Chapter 219 ·Go!

“Gurgle—”

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍sound was heavy, sticky, carrying an indescribable dampness—like the blocked nasal tone of someone with a bad cold, echoing explosively through the deathly silent corridor.

Lilia’s ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍muscles tensed, the key she got from the mermaid queen almost sweating in her grip.

Meanwhile, ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Dora’s previously alert golden pupils suddenly widened, and two streams of sulfur-scented hot air puffed out from her nostrils.

“Huh?”

Dora ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍tilted her head, looking displeased.

She pointed at the two yellow eyeballs in the darkness that looked like searchlights, her tone filled with offended anger.

“You lump of rotten mud, how dare you imitate my stomach growl?”

Lilia: “?”

Wait, isn’t your focus a bit off?

Is this how an abyss dragon’s brain works?

Dora didn’t give Lilia any chance to complain.

Her thick tail slammed against the ground, instantly shattering the smooth white jade tiles, sending debris flying.

“In this world, only Lady Dora’s stomach can make such a sound full of power and desire!”

She roared, like an irate inventor whose patent had been stolen.

“Spit out the copyright fee—use your flesh as compensation!”

Boom!

Before her words even finished, the humanoid tyrannosaurus had already turned into a black lightning bolt and charged straight into the darkness ahead.

The gust she kicked up made Lilia’s face sting, blowing out patches of glowing moss.

Lilia raised a hand to shield herself from the dust, her lips twitching.

So this was top-tier combat power?

Even if the reason was idiotic… it worked.

“Go, Pikachu—no, go, Dora!”

Lilia leaned against the damp wall, looking completely at ease.

With a teammate whose health bar was thicker than city walls tanking upfront, all she needed to do was stand behind, cheer “nice,” and later pick up some equipment.

This was the proper way to be a leader.

Up ahead, Dora’s figure had already vanished into the darkness.

The two massive yellow eyes blinked, seemingly not expecting this slightly tough snack to charge in on its own.

Lilia pulled out a handful of sunflower seeds from her system inventory, about to snack while watching the show.

One second.

Two seconds.

Half a minute passed.

No explosion.

No dragon roar, no monster scream, not even the dull sound of fists hitting flesh.

The darkness ahead was like the mouth of an abyss—after Dora rushed in, not even a ripple remained.

Dead silence.

Only the sound of water droplets dripping from the walls.

Drip.

Drip.

The sunflower seeds in Lilia’s hand froze midair.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

With Dora’s demolition-team style, she should’ve been unleashing chaos inside by now—how could there be no movement at all?

Was she instantly killed?

Impossible.

That was a dragon—even if killed instantly, she’d at least scream before dying.

Unless…

A trap?

Or some high-level soundproof barrier?

A sense of dread shot from Lilia’s spine straight to her scalp.

Without hesitation, she tossed the seeds aside.

No time to watch a show—survival came first!

This place was cursed. Siren clearly had bad intentions—this wasn’t a treasury, it was a graveyard!

“Retreat!”

Lilia whispered, making the smartest tactical choice—strategic withdrawal.

She slowly stepped backward while keeping her eyes on the darkness, preparing to call the two behind her to retreat.

“Bulara, Xiao Hong, stop spacing out.”

“That idiot Dora probably got ambushed—we’ll fall back to the entrance and regroup.”

No response.

Only her own echo lingered in the corridor.

Lilia frowned.

Bulara, that traitorous puppet, might be unreliable, but when it came to escaping, she was always first.

And Xiao Hong? A top-tier coward—she’d run faster than a rabbit at danger.

Why was it so quiet?

“Hey, I’m talking to you two.”

Lilia turned around, annoyed.

“At a time like this, you’re still pretending—”

Her voice cut off abruptly.

Her pupils shrank to pinpoints.

Behind her—

There was no one.

The corridor paved with broken white jade tiles stretched endlessly to a distant corner.

The eerie green moss still glowed faintly.

But—

Bulara and Xiao Hong, who had been there just moments ago, had completely vanished.

As if they had never existed.

Not even footprints remained.

A bone-chilling cold swept through Lilia’s body, like she had been thrown into an ice pit.

How was that possible?

Just seconds ago, she had heard Bulara’s mechanical joints moving, and Xiao Hong’s teeth chattering in fear.

Even if they ran, there should’ve been some noise.

Teleportation?

Or… swallowed instantly by something?

Lilia’s throat went dry, her heart pounding wildly.

She spun around, pressing her back against the wall, two black daggers sliding into her hands.

“Who’s there?!”

She shouted sharply, though a tremor lingered in her voice.

No answer.

Only her own rapid breathing echoed through the corridor.

This kind of unknown fear was far worse than facing a high-tier magical beast directly.

If Hera were here…

Damn it, why think of that exploitative boss now?

This must be Stockholm Syndrome acting up!

Lilia bit her tongue hard, the pain forcing her mind to clear slightly.

Calm down.

She had to stay calm.

Panic solved nothing—it would only get her killed faster.

She had seen real battles before—even cast forbidden spells. Was she really going to be scared to death by this mysterious nonsense?

Lilia took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her fear.

Her mind began racing.

Dora rushed in—no response.

The two behind her vanished silently.

That meant this place had some kind of mechanism—or a special creature capable of isolating targets without a trace.

Illusion?

Spatial folding?

Or mind control?

“System!”

She called frantically.

【Zzz… zzz…】

Only static crackled in her mind.

Useless at the worst moment!

Can this broken system be returned?!

Lilia mentally cursed its entire lineage, gripping her daggers tightly.

She could only rely on herself now.

Since escape wasn’t an option, she’d have to fight.

She moved cautiously, searching for any clue.

At that moment—

“Gurgle—”

The sound came again.

But this time, not from the darkness ahead.

It was right next to her ear.

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