After turning another corner, the vertical shaft leading to the surface lay ahead. Faint light filtered down from above, along with the shadows of moving flashlights and shouted voices.
"Up there! Throw the guns down first!" Li Jiye roared upward.
Hearing the commotion below, the people on the surface reacted quickly. Without asking questions, they tossed down several handguns and ropes. Some people had already started climbing up, but they were too weak to move quickly, their arms and legs limp.
Behind them, the rustling sounds drew closer again. The flare's effect was clearly weakening.
"Hold them back!" Lan Shicheng and the other two men who could still fight guarded the shaft entrance, using their weapons and whatever rubble they could grab to smash at the creatures.
A monster lunged at them, only for Lan Shicheng to kick it squarely in the chest. It toppled backward and knocked down several more behind it.
The crew-cut man who had been holding an axe grabbed a handgun and tried to fire. Li Jiye hurriedly reminded him, "The safety's still on! You can't fire it!"
The young First Tier user and Ning Yu were pushed onto the ladder and ropes first. Ning Yu climbed slowly, so Fang Yishu below gave her a hard boost. Meanwhile, the black cat scampered effortlessly up the cracks in the shaft wall in just a few leaps.
By the time it was Li Jiye's turn, the defensive line behind them was nearly collapsing. A crawling monster suddenly grabbed the calf of the stocky man covering the rear and opened its mouth to bite. The man screamed, then swung his axe backhandedly into its head, nearly splitting it clean through before managing to break free.
"Go!" Lan Shicheng shoved Li Jiye, only grabbing the rope himself after Li Jiye