Chapter 41: Facing the Overbearing Threat

A cold, chilling voice swept through the vast underground space like a winter gale, making the very air seem to freeze.

Chu Feng and his team had been immersed in the joy of their recent discoveries, but this sudden, overbearing interruption sent alarm bells ringing in their hearts. Looking toward the source of the sound, they saw a burly man leading a group of well-equipped subordinates, marching menacingly into the chamber.

The man’s face was etched with harsh, knife-like features. Behind him, his followers looked like demons, their hands gripping weapons that glinted with a cold, lethal light. Their heavy, rhythmic footsteps struck the floor like hammers hitting an anvil, their powerful presence suffocating the room.

Pan Yue instinctively moved closer to Chu Feng, feeling the dangerous tension in the air—a silence like that before a storm, heavy and stifling. Liu Yong remained silent, his grip tightening on his wrench, his eyes sharp as a hawk’s. Sun Yue hid behind Chen Qiang, his cunning eyes darting around the encroaching enemies, searching for any opportunity to exploit. Chen Qiang stood like an unbreakable fortress before them, his expression resolute and steadfast. Wu Xia quickly analyzed the strength of both sides, calculating a strategy in her mind.

Leader Zhao stopped a few meters away, his gaze sweeping over them like a ravenous wolf before settling on Chu Feng. With a sneer of disdain, he declared in an unquestionable tone, "Listen, kid, I don't care who you are. I hereby declare that all the runic resources here belong to me, Leader Zhao! Hand them over, and do it now." His voice boomed with the arrogance of a supreme command.

Chu Feng’s brow furrowed, his anger surging. Could they simply hand over the treasures they had risked their lives to obtain? He stepped forward, meeting Leader Zhao’s gaze without a hint of fear. "We earned these resources through our own sweat and blood. Why should we give them to you? If you want them, come and take them yourself!" His words were sharp and resonant, striking like a blade.

At this, Leader Zhao’s expression turned dark. His men raised their weapons, letting out roars of fury. The tension reached its breaking point; a clash was inevitable.

Advisor Qian stood behind Leader Zhao, wearing a sinister grin. He whispered into the leader's ear, "Boss, it seems they won't weep until they see their own coffins. Shall we give them a taste of what we can do?"

Leader Zhao swung his hand downward like the scythe of death. He uttered a single command that echoed clearly for everyone to hear: "Kill!"

At his order, the gates of hell seemed to swing open. His underlings swarmed forward like a tide, brandishing their weapons and howling with bloodlust. The clash of steel and the glint of blades, accompanied by a biting chill, instantly enveloped the underground space in a murderous atmosphere.

Caught off guard, the adventurer squad was forced into a desperate defensive stance, swaying like a small boat in a tempest, on the verge of being capsized.

Pan Yue’s brow remained tightly knitted. Liu Yong acted like a precision machine, his wrench moving with calculated power, blocking every strike. Sun Yue darted flexibly through the fray, launching sneak attacks from the shadows, though he was clearly struggling against the overwhelming numbers. Wu Xia provided tactical intelligence from the rear, constantly searching for weaknesses in the enemy line.

"Bang!" Chen Qiang roared, acting as an immovable wall. His massive shield served as a mobile fortress, absorbing wave after wave of attacks. Blades struck the shield with deafening clangs, sending sparks flying as if to tear the very air apart. He stood firm, like a god of war, his muscles as hard as rock, radiating immense power. He remained unyielding against the relentless assault.

The enemies were shocked by his defense. Chen Qiang’s bravery provided a temporary reprieve, but the enemy’s offense showed no signs of weakening—if anything, it grew more ferocious. A heavy, suffocating atmosphere hung over the squad like a dark cloud. They knew that if they did not find a way to break through soon, they would be ruthlessly crushed.

In the heat of the battle, Pan Yue’s anxious voice rang out from the back, "Liu Yong, your arm is wounded! Come here!" While quickly dressing his wound, she kept a vigilant eye on the battlefield, her eyes filled with both tenderness and strength.

Her gentle call acted like a ray of sunlight on the battlefield, dispelling some of the murderous gloom. Her nimble fingers danced across Liu Yong’s injured arm, silver needles piercing his acupoints with the grace of a butterfly. A soft, pale green light flowed from her fingertips, and the wound began to heal at a visible rate. Feeling this care from their companion, a warmth surged through the team, deepening their bond in the midst of the brutal fight.

"Watch out!" Sun Yue, sensing an enemy circling behind Pan Yue, dropped low and slid like an eel. A dagger appeared in his hand, and before the enemy could react, he had slashed his throat. A flash of cold ruthlessness crossed Sun Yue's eyes; he knew that any negligence on the battlefield could be fatal.

Just as they were becoming overwhelmed, Liu Yong pulled out a strange, cobbled-together device from behind his back. It was made of scrap parts and tangled wires, looking crude but radiating a distinct, undeniable technological aura. He pressed a button, and a piercing, high-pitched hum filled the underground space, like the buzzing of a thousand bees, causing dizziness.

The enemies' weapons instantly malfunctioned; the blades that had glinted with cold light now lost their luster, becoming no more than scrap metal. Their radios filled with chaotic static, drowning out their desperate shouts. They fell into complete disarray. Even Leader Zhao’s twisted face showed signs of shock; he had never expected these seemingly weak prey to possess such a powerful trump card.

Liu Yong remained expressionless, like a silent engineer executing a plan. His wrench struck with the force of a hammer, sending enemies flying with every blow. Sun Yue seized the opportunity, moving like a phantom through the confused crowd, his dagger reaping lives with every flash. Chen Qiang expanded his defensive perimeter, his shield keeping the enemies firmly at bay.

Wu Xia seized the rhythm of the battle, her voice cutting through the noise: "Concentrate your fire! Take down Leader Zhao first!"

In the chaotic fray, the adventurer squad stabilized their footing and began a counterattack, each of them fueled by resolve. Chu Feng moved like a panther through the chaos, his short blade carving out cold arcs of light, each movement precise and lethal. Leader Zhao’s subordinates fell before him like lambs to the slaughter.

Seeing the situation turn, Leader Zhao’s face grew pale with terror. "Retreat! Retreat now!" he bellowed, his voice betraying his fear. His remaining men scurried away like stray dogs, fleeing the underground space in a frantic scramble.

The members of the adventurer squad leaned on one another, letting out a long sigh of relief as they watched their enemies flee. Pan Yue smiled with relief, walking over to Chu Feng. "Are you alright?" she asked with concern. Chu Feng shook his head and gave her shoulder a gentle pat, offering a look of reassurance.

Liu Yong remained silent, quietly putting away his wrench. Sun Yue, however, was brimming with excitement, clapping Chen Qiang on the shoulder. "Haha! We won!" Chen Qiang smiled and nodded. "We owe this to everyone working together," he said. Wu Xia, still analyzing the situation, added calmly, "We won this battle, but Leader Zhao won’t let this go. We must be prepared."

The smiles on their faces gradually faded, replaced by gravity and concern. They knew this victory was only temporary, and greater challenges lay ahead.

Just then, a furtive figure crept back into the underground space. Advisor Qian wore a sinister smile, his hand clutching an object that emitted an eerie, pulsing light. He scanned the area, ensuring no one had noticed him, and then quietly made his way toward the adventurer squad’s base, whispering to himself, "The real show... has only just begun."