Fellow Daoist! That scoundrel has written a new book again.

Zhu Wuyao still managed to dig out the accumulated resources within the mine over the years.

Not only were there privately made swords and other weapons, but there was even a storage ring.

There once lived a tomb raider with extraordinary skills. He stumbled upon a mass grave, discovered something unusual, and thought there was treasure there, but ended up being captured and taken to a mine.

He smuggled this storage ring in secretly.

Unfortunately, before Zhu Wuyao, no one could use spiritual power to retrieve the items from the storage ring.

Zhu Wuyao flipped through it and found that there were very few things inside, mostly items that could be used to escape if trapped.

They took out the contents and handed them to the men in charge. Even the grave-digging shovels were of superior quality to those used by ordinary soldiers.

Teleportation talismans are rare items.

Especially under the current circumstances, it is extremely difficult to obtain one.

If we can really break through the barrier, with a teleportation talisman, we might have a better chance of escaping.

The highest quality item was a wrathful lotus kasaya. Zhu Wuyao tried it on several times and found it to be a superior protective magic artifact.

It can shelter more than twenty people.

Zhu Wuyao distributed these items.

Only a few fireballs and an empty storage ring remained.

No one could open this storage ring. The unknown brought hope, but when they learned that there was only this much inside, everyone was greatly disappointed.

Seeing the suspicious looks in everyone's eyes, Zhu Wuyao did not explain.

She hung the storage ring on her wrist with a strip of cloth, tied it with her teeth, and then tucked it into her sleeve.

It was the third day since Ye Xiaozhou left.

Today is the agreed-upon date for the book delivery between Zhu Wuyao and the old book seller.

Zhu Wuyao stood on the teleportation platform.

She looked back.

Today is an ordinary day.

The wheelbarrows, like ants carrying supplies, travel through the winding tunnels day after day, year after year. Their faces are covered with black grime. From the initial panic and unease, they have now adapted to this inhuman existence, and can even wipe away their sweat and smile.

Human vitality is exceptionally strong.

There's no way we can't survive.

Zhu Wuyao didn't know whether her choice was right or wrong; she had never been able to distinguish between right and wrong.

The runes of the teleportation array lit up around her, and her eyes remained perfectly calm.

Zhu Wuyao slowly raised his hand—

A wisp of spiritual energy, like a serpentine snake, darted through the anthill, its flickering light so abrupt in this hazy, chaotic grayness.

It brought about destruction.

"Boom!"

"Crack——"

"It's collapsing! The mine is collapsing!"

"Get out of the way, you mangy dog!"

The nails embedded in the stone wall, as they swayed, seemed to hear a call, and stepped out from underfoot cracks, echoing each other, until they touched each other.

Large boulders were stripped away and smashed into the ground.

That location was excellent, situated in a fortress and close to all the mining areas, so the collapse spread from the depths, driving everyone towards the open space in the middle.

The fireballs were placed in the main mining area.

From that moment on, they were never able to mine enough ore to exchange for food.

If you don't want to rebel, then wait to die.

Hu San's arm muscles bulged as he lifted the massive boulder, saving the person whose leg had been crushed.

Deeper inside, some people didn't have time to escape.

The heavy stone fell, stirring up a noisy cloud of dust.

His eyes were bloodshot as he ran toward the teleportation array like an enraged beast; with each stride he took, the earth seemed to tremble.

The teleportation array runes are interlocking and slowly rising, connecting the inner and outer rings.

"Why!!"

Hearing the angry roars in her ears, Zhu Wuyao slowly raised her eyes and looked calmly at the chaotic mine.

why?

Because I have already chosen to sacrifice my friends.

If my despicable act can save the world, then at least it has meaning.

But they didn't survive, and my friends disappeared. In the end, all that was left for me was devastation.

From that moment on, I knew that fate was inescapable.

If it's to save more people, I can scheme against my friends and drag them down with me, but if it's about losing my life, I can do it all by myself.

The first step is to eliminate Ye Xiaozhou from the competition.

The second step was to destroy the mine ten days prior, cutting off their escape route and forcing everyone to rebel.

The third step: life or death, and the game ends here.

She still needs to retrieve the Unsharp Sword...

The figure on the teleportation array disappeared, leaving behind only a letter.

Sister Rong pursed her lips, stepped forward, picked it up, and unfolded it.

Then he clenched the letter tightly in his palm and said through gritted teeth:

"She never intended to wait for the man surnamed Zhou to return. From beginning to end, her goal was to get rid of people and force us to rebel!"

Her eyes were exceptionally fierce, shifting several times, while her chest heaved violently.

It took a long time for him to calm down before he said:

"opposite!"

Hu San suddenly looked at her, only to see Rong Si laughing angrily, saying:

"Didn't that guy surnamed Zhou say that whoever survives is a traitor?"

"If I can't escape, then the author of this book shouldn't expect to live either!"

Following the letter left by Zhu Wuyao, everyone began preparations. In the mine, there was a morbid ecosystem where social classes were extremely distinct and superiors held absolute power over subordinates.

It finally started operating at full speed.

The lowest-level ants never have a voice; they numbly carry out orders, like wave after wave of worker ants.

Now the sky has fallen.

They will still carry out orders.

Hu San and Rong Si no longer suspected each other. There would be no more traitors here, only living people or dead people.

Before death comes, they will be each other's most loyal comrades.

"Everyone! Gather in the center of the mine!"

There are weapons there, there is food there, there is a way forward and a destination there.

It accurately marked the landing point and the teleportation array.

As commands were passed down, the breathing of this giant beast, raised in a distorted environment, gradually became unified, rising and falling in the quiet, dark surroundings.

There is a huge rock here.

Zhu Wuyao said:

"Standing here, I can be seen by everyone, and my voice can be heard by everyone."

Your will will reach every corner.

Rong Si recalled those words. She saw the crowd gripping their weapons tightly, filled with fear and unease, and those pairs of terrified eyes.

She thought, this might really be suicide.

This is not a well-prepared army, but rather a group of trapped beasts huddled together for warmth out of fear.

She thought of Mu Changying.

That woman, like a flame that never goes out, stood so high that she could see into everyone's eyes. What was she thinking?

Is she afraid of death?

No! She will not fear self-destruction.

Would the fear extinguish the countless hopeful eyes that were filled with it?

Rong Si and Hu San stood on that huge rock, only then realizing that this position was determined by fear.

Those who stand at the highest point must never waver.

Those who stand at the forefront never look back.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Zhu Wuyao was brought before the old man. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the Wufeng Sword and the scattered storage bags.

He took out the manuscript and, under the old man's gaze, slowly pushed it over.