https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-210-Cangling-Debate-of-Swords-18-/13547300/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-212-Cangling-Debate-of-Swords-20-/13547306/
Chapter 211: Cangling Debate of Swords (19)
Chapter 211: Cangling Debate of Swords (19)
The sensation of crashing was something nightmarish enough to jolt anyone awake—heart-pounding, limbs locking, screams catching in the throat.
Strangely, when the two plummeted, only Bei Ling cried out.
Xiao Tan, usually the type to overreact at every little thing, remained unnaturally calm in this life-or-death moment. In a flash, he twisted his wrist, grabbing Bei Ling’s arm, then used sheer strength to yank her upward, flipping their positions so she landed above him.
In a crisis, his instinct was to lift his teammate, sacrificing himself as a human cushion. The kid really was a decent guy. Of course, if they’d fallen into an endless abyss, this noble gesture would’ve meant nothing more than deciding who died first.
Luckily, the crashed sensation lasted only seconds before a splash echoed as they plunged into water, nearly colliding.
In the darkness, the horror vanished instantly. Xiao Tan felt a chill, then pain and dizziness surging through his back. Yet inwardly, he rejoiced—he knew surviving a fall into water meant they’d live to fight another day.
The impact drove them deep underwater. Knowing danger wasn’t over, Xiao Tan held his breath. As the descent slowed, he kicked furiously, refusing to release Bei Ling’s wrist. After rising slightly, he wrapped his left arm around her and began swimming upward with his right.
Soon, their heads breached the surface, both gasping for air.
“I can swim!” Bei Ling shouted first, panting.
“You could’ve mentioned that earlier! I nearly killed myself saving you,” Xiao Tan retorted, letting go and paddling a short distance away.
“Tell me when, exactly?” She smacked his forehead. “When did I get the chance to speak?”
“Ow… Then why didn’t you move at all when I was dragging you up?”
“You were playing lifeguard so enthusiastically, what else could I do but cooperate?” Bei Ling shot back. “If I’d struggled, you’d have stubbornly muscled through, and we’d both drown.”
“Ah… Right, are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she said. “Except I want to punch you.”
Xiao Tan assumed she blamed him for dragging her down. “You can’t blame me entirely! How was I supposed to know the ceiling would collapse or the floor give way?”
“Hmph,” Bei Ling scoffed, unable to argue. She’d been the one to grab his wrist first. If she’d leapt back instead, she might’ve stayed above, found a rope, and rescued him later. Anything was better than being trapped here in this pitch-black abyss.
Darkness surrounded them, save for a faint light far above—the collapsed hole they’d fallen through. Unfortunately, the opening was indoors, not exposed to the sky, leaving no illumination for this subterranean depth.
Though they spoke, the darkness hid their faces. Yet proximity and splashing sounds made their positions clear—like when Bei Ling reached out and smacked Xiao Tan’s head.
“Crap, my flashlight’s broken from the last scenario,” Xiao Tan muttered, suddenly feeling something clunk onto his head.
A click, and light flared. A yellow miner’s helmet now sat atop his head.
“You kept this equipment?” He asked, recalling how Bei Ling had once tried to trade it for his flashlight.
“Of course,” she said. “I remember offering this for your flashlight, but you gave it back, saying something like, ‘It looks stupid on you—keep it yourself.’”
“Why keep it? This gear’s practically worthless now.”
“Hmph. I hate being rejected.” She tapped his helmet. “Look at you—how perfectly it matches your idiotic style.”
“I miss the old days,” Xiao Tan sighed. “Back when you called me ‘Brother Xiao Tan’ and politely traded equipment…”
Bei Ling flushed, yanking the topic sideways. “Less chatter! Spin around—find dry land before we freeze to death in here!”
Xiao Tan wisely shut up, slowly turning to scan the surroundings.
The miner’s helmet proved invaluable—no need to juggle a light source. As the beam swept, they finally saw their surroundings. The underground waterhole wasn’t large, with a stone shore about ten meters away. Above it stretched a vertical cylindrical tunnel—their crash path. The top connected to the collapsed kitchen above, while the bottom flared outward like an inverted funnel. Escaping the way they came was impossible.
With no other options, they swam toward the shore, exhausted by the time they crawled out.
The sudden chaos had drained their vitality and stamina—Xiao Tan lost 67% vitality, Bei Ling 59%. In reality, such a fall might’ve killed them instantly; only their game-enhanced bodies survived. Floating and swimming cost another 300 stamina—nearly 20% for two level-17 players.
“Could this be some ancient tomb?” Xiao Tan asked, eyeing a shadowy path ahead.
“Let me guess—you’re fantasizing about me stripping down to train swordplay with you?” Bei Ling teased, her own words more scandalous.
“I was going to say this place might have gear, skills, or hidden tasks,” Xiao Tan said. “But you had to—”
Another smack rang out, even through the helmet.
“So you thought of it first?”
“The word ‘also’ in your sentence was… Ow, fine! Everything’s my fault!” Xiao Tan groaned, thoroughly bullied.
The underground pool radiated icy cold. Soaked and shivering, they wrung out their clothes briefly before heading down the only path.
The tunnel’s rock seemed to absorb light—beyond ten meters, the beam vanished. Worse, the path sloped downward. They’d already fallen deep underground—where could this lead? The underworld’s treasure hall?
After ten minutes, the slope leveled out. The tunnel widened, eventually large enough to fit a subway train.
“Do you smell that?” Bei Ling asked. A minute ago, a foul stench had lingered in the damp air—a bad omen.
Xiao Tan eyed her suspiciously. “You’re not telling me you… released something? I didn’t know the game allowed that…”
“Idiot!” She yanked off his helmet, smacking him furiously. “White trash! Moron!”
“Wait, won’t the censors block that?”
“Hmph!” She huffed, calming herself. “Next time I’m at the auction house, I’m buying a giant fan. My hand’s sore from hitting you.”
“Sorry,” he mumbled. “My head’s just too hard.”
“Is that what you’re apologizing for?” She jammed the helmet back on his head.
“Fine, fine! Everything’s my fault!” Xiao Tan pleaded. “But must you hit me? Can’t we just talk—”
“Brother Xiao Tan,” she interrupted sweetly, eyes sharp as blades. “Please retreat back and drown yourself.”
“…Just hit me again.”
Roooar—
A monstrous roar cut through the air, unmistakably non-human. Whether it hated their chatter or sensed prey, a massive creature slithered toward them, its thunderous approach shaking the tunnel as it raced toward the two players…
(End of Chapter)
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