Chapter 517 - 355: Ghost Fire Insect

Chapter 517: Chapter 355: Ghost Fire Insect

The air in the underground passage grew increasingly foul.

Wu Liangchen moved swiftly through the passage, following the crude map Iron Rat had provided.

From time to time, he would step on severed limbs—the remnants of gang warfare.

Just as he rounded a corner, a light suddenly flashed ahead.

Immediately, a dense constellation of laser sights covered Wu Liangchen’s entire body.

Wu Liangchen stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowing as he peered ahead.

Figures shifted ahead, where a crowd of armed men had blocked the passage completely.

"Pardon me, but this route has been claimed by our Blood Axe Gang. If you want to pass, you’ll have to pay the toll." The cold voice belonged to the Vice-Gang Leader of the Blood Axe Gang.

The Blood Axe Gang’s reasoning was simple. With their limited strength, they had no hope of finding the formidable man with the massive bounty from the Dome Group. Even if they did, it would be a suicide mission.

Rather than risk their necks deeper inside, it was much safer to stay here and collect tolls.

And it was working. In just a short time, they had already collected a hefty sum.

Unfortunately for them, they had chosen the wrong target this time.

Wu Liangchen didn’t waste time with words. He lunged forward in a blur of motion.

The Blood Axe Gang members were clearly startled.

"Dammit, open fire!" the Vice-Gang Leader roared, his embarrassment turning to fury.

However, the gunfire died as quickly as it began.

Because just then, a figure had swept past at incredible speed.

"CRACK!" "THUMP!" "URK..."

A few brief sounds of shattering bone and dull impacts rang out almost simultaneously.

When Wu Liangchen’s figure became clear again, he was already standing behind the desperadoes, continuing on his way.

The men who had just been so aggressive were now slumped on the ground, their necks twisted at unnatural angles or their chests caved in, all killed instantly.

Against such small fry, Wu Liangchen couldn’t even be bothered to use techniques. Overwhelming them with pure strength was more than enough.

He walked on without pause, quickly leaving the thick stench of blood behind.

The passage began to slope downward, the air growing more damp and frigid.

Guided by the map and his own keen senses, Wu Liangchen soon picked up on the traces left ahead.

Bloodstains not yet fully dried on the ground, scorch marks from energy weapons, the faint smell of gunpowder in the air, and a trace of residual Magic energy.

’This fluctuation...’

Wu Liangchen frowned slightly. He found this trace of Magic familiar—it seemed to belong to the woman he had met on the train.

’What was her name again? Alina?’

’The question is, why is she here? And from the looks of it, fighting alongside Jian Yi?’

But this wasn’t the time to ponder such things. Wu Liangchen quickened his pace, charging deeper inside.

Meanwhile, the Dome Group’s elite squad had reached the abandoned control room where Alina had previously hidden.

The commander’s face darkened as he looked at the scattered first-aid supplies and blood-stained bandages on the floor.

"They left just a short while ago!" a squad member reported after examining the traces. "The blood is still fresh. It looks like they’ve headed toward the deeper abandoned zone!"

"After them!"

The squad followed the trail, quickly arriving before a passage that extended downward.

The passage was ancient; one look was enough to tell it was a relic from the earliest of times.

The commander’s expression grew solemn as he stared into the deep, dark entrance.

According to their intel, this was the entrance to an ancient ruin, abandoned for many years. The structure was complex and fraught with danger. It was also said to be home to terrifying mutated creatures and unknown energy radiation.

"Sir, that place is too dangerous, we..." a nearby squad member reminded him in a low voice.

"Continue the pursuit!" the commander cut him off sharply.

"The target is severely wounded and burdened with dead weight—they can’t have gotten far! Notify the rear that we’ve locked onto the target’s position and are entering the ruins in pursuit! Everyone, on high alert! Prepare for combat!"

He was well aware of the mission’s importance. This man, Jian Yi, had caused the Group to lose face completely. The higher-ups were furious and had given a kill order: Jian Yi was to be obliterated, turned to dust.

As for the female Magician who suddenly appeared—since she chose to interfere, she would be eliminated along with him.

Without a shred of hesitation, the well-equipped squad quickly fell into combat formation and charged into the deep, dark passage that led to the unnamed ruins.

Deeper underground, the passage barely resembled a conventional tunnel system anymore. It was more like a forgotten ancient causeway.

The walls were covered in mottled moss and an unknown slime. The air, thick with dust and the stench of decay, was bone-chillingly cold.

Alina staggered onward, carrying the completely unconscious Jian Yi on her back.

Jian Yi’s body was even heavier than she’d imagined; blood loss had made him as cold and dense as a block of iron. Alina’s stamina was draining fast. Sweat soaked through her clothes, and her breathing grew increasingly ragged.

She didn’t dare to stop, because the Dome Group’s men could catch up at any moment.

She pushed her Magic to its limit, desperately trying to suppress her and Jian Yi’s presence and melt into the darkness.

She was well aware of the dangers below, but even being eaten by a mutant beast was a far better fate than falling into the hands of the Dome Group.

Especially since she was a woman. What would happen to her if she fell into the hands of the Dome Group could be a fate worse than death.

And so, Alina gritted her teeth and pushed forward. But just then, she heard the sound of rhythmic footsteps approaching from behind.