While I was still hesitating, a deafening boom suddenly echoed from ahead…
I froze for a moment. The sound rippled through the silent darkness…
Using elimination: first, it wasn’t firecrackers. I seriously doubted anyone would be setting off skyrockets in a place like this…
Reluctant as I was to admit it, the closest match in my memory had to be gunfire…
I’d never heard a real gunshot myself, but I’d experienced hyper-realistic versions in games and movies…
If that really was a gunshot, something serious had happened up ahead. So—who fired it?
Could someone in our group be carrying a gun?
I strained to recall Second Brother and the others’ gear. What exactly was stuffed inside those bulging waterproof bags? Hard to say…
And who was the shot aimed at? To be honest, if it was that giant monster earlier, one bullet wouldn’t take it down. Yet after the shot—complete silence.
I fell into deep thought…
Frankly, gunfire ahead meant trouble. But I had no way back now.
Whoever fired was alive. Following the sound gave me the best shot at reuniting with them.
If I kept cowering here, I’d miss my only chance of rescue!
Decision made. I steeled myself, stood up, flicked on my flashlight, and charged down the stairs. But the steps were slick—I had to slow my frantic pace.
That red-eyed monster had lived in this pitch-black place for ages. I bet it didn’t even need eyes. Could it sense light? No time to wonder now.
I burst into the vast chamber below. My beam caught Wu Datong’s mangled body nearby—upper half chewed beyond recognition, spine exposed, gleaming white…
Too gruesome. The air reeked of thick blood.
As I passed, I paused and bowed slightly, praying his spirit would guide me out of this cursed place alive.
Then I ran on.
The gunshot hadn’t been far—likely from the chamber’s end. But the space narrowed as I ran, the ground growing uneven underfoot.
I scanned both sides nervously, terrified those huge red eyes would leap out and give me a nasty surprise. I wouldn’t stand a chance.
Heart pounding, I sprinted—then spotted a tiny red dot at the far end. I slammed on the brakes, pressed against the wall, killed my flashlight, and watched in the dark.
Oddly, the red dot didn’t move. After a few seconds, I was sure: completely still. Not monster eyes.
Impulse took over. I didn’t care what it was anymore—I switched my light back on and ran straight toward it.
The rock walls grew rougher. Definitely uncharted territory now.
The red dot swelled as I ran…
Until I reached the very end.
The sight stole my breath.
A massive space bathed entirely in crimson light—and I stood right at its entrance.
Running from Wu Datong’s chamber here felt like sliding from the wide mouth of a funnel to its narrow tip.
The passage had shrunk to barely over two meters tall and one meter wide.
Beyond it lay another vast chamber. By now, the underwater ruin’s layout was starting to click in my mind…
Red’s festive, sure—but *this* was overwhelming. The whole space glowed bright under the crimson radiance.
I turned off my flashlight and stepped in carefully.
First thing I saw: two short steps descending to a giant disc-shaped plaza, slightly sunken like an arena.
Three staircases led down to it, evenly spaced around the circle. The rest formed a ring wall about a meter high from the drop.
Honestly? I could’ve jumped down even without stairs.
One staircase was right where I stood. The other two were far off.
Behind each distant staircase gaped a dark passage—same size as the one behind me. Clearly, this plaza connected multiple routes.
The meter-high ring wall was carved with reliefs, far better preserved than the outer murals.
Glancing around, I noticed a slightly raised circular platform at the plaza’s center. From its middle shot a blood-red light column—about as thick as eight standard water cooler bottles.
I was genuinely awestruck.
I’d seen countless springs, waterfalls, historic sites… none ever gripped my soul like this.
This place stirred a near-irresistible urge to kneel.
If this were a nightclub at midnight, the red glow wouldn’t shock me. But an *ancient ruin*? Nothing but a modern spotlight should cast light this intense.
The circular plaza—roughly half a soccer field—glowed translucently from within. The material had to be extraordinary.
I crouched, studying the tiles. The whole floor seemed to breathe red light.
Puzzled, I lay flat and gently ran my fingers over it.
It felt like jade. A wave of exhilaration surged through me—beyond words.
Could this be the Jade Emperor’s Heavenly Palace?
A plaza paved entirely in jade? To stand here in my lifetime… a profound sense of fulfillment washed over me.
I swallowed hard, staring at the softly glowing jade tiles, lost in awe…
Footsteps suddenly echoed from the darkness of a distant staircase.
The silence was so absolute I caught them clearly despite the distance.
I sprang up—only to realize I had nowhere to hide.
From the shadows diagonally across, a figure limped down the steps. I squinted.
It was Second Brother—clutching his left arm, clearly injured.
