After Being Blackened All Over the Internet, I Ruled the Military Variety Shows
Chapter 678 - 668: Searching for the Past

Chapter 678: Chapter 668: Searching for the Past

Shen Yunqing shone the flashlight over, "Keep it, follow me."

Chang Fu couldn’t be bothered to wipe off the moss still clinging to it, so he hastily smeared the water stains on his clothes, stuffed it into his pocket, zipped it up, and rushed to catch up.

The two of them walked forward step by step, slipping along the way. After about ten minutes, they finally found traces at a fork in the road.

However, this trace changed their expressions.

"Boss, it’s... it’s blood!" Chang Fu took a deep breath and touched it. He wasn’t sure if the blood had been freshly smudged or if the area was just too damp, causing it to smear directly onto his hand.

"Let’s go!"

Now there was no need to worry about which tunnel to enter, Shen Yunqing led the way by ducking into one.

Inside, the moss on the ground was thicker, and the floor was slightly sloped. Fortunately, there were large and small protrusions on the ground to step on for support. Otherwise, they would have been sliding down like a slide with detergent applied to it.

Fortunately, more traces were discovered as they climbed upward.

The moss was compressed into shapes, likely from someone accidentally falling while running.

The bloodstains on the walls were sporadic but seemingly continuous.

Shen Yunqing showed no expression, while Chang Fu looked even more troubled.

Could it be that Wu Jue was injured?

In Shen Yunqing’s memory, Wu Jue, whether in a past life or this current one, was synonymous with strength and compassion. He’d never seen this person injured, let alone bleeding.

Chang Fu could accept even less that there was actually someone in this world who could hurt his master; it was laughable!

Without needing encouragement, he put all his energy into climbing forward.

Even if there was deeper darkness ahead.

In the maze of underground tunnels, Shen Yunqing and Chang Fu were still following the trail deeper into the cave.

Above ground, Jiang Lingxi looked at the tablet that had gone black for some time and then at the wooden wall of the cabin before her, "Take it apart!"

The young man who had run out to meet them earlier was still holding the tablet. By now, he was somewhat familiar with Jiang Lingxi’s face and let out an instinctive "ah" when he heard the command.

He then realized what Miss Jiang meant.

If she said dismantle, then dismantle it!

Everyone was already impatient. The leaders had gone off to scout at great risk, while those left behind felt uneasy and would rather join together. If they faced danger, they’d face it together.

Miss Jiang’s orders were, after all, orders!

With many hands, task becomes easier. They knew the structure inside the interlayer, so they only needed to remove a wooden plank at the appropriate place to enter the staircase Shen Yunqing and Chang Fu previously descended.

Before setting off, Jiang Lingxi looked at Yin Chong, "You follow as well."

Yin Chong had figured he would still be left above with a few guards watching him.

Surprised, he nodded as he heard the command.

Seeing this, no one else raised any objections. They tacitly accepted Jiang Lingxi as the leader now.

The leader commands, so they just obey.

One by one, they entered the corridor.

Based on the tablet, Jiang Lingxi believed this passage was not Wu Hua’s usual route; it seemed more like one of the burrows of a cunning rabbit.

Walking in it now, the guess was confirmed.

Where would the other burrows lead?

Those who had gone before had already scouted a path, and soon the group saw the door in the middle of the stairs that Chang Fu had forcefully opened.

No reminder was needed; everyone covered their mouths and noses.

Only Yin Chong, walking behind Jiang Lingxi, did not move.

He even sniffed lightly and remarked, "It’s Sleeping Incense, the smell is faint now, its toxicity weak, so it won’t have much effect."

Ordinary people might not be able to withstand it, but none of these people were ordinary now.

Jiang Lingxi glanced back at him, lowering her hand, "You’re quite familiar with it."

When Yin Chong smelled the fragrance, he had a vague suspicion about the things down below, and though he tried not to smile, he nodded slightly, "Got used to it."

These four words drew several curious glances.

"Go down."

The staircase led downwards, quickly reaching the place where the signal had vanished earlier.

Several beams of flashlight light flashed around, finally illuminating parts of the space.

Someone yelled in surprise at what they saw, "What’s that?"

"It looks like a coffin."

The closer they got, the clearer they could see.

It was indeed a coffin.

"They’re empty, aren’t they?"

"It seems like there’s actually someone lying inside."

"Only the dead lie in coffins!"

A chill ran from their soles straight to their heads.

Jiang Lingxi felt it was not surprising; someone like Wu Hua could do anything.

Although everyone felt a little creeped out, not a single one retreated. They cautiously approached the coffins, two or three at a time.

Jiang Lingxi, without a flashlight, walked neither too slowly nor too quickly, and heard Yin Chong behind her speak again, "Alive."

She paused, "The people in the coffins are still alive?"

"Here," Yin Chong looked around at the dim, damp underground space, "if I’m not mistaken, it should be Wu Hua’s laboratory."

When they saw several children, roughly ten years old, lying in the coffins, the memories Yin Chong thought he’d forgotten resurfaced. His fingers tightened on the coffin lid.

Jiang Lingxi also examined the children inside. Indeed, they were alive, breathing steadily as if sleeping.

However, despite trying to remain as silent as possible, not a single child showed signs of waking amidst the noise, which was undeniably abnormal.

"Miss Jiang, there are also two empty coffins here."

Inside the empty coffins was only a black mat; it was unclear if there had never been anyone inside, or if someone had awoken and escaped before they arrived.

"Leave two people here to guard, the rest continue forward."

Without Wu Jue and Zhang Ying leading the way initially, and Shen Yunqing and Chang Fu who entered later not being here either, it was likely they all went further in.

Or perhaps they were in pursuit of something.

Before leaving, Jiang Lingxi glanced again at the two empty coffins.

The path ahead posed unprecedented difficulty.

Especially since Jiang Lingxi’s hands were currently unusable. She didn’t let anyone help, and despite being cautious, she slipped twice.

Fortunately, as they kept slipping, they got used to it.

Just before she was about to slip again, a hand suddenly reached over from the side to steady her arm.

Jiang Lingxi steadied herself, looked back at Yin Chong, "Thank you."

Yin Chong released his grip and faced the pair of eyes, clear and calm in the flashlight’s glow, then lowered his gaze to the gloves already wet and stained with moss, his lips moving, "You’re welcome."

The group continued forward, and soon someone else noticed the bloodstains on the wall.

This meant they were on the right track, the people who entered before were just ahead.

At the end of the cave, Shen Yunqing and Chang Fu’s clothes were almost indistinguishable from their original color, but thankfully, a figure they had been stumbling towards finally appeared in sight.