Chapter 219: Rescue Mission [4]

The group continued down the corridor, leaving behind the hall where they had encountered the blind bats.

The walls were covered in cracks, and in some places, the stones had given way, leaving piles of rubble scattered across the steps. The air was dry and thick with dust, while sand had accumulated in the corners.

Liam proceeded cautiously, alert to any sound that might indicate the presence of monsters.

“Everyone okay?” he asked without stopping.

“No major injuries,” Jordan replied.

“Though I’d rather fight monsters that don’t try to eat my ears.”

Chuck laughed.

“Finally, someone understands my suffering!”

“The bats didn’t even try to eat your ears,” Lena remarked.

“That’s because I didn’t give them the chance!”

Liam shook his head but couldn’t help smiling. The tension was still there, though these little arguments helped everyone stay calm.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, they found a spacious room. Jars of various sizes and small wooden chests were scattered across the floor. Some pieces of pottery remained intact.

Lydia examined the area.

“Maybe they stored supplies here.”

“Or treasure,” Chuck added, approaching one of the chests.

Liam grabbed him by the shoulder before he could touch it.

“Don’t open anything.”

Chuck turned toward him with an offended expression.

“I was just looking!”

“I know you.”

“That’s discrimination against curious people.”

“It’s a precaution against reckless people.”

Lucas chuckled under his breath as Eve approached one of the jars.

“Jokes aside, this place is strange. Why are there so many intact containers in ruins like these?”

“Because no one’s come to collect them,” Ray replied.

“What if they contain something dangerous?” Chloe asked.

Her question made everyone look at the objects more carefully.

Liam scanned the room. There were no obvious signs of movement, but after what had happened with the bats, he wasn’t willing to let his guard down.

“Nora, check the area with your creatures. Zayn, inspect the visible exits.”

Both obeyed.

While they waited, a notification appeared in Liam’s field of vision.

It was a message from Pix through the system chat.

[Pix: Liam, are you still alive?]

Liam blinked and replied mentally.

‘Yeah. Why do you ask?’

[Pix: Because you’re inside an SS-Rank dungeon, and I have the unpleasant feeling that it’s not safe.]

‘How reassuring.’

[Pix: I’m being realistic! I really don’t like the fact that a little girl ended up in there.]

Liam’s expression softened.

‘Neither do I. We’re going to find her.’

[Pix: Good. But be careful, okay? Lydia is with you, too, and the twins are still far too young to be without their parents for long.]

Liam glanced at Lydia, who was examining a jar beside Carol.

‘Her copy is looking after them. Everything’s fine at home.’

[Pix: I know. That doesn’t mean I want anything to happen to you. If something terrible happens to you, who’s going to listen to my complaints?]

Liam smiled.

‘I thought you were worried about my well-being.’

[Pix: I am! Don’t make me regret worrying about you!]

Liam shook his head, amused. Pix could be a nuisance at the worst possible times, but he was grateful to know she was still looking out for him.

He put the matter aside for later and returned his attention to the mission.

◇◆◇

“Boss, I found something,” Nora announced.

One of her shadow creatures had discovered a narrow passage behind a collapsed shelf. The corridor seemed to lead to another room, though the entrance was partially blocked by rubble.

“Did you detect any monsters?” Liam asked.

“No. But there’s something strange on the floor. My shadows can’t make it out clearly.”

Liam approached the opening to examine it.

“We’ll go in carefully. If anyone notices anything unusual, speak up immediately.”

The group passed through and reached a smaller chamber. Unlike the previous room, this one had several large jars lined up against the walls and small chests placed on stone pedestals.

In the center stood a collapsed table surrounded by fragments of pottery.

Lena examined the containers.

“This looks like a storage room for valuable items.”

“Then maybe we should take something,” Chuck muttered.

Liam gave him a look.

“Do you want me to repeat what I just told you?”

“It was a suggestion for when we finish the mission.”

“Focus on the mission.”

Chuck sighed and stepped back.

At that moment, a faint knock echoed through the room.

Everyone froze.

The sound had come from one of the large jars.

Jordan moved in front of Chloe while Lucas raised his fists. Eve prepared a small spark between her fingers, but Liam signaled her to wait.

Another knock came from inside the container.

“What do we do?” Emily whispered.

Liam examined the jar. It was large enough to conceal something inside, and a small crack ran along one of its sides.

“Don’t get too close. Ray, can you move it without touching it directly?”

Ray shook his head.

“I need to be close to alter its density. I can try, but I don’t know what’ll happen if there’s something inside.”

Liam thought for a few seconds.

“Then nobody touches it. We’ll back away and observe.”

The group slowly began to retreat.

Suddenly, the jar shook violently, and a creature burst out of it.

Its body looked like a mass of dark flesh covered in small bumps, with an enormous mouth full of irregular teeth. It spread across the floor like a mixture of tentacles and deformed limbs, lunging straight at the nearest hunter.

“Jordan!” Liam shouted.

The tank reacted in time. He hardened his body and absorbed the impact, but the creature latched onto his arm with surprising strength.

Jordan grunted as he tried to shake it off.

“This wasn’t on the list of things I expected to find in here!”

Liam shot the creature in its side. The impact forced it to release Jordan, although its body deformed around the wound before spreading across the floor again.

“Don’t attack blindly! Keep your distance and look for an opening!”

Lucas charged forward and struck the creature with both gloves. The monster was sent flying into a wall, but before they could take advantage of the opening, its body contracted and it rose again.

Eve prepared a small, controlled explosion.

“Liam, I need some space!”

“Now!”

The blast hit the monster directly. Its body tore apart, leaving it motionless for a few moments.

Carol seized the opportunity, covering her arm in metal before striking it once more.

The creature let out a shrill screech before dissolving into a dark mass that began to disappear.

Jordan inspected his arm.

“I’m fine. It just left a mark.”

Lydia approached to make sure he hadn’t suffered any serious injuries.

Liam, meanwhile, examined the remains of the jar.

“A monster hiding inside a container. We need to assume the other objects might be concealing similar creatures.”

Chuck raised both hands.

“I’d like to go on record that I didn’t open the chest!”

“For once, your curiosity hasn’t gotten us into a fight, old man,” Lena remarked.

“I’m going to take that as a compliment, kid.”

Liam glanced back toward the passage they’d come through. If the dungeon was full of traps like this, moving forward carelessly could put them in danger and cost them valuable time.

Then Chloe pointed to the floor beside the wall.

“Wait. There’s something here.”

Among the remains of the jar lay a small, colorful ball, covered in dust with part of its surface worn away.

Liam crouched to pick it up.

Lydia looked at him with concern.

“Do you think this is why the girl entered the dungeon?”

“It’s possible.”

Lydia stored the ball inside her Storage Slime.

They now had a more concrete clue that the girl had passed through these ruins.

And if this really was what she’d been looking for, it meant Emma might have ventured even deeper into the castle to find it.

Liam turned to his team.

“We’re moving on. But from now on, nobody touches any container or chest without checking it first.”

The hunters nodded.

As they left the chamber, the system chat lit up again.

[Pix: Liam, I don’t know why, but I have a bad feeling about this. Please come back in one piece.]

Liam glanced at the message and replied mentally.

‘I will, Pix. I promise.’

Then he continued walking.

The mission had just become more dangerous, but they were also one step closer to finding Emma.