Chapter 209 The Crimson Curse from the Earth!
The flickering blue phosphorescence barely dispelled the deathly silence deep within the labyrinth.
Black-robed figures could be seen everywhere, patrolling back and forth at the entrances to various passages.
Barga squinted, his weathered face etched with dejection, his gaze fixed on the pale film of water on the vine-covered pedestal.
Within the water film, the empty tunnel, the wrecked traps scattered everywhere, and the Loki Familia marching triumphantly were all laid out before them.
Why would they have keys?
Barga, who was solely focused on fulfilling his tragic wish to build the city, was now frowning with worry.
Without any means of checks and balances, he could only stand there helplessly, waiting for another decisive person to return.
"It's much livelier than usual today, don't you think, bro?"
An uninvited guest, dressed in riot gear and wearing sunglasses, stepped into the secret room with an undisguised sinister smile on his lips.
"Shut up, Dix!"
Upon seeing the newcomer, Balga's indifference turned into deep-seated disgust, and he cursed loudly.
"We're just children of the same woman, don't insult me with the word 'brother'!"
A glint flashed in Dix's blood-red left eye behind his dark lenses, and he waved his hand dismissively.
"Don't take it seriously, it's just a joke. So, what are you playing at?"
Dix strolled to the pedestal, his gaze falling on the Loki Familia, which was advancing rapidly through the water film, and he couldn't help but gasp in amazement.
"Hey! Aren't these Loki's Familia? How did we get targeted by these troublesome guys?"
Barga stared blankly at the ravaged labyrinthine tunnel in the water film, his fists trembling uncontrollably at his sides.
"This was Thanatos and Enyo's decision to drag the strongest corner into the deep sea vortex, thereby leading to the destruction of the entire City of Heroes."
Faced with this eccentric labyrinth builder, Dix looked around the secret chamber guarded only by a few henchmen and chuckled.
"So, where are Thanatos and Enyo?"
"When things come to a head, you'll be left to deal with the intruders all by yourself?"
Before Balga could answer, the man picked up a blood-red spear with a twisted edge from the corner of the wall and tapped it lightly on his shoulder.
"If this place is exposed, I'll lose all my fun. I'll lend a hand for now."
...
Inside the deep tunnel, the key once again erupted with an eerie blood-red light, and the door at the end opened in response, unleashing a tsunami of man-eating flowers!
"It's those damned beasts again!"
Bert, who was leading the charge, let out a roar that drowned out the monster's scream, and the battle began abruptly!
The Moon Wheel Foot Blade tore through the air, instantly kicking several monsters in two!
Before the foul-smelling corrosive liquid could even be sprayed, the werewolf had already transformed into a silver afterimage and dashed forward!
Gareth, who was responsible for center-back, wielded Roland's tomahawk and used his brute force to send the carnivorous plant's corpse flying, then turned around and shouted.
"We charged down three levels, and all we found were traps and monsters! Did these bastards really leave any way out for their own people?"
Finn focused intently on memorizing each trap location while looking up to face the relentless swarm of carnivorous plants, nodding heavily.
"There are no unsolvable mazes in the world, we just haven't found the 'key' yet!"
Unlike the three who were in charge of exploration, Arthur followed silently at the back of the group, his eyes gleaming with a pale light.
A thousand winds, far exceeding the realm of magic, drifted silently throughout the entire man-made labyrinth, their clear airflow violently repelling the lingering sense of confinement that permeated the place.
The wind filled countless thorny side paths, shattering the chaotic beauty of this place, which resembled an underground city.
Orichalco gates are not unlimited; after all, they are rarer creations that are far more valuable than superhard alloys.
Even though Balga tried his best to close the doors along the way for Arthur and his companions, the wind could still mark the only correct path in the maze.
"Huh?"
Ignoring the shrill shouts and roars around him, Arthur caught a glimpse of something unusual amidst the surging wind.
He drew Durandal, stomped his foot on the ground, and instantly overtook the forward Bert!
The intertwined silver arcs of light shattered the entire army of carnivorous plants!
"I've found a strange room, everyone follow me!"
Finn and his two companions exchanged glances and followed closely behind, passing through multiple intersections of the tunnel!
The adventurers violently broke through the monster horde and stepped into a wide corridor that seemed out of place in the man-made labyrinth.
There was still no sunlight here, but the pale magic stone lamps at the top created a ghostly atmosphere.
A ring of giant pillars stands on both sides of the corridor, and between the pillars are cracked and faded old murals.
Arthur speculated, "This must be a special hall for some kind of ceremony, which is why there are no monsters or traps here."
Finn took two vials of potion from his pouch and tossed them to Bert and Gareth, glancing back at the completely closed orbium gate.
"A gathering point similar to the remnants of a dark faction? I don't know if this situation is good or bad."
Just as everyone was catching their breath from the endless frenzy, their attention was drawn to the murals of various styles.
Despite their antiquity, the rugged lines are still incredibly impactful, together telling a desperate story of a dragon and a strange bird chasing after humanity.
Arthur looked around, and the roars of the monsters and the cries of the humans on the murals seemed to transcend time and space, echoing in his ears.
Finally, his gaze settled on the deepest part.
"These are..."
In the center of the deepest part of the mural, a ferocious dragon is coiled.
Outside, six girls with halos around their heads surrounded the monster, making a gesture of devout prayer.
Is this an offering to evil spirits?
Or is she a saintess who suppresses monsters?
He imprinted the eerie mural in his heart and turned to look at Finn and the other two who had recovered.
"Based on preliminary assessments, the man-made maze has no fewer than ten levels, and we are currently on the fourth level."
Bert, who was squatting on the ground, wiped his mouth and asked, "What should we do? Keep killing?"
Finn glanced at Arthur, who was shaking his head helplessly, pondered for a moment, and then spread his hands.
"Judging from the increasingly rapid monster attacks on the first three floors, the enemy has already discovered us."
"Perhaps due to insufficient combat power, they were never able to truly stop our progress."
"If we can continue exploring downwards..."
Gareth stretched his stiff shoulders and grunted, "Worried about walking headfirst into an enemy trap?"
Arthur, who had been concentrating with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them. Just now, the Thousand Winds flowing through the maze had reached the bottom and were beginning to turn back.
"Phew—deeper than expected. Finn, the makeshift map is finished. How about yours?"
Finn habitually licked his thumb and responded in a deep voice.
"About 70%, I still need to organize my thoughts after I get back."
Throughout his journey, he observed the layout of the traps and the patterns of the doors, trying to understand the builder's psychology.
Although we are still far from fully understanding it, we have a clear grasp of the basic construction logic.
"Let's retreat. We have enough intelligence. Next time..."
There won't be a next time.
A burst of laughter pierced through the heavy copper gate.
Wearing a cloak that concealed his face, Dix raised his right index finger, revealing a fierce glint in his red eyes behind his sunglasses.
"Lost in this endless nightmare!"
As the extremely short incantation was finished, a strange magical power erupted along with the name of the curse!
A crimson wave swept through the entire corridor, and a resentful roar echoed wildly in the ears of Arthur and his companions!