The Flood Dragon Serpent lurked outside the crevice, its cold, sinister gaze fixed on the people inside.
Especially Gu Cheng.
Its gaze lingered on him the longest.
It made every hair on Gu Cheng's body stand on end.
"What the fuck are you staring at? Never seen such handsome food before?!"
Gu Cheng picked up a stone from the ground and hurled it at the serpent.
Unfortunately.
To the scale-armored Flood Dragon Serpent, it did not even count as a tickle.
Still, his actions enraged it.
It let out a silent roar into the crevice.
A dizzying, nauseating stench instantly filled the entire enclosed space.
"Holy fuck! How many years has it been since that thing brushed its teeth?"
"It fucking reeks!"
"This beast has no fucking sense of fair play! It's using poison gas?!"
"Ugh..."
They all covered their noses and mouths, their faces contorted in misery.
Only Gu Cheng fared a little better.
The third level of the Fetal Breathing Method had reduced his breathing rate to two or three breaths per minute.
As for holding his breath.
Even if Olympic swimming champions took turns competing against him, none of them could outlast him.
Seeing that Yingzi and the others were reaching their limits.
Gu Cheng rummaged through his backpack and finally found a can of liquid alcohol intended for starting fires.
He tore off a strip of clothing, rolled it up, and stuffed it into the can, leaving only a small end sticking out. His makeshift Molotov cocktail was ready.
He lit the cloth, then hurled it into the Flood Dragon Serpent's mouth.
Boom!
The Molotov cocktail exploded inside the Flood Dragon Serpent's mouth.
The Flood Dragon Serpent abruptly snapped its mouth shut and rolled around on the ground in agony.
Only then did Gu Cheng check on Hu Bayi and the others.
Unfortunately, the space was completely sealed.
Even though the Flood Dragon Serpent had stopped its "poison gas attack."
The air was still filled with that nauseating stench.
"This won't do. We have to find a way out."
He stood up and looked around.
"Huh?"
He had not looked carefully before.
Now that he examined the place closely.
He noticed what seemed to be signs of human excavation in this enclosed space.
Could it be... this cave wasn't formed naturally?
Gu Cheng wondered.
After a moment's thought, he picked up the Mountain-Splitting Axe from the ground and began tapping at the walls.
He searched for a hidden passage or something similar.
He doubted anyone would waste so much manpower and effort carving out a place like this for no reason.
Outside.
The Flood Dragon Serpent had recovered.
It began slamming furiously into the crevice.
In an instant, the ground shook and shattered rock flew everywhere.
The crevice actually seemed to be starting to split open.
Gu Cheng glanced at it, anxiety rising in his heart.
He quickened his search.
"Thud, thud, thud."
"Thud, thud, thud."
"Clink, clink, clink."
"Huh?!"
Gu Cheng suddenly noticed that the wall in front of him produced a crisp sound, unlike the dull thuds from the other thick rock walls.
His heart leaped with joy.
He raised the Mountain-Splitting Axe and smashed it hard against the wall.
[Item name]: Mountain-Splitting Axe [Item grade]: mid-grade magical artifact [Item abilities]: armor piercing, evil suppression [Item description]: The personal weapon of a brave, battle-hardened general. It has slain countless enemies and been tainted by countless vengeful spirits. It can suppress wronged souls and inflict damage on enemies while ignoring their armor.
The Mountain-Splitting Axe truly lived up to its status as a mid-grade magical artifact.
It also possessed the ability to pierce armor.
A single blow smashed a hole through that section of wall.
Gu Cheng peered through the opening.
It turned out that this section had been sealed with cement, with a brick wall behind it.
He used the axe to widen the opening.
Then he started smashing the brick wall.
Before long.
He had broken a large hole through the bricks.
Fresh air immediately flowed in through the opening.
Gu Cheng was overjoyed.
There was airflow.
That meant the other side was not a dead end.
But it was pitch-black, so he could not see what lay beyond.
He picked up a burning piece of firewood and tossed it inside.
The flame was small.
He could not make out much.
But one thing was certain: the floor was covered with smooth cement.
"We can't worry about all that now. There's still a chance if we go through."
"If we stay here, we're dead."
With that thought, he quickly turned around and helped Hu Bayi and the others to their feet.
Then he helped them climb through the opening.
Once all three of them were through.
He took one last look at the Flood Dragon Serpent, which had already cracked open most of the crevice.
As though sensing his gaze.
The Flood Dragon Serpent stopped ramming the rock, grew still, and looked at him.
Man and serpent stared at each other for a moment.
Gu Cheng raised his hand, gave it the universally recognized middle-finger salute, then climbed through the opening.
"Oh, thank God! I can finally breathe again! That stink nearly killed me!"
Fatty Wang lay sprawled on the floor, groaning weakly.
Yingzi clutched her chest and kept retching as though she were pregnant.
Hu Bayi was the most dependable of the three. Forcing himself upright, he held up a torch and surveyed their surroundings.
When he saw Gu Cheng.
He said, "This looks like an underground fortification."
An underground fortification?!
Gu Cheng froze.
His mind involuntarily turned to the Kwantung Army Fortress.
No way, right?
Surely it couldn't be that much of a coincidence?
Had they really stumbled upon it just like that?
He picked up a torch and raised it high.
Their surroundings became dimly visible.
There were wooden crates piled mountain-high everywhere.
The crates had been stacked neatly.
There was writing on them, too.
Gu Cheng walked closer to take a look.
It was Japanese.
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