Chapter 27: Bloodline

The gloomy walls were covered in slick moss and strangely shaped fungi, some of which emitted an eerie phosphorescent glow, adding a sense of dread to the deathly silence.

The beam of a flashlight pierced through the darkness, illuminating a relatively open area ahead, yet the sound of soft rustling persisted in the corners, as if countless tiny creatures were lurking in the shadows.

Because this underground cavern had been devoid of sunlight for years, it had become a paradise for certain mutated organisms. Sturdy, grotesque plants twisted in bizarre shapes under the glare of the light. The environment was not only dark but also muddy and slippery, with clusters of fungal growths writhing on the ground, hindering their progress.

The group trudged forward step by painful step, though their high-quality equipment meant they had no need to worry about such external factors.

"Captain, the energy interference here is intense. Many of the detection modules have failed." Ke Ji’s voice came from the front, tinged with gravity. On the tablet in his hands, data streams jumped erratically, and many readings had turned into glaring red warnings.

"Watch your step, everyone!" Scarface’s low response echoed through the passage. The massive axe in his hand glowed with a faint red light—a sign of his fire-based ability being channeled. They had reached the point they had explored yesterday; the path ahead was uncharted territory.

Xia Tong followed behind, listening to them stop occasionally to clear obstacles, punctuated by dull thuds and the low hum of energy weapons. Clearly, this underground path was not easy to navigate. The hallucinogenic plants and fungal clusters Ke Ji had mentioned were likely causing them significant trouble.

Xia Tong was pleased to see this. The more trouble they encountered, the more energy they would expend, which only benefited her subsequent plans. Like a patient hunter, she trailed silently behind her prey, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. This underground area was like a forgotten labyrinth, filled with the unknown and the dangerous. And she was the most dangerous shadow within it.

Further down, the passage suddenly opened up into a more spacious underground chamber. The air here was even more humid, thick with a pungent, metallic scent of rust and blood that was nauseating.

"Those annoying bugs seem to have disappeared."

"But Captain, this looks like an abandoned underground settlement built in the early days of the apocalypse." Ke Ji held up his tablet, his flashlight beam scanning the area. "There’s no mark for this place on the structural maps collected by the base."

"Move. Forget whether it’s marked or not. Since the base provided the exact coordinates for the 'Moonlight Orchid,' it must be along this route." Scarface spat, his face twisted with irritation.

Ling said nothing, merely scanning her surroundings with heightened vigilance. Her intuition told her this place was more dangerous than anywhere they had been before, especially since this was where they had been forced to retreat yesterday.

Just as they stepped into the center of the cavern, attempting to get their bearings, disaster struck!

The tablet in Ke Ji’s hand suddenly emitted a piercing screech, and the energy readings on the screen spiked off the charts!

"Captain! Look out! Something’s there!" he screamed in terror.

But his warning was a split second too late.

A sound, so faint it was almost imperceptible, sliced through the air. Then, a blood-red line, as thin as a thread, appeared as if out of thin air. Accompanied by a screech that tore through the silence and a thick, murderous aura, it shot out from a deep shadow at the side. Its target was none other than Scarface, who was walking in the lead!

The blood-red thread moved with extreme velocity; the very air seemed to freeze under the cold, murderous intent it carried. It appeared the enemy had been prepared, waiting specifically for them.

"Damn it!" Scarface’s pupils contracted. In the face of life and death, there was no time to think or fully evade. Every muscle in his body tensed as his fire ability erupted, instantly coating his massive axe in searing flames. With a roar, acting purely on combat instinct, he swung the axe horizontally, shielding his head.

*Clang!*

A deafening sound of metal striking metal rang out. The fierce red line and the sturdy axe collided violently, sending a shower of orange sparks flying.

Scarface felt a massive force surge from the blade, numbing his palm and forcing him to stumble back half a step. The red line dissipated upon impact, but a long, deep cut remained on the axe’s surface, from which wisps of black smoke drifted, carrying a sinister, corrosive stench.

"What on earth was that?" Ke Ji was terrified, nearly dropping his tablet as he stared in horror at the shadows from which the thread had emerged. Even the strongest member of their team had nearly failed to defend against it, and it seemed he had still been pushed onto the defensive.

Ling was the fastest to react. The moment the collision occurred, she raised her specialized crossbow. Three arrows, glistening with a cold light, shot into the darkness in a tight formation with a sharp whistling sound.

*Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!*

The dull thuds of arrows piercing flesh were heard, yet there was no cry of pain or sound of a creature falling.

"Captain, are you alright?" Ling’s voice carried a hint of urgency and lingering fear. She had clearly sensed that the angle and timing of the attack were diabolical. Had the Captain not reacted with such speed, the consequences would have been unimaginable. If the Captain fell here, she and Ke Ji would never make it back to the base alive. They had put so much effort and cost into reaching this ruined city; without him, they would surely die on the way back.

Scarface shook his numb arm, his face ashen, beads of sweat forming on his brow as he caught his breath. That had been dangerously close.

"Damn it! I'm fine! Almost got taken out by a sneak attack!" He glared at the dark corner. The speed of that blood-red thread had been so great he had barely caught a glimpse, but the pure, icy intent to kill left him shaken. "Stay alert! There’s some bastard in this hellhole that knows how to ambush!" he bellowed, his voice echoing through the cavern.

Hidden in the shadows of a broken pipe high above, Xia Tong watched everything. A strange glint appeared in her glass-like cat eyes.

"Interesting."

It seemed the entity that had launched the red-thread attack was a unique plant, but after the strike, it had quickly withered, as if it were a "one-shot" weapon.