flstandardbreds Chapter 146: Decision Time, Which Way to Go?
Chapter 146: Decision Time, Which Way to Go?
"Leave here... or you'll regret it..." The voice echoed again in the darkness. Two points of dim green light flickered, as if a pair of greedy eyes were watching them. Fear spread through the team like a plague. The new companions huddled together, their teeth chattering, not daring to breathe.
Xia Lin stopped groping for the lighting talisman. She grabbed Ren Xiaoyao's arm tightly and said in a trembling voice, "Xiaoyao, let's go. This place is too weird!"
Ren Xiaoyao remained silent. He gripped the sword tightly in his hand, scanning the surroundings with sharp eyes, trying to find the source of the sound. In the darkness, the two green lights continued to flicker, as if mocking their helplessness.
"But, the purpose of our coming here has not been achieved yet..." Ren Xiaoyao said in a low voice, his tone full of unwillingness.
"If you've lost your life, what's the point?" Xia Lin interrupted him. "Do you feel that powerful aura? We're no match for it!"
Her words silenced Ren Xiaoyao. He knew Xia Lin was right. Since entering the ruins, they had encountered a series of strange things, and the mysterious shadow made him even more uneasy.
"Xiaoyao, listen to me, let's go!" Xia Lin pleaded, "I don't want to lose you..."
Ren Xiaoyao took a deep breath and was about to speak when suddenly an old voice broke the silence:
"No, we can't leave!" The speaker was the silent Master Mo. He walked out of the darkness with a cane, "Only by finding out what happened here can we prevent the disaster from happening!"
"Master Mo, what are you talking about?" asked a new partner, his tone full of confusion.
Master Mo ignored him and turned to Ren Xiaoyao, "Young man, do you remember why we are here?"
Ren Xiaoyao nodded and said, "Search for the secrets of the ancient ruins and prevent the predicted disaster."
"That's right!" Master Mo's voice became excited. "And now, we have found the key clue!" He pointed deep into the library. "I believe the answer is there!"
"But..." Xia Lin wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Ren Xiaoyao.
"I believe in Master Mo." Ren Xiaoyao said with a firm look, "Let's go and take a look!" He raised the long sword in his hand, "Everyone be careful!"
With that, he led the way deeper into the library. Charlene sighed helplessly and followed. Only those two faint green lights still flickered in the darkness, as if mocking their choice...
Ren Xiaoyao's words seemed to energize the group, and the initially flustered group gradually calmed down. Although Xia Lin was still filled with worry, seeing Ren Xiaoyao's resolute gaze, she swallowed her words of dissuasion. She quickly walked to the front of the group and pulled out a softly glowing night pearl from her backpack, illuminating the path ahead.
The team continued on their way. Deep within the library, shelves were stacked with ancient scrolls and books, exuding an air of antiquity. Master Mo carefully flipped through these precious texts, his cloudy eyes gleaming with excitement. He sometimes frowned in thought, sometimes muttering to himself, as if engaging in a conversation with the ancients, transcending time and space.
"These documents record a catastrophe in ancient times..." Master Mo pointed to one of the damaged parchment scrolls and said in a heavy tone, "This catastrophe almost destroyed the entire world, and this relic was built to seal the disaster!"
"Seal the Disaster?" A new companion couldn't help but ask, "Could it be that the prophecy is true?"
Master Mo nodded, his tone solemn, "The prophecy says that when darkness descends again, the seal will be broken and disaster will repeat itself. And this relic we are in now may very well be the key to the seal!"
"Then what should we do?" There was a hint of trembling in the voice of another new partner.
"Only by understanding the truth about the ruins can we find a way to prevent the disaster!" Master Mo said firmly, "We must keep moving forward!"
Pharmacist Li, who had been silent the entire time, stepped forward, his brow furrowed. "Master Mo is right, but we can't act rashly. That mysterious voice and those strange phenomena all indicate that this ruin is fraught with danger." He paused, his tone becoming firm. "I suggest we gather more information before making a decision."
Ren Xiaoyao looked around at the crowd, each one etched with worry and unease. He knew this was a difficult decision. Should he follow Master Mo's advice and continue exploring, seeking a way to prevent the disaster? Or should he choose to play it safe, abandon the adventure, and leave this unknown ruin?
"Xiaoyao..." Xia Lin gently pulled his sleeve, her eyes full of worry.
Ren Xiaoyao took a deep breath. He knew it was time to make a decision...
Cool moonlight filtered through the cracks in the ruins, casting dappled shadows on the ground. Ren Xiaoyao gazed at the crowd before him. The expressions on each face were clear: worry, fear, and determination. He knew that at this moment, he had to make a choice, a decision that would determine the fate of everyone.
"Brother Xiaoyao, I..." Xia Lin hesitated to speak. She wanted to persuade Ren Xiaoyao to give up, but she also understood that some things cannot be solved by avoiding them.
"Master Mo, Pharmacist Li, and everyone else," Ren Xiaoyao's voice echoed in the silent space. "I know everyone is worried, but we can't just give up. Exploring the ruins and finding the truth is our only way out."
He paused, his eyes firm. "I've decided that we should continue exploring a part of the area to see if we can find more information about the ruins and the prophecy. If it's truly too dangerous, we can evacuate later."
Ren Xiaoyao's words were like a reassurance, rekindling hope in the originally panicked team.
"Okay! I support you, Brother Xiaoyao!" A burly new partner was the first to stand up and respond.
"That's right, we can't be intimidated by difficulties!"
"I believe you, Brother Xiaoyao!" Xia Lin clenched her fists, her eyes full of trust.
Seeing that everyone agreed with his decision, Ren Xiaoyao nodded and turned to look forward. The deep passage was like the throat of a giant beast, waiting for them to enter.
"Everyone, be alert and follow me closely!"
Ren Xiaoyao spearheaded the team's journey deeper into the ruins. Along the way, they encountered numerous traps and obstacles, each of which was defied by Ren Xiaoyao and his companions. Xia Lin's assistance was also crucial, leveraging her knowledge of the ruins to skillfully evade numerous dangers.
During the exploration, they found some new clues, such as strange symbols on the walls and some broken murals. These murals seemed to be telling a story that happened in ancient times. The protagonist of the story was a mysterious man holding a scepter and emitting dazzling light.
"This scepter... could it be the key to controlling the power of the ruins?" Master Mo pointed at the pattern on the mural, his tone full of excitement.
Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin looked at each other and saw a glimmer of hope in each other's eyes.
"It seems we're getting closer to the truth..." Ren Xiaoyao muttered to himself. However, before he finished speaking, a creepy whisper suddenly came from the passage ahead, and then the ground began to shake violently...
The ground shook violently, and gravel rained down from overhead, raising clouds of dust. Ren Xiaoyao reacted quickly, protecting Xia Lin beneath him while shouting, "Be careful!"
"boom--"
With a loud bang, the passage ahead collapsed completely, isolating them from the way they came.
"What happened?" Everyone was still in shock and looked at each other.
"It seems that we have triggered some mechanism." Master Mo's face was solemn, and he carefully observed the surrounding environment.
"No, this isn't an ordinary mechanism." Pharmacist Li pointed at the cracks on the ground and said solemnly, "This power... comes from the ruins themselves!"
Ren Xiaoyao's heart sank. Could it be that their previous exploration had alarmed the guardian of the ruins?
Just as everyone was in confusion, a faint voice sounded in their ears.
"Foolish mortals, how dare you trespass into the forbidden area and release a power that should not be released..."
The mysterious figure appeared again, suspended in mid-air, shrouded in black mist, making it impossible to see his face.
"Who are you? Why are you stopping us?" Ren Xiaoyao stood up and looked directly at the mysterious figure, his tone full of unwillingness and anger.
"It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is that you have committed an unforgivable mistake." The mysterious figure's voice was icy cold. "If this power gets out of control, it will bring devastating disaster to the world, and you will all become sinners in history!"
"Nonsense!" Ren Xiaoyao roared, "We just want to find the truth and unlock the secrets of this relic!"
"The truth? Haha..." The mysterious figure sneered, "Some truths are unbearable for you. The more you know, the faster you will die."
"You..." Ren Xiaoyao wanted to say something, but was stopped by Xia Lin.
"Brother Xiaoyao, don't be impulsive." Xia Lin shook her head, signaling him to calm down.
"Listen, mortals." The mysterious figure's voice became low and majestic. "I will give you one last chance. Leave here and never return. Otherwise... you will bear the consequences at your own risk."
After saying that, the mysterious figure turned into a ball of black mist and disappeared into the air, leaving Ren Xiaoyao and the others standing there, falling into silence.
"What should we do, Brother Xiaoyao?" Xia Lin asked softly, with a hint of uneasiness in her tone.
Ren Xiaoyao said nothing, only clenching his fists tightly, his eyes flickering. He knew that the mysterious figure's warning was not an exaggeration. This power was indeed too strong. If it got out of control, the consequences would be disastrous.
But, should we just give up like that?
No, he is not willing to give in!
He had gone through so much hardship to get to this point, and was about to unlock the secret of the ruins. How could he give up so easily?
What's more, if we leave this power unchecked, who can guarantee that it will not fall into the hands of bad people and bring greater disaster to the world?
"Brother Xiaoyao?" Xia Lin became even more worried when she saw that Ren Xiaoyao was silent for a long time.
Ren Xiaoyao took a deep breath and finally made up his mind. He raised his head, looked around at everyone with a determined gaze, and said in a deep voice, "I have decided..."