Chapter 248: Return to the Shelter
The maintenance hatch cover was embedded within the rock layers at the top of the tunnel. It was a thick alloy plate, and the edge latches bore the simple markings left behind by the shelter pod squad before their departure. The scout leaned on his rock hammer as he stepped forward, his fingertips tracing the shallow grooves carved into the metal surface. His shoulders, tense for days, finally relaxed slightly.
"This is the place." His voice was hoarse. Every movement pulled at the flesh of his calf wound, causing his brow to furrow continuously in pain. "We're back."
The military police officer carefully supported most of Lin Yan's weight. Lin Yan's body was terrifyingly cold; his cold sweat had soaked through all his clothes, and blood was still slowly seeping from the gaps in his bandages. His eyes were half-open, his consciousness drifting. The voices of his companions sounded as if they were separated by a thick layer of water, indistinct and muffled. Only the rhythmic red light of the communication terminal in his arms beat against everyone's hearts, pulse by pulse.
The miner pressed the terminal tightly against his chest. He raised his hand and knocked on the hatch cover three times, paused for a moment, and then knocked twice more. This was the safety signal they had agreed upon with Su Heng before their departure, to prevent the ancient beings from capturing their aura and mimicking their voices to launch a surprise attack.
Silence reigned above the hatch cover for a few seconds.
Immediately after, the faint sound of the latches turning was heard. A crack slowly opened. The short blade of a guard from the shelter pod emerged first. The beam of a glow stone swept across the tunnel below, landing on the five figures covered in wounds and the ubiquitous bloodstains of scaled beasts.
"It's you!" The squad member above lowered his voice, unable to hide the shock in his tone. "How did you get so badly injured?"
"Pull us up first. Hurry," the miner said, looking up.
Several thick ropes were lowered. The military police officer and the scout joined forces to support Lin Yan. The people above pulled together, hoisting Lin Yan, who was the most severely injured, into the shelter pod first. The moment Lin Yan was carried in, his vision blurred. He completely lost his support and slipped into a semi-comatose state, though his hand still unconsciously gripped the air, as if still holding that short blade.
Following him, the miner, the female support soldier, the scout, and the military police officer climbed up through the hatch cover using the ropes, one by one. After the last person came up, the hatch cover immediately fell back into place. The latches locked tight, and several reinforcing steel pins were inserted horizontally, completely sealing off the tunnel from the shelter pod.
The interior of the shelter pod was exactly as before. The space was not large, and the emergency lights cast a dim yellow glow. Ammunition, medical kits, clean water, and compressed rations were piled in the corners. Over a dozen remaining squad members were either sitting or leaning against the walls, exhaustion and anxiety etched into everyone's eyes. Su Heng had originally been crouching in front of a map, deducing weak points in the defense line with several non-commissioned officers. Hearing the noise, he turned around abruptly. Seeing the group completely drenched in blood, his face changed drastically, and he rushed over quickly.
"Lin Yan!" Su Heng crouched down and reached out to check Lin Yan's carotid artery. The pulse was faint. "Medic! Hurry!"
Two squad members carrying first-aid kits immediately pushed their way over and cut open Lin Yan's bandages, which had been ruined by blood. The wound on his waist had torn severely, the edges of the wound everted. His back also bore massive bruises from the heavy blow of the tentacle, and the wound on his forearm was deep enough to expose the bone. The combination of multiple bleeding sites and mild internal hemorrhaging made his condition extremely critical. When the disinfectant was poured on, Lin Yan's body twitched instinctively, but he did not wake up. Only faint, fragmented groans of pain escaped from his throat.
The others also underwent examinations and bandaging one by one. The scout had suffered a tendon abrasion on his calf and could not run vigorously in the short term. The female support soldier had suffered internal injuries from the concussion and needed rest; she could no longer endure psychic impacts. The military police officer had a slash wound on his arm, while the miner mostly had superficial wounds and skin corrosion caused by the spore mucus.
Once the rhythm of the emergency treatment slowed down slightly, Su Heng looked at the miner, his gaze falling on the communication terminal in his arms, which was still flashing with a red light.
"Did you get the terminal? How is the signal?" Su Heng's voice was pressed extremely low, and the eyes of everyone in the cabin converged on him.
The miner carefully brought out the terminal. The red indicator light was still blinking steadily, and the short pulses continued to broadcast the coordinates outward.
"We got it. The ancient beings had set up a spore reservoir and an ambush of tentacle worms in the cellar. We couldn't establish a voice channel, so we could only activate the positioning pulse." The miner slowly recounted the ordeals along the way: the collapsed crevice, the swarm of worms, the resonance node, the encirclement in the cellar, and the successive ambushes on the return journey. As he listed them one by one, the atmosphere in the cabin grew heavier and heavier. "We are not sure if the barrier cities can catch the pulse. The rock layers are too thick, and the aliens have deployed a large-scale psychic barrier."
Su Heng extended his finger and gently touched the casing of the terminal, his eyes churning with complex emotions.
"This is already the best possible outcome." He paused in silence before speaking slowly. "Pulse signals have stronger penetration than voice signals. The frontline detection arrays are powered on twenty-four hours a day. As long as even a trace of the signal leaks out, the command centers of the six war zones will receive an alert. We just don't know how long we have to wait."
Someone asked in a low voice, "What if we never receive a response?"
No one could answer this question.
The shelter pod returned to its alert status. Two rotating guard posts were added to constantly monitor the sounds in the tunnel below the hatch cover. The ancient beings had not pursued them, but everyone knew clearly that the enemy had only temporarily held back, not given up. Once the barrier cities' reinforcements arrived, the great battle in the rift would break out in full force. If the signal vanished without a trace, this tiny shelter pod of theirs would eventually be slowly devoured by the subterranean aliens.
Lin Yan was settled in the quietest corner at the very back of the shelter pod. A moisture-proof mat was laid out, and he was wrapped in brand-new bandages. The hemostatic drugs and anti-spore erosion injections had already been administered. He woke up intermittently a few times, but only for brief moments. When he was lucid, he didn't speak. He only listened sideways to the low conversations of the squad members in the cabin and the faint hum of the emergency lights. His gaze would always fall upon the terminal placed not far away, its red light blinking on and off.
The little boy was also in the shelter pod—the same child who had previously given the bone shard to Lin Yan. He didn't crowd over to make noise. Instead, he squatted far away, quietly watching Lin Yan. After a long while, taking advantage of a moment when others weren't paying attention, he sneaked over and placed a compressed biscuit wrapped in oilpaper beside Lin Yan's hand. He then gently set down a small bottle of clean water before quietly retreating.
Catching sight of that tiny figure, Lin Yan's cracked lips twitched upward slightly. It was a very faint smile, gone in a flash.
Time flowed slowly within the shelter pod. There was no sun or moon underground; they could only estimate the time using the emergency timer. Twelve hours passed, and the terminal continued to emit pulses, yet there was no response from the barrier cities. The oppressive mood in the cabin grew heavier. Many people began to secretly speculate that the signal had been completely swallowed by the ancient beings' barrier, and their last hope had been lost.
Su Heng did not show any signs of frustration. He continued to organize everyone to maintain weapons, reinforce the cabin, distribute supplies, and assign defensive positions. He understood that even if reinforcements did not come, they could not just sit and wait for death.
Lin Yan's condition slowly improved. The bleeding had stopped, and the spore erosion in his Sea of Consciousness was gradually suppressed through a combination of medication and his own ancient martial arts mental techniques. However, his body was extremely weak; sitting up for even a short while made him dizzy and exhausted. Leaning against the rock wall, he watched the four members of his squad sitting in a circle reviewing their mission. He spoke in a low voice.
"The ancient beings didn't continue to pursue us; it wasn't due to a lack of forces," Lin Yan said slowly. "They are waiting. Either they are waiting for the pulse signal to completely dissipate to confirm that reinforcements aren't coming, or they are waiting to welcome the regular troops of the barrier cities. They have kept their main forces deep within the rift, preparing to fight a massive decisive battle."
Su Heng nodded. "That is my assessment as well. Previously, we only saw scattered beast tides and small priest squads. The true main force underground has always been hidden deeper within the main rift. If reinforcements enter, it will be a decisive battle. If they don't come, after they finish resting, our shelter pod will be their next target."
The miner stroked the casing of the terminal. "Is all we can do right now just wait?"
"Not entirely." Lin Yan raised his eyes to look at Su Heng. "We can compile a complete intelligence report. Along the way, we saw resonance fungal clusters, spore reservoirs, the command patterns of secondary priests, and the coordinated tactics of the scaled beasts. Once reinforcements arrive, this intelligence can prevent massive casualties. Additionally, we can set up simple early-warning traps in the tunnel outside the maintenance hatch. If scaled beasts approach, we can detect them in advance."
Everyone immediately sprang into action. The scout and the military police officer took a small amount of explosives and trigger wires, quietly lifting a gap in the hatch cover to set up traps a short distance away in the tunnel. The female support soldier helped organize the alien characteristics she had noted along the way. The miner drew a complete tunnel sketch from the shelter pod to the cellar, the resonance node, and the collapsed crevice. Su Heng took up the pen to summarize all the intelligence, writing it into a waterproof intelligence booklet and placing it alongside the communication terminal.
Lin Yan stayed in the cabin to rest. While slowly regulating his breath to repair his damaged Sea of Consciousness, he recalled all the details of the aliens along the way, adding those easily overlooked points: the beast swarm goes out of control after the priest's tentacles are severed; the spore reservoir doesn't trigger illusions but continuously erodes the Sea of Consciousness; the worms hunt relying on vibrations and body temperature. He marked each point clearly.
Another eight hours passed.
Just as everyone's hearts sank bit by bit, and they were about to accept that the signal had failed, the communication terminal on the ground—previously showing only a steady red pulse light—suddenly lit up with a second light: a pale green signal indicator light, which blinked three times in short succession.
A faint buzzing of electrical current came from inside the terminal. A fragmented human voice, accompanied by intense static noise, struggled out from the speaker.
"This is... Sector Six Frontier Detection Array... coordinate pulse captured... repeat, coordinates confirmed... rift sector... requesting verification! Please reply if received!"
The cabin fell into dead silence in an instant.
Everyone froze. Immediately after, a wave of long-suppressed ecstasy and disbelief swept over every single person. The miner lunged toward the terminal, his fingers trembling as he repeatedly adjusted the tuning knob. Su Heng stepped forward quickly, steadying the terminal. He shouted into the communicator, his voice shaking: "This is the Rift Reconnaissance Special Task Force! Coordinates confirmed! We have survivors and possess extensive alien intelligence. Requesting support! Requesting assault forces to advance into the rift!"
The static noise in the speaker was still heavy, but the other side had clearly received the reply.
"Received! Coordinates locked! Sector Six Mobile Assault Formation is assembling. Heavy equipment is being dispatched simultaneously. Estimated arrival at the rift entrance in thirty-one hours! Hold your position. Do not take the initiative to attack!"
The communication was cut off. The green indicator light went out, leaving only the red pulse light still blinking rhythmically, continuously anchoring the coordinates.
A suppressed cheer erupted in the cabin. Someone clenched their fists, their eyes turning red. After being trapped in the underground rift for over twenty days and nights, surviving death time and time again, this signal that had pierced through the rock layers had finally reached the human barrier cities.
Leaning against the rock wall, Lin Yan stared at the blinking terminal and let out a long breath. His mind, stretched to the absolute limit, suddenly relaxed, and his vision blackened once again. He did not cheer; he only quietly gazed at the dim yellow emergency light above.
But he knew clearly that this was not the end.
In thirty-one hours, the reinforcements would enter the underground from the main entrance of the rift. The ancient beings must have already received the news that the signal was captured. They would mobilize all their hidden forces and set up layered defenses along the rift to intercept the human assault troops. A battle of a scale far exceeding all previous clashes had begun its countdown.
Deep within the most secluded part of the cavern, the Spiderweb Ancient Being perceived that the communication link had been established, the barrier cities had locked the coordinates, and were mobilizing their main forces. Countless tentacles trembled wildly in the dark rock caverns.
The signal got out. Human reinforcements are coming, the intent of the Spiderweb Ancient Being echoed in the darkness. Prepare all racial combat forces and establish a defense line in the main rift passage. We will decide the victor here against the humans.
The supreme ruler floated silently in the core of the darkness, gazing toward the direction of the human barrier cities.
Deep within the underground rift, two torrents of fate were about to collide head-on.
Inside the shelter pod, Su Heng stood up. His gaze swept across everyone in the cabin, his voice steady and powerful: "Everyone, reinforcements are on their way. For the next thirty-one hours, our mission is to hold this place, survive, and wait for the main army to arrive. At the same time, make preparations—the main battlefield of the rift is about to ignite."
Lin Yan slowly raised his hand and gripped the short blade resting beside him. It had been wiped clean, yet it was still riddled with nicks and chips.
End of Chapter.
"This is the place." His voice was hoarse. Every movement pulled at the flesh of his calf wound, causing his brow to furrow continuously in pain. "We're back."
The military police officer carefully supported most of Lin Yan's weight. Lin Yan's body was terrifyingly cold; his cold sweat had soaked through all his clothes, and blood was still slowly seeping from the gaps in his bandages. His eyes were half-open, his consciousness drifting. The voices of his companions sounded as if they were separated by a thick layer of water, indistinct and muffled. Only the rhythmic red light of the communication terminal in his arms beat against everyone's hearts, pulse by pulse.
The miner pressed the terminal tightly against his chest. He raised his hand and knocked on the hatch cover three times, paused for a moment, and then knocked twice more. This was the safety signal they had agreed upon with Su Heng before their departure, to prevent the ancient beings from capturing their aura and mimicking their voices to launch a surprise attack.
Silence reigned above the hatch cover for a few seconds.
Immediately after, the faint sound of the latches turning was heard. A crack slowly opened. The short blade of a guard from the shelter pod emerged first. The beam of a glow stone swept across the tunnel below, landing on the five figures covered in wounds and the ubiquitous bloodstains of scaled beasts.
"It's you!" The squad member above lowered his voice, unable to hide the shock in his tone. "How did you get so badly injured?"
"Pull us up first. Hurry," the miner said, looking up.
Several thick ropes were lowered. The military police officer and the scout joined forces to support Lin Yan. The people above pulled together, hoisting Lin Yan, who was the most severely injured, into the shelter pod first. The moment Lin Yan was carried in, his vision blurred. He completely lost his support and slipped into a semi-comatose state, though his hand still unconsciously gripped the air, as if still holding that short blade.
Following him, the miner, the female support soldier, the scout, and the military police officer climbed up through the hatch cover using the ropes, one by one. After the last person came up, the hatch cover immediately fell back into place. The latches locked tight, and several reinforcing steel pins were inserted horizontally, completely sealing off the tunnel from the shelter pod.
The interior of the shelter pod was exactly as before. The space was not large, and the emergency lights cast a dim yellow glow. Ammunition, medical kits, clean water, and compressed rations were piled in the corners. Over a dozen remaining squad members were either sitting or leaning against the walls, exhaustion and anxiety etched into everyone's eyes. Su Heng had originally been crouching in front of a map, deducing weak points in the defense line with several non-commissioned officers. Hearing the noise, he turned around abruptly. Seeing the group completely drenched in blood, his face changed drastically, and he rushed over quickly.
"Lin Yan!" Su Heng crouched down and reached out to check Lin Yan's carotid artery. The pulse was faint. "Medic! Hurry!"
Two squad members carrying first-aid kits immediately pushed their way over and cut open Lin Yan's bandages, which had been ruined by blood. The wound on his waist had torn severely, the edges of the wound everted. His back also bore massive bruises from the heavy blow of the tentacle, and the wound on his forearm was deep enough to expose the bone. The combination of multiple bleeding sites and mild internal hemorrhaging made his condition extremely critical. When the disinfectant was poured on, Lin Yan's body twitched instinctively, but he did not wake up. Only faint, fragmented groans of pain escaped from his throat.
The others also underwent examinations and bandaging one by one. The scout had suffered a tendon abrasion on his calf and could not run vigorously in the short term. The female support soldier had suffered internal injuries from the concussion and needed rest; she could no longer endure psychic impacts. The military police officer had a slash wound on his arm, while the miner mostly had superficial wounds and skin corrosion caused by the spore mucus.
Once the rhythm of the emergency treatment slowed down slightly, Su Heng looked at the miner, his gaze falling on the communication terminal in his arms, which was still flashing with a red light.
"Did you get the terminal? How is the signal?" Su Heng's voice was pressed extremely low, and the eyes of everyone in the cabin converged on him.
The miner carefully brought out the terminal. The red indicator light was still blinking steadily, and the short pulses continued to broadcast the coordinates outward.
"We got it. The ancient beings had set up a spore reservoir and an ambush of tentacle worms in the cellar. We couldn't establish a voice channel, so we could only activate the positioning pulse." The miner slowly recounted the ordeals along the way: the collapsed crevice, the swarm of worms, the resonance node, the encirclement in the cellar, and the successive ambushes on the return journey. As he listed them one by one, the atmosphere in the cabin grew heavier and heavier. "We are not sure if the barrier cities can catch the pulse. The rock layers are too thick, and the aliens have deployed a large-scale psychic barrier."
Su Heng extended his finger and gently touched the casing of the terminal, his eyes churning with complex emotions.
"This is already the best possible outcome." He paused in silence before speaking slowly. "Pulse signals have stronger penetration than voice signals. The frontline detection arrays are powered on twenty-four hours a day. As long as even a trace of the signal leaks out, the command centers of the six war zones will receive an alert. We just don't know how long we have to wait."
Someone asked in a low voice, "What if we never receive a response?"
No one could answer this question.
The shelter pod returned to its alert status. Two rotating guard posts were added to constantly monitor the sounds in the tunnel below the hatch cover. The ancient beings had not pursued them, but everyone knew clearly that the enemy had only temporarily held back, not given up. Once the barrier cities' reinforcements arrived, the great battle in the rift would break out in full force. If the signal vanished without a trace, this tiny shelter pod of theirs would eventually be slowly devoured by the subterranean aliens.
Lin Yan was settled in the quietest corner at the very back of the shelter pod. A moisture-proof mat was laid out, and he was wrapped in brand-new bandages. The hemostatic drugs and anti-spore erosion injections had already been administered. He woke up intermittently a few times, but only for brief moments. When he was lucid, he didn't speak. He only listened sideways to the low conversations of the squad members in the cabin and the faint hum of the emergency lights. His gaze would always fall upon the terminal placed not far away, its red light blinking on and off.
The little boy was also in the shelter pod—the same child who had previously given the bone shard to Lin Yan. He didn't crowd over to make noise. Instead, he squatted far away, quietly watching Lin Yan. After a long while, taking advantage of a moment when others weren't paying attention, he sneaked over and placed a compressed biscuit wrapped in oilpaper beside Lin Yan's hand. He then gently set down a small bottle of clean water before quietly retreating.
Catching sight of that tiny figure, Lin Yan's cracked lips twitched upward slightly. It was a very faint smile, gone in a flash.
Time flowed slowly within the shelter pod. There was no sun or moon underground; they could only estimate the time using the emergency timer. Twelve hours passed, and the terminal continued to emit pulses, yet there was no response from the barrier cities. The oppressive mood in the cabin grew heavier. Many people began to secretly speculate that the signal had been completely swallowed by the ancient beings' barrier, and their last hope had been lost.
Su Heng did not show any signs of frustration. He continued to organize everyone to maintain weapons, reinforce the cabin, distribute supplies, and assign defensive positions. He understood that even if reinforcements did not come, they could not just sit and wait for death.
Lin Yan's condition slowly improved. The bleeding had stopped, and the spore erosion in his Sea of Consciousness was gradually suppressed through a combination of medication and his own ancient martial arts mental techniques. However, his body was extremely weak; sitting up for even a short while made him dizzy and exhausted. Leaning against the rock wall, he watched the four members of his squad sitting in a circle reviewing their mission. He spoke in a low voice.
"The ancient beings didn't continue to pursue us; it wasn't due to a lack of forces," Lin Yan said slowly. "They are waiting. Either they are waiting for the pulse signal to completely dissipate to confirm that reinforcements aren't coming, or they are waiting to welcome the regular troops of the barrier cities. They have kept their main forces deep within the rift, preparing to fight a massive decisive battle."
Su Heng nodded. "That is my assessment as well. Previously, we only saw scattered beast tides and small priest squads. The true main force underground has always been hidden deeper within the main rift. If reinforcements enter, it will be a decisive battle. If they don't come, after they finish resting, our shelter pod will be their next target."
The miner stroked the casing of the terminal. "Is all we can do right now just wait?"
"Not entirely." Lin Yan raised his eyes to look at Su Heng. "We can compile a complete intelligence report. Along the way, we saw resonance fungal clusters, spore reservoirs, the command patterns of secondary priests, and the coordinated tactics of the scaled beasts. Once reinforcements arrive, this intelligence can prevent massive casualties. Additionally, we can set up simple early-warning traps in the tunnel outside the maintenance hatch. If scaled beasts approach, we can detect them in advance."
Everyone immediately sprang into action. The scout and the military police officer took a small amount of explosives and trigger wires, quietly lifting a gap in the hatch cover to set up traps a short distance away in the tunnel. The female support soldier helped organize the alien characteristics she had noted along the way. The miner drew a complete tunnel sketch from the shelter pod to the cellar, the resonance node, and the collapsed crevice. Su Heng took up the pen to summarize all the intelligence, writing it into a waterproof intelligence booklet and placing it alongside the communication terminal.
Lin Yan stayed in the cabin to rest. While slowly regulating his breath to repair his damaged Sea of Consciousness, he recalled all the details of the aliens along the way, adding those easily overlooked points: the beast swarm goes out of control after the priest's tentacles are severed; the spore reservoir doesn't trigger illusions but continuously erodes the Sea of Consciousness; the worms hunt relying on vibrations and body temperature. He marked each point clearly.
Another eight hours passed.
Just as everyone's hearts sank bit by bit, and they were about to accept that the signal had failed, the communication terminal on the ground—previously showing only a steady red pulse light—suddenly lit up with a second light: a pale green signal indicator light, which blinked three times in short succession.
A faint buzzing of electrical current came from inside the terminal. A fragmented human voice, accompanied by intense static noise, struggled out from the speaker.
"This is... Sector Six Frontier Detection Array... coordinate pulse captured... repeat, coordinates confirmed... rift sector... requesting verification! Please reply if received!"
The cabin fell into dead silence in an instant.
Everyone froze. Immediately after, a wave of long-suppressed ecstasy and disbelief swept over every single person. The miner lunged toward the terminal, his fingers trembling as he repeatedly adjusted the tuning knob. Su Heng stepped forward quickly, steadying the terminal. He shouted into the communicator, his voice shaking: "This is the Rift Reconnaissance Special Task Force! Coordinates confirmed! We have survivors and possess extensive alien intelligence. Requesting support! Requesting assault forces to advance into the rift!"
The static noise in the speaker was still heavy, but the other side had clearly received the reply.
"Received! Coordinates locked! Sector Six Mobile Assault Formation is assembling. Heavy equipment is being dispatched simultaneously. Estimated arrival at the rift entrance in thirty-one hours! Hold your position. Do not take the initiative to attack!"
The communication was cut off. The green indicator light went out, leaving only the red pulse light still blinking rhythmically, continuously anchoring the coordinates.
A suppressed cheer erupted in the cabin. Someone clenched their fists, their eyes turning red. After being trapped in the underground rift for over twenty days and nights, surviving death time and time again, this signal that had pierced through the rock layers had finally reached the human barrier cities.
Leaning against the rock wall, Lin Yan stared at the blinking terminal and let out a long breath. His mind, stretched to the absolute limit, suddenly relaxed, and his vision blackened once again. He did not cheer; he only quietly gazed at the dim yellow emergency light above.
But he knew clearly that this was not the end.
In thirty-one hours, the reinforcements would enter the underground from the main entrance of the rift. The ancient beings must have already received the news that the signal was captured. They would mobilize all their hidden forces and set up layered defenses along the rift to intercept the human assault troops. A battle of a scale far exceeding all previous clashes had begun its countdown.
Deep within the most secluded part of the cavern, the Spiderweb Ancient Being perceived that the communication link had been established, the barrier cities had locked the coordinates, and were mobilizing their main forces. Countless tentacles trembled wildly in the dark rock caverns.
The signal got out. Human reinforcements are coming, the intent of the Spiderweb Ancient Being echoed in the darkness. Prepare all racial combat forces and establish a defense line in the main rift passage. We will decide the victor here against the humans.
The supreme ruler floated silently in the core of the darkness, gazing toward the direction of the human barrier cities.
Deep within the underground rift, two torrents of fate were about to collide head-on.
Inside the shelter pod, Su Heng stood up. His gaze swept across everyone in the cabin, his voice steady and powerful: "Everyone, reinforcements are on their way. For the next thirty-one hours, our mission is to hold this place, survive, and wait for the main army to arrive. At the same time, make preparations—the main battlefield of the rift is about to ignite."
Lin Yan slowly raised his hand and gripped the short blade resting beside him. It had been wiped clean, yet it was still riddled with nicks and chips.
End of Chapter.