Corpse Pit

This covert passage exhibits remarkable craftsmanship, yet the perplexing aspect lies in its brick extraction method, differing from our previous encounters. However, I am currently unable to delve into such considerations, as my mind is preoccupied with the individual near the coffin. The plaque in my hand evidently originates from him. Who is he? Why does he act in such a manner? And more importantly, how does he know I came to find this plaque?

In a moment of absent-mindedness, Zhao Min, who was crawling in front of me, suddenly halted. Engrossed in my thoughts, I inadvertently collided with her behind. She cast a charming scowl at me, her delicate annoyance evident, and I, overwhelmed with embarrassment, conveyed an apologetic gaze.

Leading the way, Big Head seemed to have discovered something. Shortly after, his resonant voice echoed through the tunnel, "This fellow is formidable, making a direct move." Following his words, Zhao Min continued to crawl forward and reached the end in a matter of meters. Despite Big Head shining a flashlight from the side, the front remained obscured in darkness.

Big Head stood at the entrance of the tunnel. As I leaned out, he firmly held me, cautioning, "Be careful, a few more steps, and you might meet a heroic demise." Saying this, he swung the flashlight downward, and I, upon a glance, comprehended the situation. Astonishingly, this covert passage directly led outside the Zhenling Platform, and we were currently standing on the eaves outside the tower.

From a distance, the Zhenling Platform appeared as a regular structure with doors and windows. However, upon closer inspection, they were all false, sealed behind walls, resembling a closed high cylinder. It somewhat resembled an upright coffin.

The Zhenling Platform had an exit on each side, connected by iron cables. Coincidentally, the one directly in front of us was an exit. I marveled at the fact that this covert passage wasn't created haphazardly. After discerning the direction, it seemed like we were on the opposite side of the entrance we used to come in.

Numerous iron chains extended from the tower body to the surrounding walls. Big Head followed one of the iron cables next to the eaves we were on and could vaguely see it disappearing into the wall next to the lower tunnel entrance. Undoubtedly, Yushan's group must have retreated through this iron cable during their escape.

"Is it secure? Don't swing halfway and fall down," Big Head commented skeptically, eyeing the iron cable.

Han Sheng stepped forward, reached for the iron chain, gave it a shake, and inspected the connection between the iron chain and the tower body. He clapped his hands, saying, "At least this side is secure, deeply embedded into the wall."

Big Head nodded and took the lead in climbing over. As I handed him the flashlight to illuminate his path, I realized that despite his stout build and short legs, he displayed remarkable agility in critical moments, swiftly reaching the middle. He called out from there, "The chain is secure; come on over."

Han Sheng took the flashlight from me, instructing me to go next, while he guarded the rear. Trusting in his capabilities, I nodded and began climbing, with Li Xin and Laowan closely following.

The iron chain slanted down from the tower body, making the climb relatively effortless due to the inertia of the descent.

However, the darkness below was oppressive. Knowing that it was filled with corpses, I dared not look down, only eager to traverse it swiftly.

At that moment, a faint "click" reached my ears, and my heart skipped a beat. Hastily, I looked towards the sky. I had been concerned since descending that the Zhenling Platform surely had entrances for those peculiar birds to come and go. If those creatures approached now, it would be akin to dropping iron balls into our trousers, a heavy blow indeed.

Lying on the iron chain, I lifted my head for a few seconds, but could discern no signs of the strange birds emerging. Just as I was wondering where the sound had come from, Big Head suddenly toppled over, shouting anxiously, "Something is coming, hurry!"

However, Zhao Min wasn't as fortunate. Pressured by one bird, she took a step back, inadvertently stepping into the gap between the iron cables. Unable to regain her balance in time, she fell.

She looked at me with concern, urging, "Go on! Hurry!"

After hesitating for a moment, I gritted my teeth and rushed past her. She pushed me, and in my nervousness, I scolded her, "Woman, calm down a bit. Do you want to leave or not?"

Just as I finished speaking, a strange bird flapped its wings, landing in front of us. This time, I could clearly see its terrifying face, resembling a bat but uglier, with a mouth full of fangs. I had never seen such teeth on any carnivorous animal.

In a critical moment, Han Sheng launched an illuminating flare. The glaring white light, akin to daylight, startled the myriad strange birds, piercing the air with their shrill screams. The bird in front of us also retreated, flapping its wings.

Han Sheng rushed over, helping me up, and said, "Go, this is the last illuminating flare."

Right before we entered the thief hole, I instinctively turned around, catching a glimpse of a figure in the fading light of the flare. The person stood quietly beside the coffin.