klisemfg Chapter 356 A Life-or-Death Choice
Chapter 356 A Life-or-Death Choice
Chapter 356: A Life-or-Death Choice
The stone-armored behemoth lowered its head, its red eyes staring intently at Qiu Langyu and the other two, as if trying to see through their souls.
It let out a low growl from its throat, as if warning or thinking.
Seeing this, Zhao Wanqing mustered her courage and said:
"Hey, Brother Beast, we didn't mean to offend you, we were just swept here by a mudslide."
Her voice trembled slightly, but she tried to keep her tone calm.
Qiu Langyu reacted quickly and slowly put away the pistol he had just drawn.
"Brother Beast, we mean no harm."
He tried to make his tone sound sincere and calm.
"We had no intention of coming here, nor did we want to disturb you."
Xiao Wan, standing to the side, was even more anxious, gesturing frantically and nodding repeatedly:
"Yes, yes, senior beast, we're really unlucky! Please have mercy on us and let us go!"
She even knelt down, clasped her hands together, and made a pitiful face.
The stone-armored behemoth stared at them silently, seemingly judging the truthfulness of their words.
After a while, it slowly opened its mouth, revealing a row of gleaming white fangs, but showed no intention of attacking.
Immediately afterwards, an old voice came from the cave.
"You... are intruders?"
The sound was as harsh as the friction of rocks, yet it carried a hint of reason and authority.
Qiu Langyu was startled, realizing that this might be the cave master.
He took a deep breath and replied:
"Yes, senior, we were swept here by the mudslide and did not intend to invade your territory. We can leave here and will not cause you any trouble."
A silence fell over the cave.
The stone-armored behemoth squinted, scrutinizing them carefully.
After a long while, the old man's voice came from inside the cave again:
"Alright, I can let you go... but on one condition."
The three of them held their breath. Zhao Wanqing tentatively asked:
"What conditions?"
“There is a road to the north that can lead out, but it is also full of danger.”
"What danger?"
Qiu Langyu asked.
"If you have the courage, you can try. If you can pass the trial, you can walk out alive. Otherwise, you will either starve to death or become food for the divine beast."
"Mythical beast, come back!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the giant beast turned and walked deeper into the cave, leaving only a huge and blurry silhouette that disappeared into the darkness.
Qiu Langyu glanced at Zhao Wanqing and Xiao Wan with a complicated expression—this was not only an adventure, but also a life-or-death gamble.
Qiu Langyu, Zhao Wanqing, and Xiao Wan looked at each other and said, "Whether we live or die, let's give it our all."
Just as the three were about to head north, the stone-armored behemoth suddenly turned back and threw a bag of wild fruit in front of them.
That aged and deep voice echoed again from the cave:
"Eat something before you go on, and remember—never have any evil thoughts."
Qiu Langyu, Zhao Wanqing, and Xiao Wan exchanged glances, their hearts filled with doubt and gratitude.
They quickly opened the bag and found some wild fruits inside that emitted a faint fragrance.
Although it looks ordinary, it tastes sweet and immediately relieves hunger and thirst.
"Thank you, Senior Beast!"
Xiao Wan said sincerely, while bowing deeply to the giant beast.
The behemoth simply nodded and disappeared into the darkness once more.
After composing themselves, the three headed towards the north side of the cave.
The road ahead grew narrower, and the air was filled with a damp, rotten smell, mixed with a slight chill.
The deeper you go, the more bizarre and unpredictable the surrounding environment becomes.
They hadn't walked far when they came to a wide open space.
The open space was filled with stone pillars that shimmered with a faint light. Each pillar was engraved with different patterns, some resembling human faces, some like monsters, and some completely unrecognizable.
Suddenly, the entire space blurred, and countless phantoms emerged from the stone pillars, creating a chaotic scene.
There were figures crying out, wild beasts roaring, and even their own reflections mocking them.
"This is an illusion!"
Qiu Langyu shouted,
"Don't be fooled, focus!"
Zhao Wanqing held Xiao Wan's hand tightly and said firmly:
"No matter what we see, we must not separate!"
She closed her eyes, trying her best to block out any external interference.
The three held hands and, after some struggle, finally found the exit, and the phantoms vanished into thin air.
As you step inside, the scenery in the cave begins to change, transforming from monotonous rocks into a fantastical and eerie world.
They arrived at a glittering hall, surrounded by piles of gold, silver, jewels, and all sorts of rare and precious items, a sight to behold.
In the center stood a huge golden throne, inlaid with a dazzling sapphire, as if beckoning them.
"What...what is this?"
Xiao Wan couldn't help but exclaim in amazement, her eyes fixed on the treasures.
Qiu Langyu frowned and said warily:
"Be careful, this could be some kind of test."
Zhao Wanqing nodded and said softly:
"Legend has it that many trials test people's hearts with money and power. We must not be deceived."
However, at that moment, a deep voice rang out:
"These riches can change your destiny, if you are willing to take them with you."
Xiao Wan's heart wavered slightly, but she quickly became resolute again.
She turned to look at Qiu Langyu and Zhao Wanqing and said:
"We don't need these things. Our goal is to survive and find a way out!"
Qiu Langyu clenched his fist and responded firmly to the voice:
"We will not covet what does not belong to us. No matter how difficult things get, we will only rely on our own hard work to make a living."
The voice disappeared after a moment of silence, and the treasures gradually vanished, the hall returning to its ordinary state as a cave.
Continuing on, they came to the front of a bottomless canyon.
The only way to the other side is a rickety suspension bridge.
It is woven from several vines and makes a terrifying "creaking" sound with every step.
"What should we do?" Xiao Wan asked nervously.
Qiu Langyu took a deep breath and said:
"We have no choice but to grit our teeth and get through it. Be careful and take it slow."
Zhao Wanqing walked at the front, tentatively taking the first step.
The bridge beneath her feet swayed slightly, but she gritted her teeth and persevered.
Qiu Langyu and Xiao Wan followed closely behind, all three of them trying their best to maintain their balance and not daring to be careless in the slightest.
Just as they were about to reach the end, a gust of wind struck, causing the suspension bridge to shake violently and almost lifting them off the bridge.
Zhao Wanqing grabbed the rope and shouted:
"Hold on tight, don't let go, we can't leave each other behind!"
The three supported each other and finally reached the other side safely.
After passing through the canyon, they entered a crystal-clear ice cave.
Here, they saw a child meditating.
Beside him coiled a huge serpent, its entire body covered in silvery-white scales that shimmered under the light.
The child opened his cold eyes and stared at the three of them.
"Stop and answer my question."
The child said coldly, "Why have you come? If you answer incorrectly, you will stay here forever."
Zhao Wanqing took a deep breath and replied, "We came here in search of treasure."
The child squinted: "Then why didn't you take those treasures with you?"
Qiu Langyu said:
"Because those things don't belong to us, and what isn't ours, we can't take with us."
After a moment, the child slowly nodded and said:
"It's approved."
As this trial came to an end, a bright ray of light appeared at the end of the cave.
The three exchanged a smile, and despite their exhaustion, they continued walking as they entered another area.
This time, a beautiful garden appeared before me, with blooming flowers and birdsong filling the air, making me feel refreshed and relaxed.
What shocked them even more was that in the center of the garden, three stunningly beautiful women, dressed in revealing and sexy attire, were smiling at them.
Welcome!
One of the women said softly.
"You all look exhausted, don't you? Why don't you stay here, with beautiful women and fine wine, and forget all your troubles?"
Qiu Langyu's face instantly turned red: "This place doesn't belong to me."
Zhao Wanqing stood alertly in front and whispered to Qiu Langyu:
"None of those three are as pretty as me, ignore them."
Qiu Langyu nodded, his gaze firm as he addressed the three beauties:
"Thank you for your kindness, but we have more important things to do. We cannot abandon our responsibilities for a moment of pleasure."
Upon hearing this, the smiles of the three beauties gradually faded, and one of them said coldly:
"In that case, I wish you good luck."
As soon as he finished speaking, the garden turned into a dark cave again, and the three of them breathed a sigh of relief.
To be continued in the next chapter!