Chapter 004: Heart-Pounding Steps of the Soul

Even the burly man Kue Le swallowed a mouthful of saliva

Lin Mufeng cautioned, "Be careful of the traps around. This place is filled with oddities." Saying this, he squeezed himself behind Officer Wang.

However, as soon as everyone started to run, two screams were heard. One came from the front, and the other was right in front of Xin Tu. The floor beneath the colorful-haired youth suddenly opened downward like a door, and he fell directly down, landing on the ground below, trembling and crying out, "Help me, help me!"

This individual has a coarse voice and speaks loudly, and given the small and enclosed space here, his voice possesses an extraordinary impact and penetrating quality

He lurks in the shadows, meticulously positioning his pieces step by step, anticipating the moment to obliterate the Lu family's fortress in one fell swoop. Unfortunately, no matter how brilliant the strategy, it is prone to failure under conditions of inherent inadequacy.

Kweir let out a cold laugh and said, "It is you who harmed him"

As the stone slab completely closed, Zhang Tianyi ceased his futile cries for help. However, enveloped by darkness, every nerve in his body felt as taut as a rubber band, with fear repeatedly tugging at his nerves, causing him to tremble all over. He fumbled around on the ground and eventually found his mobile phone. He pressed the button with force, and light radiated forth.

Where is she? What took her away? You must have seen clearly, tell me, what exactly was it? Speak up.

Run! Run fast! Get out of here! The sound of dense trees ahead is coming.

"Fuck! Shit!" A muscular white man slammed against the wall, shouting: "Let me out! You bastard, get me out of this damn place!"

Zhang Tianyi immediately held his breath, then slowly raised his head. ... Next, illuminated by the light of the phone screen, he saw a set of sharp, silver teeth, with thick, crystalline liquid dripping like raindrops ... ... Zhang Tianyi's lips trembled as he let out a very low and brief "ah" ... ...

Just as Wang Dong was about to take the third position, the burly white man stepped in. However, Wang Dong clapped his hands with a wrench and said with a smile in English, "Big guy, if you’re not worried about me giving you a good whack from behind, please go ahead." The burly white man’s facial muscles twitched, and then he replied, "My name is Quiller, not Big Guy. Please remember that." With that, he withdrew his foot. Wang Dong said, "I’ve noted it down, Big Guy. Brother Zhang, you come behind me. As for you, Beijing guy, how about you stay behind Brother Zhang?" Then he added, "My name is Quiller, not Big Guy. Please remember that." With that, he withdrew his foot. Wang Dong said, "I’ve noted it down, Big Guy. Brother Zhang, you come behind me. As for you, Beijing guy, how about you stay behind Brother Zhang?"

Brother Wang's words are reasonable; this must be the way out. Let's hurry up and go, shall we?" Zhang Tianyi said eagerly

Are you saying that I am in a good mood

At this moment, everyone came to a halt, and the triangular tunnel fell completely silent, with not even the sound of breathing to be heard

Xin Tu stood beside the cave entrance, overlooking the colorful-haired youth below

Thus, the eight individuals ceased making unnecessary noise and began to tap and strike around them, hoping to discover some mechanism. Ultimately, however, everyone was disappointed. Aside from the smooth stone surface, there was nothing else to be found.

The cold wind rushed in from both sides

Zhang Tianyi's gaze frightened Wang Dong into silence

English and Chinese are the two official languages of the "Earth Federation"

This time, everyone walked exceptionally cautiously; their steps were not taken but rather shuffled, fearing that a trap might suddenly appear beneath their feet

Zhang Tianyi quickly pulled Wang Dong and said, "Brother Wang, let's hold on for a bit, shall we? Everyone's mood is not good right now"

Bastard! Wang Dong forcefully struck the wrench against the ground. It is unclear whether he was venting his inner anger or expressing his deep-seated fear

Xin Tu looked at the black overweight woman in surprise. He noticed the natural calmness on her slightly plump face, completely devoid of any desire for life, and said, "Alright. Thank you." However, in his heart, he muttered, "One's life should belong to oneself. What is God, anyway?" Yet, to be honest, having this black overweight woman supporting him from behind did provide a bit more sense of security.

What are you saying! Although the muscular white man does not understand what Wang Dong means, the tone of Wang Dong is quite provoking

Officer Wang directed his tactical flashlight forward. Everyone immediately saw a narrow corridor appear before them. They quickly crawled out one by one. No one wanted to stay in this damned cramped space for even a moment

It seems that the interior of this pyramid undergoes slight changes every once in a while

With a small heart, I advanced for three to four minutes when suddenly a series of "da da da" sounds came from an unknown source.

What exactly is the monster lurking in the darkness

Once everyone had calmed their emotions, they took another step forward.

A single bullet has buried the hard work of Xin Tu over the years

Officer Wang shone his flashlight down the corridor and saw a wall blocking the way about ten meters ahead. It seemed that only this triangular tunnel was passable. He swallowed hard. Clearly, this brave armed police officer felt a stir of anxiety in his heart after hearing the previous screams filled with extreme terror, despair, and pain. Now that he was aware of the existence of some terrifying monster lurking in the darkness of this cursed place, he could no longer maintain his previous composure. Nevertheless, he gritted his teeth, unfastened the strap of his gun, held it steadily in his hand, and cautiously crawled into the triangular tunnel, "Let's go!"

"How are you?" The overweight Black woman helped Xintu up. Xintu said, "Thank you, I am fine. Please go ahead, ma'am." The Black woman replied, "No, child, let me be the last to go. If there is real danger, I know I won't be able to run. Moreover, my life has long belonged to the Lord. You need not worry about me."

Out of nowhere, someone hit me with a wrench and killed me, then inexplicably brought me back to life, and subsequently, I found myself in this hellish place... With all these experiences, it’s a miracle if I can feel good about anything. Although that muscular man is large and has a fierce look in his eyes, and judging by the scars and tattoos on his arms, it’s clear he’s not a good person, Wang Dong is not afraid. Your fists are strong, but can they withstand my wrench? Although that muscular man is large and has a fierce look in his eyes, and judging by the scars and tattoos on his arms, it’s clear he’s not a good person, Wang Dong is not afraid. Your fists are strong, but can they withstand my wrench?

Xin Tu shrugged and made a gesture of "please"

Xin Tu smiled and said, "Thank you, I am easygoing." Wang Dong shrugged and replied, "Then it's up to you." Zhang Tianyi then smiled apologetically at Xin Tu and closely followed behind Wang Dong.

At this moment, Xintu truly understands why that white light figure emphasized, "If you are alive."

Thus, a team of eight slowly advanced through the narrow and dark triangular tunnel

A deep triangular tunnel, approximately large enough for a person to walk upright.

Just as Xintu was preparing to follow behind Kuiler, that colorful head suddenly shoved him aside and squeezed into the triangular tunnel

As the strong man Kuehler's gaze fell upon him, Xintu smiled and said, "Mr. Kuehler, please go ahead."

However, just a few meters away, a piercing shriek echoed from the front, mingling with the gunfire. Soon, the "da da da" of gunfire ceased, but the shrill scream of that certain monster continued to resonate.

Fortune does not come in pairs, and misfortune does not come alone. At this moment, the sound of stone bricks rubbing against each other was heard again. Xin Tu then saw a section of the slanted wall on the left and right suddenly sink down, and a few seconds later, two dark tunnels appeared on both sides.

So, dark monster, come forth, let us engage in a proper contest, and see whether you, the creature hidden in darkness, are more formidable, or I, the one concealed in sunlight, am stronger

Everyone followed the direction of the eyes on the grotesque relief and saw a triangular tunnel

The muscular white man glanced at the gun that Officer Wang was carrying on his shoulder and holding in his hand, let out a snort, and fell silent.

This sense of frustration, this feeling of unwillingness, this anger, Xin Tu did not express outwardly; it merely accumulated and brewed within his heart, quietly waiting to ferment—therefore, he must make good use of this second chance at life

Gunshot! Officer Wang said, "This should be the sound of an old firearm being discharged. I saw an instructor demonstrate it during my training. However, the sound of such a noise from a gunshot indicates that it is at least from a firearm over forty years old. Let us follow the tunnel and see; we might encounter someone."

This is truly ... ... too interesting

The next moment, the trembling voice of a stout Black woman came through: "Amen... Amen... Ah..." After that, it became inaudible.

Wang Dong said: "Who cares, it's really ugly. However... do you see the eyes of this face looking over there? Could that be the exit?" Lin Mufeng replied: "The characters above should be ancient script, but I can't understand them."

As they entered the tunnel, the colorful-haired youth ahead of Xintu turned back several times and said, "I am very sorry," as if fearing that Xintu would seek revenge for the earlier collision. Xintu responded with a friendly smile.

You can save him!" Wang Dong coldly stared at Kuehler

This drop of liquid is crystalline and viscous, accompanied by a strong, nauseating fishy odor

At this moment, even a fool could imagine what has happened: a group of armed individuals is engaged in battle with a monster, and then people are killed by the monster, resulting in the cessation of gunfire, yet the monster's roar remains unabated

Gulu

However, before he could catch his breath, a drop of liquid suddenly fell onto the phone screen

Wang Dong tightened his grip on the wrench, and Lin Mufeng held him back, saying: "Don't act impulsively. No one wishes to see such things happen. This place is too dangerous. The priority is to find a way out as soon as possible, and then bring in a rescue team to save them." The implication was to abandon the two who had fallen into the trap, and the reasoning was indisputable.

Wang Dong covered his ears and shouted, "Hey, big guy, could you please shut your mouth? It's really noisy." The muscular white man turned his head and asked, "What did you say?" He spoke in English. Wang Dong muttered, "Come on, it's the federal era, how can there still be foreigners who don't speak Mandarin?"

As he walked slowly and had taken only a few steps, he passed a dark intersection. Suddenly, Xin Tu felt a chill creeping up from behind. He quickly turned around, and by the light of his phone screen, he saw that the overweight black woman had been swept away by a tall shadow, completely silently.

It is said that following the wind can lead to an exit, yet at this moment, Xin Tu has no intention of stepping into this newly appeared tunnel

Kweila suddenly lifted Xintu by the arm, loudly asking, his wide, crimson eyes filled with a hatred that seemed ready to devour Xintu, as if he were the very monster itself

The young man from the capital asked me to go first! However, when it was Xintu's turn, Wang Dong used a wrench to push Xintu's shoulder aside

Even though she was mentally prepared, at this moment, Xin Tu still felt a tingling sensation in her back

It was Wang Dong who instructed Zhang Tianyi to follow behind him

A strange thought suddenly crossed Xin Tu's mind: "Could it be that we have traveled through time and space? Ha, how is that possible?" However, considering that he had already died and come back to life, it seemed that nothing was impossible anymore

Suddenly at that moment, Xin Tuda said, "Listen, it seems like there is some sound." After saying this, he pressed his ear against the wall and listened carefully, and he heard a very faint scream—this was undoubtedly the most desperate, terrified, and painful scream that a human could emit

The sound of gunfire from over forty years ago

Who can tell me what exactly happened! The psychological resilience of the muscular white man is clearly not as strong as his muscles, as he kicked the wall with one foot. However, in the next moment, the wall he kicked actually moved. Amid the heavy sound of rocks grinding, the stone wall began to slowly retreat, moving back about one meter before shifting to the left.

Thus, the crowd quickened their pace. The sound of gunfire signifies the presence of individuals, and the presence of individuals implies many things

As everyone emerged from the narrow space, they cautiously walked a short distance along the stone corridor, and then they saw a circular disk on the wall resembling a book. In the center of the disk was a peculiar relief of a mask, with deep eye sockets and a broad, prominent nose

However, as soon as Lin Mufeng's voice fell, an extreme scream of terror, pain, despair, and madness echoed from beneath his feet. It was identical to the sound they had heard earlier while pressed against the wall, yet it was even clearer and closer. Then, these two screams gradually diminished, as if being dragged further and further away by something.

"What is that sound?" Xin Tu heard the voice of Lin Mufeng coming from ahead.

Zhang Tianyi touched it and asked, "What is this?"

In the triangular tunnel

Thank you. Xin Tu said quietly. If it weren't for the colorful-haired youth who had taken his place, it might have been him falling down now. Ahead, the person who fell was Zhang Tianyi. The equally terrified and helpless cries for help were also cut off by the closing stone slabs.

Otherwise, he would not have quietly gathered and woven together evidence of the Lu family's crimes, nor would he have taken advantage of Lu Haokun's desire to torment him physically and mentally, spending a year and a half collaborating with a woman named Han Yali, who yearned to enter high society, to stage a performance worthy of an Oscar statuette

The narrow space, the pitch-black darkness where one cannot see their own hand, the ever-changing maze, the traps that may appear at any moment, and the unknown monsters that can elicit chilling screams... All factors capable of provoking fear within the human heart have come together

Keller casually uttered, "Thank you"

The colorful-haired youth raised his hand high, pleading with a trembling and hoarse voice for Xintula to take him up, but at that moment, the opened floor began to close again.

At this moment, Officer Wang stepped forward and said, "This young man is right. We should all calm down and face the difficulties together." He then turned to the muscular man and said in English, "My friend here may be a bit agitated. I apologize on his behalf. Please forgive him."

Oh, my God, Holy Mother Mary, what on earth is that? What have they encountered? Save me, Lord, please come quickly to save me... The young man with colorful hair trembled, repeatedly making the sign of the cross on his chest

To perfectly conceal oneself, to instill terror and despair in others at all times, causing them to be restless and fearful, to the point where they are terrified to take even a single step, fearing that they might be shattered to pieces in the next moment—this is precisely the state that Xintu loves and pursues

Xin Tu quietly clenched her fists, feeling her heart pounding faster in her chest.