Seeing the scene before my eyes, I closed my eyes in disbelief.
Only four words flashed in my mind.
Ghost army procession!
This was a legend that existed only among the common folk.
It was said that in some ancient battlefields where many had died, the lingering resentment was so heavy that it would trap the souls of the deceased soldiers, forming ghost armies that engaged in endless cycles of slaughter.
A modern scientific explanation was that in certain locations, the magnetic fields were so peculiar that they acted like natural cameras, recording past events and replaying them at specific times.
Although these thoughts crossed my mind, Xivier and the little savage over there did not seem to consider it a mere natural phenomenon.
Especially the short, savage.
Upon witnessing this scene, he pulled away from Xivier and Hathaway, heedless of anything else, and rushed to the edge of the cliff.
He prostrated himself on the ground, arms and legs spread wide, and kowtowed furiously towards the figures. He continued until his forehead was bloody and mangled, shouting in an unusually hoarse voice in the savage tongue, his demeanor utterly frenzied.
The white worms that had been darting about intermittently seemed to have seen something terrifying. They all retreated into the grass, vanishing in an instant.
This is a good opportunity, strike quickly!
I watched everything, a sense of urgency growing within me.
What was Xivier thinking?
This was the perfect moment to strike down the short savage. He was incapable of resistance!
Yet, Xivier and the others, upon seeing this apparition, were actually cheering joyfully towards the savages.
The distance was too great, and I could only vaguely hear Hathaway's voice. She seemed to be saying…
A node?!
I didn't quite understand what Hathaway said.
Could it be that this apparition of a ghost army procession was the "node" they had been searching for?
Or was the star-studded road suspended in mid-air the path leading to the true core of the underground palace?
If that were the case, how were they supposed to ascend this path that existed above the cliff?
Just then, another change occurred!
Among the myriad of savage soldiers on the star-studded road, a figure I recognized with utter familiarity suddenly emerged!
Su Yunran?!
How could she be among this ghost army!
In my eyes, Su Yunran was still wearing the same clothes she had on when she left. However, her clothes were now filthy, torn in places, and stained with blood.
Her modern attire stood out sharply against the beast-skin clad savage soldiers, drawing every eye.
It was precisely because of this that I could spot her from such a distance, yet due to the vast distance, I could only discern her silhouette and not her expression.
Why was Su Yunran with these ghost soldiers?
Had she met her end, and was her soul now being carried along as part of this ghost army?
My heart surged with a maelstrom of thoughts.
Seeing a former companion now, her life and death uncertain, the feeling made me want to rush back immediately and demand an explanation!
Su Yunran's appearance was fleeting. It was as if she had deliberately shown herself for a moment, only to be swept along by the vast host of ghosts, walking step by step towards the distant end of the star-studded road, gradually disappearing from my sight.
Where did this star-studded road lead?
Did it truly lead to what they called hell?
A sense of helpless frustration washed over me, making me want to roar out loud.
Meanwhile, as Su Yunran departed, Xivier and Hathaway seemed to have a disagreement, arguing fiercely. They paid no mind to the short savage who remained kneeling on the ground.
Su Yunran's appearance had evidently shaken them profoundly, disrupting their original plan.
Even Qu Xiangyun, who had been acting as their guide, now wore an expression of contemplation and bewilderment.
However, as their argument escalated, the insignificant short savage, who had been lying on the ground, suddenly sprang up and attempted to ambush Xivier.
In the blink of an eye, the few of them were locked in combat again. But in my eyes, the short savage was already marked for death, destined to be killed by the combined efforts of Xivier and Hathaway.
Time was running out for me. Once Xivier finished with the short savage, he would turn his attention to me.
If this crazy woman decided I had deliberately fled and pressed the detonator in her hand, I, who had not yet removed the chip from my body, would be reduced to a ball of searing fire.
Therefore, I could delay no longer. I took a deep breath and plunged back into the underground river.
The icy river water flowed over my face, but it could not hinder my progress.
I swam for I don't know how long, my body feeling utterly exhausted. And this was considering my extraordinary physique.
I instinctively tried to pull myself out of the water to rest on the bank, but I suddenly discovered a terrifying truth!
I couldn't get out!