MM Racing Page 457
Page 457
“Yes, sir,” Zhao De nodded quickly, “we hope you can provide us with some clues.”
The old man smiled slightly, put down the book in his hand, and slowly stood up. "Come with me, let me tell you a secret."
The group exchanged glances, their hearts filled with anticipation. They followed the old man through a series of rooms riddled with traps and mechanisms, finally arriving at a hidden basement.
“There’s a map hidden here,” the old man said, pointing to an old map on the wall. “It shows the route to where ‘Zhao De’ is.”
Zhao De stepped forward to examine it carefully and said excitedly, "Great! With this map, we can find 'Zhao De'!"
“However, this road is not easy to travel,” the old man continued. “It is full of dangers, so you must be prepared.”
“We will be careful,” Zhao De clenched his fist. “Thank you for your help, old man.”
"Remember, be very careful on the road, and don't let anyone take the 'crescent stone' away," the old man advised.
"We will. Goodbye, old man." Zhao De left with his companions, embarking on a journey to find 'Zhao De'.
The four emerged from the underground chamber, their hearts filled with both excitement and apprehension. They knew that the road ahead was destined to be anything but smooth.
“We need to set off immediately; the route on this map seems quite complicated,” Zhao De said, unfolding the map and studying it carefully.
Chapter 1381 Passing Safely
Chapter 1381 Passing Safely
"The captain is right," Li Tao nodded in agreement, "We can't waste any more time."
Old Wang then reminded us, "We also need to prepare some food and water, as well as necessary equipment. This small mountain village looks a bit remote, but we might be able to buy some of the things we need."
“Yes, you’re right, Lao Wang.” Zhao De nodded, then said to everyone, “Let’s split up. Li Tao and I will go find some food and water, while Zhao De and Lao Wang will go see if there are any usable resources in the village.”
"Okay." The group responded and then went their separate ways.
Half an hour later, everyone returned to the agreed location. Zhao De and Li Tao carried some dry food and water bottles. Zhao De held a short knife that looked quite old, while Lao Wang carried a backpack full of various tools.
"So? Did you find anything useful?" Zhao De asked.
“We found some. This short knife looks old, but it’s still sharp.” Zhao De picked up the short knife and tested the blade.
Old Wang continued, "I also have some climbing ropes, pickaxes, and other tools here, which should be helpful."
"That's good. Now that everything is ready, let's get going as soon as possible." Zhao De folded the map back and put it in his pocket, then turned to the others. "Remember, be careful on the road, especially protect the 'Crescent Stone'."
"Understood," everyone responded in unison.
Leaving the small mountain village, they proceeded in the direction indicated by the map. The route first passed through a dense forest, with tall trees and lush foliage, making it almost impossible for sunlight to penetrate the ground, thus giving the entire forest a dark and mysterious atmosphere.
"This place is quite scary; it feels like wild animals could jump out at any moment," Zhao De said in a low voice.
"Stay alert and don't disturb the animals around you," Zhao De whispered, while already gripping his dagger in his hand, just in case.
After walking for several hours, they finally crossed the forest and arrived at an open valley. A clear stream flowed gently through the valley, surrounded by lush green grass and fragrant flowers, as if they had entered another world.
"It's much safer here than before," Zhao De remarked, and sat down to rest for a moment.
“Don’t let your guard down,” Zhao De reminded him again. “The road ahead is still long, we have to hurry.”
"Okay, let's go." Zhao De stood up, patted the dirt off his clothes, and continued to catch up with the group.
As they progressed, the road became increasingly rugged and difficult, with some sections requiring them to climb steep mountain walls. At these times, Old Wang's tools proved invaluable. He skillfully used his pickaxe to secure the ropes, ensuring everyone's safe passage.
And so, day after day passed, until they finally approached the last marker on the map—a precipitous mountain range. According to the old man, that was where Zhao De was hiding.
“This place looks dangerous,” Li Tao said, frowning. “Can we really find it?”
“We definitely can,” Zhao De said firmly. “We’ve come this far, and we must complete the mission no matter what.”
“Okay,” Li Tao nodded, “then let’s work hard together.”
As they climbed the last steep stretch of mountain path, the sight before them astonished them all: standing before a hidden cave entrance was a man dressed in ancient attire, holding a long sword. He looked both majestic and mysterious—it was none other than the legendary Zhao De.
Chapter 1382 The Right Path Leads to Final Victory
Chapter 1382 The Right Path Leads to Final Victory
"Have you come seeking my help?" Zhao De's voice was deep and powerful, his eyes fixed intently on the exhausted explorers before him.
“Yes, sir,” Zhao De replied respectfully, “we have obtained a ‘crescent stone,’ but we have encountered many troubles. We hope you can provide us with shelter and support.”
Zhao De remained silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping over them as if assessing their sincerity.
“Alright, let me see what you call the ‘crescent stone’,” Zhao De finally said.
Zhao De carefully took the precious stone out of his pocket and handed it to him. Zhao De took the stone and examined it carefully.
“This stone is indeed very special,” Zhao De said slowly. “It does possess powerful energy. But to gain my protection, you must pass the final test.”
Upon hearing this, Zhao De's heart skipped a beat, but he still firmly asked, "What kind of test is it?"
Zhao De's gaze sharpened. He put away the 'Crescent Stone' and said slowly, "The test is not simple. It requires you to demonstrate true courage, wisdom, and teamwork. I will set three challenges for you on the journey ahead. Only those who successfully pass these three tests will receive my protection."
"Please tell us what the first test is?" Zhao De couldn't help but ask.
Zhao De didn't answer immediately, but pointed to the cave behind him. "Go in, the first test awaits you inside. But remember, every choice is crucial."
After exchanging glances, Zhao De nodded, indicating that they could trust him. They took a deep breath and followed Zhao De into the cave.
The cave was dimly lit, and the torch in their hands was the only means of illuminating the way. As they went deeper, an unsettling atmosphere gradually spread.
"It's so dark here..." Li Tao couldn't help but whisper.
"Don't be afraid, stay close to us," Old Wang encouraged him, gently tapping the ground with his pickaxe to check if it was safe.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, suddenly the space ahead opened up. A wide open space appeared before them, with a stone platform in the center, radiating a mysterious and ancient glow in the dim light.
Zhao De stopped in his tracks. "This is where the first checkpoint is located." His voice was exceptionally clear in the silence. "There's a mechanism on that stone platform. Whoever finds and activates it will have completed the task. But be careful not to trigger any other traps."
They looked at each other, and finally, Zhao De, who was relatively more experienced, stepped forward to carefully examine the stone platform. He first tentatively tapped the surroundings with his hand, and only after confirming that there was nothing unusual did he slowly approach the platform.
After some searching, they finally made a slight clicking sound from one of the stones. "I found it! This should be it!" As soon as they finished speaking, the entire space suddenly trembled.
Just then, several passages opened simultaneously, each with a faint light shining through, clearly leading to different destinations. "Was that commotion just now the opening of more paths?" Zhao De turned and asked Zhao De.
"That's true, but there's only one correct path to ultimate victory." Zhao De nodded slightly in confirmation. "Choosing the wrong path will lead to extreme danger, even death."
Chapter 1383 Unity is the Key to Success
Chapter 1383 Unity is the Key to Success
Faced with unknown risks and challenges, the team members did not back down. "We are prepared to accept all the difficulties ahead, and we will persevere until we complete this expedition," Zhao De said solemnly before turning to ask his teammates for their opinions, "What do you think?"
"Agreed!" "Of course I support it!" Everyone agreed in unison.
“Then let’s begin,” Zhao De said firmly, then looked around at the entrances to the passageways. “Zhao De, you’re knowledgeable about mechanisms, how about you choose the first path?”
Zhao De nodded, his eyes flashing with determination: "Okay, I trust my intuition."
Old Wang patted him on the shoulder, "Be careful, brother. We'll be right behind you."
"Hmm," Zhao De nodded, carrying a torch as he stepped into the first passage. The air inside was somewhat damp, the walls were covered in moss, and the ground beneath his feet was slippery. After walking for a while, a fork appeared ahead, leading to the left and right respectively.
Zhao De hesitated for a moment, then decided to check the left side first. As soon as he rounded the bend, the sight before him startled him—a group of bats were hanging upside down on the stone wall, resting. "Looks like we've disturbed them..." Zhao De muttered softly, carefully avoiding the nocturnal creatures as he continued forward.
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from behind. Li Tao rushed up in a panic: "I... I think the right side might be easier to walk on... I just heard the sound of flowing water over there."
Zhao De sighed, "Alright, let's try it as you said." The two quickly retreated to the fork in the road and turned to the right. Sure enough, just as Li Tao had said, they soon heard the sound of flowing water on this road.
Not far away, a stream flowed gently, its water crystal clear. Continuing to explore along the stream, one soon came to a small waterfall. Behind the waterfall lay a dark and narrow tunnel.
"It seems we have to get through here to find the mechanism." Zhao De said, and was about to step into the water to cross over, but was stopped by someone who suddenly appeared from the side.
"Wait!" Zhao De arrived just in time with the remaining team members. "Let's all work together. Don't forget Zhao De's reminder: unity is the key to success."
Together, they crossed the rushing water and finally reached the other side. There, they saw all sorts of strange and wonderful sculptures, each piece exuding a strong artistic atmosphere.
Just as everyone was admiring the artworks, Zhao De noticed something unusual: "There seems to be something unusual in that corner..." He pointed to a deliberately concealed spot where an inconspicuous but very important device seemed to be hidden.
Everyone immediately gathered around to examine it. Sure enough, after removing the obstructions, an ancient keyhole was revealed. "It seems this is the correct clue we've been looking for," Old Wang said excitedly.
However, a loud cracking sound suddenly rang out in the air, followed by heavy footsteps approaching...
"What's that sound?!" Everyone became alert, grabbing their weapons and ready to fight at any moment.
A massive stone gate descended from above, completely sealing off the entire space. "Oh no! We're trapped here!" Li Tao shouted anxiously.
Chapter 1384 The Unsolved Secret
Chapter 1384 The Unsolved Secret
At that moment, Zhao De's deep and resonant voice echoed from the darkness: "Don't give up hope. As long as you work together, there is no secret that cannot be solved." Then, several soft and warm lights, like lanterns, lit up the surroundings, instantly easing the previously oppressive and uneasy atmosphere.
Seeing the renewed flame of confidence in each other's eyes, they mustered their courage once more to face the new challenges ahead. "In that case," Zhao De said, clenching his fists and looking determined, "let's begin our new exploration from this room."
Zhao De's words restored everyone's confidence. Although they were trapped in this confined space, they had not lost their fighting spirit. Determination and resilience shone in everyone's eyes.
Zhao De picked up the ancient key he had just found and gently inserted it into the keyhole. With a soft click, the entire room suddenly vibrated slightly. Then, the statues on the walls began to move slowly, seemingly adjusting the position of some mechanism. "It seems this key can activate the mechanisms in this room," he murmured, his fingers gripping the key tightly, not daring to loosen his grip even slightly.
Just then, a clear, melodious sound came from the ceiling. Everyone looked up and saw the roof slowly open, letting a thin beam of light into the room. Beneath this beam of light, a stone floor slowly sank down, forming a staircase. "Hurry up!" Zhao De shouted, taking the lead and descending the stairs. The others followed closely behind.
After descending a long, winding staircase, they arrived at a more spacious and mysterious space. The walls were decorated primarily in gold and red, giving it a solemn and dignified feel. Countless glittering gemstones were inlaid around the walls, shining brightly in the dim light.