Chapter 417 - 297: First Entry into the Underground

Chapter 417: Chapter 297: First Entry into the Underground

When he saw Tang Wen, Huang San suddenly didn’t know how to react.

’Should I mock him a little?’

’What if Tang Wen storms off and decides not to participate in the trial three days from now?’

While he was hesitating, Tang Wen, chatting and laughing with the women, walked right past him and into the rear courtyard.

The courtyard was enclosed by high walls, with a massive, deep well at its center.

"So this is the entrance to the underground?" Tang Wen stepped closer and glanced down.

It wasn’t what he’d imagined. He could see the flat bottom of the well at a glance.

It was only about a hundred meters deep.

A row of glowing Fluorite stones was set into the wall from top to bottom.

Shui Qianjun personally explained, "From the bottom, there’s an underground passage that zigzags back and forth, generally sloping downward."

Tang Wen asked curiously, "Did we dig this?"

Shui Qianjun sighed softly. "It was dug, but not by us."

"Huh?" Tang Wen was startled. "The Demons?"

"I’m afraid so."

Tang Wen took a sharp breath and glanced at the ground, as if a horde of Demons might burst out at any moment.

"Start the lift!"

RATTLE, RATTLE, RATTLE! The iron chains were pulled up.

A massive iron plate slowly rose from below, taking up half the well’s opening. Judging by its size, it could hold more than a hundred people.

"Gang Leader, Young Master, everyone, please step on!"

A familiar face stepped forward, and Tang Wen was pleasantly surprised to see him.

It was Wu Hao. He was one of Elder Li’s men, which naturally meant he was one of Tang Wen’s men too.

"Commander Wu, long time no see."

"Hehe! Greetings, Young Master."

When Tang Wen clapped him on the shoulder, Wu Hao looked genuinely flattered.

Shui Qianjun, Shi Lei, and Patriarch Zhang led Tang Wen and the others onto the platform.

The rattling of the chains echoed continuously as they descended.

After about half a minute, the chains clunked and the platform shuddered to a stop.

The group had arrived at the bottom of the well.

Wu Hao said, "Gang Leader, Young Master, everyone, this way please!"

Stepping off the crude lift, they found themselves at the entrance to a cavern with relatively flat ground.

Wu Hao pointed toward a line of small carts on a track.

They looked like a simple little train, but they were more like mine carts.

The mine carts had long benches, each seating two people side by side.

The several Fifth Grade masters took their seats first.

Tang Wen sat down with Zhou Bing, and Feng San Niang with Xia Qingge, taking the seats behind them.

The next leg of the journey was through a dark, underground tunnel that stretched downward for ten li.

The crude mine cart raced down the slope at high speed.

In just a few minutes, they reached the end of that stretch of track.

Tang Wen, Zhou Bing, and the others who were visiting for the first time watched with curiosity.

They wanted to see how the cart would stop.

SCREEECH!

Wu Hao, sitting at the very front, flexed his biceps and violently yanked a lever as thick as his arm.

A piercing sound rang out.

The specially designed steel wheels locked hard against the track, squealing and sending out a shower of sparks.

The passenger cart’s speed dropped dramatically, and it finally ground to a halt just before hitting the stone wall ahead.

Seeing the brakes glowing red-hot, two Guards who were stationed there immediately rushed over with buckets and began dousing the wheels with water.

There was another set of carts for the next leg of the journey.

RUMBLE, RUMBLE. The wheels rolled on.

Zhou Bing felt a chill run down her spine and quietly took Tang Wen’s hand.

The number of Fluorite stones embedded in the tunnel walls on either side hadn’t decreased, yet the light felt even dimmer here.

Inside the cavern, there was no sound besides the muffled rumbling of the wheels. The silence was incredibly oppressive.

Finally, after a good two or three hours...

Tang Wen and his group arrived deep underground.

A cold, damp gust of wind blew past.

Everyone frowned at once.

The stench of blood and rot, mixed with a stuffy, humid air, washed over them.

Stepping off the cart, they saw a series of interconnected bunkers before them.

The bunkers were surrounded by concentric defensive walls.

Wooden ladders were set up between the walls.

Feng San Niang walked alongside Tang Wen, explaining in a low voice, "The walls were built to defend against the Demon Tide. The Demons are mindless in their frenzied attacks; when they encounter a high wall, they’ll just keep trying to jump and climb over it. These concentric walls serve as an excellent defense."

Tang Wen understood without her needing to say more.

After the outermost wall is breached, the Guards can use the ladders to retreat to the next wall several dozen meters back.

"But," Tang Wen said, pointing toward the outer perimeter, "I see the bloodstains over there are still fresh. Does that mean the Demons broke through to the fortress recently?"

"Every time."

"What?"

"The Demons have their own experts, you know!" Feng San Niang said with a smile. "The walls are sturdy enough, but they can only stop Demons weaker than a Martial Artist. Against those at the level of a First-class Martial Artist, or the Extraordinary and Sixth Grade masters, the walls are practically useless."

Even if the Extraordinary and Sixth Grade masters can’t fly, they have incredible jumping abilities.

They can definitely break through all the way to the bunkers.

An Elder from the Giant Rock Martial Arts Hall came out and welcomed the group into the main bunker.

Inside, the bunker was a hive of activity, with people bustling in and out, looking very busy.

The Martial Arts Hall Elder didn’t waste time with pleasantries. He led the group into a large hall, had tea served, and then pointed to a map on the wall. "The Thunder Jade Production Area is to the Southwest. It takes a Lion Horse a full day to get there. Or rather, a day and a night."

The Lion Horse was an Exotic Beast bred by the Ganshan City Horse Gang.

It was a Middle-Level Beast, but its speed and endurance were comparable to that of an average High-level Exotic Beast.

"How will you all be traveling?"

"We’ll fly."

"Very well."

Tang Wen and the others had barely sat down before they were led outside again.

A Sixth-Grade Flying Beast Golden Roc was tearing apart a lamb.

"We have to ride on that?" Zhou Bing asked.

Tang Wen shook his head. "We have Hu Qi."

Hearing this, Zhou Bing let out a sigh of relief.

Shi Lei, who was up ahead, couldn’t help but turn to look at the White Tiger beside Tang Wen, his eyes filled with envy.