Chapter 838 "Signal in the Dark"

Qin Feng led the team out of the basement, and the cold wind seemed to remind them that the battle was not over yet. Although the rune was successfully sealed, everyone knew that this was just a part of a bigger conspiracy.

"I'm increasingly suspicious that the dark forces are deliberately luring us into taking the bait step by step." Zhang Meng broke the silence, stretching his muscles and muttering, "Every time we solve one problem, another one pops up."

"Don't you like fighting?" Ye Li smiled, and her hand on the bow and arrow relaxed slightly, "Are you finding it troublesome now?"

"There's a difference between liking to fight and constantly being in trouble." Zhang Meng shrugged, then said proudly, "But I still think I can handle any trouble."

"Stop bragging." Li Xiao said coldly, "The real enemy has not yet revealed itself, and we don't know what we will face next."

"Do you think the next enemy will be stronger?" Chu Tian asked with a frown. He was still frightened by the dark power in the basement.

"It will definitely happen." Qin Feng said firmly, "We have sealed two runes. The source of the dark power may be watching us in a corner. Every time we get closer to the truth, the enemy's counterattack will be more fierce."

"It sounds like we are playing some kind of dangerous game." Zhang Meng frowned, looking a little unhappy, but his will to fight was still strong. "But I am not afraid. I am Zhang Meng, the warrior who rushes to the front!"

"If you ask me, what we need to do next is to find the real core." Ye Li whispered, "These runes are the key, but the power behind them is more important."

"The question is, how do we find the core?" Li Xiao pondered. "The palace has already investigated all the underground passages and ruins. Where else can we go?"

Qin Feng smiled slightly, with a glimmer of wisdom in his eyes, "We haven't really investigated the entire royal capital yet."

"The entire capital?" Zhang Meng's eyes widened. "Are you saying we have to search for runes in every corner of the city? That will take a lot of time!"

"Not necessarily." Qin Feng shook his head. "I have a feeling that the source of the dark power is not on the ground, but somewhere we can't see - perhaps we need to re-examine the underground structure of this city."

"Underground?" Ye Li pondered, her eyes gradually becoming firm, "You mean, the power behind the runes is hidden deeper underground, or even in the abandoned tunnels under the city?"

"That's right." Qin Feng nodded. "I have checked some ancient records. There is an ancient underground tunnel system under the capital that has long been forgotten. They used to be a refuge, or they may be a secret passage left by an ancient civilization."

"Then we have to look for these tunnels," Chu Tian said, "but if they have been abandoned for many years, how can we get in?"

"Don't worry, there are some hidden entrances in the old city of the royal capital." Qin Feng smiled, "We just need to find the right entrance."

“Old town?” Zhang Meng’s mouth twitched. “Every time you mention a place, it’s not a pleasant place.”

"Then get used to it, Zhang Meng." Li Xiao said calmly, "Exploration always brings danger."

Soon after, they set out for the old city of the capital. As the sun set, the narrow streets of the old city became more gloomy. This place had long been forgotten by modern buildings, and the dilapidated houses and deep alleys formed a depressing maze.

"This place looks like a haunted place." Zhang Meng looked around at the dilapidated houses, his mouth twitching unconsciously, "I don't like this atmosphere at all."

"I don't like it either." Ye Li clenched the bow, "But the worse the atmosphere is, the closer we are to our goal."

"Qin Feng, where is the entrance we are looking for?" Li Xiao asked, his eyes constantly scanning the surroundings, ready to deal with potential dangers at any time.

"The entrance is hidden in the cellar of an abandoned building." Qin Feng said as he walked, holding an ancient map in his hand, "The underground structure of this city is extremely complex, but if we find the right place, we should be able to enter the underground tunnel."

“This sounds like a treasure hunt,” Zhang Meng muttered, “but I don’t want to run into anything.”

"Even if there is a ghost, it may not scare you." Ye Li chuckled.

Suddenly, a low sound of footsteps came from the front, breaking the silence of the old city.

"Someone is coming!" Chu Tian whispered nervously and quickly hid behind the wall.

The team stopped immediately and quietly hid in the shadows. The footsteps were getting closer and closer, and several figures slowly walked out of the alley. They were wearing black robes, and there was a strange red light in their eyes.

"These people don't look like ordinary citizens." Zhang Meng lowered his voice.

"They are followers of the dark forces." Qin Feng whispered, with a glimmer of calmness in his eyes, "They may have noticed that we are looking for underground tunnels."

"What should we do? Kill them?" Zhang Meng clenched his weapon, eager to try.

"Not yet." Li Xiao said calmly, "We can follow them and see if they will lead us to some important place."

"Not a bad idea." Qin Feng nodded, "Let's follow them first and keep our distance."

Several people quietly followed the black-robed men and walked into the deeper alleys of the old city. The black-robed men walked with steady steps, as if they were very familiar with the terrain here.

"There must be something wrong with these guys." Ye Li whispered, "Their actions are too purposeful."

"Yes, their goal is very clear." Qin Feng responded softly, "We just need to keep a sufficient distance and see where they will take us."

Finally, the men in black robes stopped in front of an abandoned building. They pushed open the dilapidated door and entered the interior of the building.

"This is the place we are looking for." Qin Feng said in a low voice, with a hint of determination in his eyes.

"Then shall we go in now?" Zhang Meng asked excitedly, obviously unable to wait.

"Wait a minute." Li Xiao said coldly, "We can't act rashly. Let's see what they are doing in there first."

Several people quietly approached the building and peered in through the dilapidated window. The man in the black robe was fiddling with something on the floor in the center of the room, seemingly opening a hidden entrance. As the floor was opened, a dark passage leading underground appeared in front of them.

"Underground tunnel." Qin Feng whispered, with a gleam in his eyes, "They really know the entrance."

"Then can we follow them in now?" Zhang Meng rubbed his hands together, his eyes full of desire to fight.

"Okay." Qin Feng nodded, "But stay alert. The followers of the dark forces cannot be unprepared."

Several people quietly walked into the building and followed the entrance opened by the black-robed man into the underground tunnel. The tunnel was filled with a damp smell, and the walls were engraved with ancient runes, as if recording some forgotten history.

"The atmosphere here is even more gloomy than I imagined." Zhang Meng frowned and said in a low voice.

"The gloom is just the beginning." Qin Feng's eyes were sharp, "We are approaching the core of the dark power."

As they went deeper, a low chanting sound suddenly came from the tunnel ahead. The sound was full of strange power, as if summoning some terrifying existence.

"They are performing some kind of ritual." Li Xiao said in a low voice, looking alert.

"It seems we have to interrupt their ceremony." Zhang Meng clenched his weapon, eager to try.

"Prepare for battle." Qin Feng said coldly, "This will be a tough battle."

As they approached, the chanting of the black-robed man became more intense, and the dark power in the underground tunnel began to surge. The battle was about to begin, and they finally uncovered the tip of the iceberg of this conspiracy.