Chapter 165: Secret Passage
In the orc race, Jin Gang, as a descendant of the Beast God Clan, has been implicitly recognized as the fourth major power by the three factions.
On the surface, everything appears calm, but beneath the surface, turmoil is brewing.
However, everyone believes that the orc race will not engage in major wars in the near future.
But a sudden event shattered the delicate balance and plunged the recently calm situation of the orc race into chaos once again.
The Light Temple, the Temple of Life, and disciples of the five Holy Lands joined forces to suppress and cleanse the Bimon tribe, exposing many individuals who have aligned themselves with the dark forces. This immediately became troublesome for the Bimon tribe, as they were labeled as colluding with the dark faction, leading to a rapid division of their power overnight.
As a result, the Purple Gold Beast tribe, the Rhino tribe, and the newly formed forces of the Beast God Clan by Jin Gang launched a full-scale attack, seizing the territories and resources of the Bimon tribe. They also engaged in fierce battles among themselves, turning the entire orc race into a bloody battlefield.
The reshuffling of power inevitably requires bloodshed.
“They hide pretty well. Can’t even find the entrance,” Yan Shengyi said coldly, referring to the old man who chased after her and Qi Bei before.
“It doesn’t matter. As long as the Gates of the Netherworld remain closed, the remnants won’t be able to stir up any trouble,” Yao Rao next to her replied.
But Yan Shengyi shook her head and said, “I have a feeling that things aren’t as simple as they seem. Recently, dark forces from various places seem to be erupting as if they had agreed upon something. Perhaps something big is about to happen.”
Yao Rao didn’t respond. She just looked towards the northwest where West Spirit City stood, the place where her beloved resided.
However, Yan Shengyi was looking in the other direction, where Hu Zi went to the Falling Sunset Kingdom. She wondered how he was doing now.
Two women, facing different directions, but longing for the same man.
…..
The incident at the Huo family shocked all the forces in the Falling Sunset Kingdom, even the the ruler, Ling Xiao paused his actions against the Huo family.
A powerful individual capable of killing Earth-grade experts possessed a frightening deterrence. Overnight, the Huo family transformed from a despised mouse to a ferocious tiger.
However, this lesson also tempered the arrogance of the Huo family to some extent. They began operating in secrecy, as no one knew when that powerful individual would abandon them.
Huo Siqin was treated like a precious treasure within the Huo family. Previously, her status within the family was not particularly high, despite being the legitimate daughter. However, she did not belong to the main branch of the family led by Huo Qitian. But now, even the family head, who used to have a stern face towards her, began treating her kindly, not to mention the uncles and cousins.
Huo Siqin felt somewhat uncomfortable with this sudden change and started spending most of her time at the academy, not returning home unless necessary.
“Siqin, come out quickly.” At the entrance of the classroom, Feng Ruoyu waved to Huo Siqin.
As always, Feng Ruoyu’s appearance immediately attracted everyone’s attention. With her beauty and temperament, she was the center of attention wherever she went.
“Ruoyu, do you need something?” Huo Siqin walked out and asked.
“Can’t I come find you if there’s nothing wrong? Look at you, sitting in the classroom just now like you’ve lost your soul. Are you thinking about that bearded man of yours?” Feng Ruoyu teased with a giggle.
Huo Siqin’s face turned red. She couldn’t help but recall the events of that night.
“Your face is so red. Something fishy is going on, huh? Come on, spill it. Did you two do something naughty?” Feng Ruoyu, being mischievous, immediately guessed it.
“No way,” Huo Siqin naturally denied it.
“Alright, if you don’t want to admit it.” Feng Ruoyu shrugged her shoulders, then suddenly looked around like a thief. Just as she was about to speak, she noticed Huo Siqin looking at her with a puzzled expression.
“What’s wrong?” Feng Ruoyu momentarily forgot what she was going to say and asked.
“It’s… nothing,” Huo Siqin said, although she noticed that Feng Ruoyu’s shoulder shrug looked a lot like the bearded man’s.
“Let me tell you, yesterday I discovered a secret passage in the abandoned building behind the academy. Let’s go explore it together.” Feng Ruoyu whispered.
It was normal for the abandoned building in the back mountain of the academy to have secret passages since it used to be used for experimental research. Secret passages usually led to underground laboratories.
However, for the students of the academy, who couldn’t venture into real dangerous situations outside, stumbling upon an abandoned secret passage was an opportunity to satisfy their craving for adventure.
“Okay.” Huo Siqin immediately agreed.
Night fell, and the back mountain of the academy was peaceful. Moonlight gently bathed the surroundings, casting a cold glow. At the foot of the mountain, stood a dilapidated small building, desolate and alone.
And at this moment, two figures were sneaking towards the direction of this small building.
“Ruoyu, today is the night of the full moon. I heard that ghosts appear in this building on nights like this,” Huo Siqin said, looking at the full moon in the sky, suddenly reminded of the legend circulating in the academy.
“Haha, that’s nonsense. If there were really ghosts, would the academy let this building exist? The priests from the Light Temple in the royal city would have come to purify it long ago,” Feng Ruoyu clearly didn’t believe in this ridiculous rumor.
“That’s true, but I don’t know why I feel a little uneasy,” Huo Siqin said.
“It’s just psychological. Even if there are ghosts, there’s nothing to be afraid of. If they dare to appear, this girl will make them vanish into thin air,” Feng Ruoyu said carelessly.
Huo Siqin nodded. After all, she had traveled along the long border in the northwest with her grandfather. She had witnessed plenty of bloody scenes, so she couldn’t possibly be afraid of ghosts, right?
The two girls pushed open the weathered door and slipped inside with a creaking sound.
Due to years of abandonment and its location at the foot of the mountain, the air inside was damp and filled with a musty odor. Both girls held a handheld magic lamp and slowly walked deeper inside.
With a “squeak” sound, both girls jumped in fright, only to see a large rat scurry past.
They patted their chests, exchanged smiles, and continued their exploration.
After a short while, they descended the stairs and arrived in front of a rusty iron door.
“The secret passage is inside,” Feng Ruoyu whispered and pushed open the iron door.
It led to a cluttered storage room, filled with all sorts of miscellaneous items that almost filled the entire room.
“Hmm… Has someone been here?”
Feng Ruoyu suddenly exclaimed in surprise, crouching down. She remembered clearly that she had covered the entrance of the secret passage with a wooden board, but now it was gone.
Just then, Feng Ruoyu felt something and looked up abruptly, only to see a dark figure hanging from the ceiling of the storage room.
Huo Siqin also looked up, and both girls were shocked. They shone their magic lamps upward.
To their astonishment, a girl wearing the uniform of the Sunset Royal Magic Academy was hanging there, blood flowing from her seven orifices, her tongue stretched out long, in a terrifying state of death.
The two girls screamed in horror, quickly taking two steps back. But at that moment, a chilling presence enveloped them from behind.