As soon as they entered, the flames flickered inside the cave.
Suddenly, the fire shrunk violently upon touching the insect eggs, leaving only a tiny fireball.
It seemed... the fire was afraid of these insect eggs. kuAiδugg
Xu Qian frowned slightly and commanded, "Alright, put it away."
Qiu Qun moved his thoughts, and the flames automatically disappeared.
Qiu Qun looked confused and asked, "Sister Qian, why can't my fire burn these insects?"
Xu Qian shook her head; she didn't know why either.
The person behind these insects was very likely the one who created the apocalypse.
If he could create things like zombies, it wouldn't be difficult to make insects that fire couldn't burn.
Xu Qian pondered for a moment, then ordered, "Clear them away. We must leave here."
"Yes."
Everyone followed Xu Qian's example, picking at the insect eggs with their bare hands. They were all mentally strong individuals; a few insect eggs were just a bit dense.
What was there to fear?
Xu Qian raised an eyebrow. Digging insect eggs off the wall with bare hands?
The soldiers were indeed brave.
Xu Qian had a thought, and six shovels appeared in her hands.
"Each of you take one."
Everyone felt a weight lifted off their shoulders and quickly took one.
Heaven knew how disgusting those insect eggs were!
Fortunately, they moved very slowly. Soon, they cleared the entrance.
It was a black steel door, about 2 meters high and 1 meter wide, with a combination lock.
Xu Qian's brow furrowed. A combination lock?
Xiang Jintian wouldn't know the password either, would he?
How did he get in?
Unless... there was another passage here?
Xu Qian glanced at the large pit on the ground that Xiang Jintian had smashed open, which was slowly being covered by insect eggs.
Xu Qian narrowed her eyes and immediately ordered, "You all go clear the insect eggs from that spot. I'll study this combination lock."
"Yes."
Everyone crouched down and began clearing the insect eggs on the ground.
Xu Qian, meanwhile, started studying the combination lock. To be honest, she really didn't know how to operate a combination lock.
But ordinary locks wouldn't have only one unlocking method.
There were automatic and manual options.
Xu Qian followed the patterns of the electronic lock and, sure enough, discovered a gap.
Of course, it wasn't a keyhole, but an opening to access the inside of the lock.
Xu Qian had a thought, and a small, pointed pick appeared in her hand.
She gently pried it, and with a "click,"
the lock was pried open.
The internal wiring was very complex. Xu Qian of course... couldn't understand it.
However, she could see that there was a hidden keyhole inside.
She took out tweezers, inserted them, and listened carefully.
She pried it carefully.
"Click." The door opened.
Before she could rejoice,
a shout was heard.
Xiong Yongan called out, "Sister Qian, there's a hole here!"
Xu Qian's expression tightened, and she quickly ran to look.
Indeed, it was a hole, leading downwards with a series of ladders, the end not visible.
Xu Qian was certain that Xiang Jintian had gone out this way; he hadn't found this door.
Xu Qian paused for a moment, then strode to the door she had just pried open and pushed it open abruptly.
Inside was a dark secret passage, its end not visible.
Xu Qian quickly made a decision.
"Sister Qing, Qiu Qun, you're with me. Everyone else follows Boss Xiong. Boss Xiong goes underground, we take the secret passage. We'll explore separately.
If there's any danger, we regroup here and use firecrackers as a signal."
With that, Xu Qian handed Xiong Yongan two rolls of firecrackers for signaling.
"Yes."
The group had no objections and split up according to Xu Qian's instructions.
Xu Qian and the other two entered the secret passage. It was very long and dark, with only faint light.
They walked for a long time, so long that Xu Qian thought they were just going in circles.
Xu Qian stopped abruptly, and Hou Xiaoqing, who was closely behind her, almost bumped into her back.
"Xu Qian, what's wrong?"
Xu Qian turned on her flashlight and shone it around.
"Something's not right. How can a tunnel be this long?"