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Inside the rock crevice, there was a deathly silence.

The skinned monsters that hunted by hearing seemed to have lost their target; their footsteps gradually thinned out until they disappeared into the darkness.

"They're gone..."

Once the tension is released, the overwhelming feeling of exhaustion from surviving a disaster comes rushing in.

The crowd sat or leaned against something, their faces a mixture of relief and joy.

"Old Ge, is there any other way?"

Commander Wang sheathed his sword, his face so gloomy it could drip water.

The road is blocked. If they can't find the entrance, they will be trapped here sooner or later, or become food for those monsters.

There was no way to go back and explain.

If I fail to deliver, my entire family will be implicated!

Old Ge gritted his teeth, his withered fingers trembling, and fumbled for an oilcloth bag in his inner pocket, opening it layer by layer.

Inside, a small, palm-sized, triangular, jet-black flag was visible.

The flag was neither cloth nor silk, but cold to the touch, resembling leather, and covered with dense, eerie runes that made one dizzy at first glance.

"Commander Wang." Old Ge's voice was dry and hoarse, but it carried a desperate, ruthless edge.

"If someone can plant this flag back at the point where the smoke from the 'Five Ghosts Asking for Directions' event finally dissipated, I can use this flag as a 'medium' to perhaps... perhaps glimpse a new path!"

"go back?"

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed drastically.

It's quiet outside now, but who knows if those bloodthirsty monsters have truly left, or are merely lurking in the darkness?

Turning back now would be tantamount to putting one's neck back under the guillotine.

Commander Wang did not answer immediately.

His gaze slowly swept over everyone present.

Those soldiers whose gaze fell upon him, though not retreating, instinctively tightened their grip on their weapons.

Finally, those cold eyes stopped at the end of the line.

They were two wounded men covered in blood and seriously injured.

Chen Qian and Zhang Da.

"Wait another 15 minutes."

"Wait until the monsters have completely dispersed before making any move."

Commander Wang withdrew his gaze, his voice calm and even, yet it carried an undeniable cruelty.

In the corner, Zhang Dayong nudged Chen Qian with his shoulder, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

Chen Qian remained expressionless, treating him as if he were invisible.

He knew exactly what was going on.

In the eyes of these fierce soldiers, the wounded are a burden, pawns that can be discarded at any time.

Sending them to their deaths is the optimal solution, as it allows them to scout ahead and conserve food supplies.

"It doesn't matter."

Chen Qian sneered inwardly.

Once he's out of their sight, with his night vision and hearing, where in this maze can't he go?

Half an hour later.

"Li Er, Zhang Da."

Commander Wang didn't even bother with any pretense of mobilization; he simply threw the flag at Chen Qian's feet.

"Take the flag and plant it in that dead end. If you succeed, you'll be credited with the greatest achievement. If you don't make it back... I'll have someone burn paper money for you."

Chen Qian didn't say anything and silently picked up the flag.

Zhang Da also stood up shakily, his face still bearing that wooden, loyal expression: "Yes... Boss."

The two of them, one in front of the other, crawled out of the crevice in the rock.

Luckily, there were no skinning monsters guarding the corpses at the entrance.

We had just left the group's sight and turned a corner.

Chen Qian abruptly stopped in his tracks.

He didn't even glance at the flag in his hand, and casually tossed it into the pile of rocks next to him.

Immediately afterwards, he swayed and prepared to go in the opposite direction.

He didn't want to spend another second with this dead man!

"Brother Li, you're leaving already?"

Behind me, Zhang Da's deep voice came.

The voice was no longer weak or hoarse, but rather carried an eerie composure.

Chen Qian ignored him and accelerated.

"Don't you want to go to the next floor?"

"Don't you want to ignite the fire within you?"

"You don't want the real treasure?"

These three questions were like three heavy hammer blows, slamming into Chen Qian's back.

The words "next floor" in particular struck at his current weak point.

Chen Qian suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He stopped three or four zhang away from Zhang Da, turned around, held the long sword horizontally in front of his chest, and his eyes were extremely vigilant.

He had absolutely no interest in igniting his inner fire or obtaining the treasure.

But now he faces the Li family's problems in a few days, which is something he urgently needs to resolve.

Since Wang Shouyi said the draw was going to happen here, we should at least take a gamble!

"Who exactly are you?"

Chen Qian said coldly, "You don't have to tell me, but I won't stay any longer. I have plenty of ways to survive on my own."

"hey-hey"

Zhang Da stood in the shadows, his hunched back slowly straightening.

He stretched, as if trying to adjust to the ill-fitting body.

The honest and simple expression on his face had vanished, replaced by indifference.

"Of course I'm here to search for treasure."

He chuckled softly, his voice echoing in the empty corridor:

"Our goals are different, and our interests are not in conflict. How about I help you, and you help me?"

"Tell me," Chen Qian said calmly.

"Those fools are nothing more than looking for that legendary treasure that can transform people and help them ascend to immortality."

Zhang Da curled his lip, his eyes full of disdain:

"That thing is useless to me, even a burden. I'm here to take back what rightfully belongs to me."

"My knowledge of this place far exceeds your imagination. I can tell you where there are hidden treasures buried with the dead, and where there are powerful elixirs that can make your blood boil."

He looked directly into Chen Qian's eyes:

"Work with me, and you'll get everything you want. All you need to do is... do me a small favor at that crucial moment."

"A small favor?"

Chen Qian sneered, not letting the empty promises blind him:

"You think it's true just because you say so? If you're so capable, why do you need the help of someone as ignorant as me? I don't even know if you're human or a ghost, and you're talking about cooperation? That's incredibly insincere."

Zhang Da looked at Chen Qian and suddenly gave a meaningful smile.

His gaze fell on the slightly bulging spot in Chen Qian's arms.

"A disciple of Taiyi?"

Zhang Da sighed softly, his tone tinged with reminiscence:

"That's a really old name. The last time I saw this compass was probably a long time ago?"

"boom!"

Chen Qian was shocked, and his grip on the knife tightened suddenly.

This compass was given to him by Wang Shouyi, and no one except himself knows its origin.

This monster in front of us actually broke through the Taiyi Sect with a single shout?

Moreover, judging from his appearance, he seemed to know this sect very well.

"you……"

"take it easy."

Zhang waved his hand, disappearing into the darkness, looking exceptionally eerie.

"I mean you no harm. But then again, given your cowardly nature, why would you come here to fight to the death just to find some opportunity?"

"Looks like you're one of this generation's 'walkers'? You're doing pretty badly."

Chen Qian's mind raced as he weighed all the pros and cons.

This monster has a very long history and knows too much.

It can't be killed, and it seems to actually have something to ask of me.

"Why me?"

Chen Qian asked in a deep voice, his eyes burning, "Just because you're a member of the Taiyi Sect? I don't believe it. This tomb is full of experts, why don't you go find them?"

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Zhang Da suddenly burst into laughter, his laughter carrying a mixture of arrogance and sorrow:

"That's certainly not enough. Judging from your appearance, you're probably some old fellow from within the sect who's afraid to get involved in karma, so you were released to fend for yourself."

"And those people? No power, no backing, no connections! A bunch of skeletons in a tomb, yet they dare to dream of changing their fate? How laughable!"

He abruptly stopped laughing and took a step forward:

"Ten days from now, the Li family's paper sedan chair will be coming to pick you up, right?"

"Back then, you needed me, just as I need you now."

Chen Qian's pupils shrank to the size of pinpoints.

This is his biggest secret, and also the sword of Damocles hanging over his head.

"As for who I am..."

He raised his head, a captivating light flashing in his dead fish eyes, and said, word by word:

"My name is Li Chengyun!"

"By the mandate of Heaven...by the mandate of Heaven!"

"I am also a member of the Li family."