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墨書 Inktalez
Lin Xi led the team out of the precarious passageway. Just as they stepped out, the metal door behind them collapsed with a thunderous crash. Everyone fell to the ground, gasping for breath, as if they had narrowly escaped from the gates of hell.
"Leader Lin, we’ve really stirred up a hornet’s nest this time," Zhou Zheng said, supporting himself on his knees, his voice tinged with lingering fear. "What on earth were those things?"
"What else could they be? Monsters more terrifying than nightmares," Chen Rui replied, brushing off the dust from his clothes. His voice was low and serious. "They are not natural; they were clearly manufactured."
"Manufactured?" Wang Ya frowned. "Are you saying someone is controlling them from behind?"
"I'm not sure," Chen Rui said, lowering his head as he recalled the scene they had just witnessed. "But their energy and structure are definitely not of natural origin. Perhaps this entire Forbidden Zone was designed by some powerful force from the very beginning."
Lin Xi raised her head and looked at the dark, unknown underground area before them. This place was completely different from where they had just been; there were no floating Shadowstone Fragments or eerie lights. Instead, thick fog enveloped everything around them, with only the occasional sound of dripping water breaking the silence.
"Let’s not jump to conclusions just yet," she said, waving her hand to gather everyone closer. "Our top priority now is to find an exit and relay our information."
"Where's the exit?" Wang Ya scanned their surroundings. The fog was so dense that it was nearly impossible to see anything; this place felt like a maze!
"Maybe there are clues on the map," Chen Rui suggested as he opened his portable terminal, but the screen displayed nothing but garbled code due to interference.
"No signal; it's still blocked," Chen Rui said with a helpless shake of his head.
Lin Xi frowned as she surveyed their surroundings. After a moment of contemplation, she said firmly, "Since we have no other options, let’s proceed according to our original plan. Stay alert and don’t wander off."
The team adjusted their formation, with Lin Xi leading the way while everyone followed closely behind, stepping deeper into the fog.
They walked for what felt like an eternity in silence, the oppressive mist wrapping around them as if it had a consciousness of its own.
"This place is really eerie; there’s not even an echo," Zhou Zheng muttered, though he dared not pause for even a moment.
"Hush! Did you hear that?" Wang Ya suddenly stopped and perked up her ears.
"Hear what?" Chen Rui asked, his expression tense as he instinctively reached for his weapon.
"It sounds like someone is crying," Wang Ya's voice trembled slightly as she pointed ahead, indicating that it seemed to be coming from that direction.
The team instantly tensed up; everyone halted and held their breath to listen. In the distance came a faint sound of sobbing, hauntingly sorrowful.
"Why would there be crying?" Zhou Zheng swallowed hard. "Isn’t this place supposed to be deserted?"
"Don’t let your guard down," Lin Xi raised her hand to signal everyone to stop. "It could be a trap."
"But what if there really is someone? Like survivors from another Squad?" Wang Ya whispered. "We can’t just ignore it."
Lin Xi pondered for a moment before nodding decisively. "Alright, but stay vigilant. Zhou Zheng, take up the rear; everyone else stay close to me."
As they moved forward, the crying grew clearer—now sounding like a woman’s soft weeping mixed with intermittent pleas: "Help me... please..."
The fog began to dissipate gradually, revealing a vague figure ahead. It was a frail woman with disheveled hair and tattered clothing, curled up in a corner against the wall.
"Who’s there?" Lin Xi asked in a low voice, the gun already aimed at the figure before her.
The woman looked up, her pale face marred with blood and tears. She trembled as she opened her mouth, her voice weak and desperate. "Please, help me."
"It's a person!" Wang Ya immediately rushed forward, but Lin Xi reached out to stop her. "Be careful, don’t act rashly."
Lin Xi slowly approached, remaining vigilant. "Who are you? How did you end up here?"
"I... I don’t know," the woman's voice quivered. "I just remember coming in with others, but then... then they all disappeared."
"What’s your team number? Which area did you come from?" Lin Xi pressed on, but the woman suddenly broke into a violent cough, as if she were in excruciating pain.
"Her condition isn’t right!" Wang Ya frowned, about to step closer when Lin Xi stopped her again.
"Step back!" Lin Xi's gaze sharpened. "Her wounds look strange; she might be infected."
"Don’t leave me!" The woman's voice grew increasingly shrill, her expression shifting from fear to something twisted. She slowly stood up, her body suddenly convulsing violently, muscles contorting at unnatural angles. Black lines appeared beneath her skin, spreading like veins.
"She’s mutated!" Chen Rui shouted, quickly drawing his gun and firing.
Bang!
The first bullet struck the woman squarely in the chest, but she merely staggered back a step before letting out a piercing scream and lunging toward the group.
"Open fire!" Lin Xi commanded sharply, and every weapon was instantly aimed at the target.
A torrential rain of bullets riddled the woman’s body with holes, yet she seemed completely unfazed, her speed increasing instead.
"Aim for the head! Her core is in her head!" Chen Rui adjusted his aim swiftly, a sniper round hitting the woman squarely in the forehead.
Boom!
The woman’s body abruptly halted before bursting into countless streams of black liquid that splattered across the ground.
The team regrouped, all of them panting heavily, their faces pale.
"What on earth was that?" Zhou Zheng's voice was filled with anger. "Is the entire Forbidden Zone overrun by these monsters?"
"This isn’t an ordinary infection," Lin Xi said coldly. "Her condition was very similar to that of the Tentacles we encountered earlier; it’s clearly related to those Crystals."
"We can’t delay any longer," Chen Rui murmured. "We need to leave this place as soon as possible and report back; otherwise, everything will be for nothing."
"I know," Lin Xi nodded. "But we still need to find more clues, especially about the origins of these monsters."
She turned to face the mist-shrouded passageway ahead, her resolve hardening. "Let’s move forward. We must uncover the truth hidden behind this Forbidden Zone."
To be continued.
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