Hao Ren and Nangong May moved silently and swiftly through the deep, winding cave. They had already passed several junctions and relatively spacious chambers. Judging by the direction and distance they had traveled, Hao Ren believed he had entered the depths of a mountain somewhere on the southern side of the Dragon Ridge Mountains.
There were obvious signs of artificial excavation on the stone walls lining both sides of the cave. Every so often, they saw torches or lamp boxes embedded in the walls. Yet the flickering lights did little to illuminate the cavern. Instead, they made the atmosphere even more gloomy and oppressive. A chilly wind constantly blew from the depths, now strong and now weak, as if warning intruders not to approach. In the chamber they had just passed, Hao Ren and Nangong May had seen some stone benches and tables scattered about. They looked quite ancient, and their style differed from the artifacts Hao Ren had seen elsewhere in Horleta. It was impossible to tell what era they had been left behind from.
The farther they went, the more Nangong May sensed an unsettling atmosphere gradually approaching. Unable to stop herself, she grabbed Hao Ren's arm and followed carefully behind him. This Siren has the imposing look of a female BOSS, but when it comes to the crucial moment, she's even more timid than "Roll" back home...
Just then, Hao Ren suddenly saw a half-closed iron door ahead. It stood out abruptly in the stone cavern, making him stop instinctively. Then he seemed to hear faint human voices coming from behind it. "Wait. There's something going on ahead!"
Nangong May lowered her body and approached the iron door behind Hao Ren, peering inside through the gap.
To their great surprise, the space behind the iron door was