MM Racing Page 348
Page 348
There was no time to hesitate. Everyone rushed into the ruins in one go and quickly closed the secret passage behind them, temporarily isolating themselves from the fear brought by the terrifying presence outside.
Darkness instantly enveloped them, and they could only make out each other's appearances by the faint glow of the mineral stones emanating from the walls. The air was damp, with a slight musty smell; the distant sound of water droplets hitting stones added to the mysterious atmosphere.
"Are we safe?" a young man named Max asked, panting. He had never experienced anything like this before and was understandably bewildered.
"For now, yes," Arya replied. "But this isn't a completely safe place. We must solve the remaining puzzles as soon as possible to find the way deeper inside, otherwise, once those guys find a way in... the consequences will be unimaginable."
Chapter 892 Special Mechanism
Chapter 892 Special Mechanism
Jack nodded and pointed to a stone statue not far away: "That should be the entrance to the first puzzle we're looking for. According to ancient records, activating this statue in the correct way will reveal a map leading to the core area."
So the group gathered around to examine it closely and quickly discovered a strange phenomenon: whenever someone tried to touch the surface of the stone statue, it emitted a low humming sound, and the surrounding light became even dimmer. "This thing must have some special mechanism hidden inside!" Zhao De muttered to himself, his eyes filled with curiosity and anticipation.
Suddenly, a crisp 'click' was heard, and the previously motionless stone eyes began to slowly rotate...
Lilia gasped, "Ah... what's going on? Is it coming back to life?"
At the same time, everyone present felt an indescribable, powerful energy gradually gathering from somewhere underground. An invisible pressure swept over them, making it almost impossible for them to stand.
Jack tried to calm himself down. "Don't be afraid. This is a normal reaction after we trigger an ancient protective mechanism. The most important thing now is to solve this problem as soon as possible and then move on."
Zhao De nodded in agreement, saying, "Yes, since we've chosen this path, there's no reason to back down. Let's face all the challenges together!"
Just as they decided to unite and face the unknown difficulties that were about to come, a gentle voice suddenly rang out again—
"Friends, please allow me to show you the way."
Following the sound, they saw an elderly man in a white robe with a handsome face walking slowly towards them. He held an exquisite staff inlaid with various gemstones and was smiling slightly as he looked in their direction...
Zhao De and the others watched the newcomers warily, gripping their weapons tightly, ready to respond at any moment. However, the old man merely smiled slightly, showing no hostility whatsoever.
"Please do not be alarmed, I am not your enemy," he said slowly. "I am one of the guardians here, named Sebastian."
“A Guardian?” Arya asked, frowning. “Why did you suddenly appear? Do you know why we’re here?”
“Of course,” Sebastian nodded. “I know you want to find the path to the core of the ruins. In fact, I need your help too.”
Jack's eyes flashed, and he stepped forward, saying, "So, Mr. Guardian, can you tell us what secrets are hidden here?"
"This is the ruins of an ancient civilization, containing immense power and ancient knowledge. But it also holds many dangers," Sebastian said calmly and powerfully. "Only true warriors and wise men can unravel its secrets. I believe you are such people."
Lilia looked at the mysterious old man, her eyes filled with curiosity and admiration. "You mean, you can help us solve the mystery here?"
“That’s right, I can guide you through the trials to come. But that doesn’t mean the road ahead will be smooth; there are still unknowns ahead,” Sebastian explained.
Max seemed satisfied with the proposal, rubbing his hands together and saying, "I'm willing to try anything to find a way out. Let's do it this way!"
Chapter 893 We Must Hurry Up
Chapter 893 We Must Hurry Up
Seeing that everyone seemed to have reached a consensus, Sebastian nodded slightly, and with a gentle tap of his staff, the darkness that had enveloped the room was instantly replaced by a soft light. "Then let's begin by unraveling the secret of the statue before us. Look here..."
As the gem at the tip of the staff shimmered with an eerie light, fine lines appeared on the surface of the stone statue, gradually forming a complex pattern. Xueyao's mouth dropped open in astonishment: "How did that happen? It's amazing!"
The old guardian smiled and said, "These are all thanks to the magical techniques left by our ancestors. But more important is how to correctly interpret the meaning of the patterns and the laws of power they contain."
At this moment, the stone statue's eyes began to rotate completely, emitting a deep and melodious sound as if chanting an ancient hymn. Immediately afterwards, specks of light lit up on the surrounding walls, like countless eyes staring at this place.
Arya frowned slightly and said, "I think we should follow these lights; maybe they can lead us to our destination."
As soon as the words were spoken, one of the bright spots became exceptionally bright and moved a short distance to the side before stopping, as if genuinely gesturing for everyone to follow.
Without hesitation, Zhao De said, "Let's follow Arya's instructions and go together!" After saying that, he took the lead and walked towards the brightest marked position.
Just as the group was about to leave the stone statue, a series of low growls suddenly echoed throughout the space, as if some creature was lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce.
Sebastian's expression grew much more serious. "We must hurry, or those guys might also notice that the entrance is open..."
Just as everyone was tense, a gentle breeze swept in from not far away, accompanied by light footsteps and a woman's soft yet firm voice:
"It's alright, I will ensure everyone's safety."
A strikingly beautiful girl in silver armor appeared before them. She stood at the doorway, longsword in hand, her gaze sweeping over the group with lightning speed before settling on Sebastian—
"Teacher, please lead the way. I'll take care of things here."
When Sebastian saw the woman, a hint of tenderness and reassurance flashed in his eyes. "Claire, I didn't expect you to come too. Your strength is indeed enough to protect everyone."
“It is my duty, teacher,” Claire replied firmly. “Our time is precious and cannot be wasted. Please follow me.”
Arya frowned slightly: "Miss... how did you know about this situation? Did you anticipate our arrival?"
Claire smiled, her eyes bright and clear. “I didn’t know you were coming beforehand. In fact, my companions and I have been patrolling this area, protecting this land from harm. We rushed over as soon as we sensed the disturbance nearby. You can trust me; we share a common goal—to explore the secrets of this ruin and protect this knowledge from falling into the wrong hands.”
Max clapped his hands and laughed, "It seems this expedition team is getting stronger! It's always a good thing to have more powerful helpers! Let's set off quickly! Don't let danger take hold."
The group followed the direction guided by the light spots, and the surrounding stone walls gradually began to display various strange carvings. Some patterns told stories of ancient battles; some showcased magnificent architectural complexes; and others were incomprehensible characters or symbols...
Chapter 894 No need to be polite
Chapter 894 No need to be polite
Lilia asked softly, "What does all this mean? It looks very complicated."
Jack chimed in, "Perhaps this is part of that ancient wisdom? Maybe unraveling some of the clues will help us on our journey."
Just as they were having a lively discussion, Claire suddenly stopped and shouted a warning: "Stop! There's a trap ahead!" As soon as she finished speaking, she saw a faint blue light flickering on the ground not far away.
Arya squinted and examined it carefully. "What kind of mechanism is that? Should we avoid it?"
"Based on the distribution of light, it's likely a pressure plate triggered by gravity sensing," the old guardian explained. "Even the slightest touch will trigger an attack mechanism. But fortunately, it seems there's a way to deactivate the danger."
Claire nodded in agreement: "The teacher is right, this kind of design can be seen in many historical sites. I learned how to deal with them during my training, let me try..." After saying that, she walked lightly a few steps ahead and applied pressure of different directions and magnitudes at several specific locations.
After a series of meticulous operations were completed, the faint blue light gradually disappeared without a trace, and everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhao De exclaimed in admiration, "You're really amazing! It's all thanks to your help that we were able to get this done."
"You're welcome," Claire smiled in response to the other's kindness. "The obstacle has been temporarily removed, but we must not let our guard down. After all, there are still many unknowns waiting for us."
Just as everyone was getting ready to set off again, a cold yet familiar voice suddenly rang out in the darkness:
"Hmph, you've solved the mystery so quickly? You think you can leave this place safely just like that? How naive..."
The sudden sound interrupted everyone's preparations to move forward, and the atmosphere immediately became tense.
"Who is this?" Xueyao exclaimed in a low voice. "How did he end up here?"
Jack gripped his sword tightly, scanning his surroundings warily: "Whoever he is, we must be prepared. The enemy is already among us..."
Arya turned to Sebastian and Claire for their opinions. After a moment of contemplation, the latter slowly spoke:
"That's one of the groups we've been dealing with all along—Raven, the leader of the Shadow Hunters. If we really run into him, it'll probably be a tough fight..."
Just then, that cold voice came again:
"Come out, little mice, the game has only just begun..."
Arya frowned and said in a low voice, "We need to come up with a plan quickly. Sebastian, how much do you know about this Raven?"
Sebastian nodded, his expression grave: "Raven is the leader of the Shadow Hunters, an extremely dangerous group of outlaws who specialize in seeking out ancient ruins and secrets. Their goal is usually to seize and utilize this knowledge to enhance their own power. Raven himself is very cunning and extremely powerful."
Max clenched his fists, angrily saying, "This kind of guy deserves to be chopped down! We can't let him ruin our operation any longer!"
Claire took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "We must proceed with caution. Raven and his men are adept at covert attacks and setting traps; we cannot give them any openings."
Chapter 895 It Takes Time
Chapter 895 It Takes Time
"Then let's find out where he is!" Jack brandished his sword, his eyes sharp. "I won't give up so easily!"
Suddenly, a series of light footsteps echoed in the darkness, followed by the emergence of several dark figures around them. These figures were dressed in black, wielding sharp weapons, and their eyes were as cold as knives.
"Hmph, it seems you're not afraid. Let's play a game then." Raven's voice rang out again, this time revealing his location. He stood not far ahead, wearing a black cloak, his face pale and sinister.
Zhao De gripped his staff tightly, his voice trembling as he asked, "What do you want to do?!"
Raven smiled contemptuously, revealing sharp canine teeth: "It's simple. I want to see if you can solve the last riddle I've left behind. If you succeed, I'll let you leave here alive; otherwise..."
Arya straightened her back and said coldly, "Don't dream about it. Do you think you can scare us like this?"
“Scaring you isn’t my goal.” Raven’s eyes flashed with cruelty. “But I’m curious what gives you the confidence to break into this ancient ruin. Let me see what you’re capable of.”
As soon as the words were spoken, streaks of blue light slowly illuminated the surrounding stone walls, as if some kind of magical mechanism had been activated. Everyone immediately became alert, gripping their weapons tightly.
Claire quickly glanced around and whispered, "These are all rune patterns. It seems we need to decipher these runes to deactivate the trap."
Xueyao watched the shifting blue light nervously and whispered, "How are we going to decipher these runes?"
“I will do my best to crack them,” Claire replied, “but it will take time. Everyone must remain vigilant; Raven’s men could attack at any moment.”
Suddenly, a Shadow Hunter charged forward, wielding dual swords and attacking Max. Max roared and swung his sword to meet the attack. The two clashed fiercely, the clang of metal echoing through the air.
Arya shouted, "Protect Claire! Don't let them interfere with her!"
Jack and Lilia reacted quickly, each lunging at the other Shadow Hunters and engaging in fierce combat. Zhao De, meanwhile, chanted a spell, creating a protective barrier to safeguard his teammates.