It was nearing the end of the hour of the ox.
The Six Gentlemen led more than two hundred people into the Spirit-Communicating Tunnel once again.
Aside from the thirteen generals and their families, the group included a hundred and twenty personal guards responsible for escorting them along the way. They had all removed their armor and concealed their weapons, disguising themselves as ordinary refugees and traveling in three groups: front, middle, and rear.
"Mother, it's so dark here. I'm scared...!" A little girl of six or seven looked around with bright eyes, her small face deathly pale as she murmured.
"Yes, this place looks so sinister. It's terrifying." Her mother carefully shielded her daughter and said softly, "Close your eyes and hold my hand. We'll be out soon."
"...!"
Although these generals' families often accompanied the army and could endure hardship, they had never seen such a sinister, uncanny place connected to the netherworld. They were all badly frightened.
At the front of the procession, Third Brother turned back to reassure them. "I've killed countless people in my life. I'm not even afraid of living villains, so why would I fear any damned ghosts?! Don't go scaring yourselves..."
Smack!
Beside him, Third Sister-in-Law heard this and immediately slapped him with a crisp smack. "You brute, stop spouting nonsense. There's nothing wrong with showing some reverence."
Third Brother seemed somewhat afraid of his wife. He took the slap without a word, merely giving her a look that said, Leave this general a little dignity in front of others.
At the front of the procession, Niu Xi quietly asked Ren Ye, "Young Master, how much farther does this tunnel go?"
"We can get through in about an hour," Ren Ye answered truthfully. "We're at the entrance right now."
"Mm." Niu Xi