Chapter 26: The Enigma of the City's Dilemma

The patterns on the floor writhed like living things, weaving together into increasingly complex designs that emitted a faint, eerie green glow, as if a predatory beast were lying in wait within the darkness.

The air in the room seemed to solidify, making every person’s breathing clearly audible.

"These patterns... they look like some kind of ancient incantation." Liu Yong’s expression was grave. He adjusted his glasses, which reflected the uncanny green light. "I’ve seen similar records in ancient texts. These incantations possess immense power; they can manipulate space and even alter reality."

"Manipulate space? Alter reality?" Sun Yue scoffed. "Liu Yong, have you been reading too much science fiction? What time do you think this is? You still believe in such ethereal nonsense."

Liu Yong frowned, ignoring Sun Yue’s mockery, and continued to study the patterns on the floor.

"There is a rhythm to the way these lines change," he said, pointing to a section. "Look, this segment flashes every five seconds, while this one flashes every three. If we can find the connection between these intervals, we might be able to solve this puzzle."

"I think you’re overthinking it," Sun Yue interrupted impatiently. "Instead of wasting time studying this useless stuff, we should just use brute force. I don’t believe these broken trinkets can withstand my explosives." He pulled a small bomb from his backpack, eager to try it.

"Are you crazy?" Pan Yue cried out. "If you trigger some kind of trap, we’re all done for!"

"What are you afraid of?" Sun Yue said dismissively. "It’s just a few crappy traps. I’ve dismantled bombs much more complex than this before."

"Sun Yue, don't be impulsive!" Chu Feng grabbed Sun Yue’s wrist, stopping him from igniting the device. "Liu Yong is right. These patterns must hide a secret; we cannot act rashly."

Sun Yue shook off Chu Feng’s hand, fuming. "Chu Feng, what do you mean? Do you not trust my ability?"

"It’s not that I don’t trust your ability," Chu Feng explained patiently. "I just think we should be cautious. After all, we are in a dangerous situation, and any single mistake could cost us dearly."

Just then, a chilling wind blew in from outside, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps approaching.

"Someone’s coming!" Wu Xia’s expression shifted as she said in a low voice.

"Prepare for combat!" Chen Qiang commanded, raising his shield and bracing himself.

Pan Yue moved closer to Chu Feng and whispered, "Chu Feng, be careful."

Chu Feng nodded, the shadow-runes pulsing more violently in his palm, as if sensing the impending danger. He tightened his grip on his dagger, his gaze fixed vigilantly on the doorway.

"Creak—" The door was violently pushed open...

The door swung wide with a harsh, grating sound. Several black shadows poured in like ghosts, their weapons glinting with cold light, radiating undisguised murderous intent.

"It really was a pre-planned ambush!" Chen Qiang roared. His burly frame stood like a mountain before the group, and he thrust his massive shield forward. With a loud "bang," he sent the leading attackers tumbling.

The shrill whistle of blades slicing through the air and the dull thuds of exploding energy bursts wove together into a terrifying symphony of death. The attackers coordinated seamlessly, their blades aiming for vital points, followed by energy blasts intended to tear through the defensive line Chen Qiang had established.

"Damn it, how did they get here so fast?" Sun Yue cursed while dodging the flying energy projectiles. "Have we been targeted?"

Amidst the chaos, Feng Yao struggled to cast her healing runes. A pale green light flickered at her fingertips, continuously mending the wounds of her teammates. However, facing such an intense barrage, her efforts felt like a drop in the ocean.

"This is no good, we’ll be worn down to death at this rate!" Pan Yue’s voice trembled. She clutched her dagger tightly, but her face was filled with despair at the ferocity of the battle.

Chu Feng was not misled by the chaos. His eyes were as sharp as a leopard’s, hunting for openings in the enemy’s assault. Suddenly, he noticed the glowing green patterns on the floor; under the pressure of the enemy’s attacks and the fluctuations of energy within the room, they had become significantly more active.

"Calm down! Everyone, hold your ground!" Chu Feng’s voice was soft, yet possessed an undeniable authority. "Liu Yong, observe the patterns on the floor! They are changing in response to the attacks!"

Liu Yong quickly adjusted his focus, using the light reflected in his lenses to study the floor. He realized that whenever an attack landed in a specific area, the flashing frequency of the runes would shift, and when several areas were activated simultaneously, the entire pattern became exceptionally clear.

"I’ve got it!" Liu Yong shouted excitedly. "These patterns aren't random; they’re the key to the puzzle! We have to activate them in a specific order to find the way out!"

A surge of relief washed over Chu Feng. He took a deep breath, and the shadow-runes surged within him, flooding his limbs with immense power. He quickly analyzed the information Liu Yong provided and commanded his team: "Chen Qiang, hold the southeast corner! Sun Yue, cover Liu Yong and don't let him get hurt! Pan Yue, provide support!"

Under Chu Feng’s command, the team seemed to find their backbone again. They stopped fighting individually and began to act methodically according to his instructions. The chaotic situation began to stabilize, and even the attackers’ momentum was suppressed.

Just as they were about to solve the mystery, a low growl erupted from outside the door, reminiscent of a demon from hell, sending chills down their spines.

"It seems more interesting guests have arrived." The corners of Chu Feng’s mouth curled upward. He turned toward the door, his eyes glinting with a hint of excitement.

Watching the tension between Liu Yong and Sun Yue, Pan Yue frowned slightly. She gently took their arms and said softly, "Alright, everyone is here for the sake of the team, let’s not damage our harmony." Her voice drifted like a spring breeze, smoothing out the tense atmosphere. "Liu Yong, I know you are doing this for everyone’s good, trying to find the logic in this puzzle, but Sun Yue didn't mean any harm; he’s just blunt." She turned to Sun Yue, her tone tinged with a mix of reprimand and care. "Sun Yue, I know you’re anxious, but we must think before we act. After all, we are a team and we need to support each other." Pan Yue’s gentle words acted like a sedative, instantly dissolving the friction between the two.

Sun Yue scratched his head in embarrassment, and Liu Yong lowered his head silently. A warm atmosphere quietly spread through the squad.

At that moment, Wu Xia, who had been silent all along, spoke up: "Perhaps we shouldn't focus only on the patterns on the floor." She pushed up her glasses, her eyes sparkling with wisdom. "Have you noticed that although these patterns are complex, they seem to have a connection with the room’s architecture?" Wu Xia’s words were like a sudden enlightenment, brightening the spirits of those who had been at an impasse.

"Wu Xia, what do you mean?" Chu Feng asked, puzzled.

"I mean that the patterns on the floor might be components of a larger mechanism," Wu Xia said slowly, her voice soft yet firm. "We’ve been studying the ground, but we’ve ignored the walls, the ceiling, and even the layout of the entire room." She pointed to some seemingly irregular bumps on the walls. "Look at these—don't they correspond to the patterns on the floor?" Her deduction made everything clear: the key to the puzzle lay not just in the patterns themselves, but in their relationship to the entire room.

"Could it be that we need to align the room’s structure with the floor’s patterns?" Liu Yong asked excitedly. He quickly took out paper and pen, beginning to record the structure of the room and the positions and changes of the ground patterns. He acted like a child who had just received a new toy, filled with curiosity and a thirst for knowledge.

Chu Feng’s mouth curled into a smile. He took a long look at Wu Xia, feeling a newfound respect for this typically low-profile logistics officer. He tightened his grip on his dagger and looked forward with steely determination.

"It seems we have a new direction," he said in a low voice. "Let’s proceed according to Wu Xia’s theory!"

A faint "creak" echoed through the room—the sound of a mechanism being triggered, clearly audible to everyone. The sound of gears turning resonated through the chamber like an ancient clock counting down, signaling that an unknown destiny was about to descend.

Everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on the floor. As the final piece of the pattern aligned, the markings in the center of the floor suddenly erupted with a dazzling light. A low rumble emerged from deep underground, and a wall slowly slid to the sides, revealing a hidden passage.

"We did it!" Liu Yong cheered, his face glowing with joy.

Pan Yue let out a long sigh of relief, her tense nerves finally relaxing. She turned to look at Chu Feng.

Sun Yue looked on in disbelief, scratching his head and muttering to himself, "I can't believe that woman actually guessed it right."

Chen Qiang remained vigilant, keeping his shield held across his chest as he stared sharply into the darkness behind the hidden door, as if sensing the presence of some danger.

Wu Xia pushed up her glasses, a faint smile appearing on her lips. She didn't show the same level of excitement as the others, instead calmly observing the situation behind the passage.

Chu Feng took a deep breath, gripped his dagger, and was the first to step into the hidden door. The others followed closely behind, filing in one by one.

The space behind the door was pitch black, thick enough to swallow all light. A cold, damp aura rushed toward them, making everyone shiver. Suddenly, a powerful, malevolent force surged from the darkness, sweeping over them like a tide.

"Watch out!" Chu Feng shouted. His shadow-runes erupted instantly, forming a protective barrier around his body. The other team members reacted quickly, each casting their own runes to fend off the sudden attack.

In the darkness, the malevolent energy coalesced, eventually forming a massive vortex that radiated a suffocating pressure.

"What... what is this..." Pan Yue’s voice trembled as she clutched Chu Feng’s sleeve.

Chu Feng didn't speak. He stared intently at the vortex before them, a sense of deep unease rising in his heart.

"It seems we’ve run into serious trouble..."