218: Chapter 218 The Subterranean Jungle

In an instant, the jungle at the center of the earth transformed from a chessboard of confrontation into a boiling hunting ground.

Zhang Qilin's party of five were the prey in this hunt, targeted simultaneously by the two top groups of hunters.

"This way!"

Zhang Qilin took the lead. His speed had recovered to seventy or eighty percent of its peak after being initially nourished by the majestic life energy of the "Xirang." Holding the black gold ancient blade, he continuously hacked through vines and branches blocking the path, carving out a lifeline for those behind him.

He didn't choose to flee in a straight line. Instead, he constantly changed directions within this vast jungle, sometimes squeezing through narrow rock crevices and other times heading upstream along turbulent underground rivers, attempting to use the complex terrain to shake off the pursuers.

Lin Tianyi and Wang Xianzhi automatically took on the task of guarding the rear.

Lin Tianyi's tactical prowess was pushed to its limit at this moment. He no longer conserved ammunition, turning back from time to time to use his few remaining grenades to create explosions and obstacles, slowing the pursuers' pace. His precise short bursts always struck the ground at the feet of the lead traitors or the rocks beside them; though unable to cause effective casualties, they greatly disrupted the rhythm of their pursuit.

Wang Xianzhi's silhouette was like a streak of light in the darkness. She used trees and rocks as cover, appearing and disappearing intermittently. Whenever an elite Pathfinder warrior with extreme speed approached, her sword would always thrust out from the most inconceivable angle. She didn't linger in combat, retreating after a single strike, her only goal being to force them back and buy precious time for the team.

"Lord Pang... I can't... I can't go on..."

Fatty, running in the middle of the group while carrying the nearly incapacitated Song Yiqing, was already out of breath. His lungs felt like a broken bellows, burning with pain.

"Little Brother... Tianyi... leave us behind... if this keeps up, no one will escape!"

"Shut up!" Lin Tianyi roared back. "Stop talking and save your strength!"

"We... seem to be surrounded."

The previously silent Song Yiqing, lying on Fatty's back, was pale. His "Qi Sense" had helped them avoid several head-on interceptions during their flight. But now, he could "see" that the energy light points in front and on both sides of them were becoming denser and denser.

The pursuers, relying on their familiarity with the terrain and numerical advantage, were conducting a textbook fan-shaped encirclement!

Sure enough, just after they rushed out of a narrow canyon, the sight ahead caused everyone's hearts to sink to the bottom.

They had been forced to the edge of a massive precipice.

Below the precipice was a bottomless dark abyss churning with thick fog. From within the abyss, heart-palpitating roars that were neither human nor beast echoed from time to time, as if some ancient colossus lurked within.

There was no way forward.

And behind them, the shrill whistle of particle beams cutting through the air and the heavy footsteps of the Pathfinder warriors were drawing closer and closer.

"Hahaha... Run! Why aren't you running anymore?"

The four remaining traitors slowly emerged from the canyon entrance, surrounding them in a fan shape. The humming of the energy weapons in their hands as they charged was like a death knell from the Grim Reaper.

On their other side, over a dozen Pathfinder warriors led by the tall leader also blocked another path of retreat. The battle-axes and bows in their hands shimmered with cold killing intent.

Although the two groups were hostile toward each other, at this moment, they reached a bizarre tacit understanding—finish off Zhang Qilin's group first, then decide who gets the "Xirang."

"Zhang Qilin, hand over the 'Xirang,' and I can give you a quick death," one traitor said coldly, having clearly become the new temporary commander.

"Invaders! You have desecrated the sacred relic! Your souls shall wail forever in the depths of the earth!" the Pathfinder leader declared their death sentence in his stiff language.

A desperate situation.

A truly desperate situation.

A bottomless abyss ahead, and a pack of wolves and tigers behind.

Fatty set Song Yiqing down, panting heavily as he fished out the last crude bomb he had swiped from the armory from his waist.

"Damn it! Let's fight them! If we're going down, we're taking some of them with us!"

Lin Tianyi also tossed aside his empty rifle and drew his combat knife, standing back-to-back with Wang Xianzhi to protect Zhang Qilin and Song Yiqing behind them.

However, there was not a trace of despair on Zhang Qilin's face.

He glanced at the fog-shrouded abyss behind him, then at the "Xirang" in his hand.

This divine object had been continuously providing him with life energy throughout their flight. Although his body was still weak, it was no longer on the verge of collapse as it had been before.

"Song Yiqing," he suddenly spoke.

"Present."

"You said before that my blade is a 'key'."

"That's right."

"What happens when the 'key' is inserted into the lock?"

Song Yiqing was stunned for a moment before realizing something. He looked at Zhang Qilin in horror. "You mean..."

"It... opens the door," Zhang Qilin said calmly.

Open the door?

Here?

Everyone was stunned.

Zhang Qilin didn't explain further.

He slowly raised the black gold ancient blade in his hand.

Then, under everyone's terrified gaze, he suddenly and violently plunged the ancient blade into the rock at the edge of the precipice beneath his feet!

This strike seemed to use all his strength, as two-thirds of the blade's length sank into the rock!

"Has he gone mad?!" a traitor mocked.

However, in the next second, everyone's smiles froze on their faces.

Centering on the black gold ancient blade, golden complex runes resembling circuit board patterns instantly lit up!

These runes seemed to have always been etched inside the rock; now, activated by the "key," they spread frantically in all directions!

The entire precipice began to tremble violently!

What they were standing on was not an ordinary precipice at all!

It was another... disguised, incredibly massive... "Gate"!

RUMBLE—

The smooth rock wall at the edge of the precipice actually began to slowly open toward the interior of the abyss!

It was like a gate that had been sealed for hundreds of millions of years was being restarted!

In the abyss, the churning thick fog was stirred by an invisible force, forming a massive vortex! And at the center of the vortex, it was no longer darkness, but a glimpse of... a completely different sight!

It was a desolate, dark-red gobi desert littered with countless ruins!

In the sky hung two eerie, dark-purple "suns"!

The air was thick with the scent of sulfur and death!

A... true Inner World!

"The door... the door actually opened!" Fatty was dumbstruck, feeling his worldview had been repeatedly crushed, reconstructed, and crushed again within a single day.

"Stop him! He's going to escape into the Inner World!"

The traitors and the Pathfinder leader reacted at the same time, their eyes filled with extreme horror and greed!

For the traitors, this was the moment they had dreamed of!

For the Pathfinders, this was the forbidden gate to the legendary "God's Domain"!

They rushed toward Zhang Qilin simultaneously like madmen!

"Go!"

Zhang Qilin shouted, pulled out the black gold ancient blade, grabbed Song Yiqing with one hand, and Lin Tianyi with the other.

Lin Tianyi and Wang Xianzhi also reacted immediately, grabbing Fatty.

Without any hesitation, the five of them leaped into the massive vortex leading to the unknown world the moment the "Gate" was fully opened!

"Pursue them!"

The traitors and Pathfinders followed close behind, their eyes bloodshot as they leaped into the "Gate" together!

However, the instant after they had all entered the "Gate."

Another anomaly occurred!

That giant stone gate that had just opened did not remain open as they had imagined.

Instead... after everyone had entered, it slammed shut at a speed ten times faster than it had opened!

BOOM!!!!

With a thunderous roar that shook the entire hollow earth world, the precipice returned to its original appearance.

It was as if nothing had ever happened.

Only a bottomless hole remained where the black gold ancient blade had been inserted, along with a ring of golden runes that had already dimmed.

At the same time.

At the far other end of the hollow earth world.

Inside a massive underground city illuminated by fluorescent crystals.

In the center of a magnificent temple built of pure obsidian, a Pathfinder High Priest, clad in ornate sacrificial robes and wearing a golden mask, suddenly jolted awake from his meditation!

In the crystal ball before him, the entire process of the "Gate" on the precipice opening and closing was clearly reflected.

"The 'Gate of Exile'... has been opened..."

His voice trembled with extreme shock.

"They... were deceived..."

"That is not the sacred gate to God's Domain; that is... the place of exile... from the previous era!"

[Inside the Livestream]

When the viewers saw Zhang Qilin's group and the pursuers leap into the "Gate" leading to the dark-red world one after another, the entire livestream completely boiled over!

[A new map! A new map has been opened! This is too exciting!]

[What kind of hellhole is that? Two purple suns in the sky? Cyberpunk wasteland style?]

[Wait! Look! The... the door closed?!]

[Holy crap! Trapped like rats? No, it's 'shut the door and let the dogs out'? Are they... trapped inside?!]

[Kyushu Ancient History Research Institute - Professor Li]'s golden bullet comment flashed across the screen with unprecedented terror and urgency:

[Find a way out! Quick! According to a fragmented ancient manuscript recorded by our institute, the 'Gates' in Huaxia mythology are divided into 'Gate of Lifes' and 'gate of deaths'! The 'South Heaven Gate' is a Gate of Life, but what it connects to is very likely a 'gate of death'! That isn't the Inner World; that is 'Guixu'! In ancient mythology, it is the place of exile where all things end and there is no return! There... is simply no way back!!!]

However, his warning came too late.

The moment the livestream footage passed through that "Gate," the signal suffered severe interference, becoming pixelated with static before finally cutting out completely.

The screen fell into total darkness.

Leaving only a line of cold, small red characters:

[Signal lost, attempting to reconnect...]