Beast Taming Star Journey

After the blinding light, the expected attack didn't occur. Instead, the rune itself dimmed, like a firefly going out. I cautiously observed for a moment, and only after confirming there was no danger did I slowly approach. Upon closer inspection, the rune seemed to be some kind of sensor; the light from before was more like an alarm signal. "Looks like we've triggered some kind of mechanism..." I muttered, becoming even more cautious. The tungsten boy followed closely behind me, barely daring to breathe. The Howling Moon Wolf growled, seemingly sensing the danger as well. It pricked up its ears and warily scanned its surroundings. The passage was eerily silent, save for our soft breathing and the occasional growl from the Howling Moon Wolf. We continued forward, each step taken with extreme care. The runes on either side of the passage flickered with eerie light, drifting like will-o'-the-wisps, adding to the sinister atmosphere. I felt my heart pounding faster and faster, and my palms began to sweat. Suddenly, a faint sound of footsteps came from the depths of the passage, growing clearer and clearer as it approached. My heart tightened, and I immediately signaled Howling Moon Wolf and the Tungsten Boy to hide in a nearby recess. We held our breath, not daring to move. The footsteps grew closer; I could even hear the scraping of their armor. "Speed ​​up! Master Lai said the passage has been unsettled lately, and patrols need to be increased!" A gruff voice echoed through the passage. "Honestly, what's the point of patrolling this godforsaken place..." another voice complained. I had a bad feeling; it seemed to be a patrol from the dark forces. I cautiously peeked out, and in the dim light, I saw a group of soldiers in black armor walking along the passage. They carried spears, their steps were orderly, and they were warily watching their surroundings. I had to find a way to distract them! My mind raced. Howling Moon Wolf seemed to understand my intention; it quietly spat out a small ice spike from its mouth, striking the wall on the other side of the passage. "What was that sound?" The patrol immediately stopped, looking around alertly. "It seems to be coming from over there!" a soldier shouted, pointing in the direction Howling Moon Wolf's ice spike had struck. "Go check it out!" the lead soldier ordered. Several soldiers immediately ran towards the direction where Howling Wolf had made the commotion. Taking advantage of this opportunity, I quietly slipped away in another direction with Howling Wolf and Tungsten Boy. We continued along the passage, and after walking for a long time, we found a fork in the road ahead. The two passages were exactly the same, and it was impossible to tell which one was the right way. I hesitated for a moment, and finally chose the left passage. After taking only a few steps, I suddenly felt my foot slip... "Watch out!" Tungsten Boy exclaimed. I felt my body plummeting rapidly, and I heard the whooshing sound of wind in my ears. "Bang!" I crashed heavily to the ground, and a sharp pain shot through my arm. I gritted my teeth, endured the pain, and struggled to sit up. In the dim light, I saw a deep gash on my arm, cut by a sharp thorn, and blood was gushing out. "Are you alright?" Tungsten Boy asked anxiously. He jumped down from behind me; thankfully, he wasn't injured. I shook my head, tore off a corner of my clothes, and quickly bandaged my wound. "I'm fine, just a scrape," I said casually, not wanting him to worry. Howling Moon Wolf nuzzled my leg worriedly, and I gently patted its head to reassure it. This passage was clearly a trap, I cursed the treachery of the dark forces inwardly. The patrol's passage seemed to have triggered other mechanisms as well. The walls on both sides of the passage began to shake, and small explosives, like burning fireballs, spewed from the cracks in the walls, flying towards us. "Watch out!" I pulled Tungsten Boy behind me, and Howling Moon Wolf stood in front of us, letting out a low growl. Explosives exploded one after another, sparks flying and debris scattering throughout the passage. I held Tungsten Boy tightly, feeling the shockwaves of the explosions repeatedly pounding against my body. The wound on my arm reopened, blood soaking the bandage. "Damn it!" I cursed under my breath. This couldn't go on; the explosives were piling up, and we'd be blown to pieces sooner or later. I had to find a way to break out! I endured the pain, trying to stay conscious. I looked around, searching for a place to hide. But the passage was narrow, offering nowhere to conceal myself. "Howling Moon Wolf!" I shouted, "Ice Wall!" Howling Moon Wolf immediately understood. It raised its head and howled, a powerful surge of ice energy erupting from its body, quickly condensing into a massive ice wall in the air, blocking our path. The explosives struck the ice wall, creating a deafening explosion, sending ice shards flying. Although the ice wall blocked the direct impact of the explosives, it began to crack in the violent blast. I knew this ice wall wouldn't hold for long. I had to think of a way quickly… My gaze fell on the end of the passage, where there seemed to be a tightly closed stone door. If I could open that door, perhaps I could escape this damned trap! "Tungsten Boy, can you still move?" I asked. "Yes!" Tungsten Boy nodded firmly. I took a deep breath and pointed to the stone door at the end of the passage, saying, "Let's charge through!" I leaned against the wall, staggering to my feet... "Ready?" I looked at the Tungsten Boy and the Howling Moon Wolf, my eyes filled with determination... "Ready?" I looked at the Tungsten Boy and the Howling Moon Wolf, my eyes filled with determination. "Ready anytime!" The Tungsten Boy's face was pale, but his eyes were firm. The Howling Moon Wolf also growled, indicating that it was ready to fight at any moment. I took a deep breath and looked around again. The explosions continued, and the ice wall was on the verge of collapse. "No, if this continues, we'll all be blown up!" I gritted my teeth, my brain racing, searching for a way out. Suddenly, I thought of the Howling Moon Wolf's other ability—"Phantom Barrier"! Although this skill consumed a lot of energy and had a limited duration, in this situation, it might be our only hope. "Howling Moon Wolf, Phantom Barrier!" I shouted. The Howling Moon Wolf immediately understood, letting out a long howl, and a circle of pale blue light surged around its body. The light rapidly spread, forming a semi-transparent spherical barrier that completely enveloped the three of us. The explosives struck the barrier with a dull thud, but the barrier remained unmoved, firmly protecting us. A surge of joy filled me; I knew our gamble had paid off. The phantom barrier not only possessed astonishing defensive power but also absorbed the impact, protecting us from the blast. I supported the tungsten boy, carefully moving towards the stone door at the end of the passage. "Hang in there, we're almost there!" I encouraged the tungsten boy, while also giving myself a pep talk. The explosions in the passage gradually subsided; it seemed the dark forces' mechanisms were running out of energy. I quickened my pace and finally reached the stone door. This stone door was made of thick bluestone slabs, covered with ancient runes, exuding a mysterious aura. I tried pushing the stone door, but it wouldn't budge. "Looks like we'll need a special method," I thought to myself, carefully observing the runes on the stone door. The tungsten boy also came closer, carefully examining the stone door. “I’ve heard from those dark forces that this door requires a special key to open,” he said. A key? A thought struck me, recalling a strange metal plaque I’d found at the dark forces’ stronghold. That plaque had a peculiar shape and was engraved with similar runes; I’d never known its purpose. Now it seemed this might be the key to the stone door! I quickly pulled the plaque from my pocket and brought it close to the runes on the stone door. The instant the plaque touched the runes, they suddenly lit up, emitting a dazzling light. Then, a muffled sound came, and the stone door slowly opened. Overjoyed, I quickly pulled Tungsten Boy and Howling Moon Wolf through the stone door. Behind the door was a narrow passage, the air thick with a dampness. I felt we were very close to the intelligence chamber, but the surrounding traps seemed to intensify… I gripped my dagger tightly, warily watching ahead, and took a step forward… “It seems…” Tungsten Boy suddenly spoke.