68: Chapter 69 Gray Stele Station

The first ash-covered pillar of the Grey Stele Post had just peaked through the war fog when the left slope suddenly collapsed with a roar!

It wasn't a natural collapse; the vanguard capture team, desperate to claim credit, had rushed up like madmen and forcibly snapped the weathered slope edge.

A sky full of grey dust and broken bricks poured down, not only revealing a row of blackened old fire troughs underneath but also startling several Line-Guarding Beasts hidden in the slope crevices, causing them to bolt out with shrieks that pierced the fog layer.

These Line-Guarding Beasts were fiercer, thinner, and longer than Night Beasts—their grey backs like rough iron, long claws sharp as blades, and snouts pointed like fire-quenched iron hooks; their spines arched along the direction of the old post road, looking just like segments of broken nails buried in the ash, exuding an aura of deathly ferocity.

The one at the very front lunged, its hook-like snout snapping half of a capture soldier's small shield in one bite; the force was so great that it sent both the man and the shield flying into the deep ditch nearby, leaving only a shrill scream before silence returned.

"It's not a ruin; it's a living stronghold!"

Ning Yanqiu tapped her toes lightly and stood steadily atop a broken wall. Her four silver mirrors expanded simultaneously, their light sweeping across the field. Her voice was quick and steady, hitting the mark with every word: "There's a cluster of Line-Guarding Beasts on the main slope, at least five of them. There's an old sentry pit hidden under the collapsed bridge on the right; there are likely ambushers inside. The front gate is a death trap—whoever crowds in first gets beaten first; it's just throwing lives away!"

The war fog had yet to disperse, and most of the Grey Stele Post remained buried in the grey mist, with only a broken outline visible—the low, half-collapsed outer wall was crooked, a leaning grey stele stood in the center, and behind the stele dragged an old post building that was on the verge of collapse.

The roof was long gone, leaving only a few black beams slanted upwards like the withered bones of a dying seabird. Further in, a main fire pillar stood alone, its body covered in cracks, yet without a single spark; the entire Post Station looked like nothing but an empty shell, devoid of life.

Yet none of the capture teams present dared to underestimate it—the more dilapidated a place appeared, the more treasure it hid.

With walls to defend, a pillar to ignite, old paths to traverse, and underground levels to hide in, as long as it was captured and slightly repaired, it would be a forward stronghold where one could immediately take root—ten times more valuable than a bare, empty patch of land!

Lu Jin did not stop his pace. His gaze swept over the chaotic battlefield, instantly locking onto three key routes, a cold light flashing in his eyes: the main slope was the most conspicuous but had already turned into a complete mess, with several teams crowding together—having to deal with both the Line-Guarding Beasts and each other, it was pure attrition. The collapsed bridge on the right hid an old sentry pit, a tricky terrain where one could easily be ambushed by someone camping the line of sight. Only the ash ditch on the left was the most inconspicuous—the slope was narrow, the ash was thick, and it was the most collapsed section. Yet, deep at the bottom of the ditch, a segment of an old brick trough buried in ash was faintly visible; it was clearly a secret path used by the Post Station in the past for material transport carts. No one was fighting over it, yet it was the most effortless breakthrough point.

Just then, the token in his sleeve suddenly warmed slightly. The heat wasn't intense, but it pointed precisely toward the direction of the left ditch—it matched perfectly with the old supply route recorded on the scroll!

Lu Jin hesitated no longer and immediately gave the order in a deep, unquestionable tone: "We aren't taking the front gate; we're going around the left ditch! Qiao Ye, take the Bone-Armor Furnace Guards and press the main slope. You don't need to push too deep, just hold the line, occupy the line of sight, and don't let anyone take advantage of the chaos to flank us. Wen Zhao, use fire to seal the right bridge; I don't need you to kill anyone, just force the ambushers out of the sentry pit and cut off the threat from the side. Ning Yanqiu, keep a close watch on the top of the left ditch and the main fire pillar. If anyone dares to interfere with these two spots, report to me immediately!"

Qiao Ye's eyes lit up terrifyingly. He gripped his Shield Bear, his entire being bursting with battle intent: "Got it! Finally, I can have a real fight; I've been pent up!"

Wen Zhao already had a fire pouch held between his fingers, sparks flickering at his fingertips. He glanced at him indifferently: "Don't show off. Don't overdo it and get yourself caught, dragging us down."

Ning Yanqiu didn't engage in their bickering. Her cold, white mirror light had already scanned the left ditch, her tone certain: "The ash bottom of the left ditch is hollow. There really is an old path underneath that can lead to the inner circle of the Post Station."

"Burrowing Spear Rats, follow me down!" As Lu Jin's voice fell, his simulation board instantly lit up, and the troops of the Furnace Cave Fortress immediately pressed into the ruins—two Bone-Armor Furnace Guards landed with a boom, over a dozen Burrowing Spear Rats darted out, and the first batch of Red-Eyed Rats followed by two squads of Nest-Paste Worker Rats trailed closely behind, dense and swarming, instantly covering the edge of the ash ditch.

Grey Pupil guarded the well, and Wu Fu suppressed the nest. Two voices echoed simultaneously in the Sea of Consciousness, one deep and one restless, both full of tense vigilance.

Grey Pupil's voice came through first, his tone grave: "The main fire pillar isn't completely dead; it can still be ignited. But we must first clear away the remnant beasts and debris around the grey stele, otherwise the fire sequence won't hold, and it'll be a wasted effort."

Wu Fu, on the other hand, sounded as if she had already smelled the age-old scent inside the Post Station. Her voice was bright, carrying a hint of greed: "There's an empty warehouse below! The base of the post building isn't a dead end. Leave me a line of advance, and I can patch this place into a semi-nest first; holding the inner circle won't be a problem!"

Lu Jin didn't respond; he was already stepping on the loose ash, the first to dive into the left ditch.

The ash ditch was deeper than it looked. The top layer was soft, floating ash that one would sink into up to the ankles upon stepping. Below, however, it was pressed down by hard old bricks and broken train tracks, exceptionally sturdy.

As soon as the Burrowing Spear Rats dove in, they immediately began carving a path along the ash bottom. The sound of sharp claws digging into the soil was dense and rapid. In just a few breaths, the lead Spear Rat suddenly sank, and a muffled "click" echoed from beneath the entire ash ditch—the old material path had been found!

"Follow the hollow space, don't make too much noise, avoid alerting the people on the main slope." Lu Jin signaled with his hand and, without stopping his pace, crawled inside along the passage the Spear Rats had dug.

On the other side, Qiao Ye was already fighting on the main slope!

The several vanguard capture teams ahead were still tangled in a mess with the Line-Guarding Beasts, pushing and shoving, everyone wanting to rush up first. As a result, no one could get in; instead, they were bitten by the Line-Guarding Beasts and forced back repeatedly, cries of pain endless.

Qiao Ye ignored this muddy water. Leading the Shield Bear and two Bone-Armor Furnace Guards, he forcibly jammed himself into the narrowest part of the slope entrance. With a horizontal sweep of his bone shield, he forcibly pinned the two lunging Line-Guarding Beasts halfway up the slope, creating a huge commotion.

The first collision made Qiao Ye's arm go numb, his bones aching faintly. On the second, the grey-backed Line-Guarding Beast scrambled up along the edge of the bone shield, its sharp, long claws grazing his neck and leaving a bloody scratch.

Qiao Ye let out an angry roar and backhanded his shield, smashing it hard into the beast's eye socket. His roar shook the entire ash slope: "Come on! I'm standing right here today; if you've got the guts, try and get past me!"

This display of ferocity directly cleaved through the chaotic lines of the main slope, forcibly seizing the most critical position at the slope entrance and buying sufficient time for Lu Jin's side.

Wen Zhao's side was fighting even more deviously, completely ignoring conventional tactics.

He didn't throw the fire pouch onto the bridge deck. The first pouch ignited the withered ash grass by the suspension cables under the bridge; sparks leapt, instantly igniting a wall of fire. The second pouch was thrown precisely onto the upper edge of the sentry pit on the right. Tongues of fire licked into the pit, forcing the three small Line-Guarding Beasts that were huddled inside to bolt out in a frenzy. This also forced two capture team members from another group, who were preparing to step into the pit and flank, to retreat repeatedly, exposing themselves to view.

Wen Zhao didn't even spare them a glance, reporting in a calm tone: "The right bridge sentry pit is exposed. Someone wanted to use the pit to flank, but I burned them out. No one can come from the right for the time being."

Almost simultaneously, Ning Yanqiu's mirror light suddenly descended, her voice carrying a hint of coldness: "There are four figures behind the main fire pillar. They aren't Line-Guarding Beasts; they're a capture team. Judging by their armor, they look like peripheral soldiers from Beiyue Academy."

Lu Jin didn't even lift his head, focused on moving inside along the old material path, his tone calm: "Ignore them for now. Let's take the main fire pillar first. With the pillar in hand, the Post Station is truly ours."

The old material path in the left ditch went lower and lower, and the ash became colder, the air filled with an old scent that had been sealed away for years.

Reaching the deepest point, a small, half-collapsed door arch suddenly appeared ahead. Beneath the arch was the side wall facing the inner circle of the Post Station—the wall was already cracked beyond recognition, but at the bottom, there remained an old gap that could fit a swarm of rats. It was the side entrance left by the Post Station in the past for material transport carts and repair crews. Because it was remote, no one was actually fighting over it at this moment.

"Open it!" At Lu Jin's command, the Burrowing Spear Rats simultaneously burrowed into the bottom of the gap. Their sharp claws dug frantically, turning the ash over layer by layer. Soon, they had gnawed out an opening under the old gap large enough for a Bone-Armor Furnace Guard to pass through with half its shoulder.

Lu Jin stepped on the broken bricks and was the first to climb inside. The view suddenly opened up—the inner circle of the Post Station was even more dilapidated than it looked from the outside. Half of the courtyard wall had collapsed, leaving only the foundation; the main fire pillar was lifeless, the stone terrace in front of the stele was split by three large cracks, and the ground was covered with broken bricks and withered wood.

Yet the more it looked like this, the more one could see that its original layout was excellent—pillar, stele, post building, warehouse path, air vents, all were present. As long as it was properly repaired, it could be defended, the fire could be transferred, and it could connect to the underground levels below. It was absolutely an excellent stronghold.

At this moment, the four Beiyue Academy capture team members who had arrived at the inner circle a step earlier happened to look over, their eyes filled with astonishment—they never expected that someone would crawl in from such a remote side path, disrupting their plans.

After a moment of stunned silence, the leader shouted sternly: "Stop them! Don't let them get near the main fire pillar!"

As soon as he finished speaking, two Burrowing Spear Rats darted out from the soil at his feet, their sharp claws scratching directly at his ankles.

The man stumbled, and the Bone-Armor Furnace Guards behind Lu Jin had already charged in with a boom. There was no nonsense, no shouting; they held their grey-fire bone shields horizontally, forcibly cutting off the open space between the four people and the main fire pillar, blocking their path.

"Qiao Ye!" Lu Jin shouted. Qiao Ye, on the other side of the main slope, had been waiting for exactly these words.

Hearing the shout, he immediately led the Shield Bear and two Bone-Armor Furnace Guards to push forward fiercely. Taking advantage of the gap where the two Line-Guarding Beasts were pinned by the Bone-Armor Furnace Guards, he smashed through the half-collapsed wall gap from the slope entrance. The Red-Eyed Rat Tide behind him surged in through the bloody opening he had created in one breath, instantly scattering the chaos of the outer circle and completely connecting the inside and outside—the opening of the Grey Stele Post had been forcibly ripped open by them!

The four from Beiyue Academy were no pushovers either. The leader raised his hand and pressed down a short rock wall, trying to block the side path where Lu Jin's side had just established a foothold, cutting off their retreat.

Ning Yanqiu's mirror light swept down diagonally from a high vantage point, precisely cutting one foot in front of where his rock wall was supposed to land. The ice-white mirror patterns exploded with a boom, causing half of the rock wall to tilt instantly and smash into the ground, kicking up a sky full of grey dust.

"A little to the left; his landing point is biased to the right, his center of gravity is unstable." Ning Yanqiu's voice was precise, accurately predicting the opponent's movements.

Lu Jin took a step, avoiding the area where the rock wall fell, and pressed his palm onto the ground. Two Bone-Armor Furnace Guards pushed forward simultaneously, their force so great that it directly forced the four opponents to retreat three steps, moving them away from the main fire pillar.

The Nest-Paste Worker Rats and Red-Eyed Rats behind them also surged in. They didn't chase the people but only cleared the area around the main fire pillar, digging out the small Line-Guarding Beasts hidden in the brick crevices one by one and biting them until they were a bloody mess.

This battle didn't last long, but it was exceptionally brutal, with every step a race against time and a test of strength—every vanguard team understood that what was truly valuable about the Grey Stele Post was never "stepping in first," but "whether you could stand your ground and hold the main fire pillar after stepping in."

Halfway through the fight, Lu Jin didn't even keep an eye on the four Beiyue Academy people anymore; his gaze was locked dead onto the main fire pillar—if the pillar didn't light up, even if they drove everyone out and captured it, it would be a wasted effort, and they wouldn't get recognition from the Military Court at all.

"Grey Pupil."

Grey Pupil had long been waiting for these words. The black fire of the Priest Well sank along the Sea of Consciousness. The next instant, the small ash-seal jar that Lu Jin had prepared in his sleeve was shaken open halfway—not poured out completely, just a line of furnace bone ash was poured out.

The fine ash fell into the bottom groove of the grey stele, neither drifting nor scattering, like a layer of fire roots sinking into the old patterns, spreading silently.

Grey Pupil's voice in the Sea of Consciousness was very low, yet exceptionally precise: "The stele is dead, but the fire sequence is not. Give your black fire to it; don't burn it for it, let it ignite itself. That is the only way it will recognize its master."

Lu Jin pressed his palm, with the black fire, onto the bottom groove of the grey stele.

The next second, the circle of nearly invisible old patterns around the grey stele dimmed for a moment, and then lit up bit by bit—it wasn't a bright flame, but a hint of warmth that first seeped out from the ash, slowly spreading along the old patterns, getting warmer and warmer.

The Beiyue Academy point-snatcher standing at the front turned pale on the spot! He had intended to rush the main fire pillar while there was chaos, but was forced half a step back by the suddenly glowing stele patterns. His eyes were filled with unwillingness and dread—every forward scout team knew that once the main fire pillar truly ignited, the Grey Stele Post would no longer be a scattered ruin, but a claimed node. Trying to snatch it then would be as difficult as ascending to heaven!

"They are igniting the pillar! Quick, press the attack!" the leader roared, preparing to charge forward.

But it was too late to press the attack now.

After Qiao Ye crashed in from the main slope, he had completely found his position. He no longer chased after the Line-Guarding Beasts, but stood guard at the main entrance of the Post Station. The Bone-Armor Furnace Guards flanked him left and right, turning the half-collapsed gate into a dead-end, his eyes fierce: "Whoever dares to ram through, get past my shield first!"

Wen Zhao followed the slope between the right bridge and the side wall, casting three walls of fire in one breath: the first sealed the slope, preventing anyone from rushing up; the second burned away the old wooden beams that others could use to vault over the wall, cutting off any climbing paths; the third baked an entire row of loose ash into a collapsing ash belt—anyone who stepped on it would immediately sink in and be unable to keep their footing.

"The right slope is sealed off. Within half an incense stick's time, no one will be able to come up comfortably from that side." After reporting, Wen Zhao added, "That team that tried to flank us just now has already been burned back by me; there's no threat for now."

Wu Fu truly sprung into action now. Once the front opening was stabilized, she immediately pushed all the Nest-Paste Worker Rats and material-hauling rats into the inner circle. She was cursing under her breath, but her hands were astonishingly fast: "Don't just snatch, fix it! Snatching without repairing is just cleaning up for the people behind us; that's pure stupidity!"

With a coil of nest silk, she gathered all the usable broken beams, old bricks, and scorched fire troughs in the courtyard. The Work Rats followed the white-patterned routes she provided, repairing the wall bases, filling in pillar foundations, and compacting the ash platform in front of the Post Station tower, their movements methodical. In the blink of an eye, the Post Station, which had seemed on the verge of falling apart just moments ago, had been patched by her into a semi-circle inner ring where people could stand, firmly securing the inner circle's position.

This stunned even the few Beiyue Academy point-snatchers opposite them—it wasn't that they hadn't seen teams that knew how to manage a base, but they had never seen one that could patch it up so securely right after snatching a node!

The leader gritted his teeth, wanting to give it one more try, but the main fire pillar was getting brighter and brighter. The first fire trough at the base of the Grey Stele let out a "hum" and ignited with grey-red fire, followed immediately by the second and third. The fire wasn't large, but it was exceptionally stable. Once the fire stabilized, the entire ground beneath the Post Station heated up, and even the old pattern troughs in the inner circle that had originally been dark began to slowly appear, exuding an ancient and dignified aura.

Lu Jin didn't even look at the other side and issued orders directly, his tone calm and forceful: "Red-Eyed Rats, clear the remaining beasts from the inner circle, leave no hidden dangers; Bone-Armor Furnace Guards, hold every entrance, do not allow anyone to approach the main fire pillar; Work Rats, speed up, finish repairing the main pillar and the platform in front of the Post Station tower; Qiao Ye, whoever dares to ram through, hit them back hard, no need for mercy!"

"Do you even need to say it!" Qiao Ye smashed a shield into a Line-Guarding Beast that was pouncing again, his face splattered with blood and grime, his voice full of the heated momentum of a good fight, "Whoever comes dies!"

The four from Beiyue Academy finally stopped forcing the issue—it wasn't that they didn't want to fight for it, but once the fire pillar lit up, the situation at the Grey Stele Post was completely settled. Continuing to fight to the death would only waste their troops for nothing and make them work for someone else's benefit. The leader glared at Lu Jin, his eyes full of unwillingness, but finally waved his hand and gritted out, "Retreat!"

The four did not retreat in a sorry state, but every step was filled with unwillingness. Before leaving, they didn't forget to glare fiercely at Lu Jin and the others, clearly holding a grudge. Qiao Ye still wanted to chase after them to finish them off, but Lu Jin stopped him with one sentence: "Don't chase. First, secure the Post Station. Holding the node is more important than driving away a few people."

This sentence gave Qiao Ye more satisfaction than chasing them—it meant that the Grey Stele Post was truly, firmly in the hands of their Zhuixing Academy New Formation Team Four!

Not long after, a beam of grey-red node-recognition fire shot up into the sky from the forward stone platform, piercing through the fog layer and standing out remarkably—they hadn't set this off; it was a response that automatically rose from the forward battle map wall after the Grey Stele Post's main fire pillar was stabilized. If the battle map wall recognized it, it meant the Military Court recognized it too. The Grey Stele Post officially belonged to them!

Wen Zhao looked up at the response fire, a smile finally appearing on his face, his tone filled with some relief: "It's done. The node is ours, and we can consider ourselves to have gained a foothold on the front line."

Ning Yanqiu dropped back into the inner circle from the high ground. She first looked at the steadily burning main fire pillar, then at the semi-circle inner ring that Wu Fu had patched up. For once, there was a touch of genuine brightness in her eyes. Her tone was still plain, but it hid a trace of imperceptible satisfaction: "This is more like a forward outpost that can be defended."

After she finished speaking, she waved her hand, and the four silver mirrors no longer just hung high in their observation positions but were hung at each of the four corners of the Post Station. As the cold white mirror light fell, the blind spots in the inner circle's field of vision were instantly illuminated clearly, and even the small beasts hiding in the cracks of the bricks had nowhere to hide.

Lu Jin glanced at her, his lips curling imperceptibly: "You're quick, connecting the vision ahead of time?"

Ning Yanqiu nodded, her tone still light: "There are walls, fire, and a high point. It would be a waste not to hang the mirrors, so as to avoid being ambushed."

Lu Jin could tell that she was in a good mood—not because they had won a battle, but because this place was truly suitable for her to perform, suitable for her to stand at a high point and control the field of vision.

Once the Post Station stabilized, the atmosphere of the entire battlefield changed. There were still teams rushing over from outside, and Line-Guarding Beasts would occasionally pounce up to test them, but it was no longer a case of "whoever steps in first gets it," but rather "whoever activates this node first will be able to take a half-step ahead in the subsequent scramble and gain a complete advantage."

Wu Fu walked around the inner ring, the more she looked, the more satisfied she became, unable to even suppress her usual pickiness, her voice bright: "The main fire pillar can sustain fire, the base of the Post Station tower can connect to storage, the side trenches can allow rats to pass, and there's even a void layer further down. Lu Jin, using this place as a base for a secondary nest is not a loss at all; it's even more useful than the side nests of the Furnace Cave Fortress!"

Grey Pupil also rarely argued with her, his gaze fixed tightly on the Grey Stele, his tone grave: "The old fire sequences in the stele are very complete. This is not an ordinary Post Station; it is a key node that can connect to route rights. If we hold this place, the subsequent old supply routes can be followed step by step."

Lu Jin gave a soft "Mn." The few lines of old text on the second page of the sealed scroll had finally landed on solid ground here—the Grey Stele Post was not just a name on paper, but the first point that could truly stand, ignite, and undertake the entire old route behind it.

But the tension in his heart did not dissipate because of this—since this place truly aligned with the old supply routes, the things buried underneath would likely not be just a Grey Stele; they would only be more hidden and more dangerous. His gaze slowly turned towards the bottom of the Post Station tower, his tone sinking: "Dig out the lower level and see what's hidden underneath."

The Burrowing Spear Rats had long been ready to go. As soon as the platform in front of the Post Station tower was compacted, they drilled down along the collapsed seams at the base of the tower, the sound of sharp claws digging into the soil rising one after another. The Work Rats above were busy repairing, and the Spear Rats below were busy digging; with one above and one below, the speed was astonishing. Not long after, a muffled sound came from the ground on the right side of the Post Station tower, as if some wooden cover had been pushed loose from underneath.

Wen Zhao was the first to walk over, crouched down, drew his short blade, and pried it hard—a sky full of grey dust was flipped away, and underneath, a pitch-black old storage door was revealed. The door had long since rotted halfway, with only the frame remaining, pressed by two old nails. On one side was the fire pattern of the Post Station, and on the other was a tiny wing-shaped craft mark engraved into it. The patterns were ancient, clearly dating back a long time.

Wu Fu's eyes lit up on the spot, and she hurried over, her tone full of excitement: "It's a wing-style storage! Only the supply stations on the old post roads had these kinds of storage; there must be good things hidden inside!"

Lu Jin raised his hand to push, and the broken door panel fell inward with a "click." A cold breath rushed toward them—the basement was colder than above. It wasn't a damp chill, but the dry cold of something that had been sealed for many years, accumulating countless dust and old fires, only to be suddenly opened, making one's skin tighten.

The basement was piled with half-collapsed material racks, overturned wooden crates, and a whole layer of old cloth covers that had faded to the point of being unrecognizable, covered in dust and exuding an aura of deathly silence. The Burrowing Spear Rats swarmed in, their chattering sounds echoing in the basement. Not long after, a flurry of rapid scratching sounds came from the deepest part, as if they had dug up something hard and refused to stop.

Qiao Ye walked over carrying a torch. As soon as he shone the torchlight into the depths, he let out a "hiss," his tone full of astonishment: "Damn, what the hell is this?!"

Lu Jin walked over to take a look, and his eyes sank slightly—those were not ordinary animal bones, but old bones half-buried in the dust. They were massive in size yet exceptionally light. The spine was excessively long, the forelimbs were thick and short, but the back dragged out two rows of thin, long wing bones that were already broken. If you only looked at the head and body, it was like a giant rat; but looking at those collapsed bone wings, it was clearly not something that could grow in any of the current rat groups. It was simply a set of old, rat-shaped, broken-winged bones, eerie and ferocious—like a monster that had died beneath the Post Station before it could ever fly.

Wu Fu almost immediately squatted down, her hand nearly touching the bones, the greed in her eyes surging up, her voice trembling: "These aren't random bones, they are Winged Rat bones! It really could fly, and looking at the bone structure, it's not young. It must have been a storage-guarding beast on the old post road!"

Grey Pupil also lowered his voice, his tone grave: "There are old fire troughs in the bone sutures. It's not natural; it was deliberately raised and modified by someone to guard the storage and prevent outsiders from breaking in."

Lu Jin raised his hand to hold Wu Fu down, not letting her move around, his gaze fixed tightly on those Winged Rat bones, burning this scene into his memory—there were modified beast bones with wings buried beneath the Post Station. This line was deeper and more hidden than he had originally thought, and it might hide even more complicated secrets behind it.

Just at this moment, Ning Yanqiu suddenly stopped on the other side of the basement. She didn't look at the Winged Rat bones, but stood in front of the collapsed wall on the far left, her fingertips pressing against a grey-black stone crevice, her expression having a rare moment of pause, her brows slightly furrowed.

Lu Jin turned his head to look at her, his tone carrying a touch of concern: "What is it?"

Ning Yanqiu didn't answer immediately, just probed her fingers another half-inch into the stone crevice. The next moment, her brows furrowed even tighter, her tone carrying a touch of confusion: "Cold, abnormally cold. This place has fire pressing underneath; logically, there shouldn't be anything this cold. It's like... ice, but even more bone-piercing than ice."

As she spoke, she hooked her fingertip and slowly brought out a corner of a fragment from the stone crevice—it was not big, only half a palm long, its edges jagged, like a piece of an old, smashed mirror. The mirror surface was darkened by dust and had no luster. But once it left the stone crevice, the surrounding air seemed to be forced to become half an inch colder because of it. When the torch in Qiao Ye's hand shone over it, the torchlight refracted at the edge of the broken mirror, and it actually forced out a line of clear, white, cold light, bone-chillingly cold, so much so that the flame of the torch even dimmed a little.

Ning Yanqiu stared at that broken mirror, her eyes changing completely for the first time—it was not surprise, not joy, but an expression mixed with excitement, certainty, and a hint of bewilderment, as if something she had been chasing for a long time, but had only ever heard of in old files and rumors, was finally, at this very moment, truly and concretely in her hands.

In the basement, no one made a sound for a while. There was only the crackling of the burning torch and the occasional sharp cry of a Line-Guarding Beast from outside, making the place feel even more deathly silent. And the clear, white, cold light of that broken mirror was exceptionally glaring in the dimly lit basement—no one knew what kind of secret this half of a broken mirror would uncover.