Chapter 53: A Perilous Journey Laced with Traps

Sun Yue’s words struck everyone like a sudden thunderclap, exploding in their minds. A hunting ground?

Could it be that they had been targeted the very moment they stepped out of the auction house?

A chill crept up along everyone’s spine, and every breath became cautious.

"Let’s first figure out what kind of trap this is," Chu Feng said in a deep voice. Shadow spell patterns flowed across his arm like a dormant venomous viper, ready to strike a fatal blow at any moment.

Liu Yong nodded, pulled a series of sophisticated instruments from his backpack, and began scanning the surrounding energy fluctuations.

"It’s a gravity trap. Once triggered, it generates a powerful suction force to pull people underground," he said, pointing to some barely perceptible lines on the ground. "These lines are the trigger mechanisms for the trap."

"Damn it, this is a B-rank trap!" Chen Quan cursed in a low voice, his expression grave.

A B-rank trap was powerful enough to trap or even kill a beginner spell pattern practitioner.

"And there are quite a few of them," Sun Yue’s expression turned ugly as well.

By the dim light, he noticed that these lines were dense like a spiderweb around them, practically sealing off all retreat paths.

"It seems our opponents came fully prepared," Wu Xia glanced around, her tone weighted with solemnity. "To set up this many B-rank traps, the enemy is either a powerful spell pattern master or an entire organization."

"No matter who it is, we must handle this carefully," Chu Feng’s gaze was as sharp as a blade. "Liu Yong, can you disarm it?"

Liu Yong’s brows were locked tightly, his fingers operating the instruments rapidly.

"I can, but it will take time," he hesitated for a moment before continuing. "I have a new disarming method that can clear the traps faster, but the risks are much higher..."

"This is no time for hesitation!" Pan Yue said with a firm tone. "We must get out of here as soon as possible!"

Liu Yong took a deep breath, his eyes turning resolute.

"Alright, I'll try it!" He pulled a peculiarly shaped device from his backpack, upon which a dangerous red light flickered.

"Everyone, back away!" Liu Yong gave a low shout and placed the device right at the center of the trap.

The device emitted a buzzing sound, and the surrounding energy fluctuations began to turn chaotic.

Suddenly, the ground began to shake, and the lines of the trap flashed with a blinding glare...

"Watch out!" Chen Quan abruptly thrust his shield in front of him...

The ground vibrated violently like a lurking behemoth turning over. The trap lines lit up suddenly, their dazzling light resembling countless sharp swords eager to devour them.

Chen Quan let out a fierce roar, his stance as steadfast as a monolith. The massive shield instantly positioned itself in front of the group, forming a solid defensive wall.

A powerful suction surged from the ground, threatening to drag them into a bottomless abyss.

"Be careful!" Chu Feng roared, operating his shadow spell patterns to the maximum. Black flames danced across his arm as he braced his stance with all his might, refusing to be dragged away by the suction.

Feng Yao also quickly released her healing spell patterns. A pale green light enveloped the group, trying to ward off the discomfort brought by the trap.

Just as they were struggling to hold their ground, Sun Yue suddenly pointed forward and cried out, "There! Look over there!" Following the direction of his finger, everyone saw that a seemingly normal area of the ground not far ahead was faintly glowing with a dim red light.

"Don't go over there, it's a trap!" Liu Yong’s voice carried a hint of anxiety, but it was already too late.

As they attempted to bypass the trap, the ground beneath their feet suddenly cracked open. A blinding red laser shot out without warning, heading straight for Pan Yue in the center of the formation like the reaper's scythe.

"Watch out!" Chu Feng’s pupils constricted. Moving as fast as lightning, he tackled Pan Yue to the ground.

The laser grazed past his back, leaving a charred mark behind, its scorching temperature feeling as though it could ignite him instantly.

A suffocating atmosphere permeated the air instantly, breaking everyone out in a cold sweat.

The sudden assault of the laser trap made them realize that the enemy hadn't merely set up random traps; rather, they had woven an inescapable net, waiting for them to walk right into it.

"We can't remain passive like this!" Sun Yue’s eyes turned cold, and the sharp intuition of his former thief days came into play.

He carefully observed the ground patterns around them and noticed a spot slightly different from the rest. The lines there appeared somewhat disordered, resembling a weak point in the mechanism.

Without a moment's hesitation, he picked up a small stone and hurled it with force toward that weak point.

With a muffled "bang," the stone struck the ground, triggering a violent vibration.

The patterns in that region instantly burst, energy spiraling out of control and spreading outward as another hidden trap was detonated ahead of time.

Accompanied by a loud roar and billowing dust, the powerful shockwave swept surrounding debris high into the air.

The premature detonation of the trap not only failed to harm the squad but instead exposed yet another hidden trap nearby.

Sun Yue smiled craftily, wearing his signature expression of triumph.

"Let's move!" Chu Feng gave a low shout and charged forward first, the rest of the team closely following behind, swiftly escaping the dangerous zone under the cover of the explosion's aftermath.

Not long after they left, a few more muffled sounds echoed from behind. It seemed the place they had just vacated had triggered several more hidden traps in succession.

Just as the group let out a sigh of relief, Pan Yue looked as though she wanted to say something. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

"Don't worry, everyone," Pan Yue’s voice flowed like a clear spring, dispersing the gloom in everyone's hearts. "We’ve been through so much together. What kind of difficulties haven't we seen? We will certainly make it through this time as well." Her gaze was tender as she swept her eyes across the slightly weary faces of her teammates. Her voice wasn't loud, yet it carried a reassuring strength.

Feng Yao gently took Pan Yue’s hand, gratitude shining in her eyes. Indeed, walking this path together, they had experienced countless life-or-death crises, each time relying on mutual trust and support to turn danger into safety.

This time, they would surely make it through again.

The other members also smiled, and their exhausted faces lit up with renewed radiance.

They knew that in this apocalyptic world, apart from their own abilities, the bond between teammates was their most solid backing.

"I'll clear the way," Chen Quan's deep voice resonated, his figure as upright as a mountain.

He held his massive shield horizontally in front of him and stepped forward cautiously.

Every step he took was extremely careful, his eyes scanning everything around him with meticulous attention.

Suddenly, his gaze fixed on a spot not far ahead, where a few figures were lingering near the traps, acting suspiciously as if monitoring something.

Chen Quan's eyes turned sharp, and a surge of anger welled up in his heart. He let out a furious roar, charging toward those individuals like a beast breaking out of a cage.

His speed was blistering, sweeping past like a fierce gale. Before those people could even react, they were knocked down one after another, emitting cries of agony.

Chen Quan swung his shield like the scythe of death. The shield gleamed with a cold luster, and wherever it went, no one dared to stand in his way.

He didn't use spell patterns; relying solely on his formidable physical conditioning and close-combat skills, he battered those men until they were completely defenseless.

Everyone around was shocked by Chen Quan's valor; they had never witnessed a warrior so unyielding.

The battle ended quickly. Chen Quan tossed those men to the ground like bags of garbage and coldly demanded, "Who sent you?" Bruised and battered, those men no longer dared to play tough and stammered out a reply: "It's... it's Third Master Hei..."

Sun Yue furrowed his brows. Third Master Hei?

The name sounded somewhat familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before.

Just as he was about to press for more details, he heard Liu Yong emit a low gasp.

"Look, what is this?" Liu Yong held something resembling an envelope, opening it to pull out the paper inside.

In the dim light, the contents of the paper made everyone's expressions grow heavy...

"This... this seems to be..." Wu Xia’s voice trembled slightly.

The dim streets and ruined buildings cast twisted shadows in the night.

A faint scent of blood lingered in the air, left behind by the men Chen Quan had just beaten down.

They lay paralyzed on the ground like broken sacks, emitting painful groans, having entirely lost their previous arrogance.

"Third Master Hei?" Sun Yue rubbed his chin with a hint of doubt on his face. "I feel like I've heard that name somewhere, but I can't recall it right away."

"Third Master Hei is a tyrant in the black market," Wu Xia explained, her voice carrying a trace of disgust. "He made his fortune by trafficking contraband and plundering others. He's quite a prominent figure in the black market, though his reputation isn't good. Relying on backing from powerful forces, he frequently commits bullying and tyrannical acts."

"It seems this guy intends to wipe us all out," Chu Feng's gaze was as cold as ice. He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles cracked.

The shadow spell patterns danced on his arm as if responding to the fury within his heart.

"He actually dares to plot against us!" Chen Quan's anger was reignited, veins bulging on his thick arms, making him wish he could immediately rush back and tear that Third Master Hei to shreds.

"Now is not the time to be impulsive," Feng Yao said softly, reaching out to press gently on Chen Quan's shoulder. "We cannot let their scheme succeed." Her gaze was resolute, filled with wisdom and strength.

Just as the group was discussing countermeasures, Liu Yong suddenly raised his head, an unusual expression on his face.

"Take a look at this..." He pointed to the piece of paper in his hand. Under the dim light, the group gathered around, and through the faint illumination, they made out the contents of the paper.

"This... what is this?" Pan Yue cried out in surprise, her face full of astonishment and incomprehension.

Drawn on the paper was a complex pattern, featuring a strange rune at its center surrounded by incomprehensible text.

"This looks like... a clue to advancing spell pattern mastery!" Wu Xia's voice trembled. She had encountered some secrets regarding spell patterns in the black market before, but she had never seen such detailed clues.

"According to intelligence, news has recently circulated in the black market about a secret concerning the advancement of intermediate spell pattern practitioners, and this clue seems to point directly to the location of that secret." Liu Yong's voice was low, his eyes flashing with a mix of excitement and anxiety.

"In other words, this is a trap?" Sun Yue furrowed his brow, his sharp intuition telling him that matters were far from simple.

"Even if it's a trap, we have to brave it!" Chu Feng's voice was resolute, his eyes burning with an intense fighting spirit.

"To increase our strength, to seek revenge, no danger can stop us!"

Pan Yue nodded slowly, a look of determination surfacing across her delicate face. Her voice was crisp and firm, "Everyone is right. To become stronger, we must uncover this secret. Even if a mountain of blades and a sea of fire lies ahead, we must push through."

Feng Yao also tightened her grip on her staff. Healing spell patterns flowed within her body, emitting a soft green glow as she looked at the group and said softly, "No matter what happens, we will stay together."

Everyone nodded in succession. Their gazes intersected, and a powerful sense of cohesion flowed among them.

They knew that even harsher trials awaited them ahead, but they were already prepared.

"Let's go," Chu Feng said, taking the lead.

"Wait." Liu Yong suddenly called out to Chu Feng. His gaze fell upon a spot on the map, his index finger pointing to a red marker as his eyes narrowed into slits.

He spoke slowly, his tone calm yet carrying a trace of imperceptible solemnity: "Right here might be our next destination..."