Chapter 457: Explosive Tunnel
Chapter 457: Explosive Tunnel
As the four factions stood at the lakeshore locked in confrontation and debate, the liquid within the Blood Lake began stirring without wind. Soon, a vortex formed at the lake's center, expanding rapidly.
"What's happening? Is there something in the lake?" Wu Si Can Xuan's expression shifted, turning to Sashimi.
Clearly, Sashimi possessed some form of auditory ability. In unexpected situations like this, teammates would naturally consult him first.
"You really think I'm some kind of clairaudient?" Sashimi frowned in response. "My detection range is limited. Hearing conversations over a hundred meters away is already pushing it. Even if there was something in the lake, how could I hear through all that liquid?"
"This might be related to the citywide monster resonance a few minutes ago", Zui Wo Chang Ran suggested.
"Hold on!" Sashimi's expression suddenly changed as he finally caught a faint signal. "Uh...never mind that now."
Two seconds later, a colossal humanoid creature emerged from the vortex’s center. This giant stood at least fifteen meters tall, its fleshless body a grotesque mass of muscular patterns and oozing blood. Its hulking frame boasted claw-like fingers, and two bulging, eerily rotating eyeballs protruded from its sockets.
At the sight of this monster, the twelve players nearby instinctively took several steps back.
The member of the Trio with Naming Difficulties cried out, "What a massive bloodless corpse!"
...
Meanwhile, at the center of the Blockade Zone.
Four derivative beings of the Origin Organization converged here.
From the east approached a young boy in a short-sleeved shirt and jeans, his eyes faintly glowing amber.
From the north came a blood-soaked woman, her torso and limbs distorted, her face bearing canine features—a clear sign of Beast Imitation Strengthening activation.
From the west walked a figure as short as the boy but with an adult's build, his long beard resembling a squirrel's tail.
From the south arrived a "Light Being", his radiant skin concealed by lumen-dampening armor.
These four were Origin's D1-Long, L2-Xue Lan, J1-Kuai Duo, and Y2-Shining.
They arrived simultaneously at a crossroads at the Blockade Zone's heart.
"You're heavily injured", Long remarked to L2-Xue Lan.
"It's fine", she replied. "Even if I die, I'll complete the task."
Kuai Duo sighed but said nothing.
Shining spoke next, "Shall we begin then?"
"Of course", Long responded. "Everything must proceed as planned."
With those words, the four exchanged glances before retreating to the crossroads' four corners.
...
At the same time, on a rooftop two blocks away, Tian Tian Gui Xiao and Shiva secretly observed the scene.
"What are they doing?" Gui Xiao muttered, watching the distant derivative beings.
"Actually, I'm more curious about what you're up to", Shiva replied, narrowing his eyes. "Ignoring points to obsess over Npcs... The time we've wasted here could've earned me tons of points."
"They're not Npcs", Gui Xiao corrected. "They're derivative beings. Powerful ones—two at Stage Two, and the other two...I can't even observe them through the data layer. This has never happened before."
"Derivative beings, Four Pillars Deities..." Shiva scoffed. "They're just data. This is a game—we're players. Virtual data, no matter how strong, is just scenery to us. If you want to waste time here, go ahead. I'm leaving. You can treat the Summit Confrontation as a team survival mode if you like, but I'll focus on the competition."
"Cover your ears!" Gui Xiao suddenly snapped, spinning around.
The command came abruptly, but Shiva's reflexes were sharp—he obeyed instantly.
Weng—
Boom—
The first sound was a piercing hum; the second, an explosive roar.
The entire city heard it.
A second later, a tsunami-like shockwave erupted, sweeping across the metropolis. Organisms outside the Blockade Zone clutched their aching eardrums, stumbling off-balance. Inside the Blockade Zone, aside from the derivative beings, only Gui Xiao and Shiva survived. Every other mutated creature collapsed instantly.
Twelve seconds later...
"Pant...pant..." Shiva staggered up, unsure how he'd fallen. "You...you..." He slumped back down, blood dripping from both palms. "You ambushed me!" He never finished the "me" as he noticed Gui Xiao sitting beside him, both ears bleeding.
"Just stay seated for a while", Gui Xiao advised calmly. "Your inner ear injury affects balance. You'll fall again if you force yourself up."
"What happened?" Though close and face-to-face, Shiva barely heard him. "Did someone ambush us?"
"Definitely not a player", Gui Xiao replied, regulating his breathing. "Something big's happened... Something I've never seen before. Something completely beyond my imagination has arrived."
...
Above the crossroads, a spherical Space Rift about five meters in radius materialized, its interior a void-like abyss from any angle.
Moments later, a silver data stream descended from its center, rapidly coalescing into a humanoid form—a woman-shaped figure resembling liquid mercury.
Root surveyed the surroundings and spoke, "Where is L2-Xue Lan?"
Long replied, "She sacrificed herself to channel the energy required for the Explosive Tunnel."
Root fell silent for two seconds, a flicker of emotion crossing its face before resuming its usual tone. It raised its voice: "Can you all hear me, Origins?"
Before the words faded, hundreds of Black Shadows surged from the Explosive Tunnel, entering this world.
(End of Chapter)
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