Xifeier rummaged through her backpack for a long time, finally taking out two gas masks and handing them to Qu Xiangyun and me.
"Be careful, this will block out the scent of the flowers."
I took the gas mask and put it on.
It had to be said that Xifeier being the leader of this group meant she had some real capabilities. No matter where she was, she could think calmly and minimize danger.
If I hadn't been poisoned on the island before, my past self might not have even thought of such thorough precautions.
The three of us all put on our gas masks and cautiously walked into the sea of flowers.
I led the way, Qu Xiangyun in the middle, and Xifeier at the rear.
From a distance, we could only see vibrant flowers. But as we delved deeper into the floral expanse, I discovered that it wasn't just flowers, but also many insects.
These insects were very small, some with wings flitting around us, impossible to drive away.
This was not a big deal, just annoying.
Occasionally, beetles would burrow out of the ground. Stepping on one would instantly cause it to burst into a splatter of viscous fluid, making one's skin crawl.
I felt a strong sense of discomfort.
It was as if we had entered another strange world.
I desperately wished to rush through and escape this place, but the reality was that we had no idea what lay ahead, so we proceeded exceptionally slowly, constantly monitoring our surroundings.
Along the way, I discovered some peculiar plants, including several flowers that emitted a faint glow.
This luminescence attracted nearby flying insects, and when our flashlights shone on them, their petals would, as if startled, automatically close.
This struck me as strange. After all, plants on the surface couldn't survive without sunlight.
In this bizarre underground world, these flowers actively avoided light.
Did they not undergo photosynthesis at all?
This was beyond my understanding. If I had more time, collecting samples of these flowers and creating botanical specimens would surely lead to significant discoveries.
"We're here, we're almost there..."
Perhaps it was heaven's blessing that we encountered no danger while traversing the sea of flowers. My taut nerves gradually relaxed as I heard Xifeier murmuring behind me.
Were we about to reach our destination?
I casually glanced back at Xifeier, noticing a complex expression on her face.
It was a look of relief mixed with fear, something I had never seen on Xifeier before.
What was she afraid of?
My lips moved, wanting to ask Xifeier, but in the end, I didn't.
After all, both Xifeier and I had our own hidden agendas. If real danger arose and the opportunity presented itself, I would not hesitate to leave Xifeier behind beneath the ice.
Finally, as I pushed aside the last cluster of flowers ahead, we were met with an ancient courtyard.
The architectural style of this courtyard was peculiar, wild yet imbued with an ancient charm, a truly rare masterpiece of craftsmanship.
Beside the courtyard stood a small pavilion, and within it, a dark shadow sat silently.
Damn, someone's here?!
I instinctively thought of the long-lost Su Yunran, but then dismissed the idea. If it were Su Yunran, he couldn't have survived this long in such an environment.
"Who are you!"
I shouted towards the pavilion, cautiously drawing my revolver and pointing it at the silhouette from a distance.
Quickest gun within seven paces!
I was truly fed up with the endless horrors this underground level had thrown at us.
If the shadow made any move, I would shoot without hesitation.
Xifeier and Qu Xiangyun also emerged from the sea of flowers. Seeing my alert posture, they both tensed up, ready for combat.
I was confident my voice was loud enough that if the shadow were human, it would have heard me. But what was strange was that the shadow remained motionless, as if not alive.
I cautiously held my gun and approached the stone pavilion.
Unexpectedly, as I drew closer, I realized the shadow was growing fainter!
By the time I reached the stone pavilion, the shadow had completely vanished, as if it had never existed!
If Xifeier and Qu Xiangyun hadn't shown the same bewildered expressions, I would have thought I had imagined it.
"Is this thing human or ghost?"
Qu Xiangyun's voice trembled. Although she had explored various parts of the world since childhood, she was still a young woman and instinctively feared such phantom-like presences.
Now, the scene within the stone pavilion was fully visible. Apart from a stone table and a few stone stools, there was nothing else.
Xifeier stepped forward with a grave expression and touched the stone stool where the shadow had been. Suddenly, understanding dawned on her.
"Hehehehehe, we've stumbled upon the Night Returners!"