I traveled through time and became the Queen of Ancient Dian

Baona calmed herself down, took a deep breath, and stepped into the cave first.

Others followed closely behind, filing in.

The cave was dark and damp, and the air was filled with a strong smell of earth, mixed with a hint of the smell of rotting unknown plants.

Water drops slowly drip along the tips of stalactites, and the sound of "ding dong, ding dong" echoes in the empty cave, like an ancient clock, striking everyone's heartstrings one by one.

On the cave wall, stalactites of various shapes cast bizarre shadows in the faint light, like monsters lurking in the darkness, baring their fangs and claws, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

A sense of vigilance arose in Baona's heart. She gripped the torch tightly in her hand, her eyes sharp as torches, and carefully observed the surrounding environment.

"It's... so cold here." Zhaoyang Ruyue rubbed her arms and said in a low voice.

"Watch your step." Wumeng Tianlong reminded that the ground in the cave was slippery and it would be easy to slip if you were not careful.

At this moment, there was a noisy sound of footsteps coming from the cave entrance. The leader of the Gongyang tribe rushed into the cave with a group of warriors from the Zhongsun tribe.

"Stop right there! This water source belongs to our Gongyang tribe, you are not allowed to get close!" The voice of the Gongyang tribe leader echoed in the cave, sounding particularly harsh.

"This water source is shared by everyone. Why do you say it belongs to your Gongyang tribe?" Wumeng Tianlong retorted without showing any weakness.

"Just because my fist is bigger than yours!" The leader of the Ram tribe said viciously, waving the stone axe in his hand.

The warriors of the Zhongsun tribe behind him also drew their weapons and stared at Baona and others with murderous eyes.

"If you want to steal the water, it depends on whether you have the ability!" Baona said coldly, with a determined light flashing in her eyes.

The two sides were on the verge of a fight and the atmosphere was extremely tense.

At this moment, a rustling sound suddenly came from the depths of the cave...

"What's that sound?" a warrior from the Zhongsun tribe asked nervously.

The leader of the Ram Tribe also frowned. He raised his torch and looked in the direction of the sound, but found nothing.

"Shh..." Baona suddenly made a gesture to silence the sound, "It seems... something is coming..."

The torches flickered, the light and shadows swayed, and the rustling sound became closer and clearer.

Suddenly, a dark mass emerged from the depths of the cave, covering the sky and the sun, and rushed towards everyone with a creepy howling sound!

"Ah! Bat!" A warrior from the Zhongsun tribe screamed in horror.

Thousands of bats, like a black tide, swarmed towards the crowd frantically.

The light from the torches shone on them, reflecting a sickening luster.

Their sharp claws and razor-sharp teeth looked particularly ferocious in the dim light.

"Ah!" Zhaoyang Ruyue exclaimed and subconsciously hid behind Wumeng Tianlong.

Others also waved their weapons, trying to drive away these terrible creatures.

Baona felt her scalp tingling and everything in front of her eyes was dark, making her feel suffocated.

The whistling of bats echoed in her ears like the whisper of a demon, giving her a splitting headache.

"Protect Her Majesty the Queen!" The Luqiu guard roared, and he danced the spear in his hand vigorously, shooting down the bats approaching Baona one by one.

He was like an indestructible wall, guarding Baona and preventing any bat from approaching her.

The bravery of the Luqiu guards infected others.

Everyone cheered up, brandished their weapons, and fought a desperate battle with the bats.

The attack of the bats lasted for a long time. The cave was filled with the whistling of bats, the shouting of people, and the sound of weapons colliding with bats. It was like hell on earth.

Finally, under the desperate fight of the Luqiu guards, the swarm of bats gradually dispersed and disappeared into the depths of the cave.

Everyone stood there panting, still in shock.

The light from the torches shone on them, reflecting their exhausted faces.

"Are you okay?" Wumeng Tianlong asked with concern.

"I'm fine." Baona shook her head, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself down.

"Is everyone okay?" Zhaoyang Ruyue also asked.

Everyone nodded to indicate that they were safe and sound.

"Strange..." The geologist Taishu, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke up, "I don't seem to smell any water..."

Instead of looking for water sources as usual, geologist Taishu began to carefully survey the structure of the cave, looking for a location that was easy to defend and difficult to attack.

Sometimes he knocked on the rock wall and listened to the echo, and sometimes he measured the height and width of the cave with his hands, muttering to himself as if he was performing some mysterious calculation.

This strange behavior surprised Baona and others, but considering the pursuers behind them, they also understood the intention of Taishu geologist - in this dangerous cave, it is crucial to find a suitable defensive position.

"Here, and here, block them with stones!" Geologist Taishu pointed to several narrow passages and said in a decisive and calm tone, "Put the torches higher to illuminate the entire cave!" He gave orders with confidence, like a general planning a strategy, and quickly took control of the chaotic situation.

Baona looked into the depths of the cave. The queen was still waiting for news about the water source. She couldn't give up!

"Everyone, hold on a little longer," Baona encouraged her companions, "We will definitely find water and return safely!" Although her voice was soft, it carried an unquestionable power, which rekindled the hope of her companions who were originally a little depressed.

Outside the cave, the leader of the Ram Tribe looked at the dark cave entrance with a sinister smile on his face.

"Hmph, you're still a little naive if you want to fight me!" He whispered to the Zhongsun tribe warriors around him, "Put out the torches and approach slowly..."