! The style of those things... was strikingly similar to a scene from a deliberately forgotten, deeply buried nightmare in his memory!
The cold iron rings, the barbed chains, the strangely shaped branding iron… even the familiar metallic smell, a mixture of blood and rust, seemed to permeate the air again… In an instant, the fear and despair of being imprisoned and tortured, that penetrated to the bone, overwhelmed him like an icy tide! His body began to tremble uncontrollably, his fingertips were icy cold, he could barely hold the dagger in his hand, his vision blurred, and he almost suffocated.
Just as he was about to be swallowed up by the sudden, terrifying memory, a warm, rough, and powerful hand suddenly reached out and firmly grasped his cold, trembling hand.
It is a sweltering heat.
Sheng Xuan didn't look at him, his gaze still warily scanning the front and flanks, as if he had merely casually changed the way he held the knife. But his hand gripped Su Zhelan's cold fingers tightly, with an undeniable sense of reassurance, even squeezing them a few times with a hint of warning.
The scorching warmth and steady strength emanating from his palm were like a warm current, instantly shattering the cold illusion of fear.
Su Zhelan snapped back to reality, as if dragged from a nightmare. He gasped for breath and instinctively squeezed the hand, his fingertips trembling slightly, but his eyes quickly regained their clarity and sharpness. He glanced quickly at Sheng Xuan's resolute profile and whispered, "...It's alright."
Sheng Xuan then let go of her hand, as if nothing had happened, but urged her in a low voice, "Hurry up, the smell here is fucking awful."
The group continued their rapid advance. However, accidents always happen unexpectedly. Just as they were about to pass through an area filled with stalactites, the last member of the group accidentally stepped on a very hidden, moss-covered slippery rock, and his body lurched to the side! Although he reacted quickly and tried to regain his balance, the scabbard at his waist still clattered heavily against a stalagmite standing nearby!
The crisp impact sounded particularly jarring in the relatively quiet cave passage!
"Who?!" Almost immediately, a wary shout and hurried footsteps came from around the corner ahead! A group of black-robed cultists, who had clearly been patrolling nearby, had been alerted!
"We've been discovered! Prepare for battle!" Sheng Xuan reacted swiftly, letting out a low roar as he instantly pulled Su Zhelan behind him, brandishing his long sword with a fierce glint in his eyes!
The next moment, seven or eight black-robed cultists with ferocious faces, wielding poisoned scimitars and strange hooks rushed out from around the corner. Upon seeing Su Zelan and his group, they immediately let out sharp whistles and pounced on them!
"Kill!" Sheng Xuan roared and charged forward, his blade flashing like a bolt of lightning, instantly sending the two leading figures flying! The other elite members immediately formed a battle formation to meet the enemy, and the sounds of clashing swords, roars, and screams shattered the silence of the passage!
In the chaos, Su Zhelan was tightly protected behind Sheng Xuan, but he saw more cultists rushing over from different side roads after hearing the commotion!
"Shengxuan! We can't get entangled in this fight! It will attract even more people!" Su Zhelan said urgently, his gaze quickly sweeping across the battlefield before locking onto a side path that seemed to lead deeper into the area and where no one was currently emerging!
“I know! Hold on! Su Zhelan, come with me…” Sheng Xuan deflected the grappling hook with his sword, turned around to pull Su Zhelan back, but found that Su Zhelan gave him a resolute look, then suddenly pointed to the deep fork in the road: “The bishop must be over there! I’ll go!”
"What?! No!" Sheng Xuan was shocked and tried to stop them, but he was immediately entangled by two cultists who rushed at him with wild shouts! He was extremely anxious, and his sword strikes became even more ferocious. He was almost willing to risk injury to finish off the enemy in front of him as soon as possible!
Su Zhelan did not hesitate at all. He took a deep look at Sheng Xuan, who was fighting hard in the crowd and looking at him anxiously. He gritted his teeth, turned around and rushed alone towards that dark and secluded side road like an arrow released from a bow!
"Su Zhelan! Come back! Damn it!" Sheng Xuan roared angrily and worriedly as he watched Su Zhelan's figure disappear into the dark crossroads.
He frantically swung his sword hilt, trying to fight his way out and catch up, but more and more cultists surged in. Although most of the men had been redeployed due to the battle outside, the remaining fanatical believers still fought desperately to block him and his squad, keeping them firmly tied down!
Fortunately, Sheng Xuan led an elite force, handpicked from the best. Although caught off guard and surrounded, they fought in formation, coordinating with each other, and managed to hold out for a short time. Amidst the flashing blades and flying blood, the narrow passage instantly transformed into a brutal killing field.
Sheng Xuan was extremely anxious. While frantically hacking and slashing, he kept trying to find Su Zhelan's figure in the chaotic crowd, but where could he see her? That slender figure had long since disappeared into the darkness.
Fear and worry gnawed at his heart like venomous snakes. Su Zhelan ventured alone into the heart of the enemy's den, not even knowing where they were!
This feeling of powerlessness drove him almost mad! His swordsmanship became increasingly ruthless, completely disregarding his own defense, only wanting to kill off these scum blocking his way as quickly as possible!
How much time had passed was unknown; perhaps only the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, but in Shengxuan's eyes, it felt like an eternity. When the last resisting cultist was cleaved to the ground with a single blow, the passageway fell silent for a moment, save for heavy breathing and the pervasive, pungent smell of blood.
Sheng Xuan was splattered with blood, some of his own, but mostly his enemies'. He didn't bother checking his injuries, abruptly looking up, his gaze frantically scanning every intersection, and screaming hoarsely, "Su Zhelan! Su Zhelan! Where are you?!"
The only response he received was the clearer and more fervent chanting coming from the depths of the cave, and the hollow echo of his own voice.
Su Zhelan did not respond.
Sheng Xuan's heart nearly stopped; immense fear gripped him. He lunged forward, his blood-stained sword pressed against the throat of a cultist lying on the ground, still breathing and groaning in agony. His voice, hoarse and distorted with fear and rage, screamed: "Tell me! Where is your damned bishop?! Where is he?! If you don't tell me, I'll make you suffer the agony of being slowly sliced to death!"
The cultist was terrified by the chilling killing intent emanating from the sword and Sheng Xuan's ferocious expression. Coughing up blood, he struggled to raise his hand and pointed to the deepest, most secluded path where Su Zhelan had just disappeared, pleading intermittently, "Spare...spare my life...it's...it's over there...in the deepest part...the blood pool...the altar..."
Having obtained the exact location, a cold glint flashed in Sheng Xuan's eyes. Without the slightest hesitation, he flicked his wrist, and the sword instantly plunged into the opponent's throat.
He abruptly drew his longsword, not even glancing at the corpses on the ground, and roared at his wounded but still capable team members behind him, "Those who can still move, come with me! Find someone! Quickly!"
Having said that, he raised his blood-dripping longsword and, like an enraged tiger, charged first into the deep, dark passage that exuded the most intense aura of evil. He had only one thought in his mind: Su Zelan, you absolutely cannot be harmed! Wait for me!
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