Chapter 339: Exploring the Dangerous Fortress: Fear and Delight

"Not good..." Zhang Cheng's words hadn't finished when the fortress's seemingly smooth metal wall suddenly cracked, countless laser beams interweaving into a death net that enveloped everyone.

Xingji Xiake reacted instantly, grabbing the nearby Xingling xue zhe and rolling aside, barely evading the lethal strike.

"Damn it, this cursed place is full of traps!" he muttered, the energy blade in his hand flaring with dazzling light, splitting the laser beam aimed at Guangming Shizhe in two.

The group proceeded cautiously along the direction indicated by Xingyun Zhizhe, each step feeling like treading on thin ice.

Inside the fortress, the passages were a tangled maze, and the mechanical traps were virtually impossible to avoid.

Pressure plates on the floor, infrared sensors on the walls, and even invisible energy fluctuations in the air could trigger lethal attacks with the slightest misstep.

"Swoosh!" a laser beam shot out from a hidden corner, whizzing past Zhang Cheng's ear and leaving a charred mark on the metal wall behind him.

Cold sweat slid down Zhang Cheng's forehead; he took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm.

Suddenly, a sour‑tingling metallic grinding sound rang out, the walls on both sides of the passage slowly opened, and a horde of grotesque mechanical beasts surged out, glinting with cold metal sheen.

"Kill!" Xingji Xiake roared, leaping forward first, his energy blade splitting into afterimages that clashed with the metal claws of the mechanical beasts, sparking dazzlingly.

Ma Ke followed closely, his energy cannon booming as it blasted a mechanical beast into fragments.

However, the sheer number of these mechanical beasts was overwhelming, and their shells were unusually hard, making even Xingji Xiake's and Ma Ke's attacks struggle to inflict fatal damage.

In the heat of battle, a mechanical beast's claw struck Xingji Xiake's chest hard, sending him flying and crashing heavily onto the ground.

"Xiake!"……

Guangming Shizhe saw this, darted a step to Xingji Xiake's side, her eyes filled with worry.

She lifted her hand lightly, a sphere of gentle holy light enveloping Xingji Xiake, warm energy slowly flowing into his body, repairing the damaged chassis.

"Xiake, how are you?" she asked anxiously, yet with a barely perceptible tenderness.

Xingji Xiake struggled to sit up, feeling the warmth conveyed by Guangming Shizhe, a surge of heat rising in his heart, and grinned, "It's fine, just a minor wound." He boldly patted his chest, trying to rise and continue fighting, but let out a muted hum and his face turned slightly pallid.

The fierce battle raged on, mechanical beasts surged like a tide, Ma Ke's energy cannon roared continuously, and Li li's ethereal form darted across the battlefield, each flash snuffing out a mechanical beast's life.

However, the sheer number of mechanical beasts was overwhelming, and the group gradually felt powerless.

At that moment, Xingling xue zhe suddenly shouted, "I've found it! These mechanical beasts are controlled by a signal source inside the fortress; if we disrupt that source, they will cease attacking!" He pointed at a device deep in the passage that pulsed with red light, his tone urgent, "But the energy fluctuations around that device are extremely intense; I need someone to cover me!"

"Leave the covering task to me!" Xingji Xiake, gritting through the pain, rose again, his energy blade bursting with even brighter light.

"Guangming Shizhe, protect Xingling xue zhe!"

The fight flared to a white‑hot climax again, Xingji Xiake becoming a steel barrier before Xingling xue zhe, slashing every approaching mechanical beast one by one.

Guangming Shizhe stood guard beside Xingling xue zhe, providing him with healing and support.

Finally, Xingling xue zhe completed the calibration of the signal‑jamming device and pressed the activation button.

The red glow vanished instantly, and the previously frenzied mechanical beasts abruptly halted, standing rigidly in place.

The group exhaled a long breath, and before they could celebrate, a heavy footfall echoed from deep within the passage, the floor trembling slightly.

"What was that sound?" A li's face changed, and he nervously looked toward the depths of the passage.

"It seems... something huge is coming..." Ma Ke's voice also trembled slightly.

Deep in the passage, a massive shadow slowly materialized, accompanied by a spine‑tingling metallic grinding sound…

The alien scientist Ka Er adjusted his glasses and muttered, "This... this is impossible..."

The metallic grinding grew nearer, and the light deep in the passage dimmed further.

A colossal behemoth slowly emerged before them—a war machine ten meters tall, its whole body jet‑black, shimmering with cold metallic luster.

Its weapon system was already online, the barrel flashing with dangerous light, seemingly ready to fire at any moment.

"Oh my..." A li was so frightened he collapsed onto the ground, his face as pale as paper.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here!" Xingji Xiake stepped forward, his energy blade erupting in dazzling light, ready to confront the steel behemoth.

"Wait!" alien scientist Ka Er shouted suddenly, "Let me try!" He pulled a strangely shaped device from his backpack and began operating it swiftly.

"What are you doing?" Zhang Cheng asked.

"Disrupt its control system!" Ka Er replied without looking up.

As Ka Er worked, the war machine's movements grew sluggish, and its flickering lights became unstable.

"Got it!" Ka Er shouted excitedly.

At that moment, a figure suddenly flashed past the group, moving at astonishing speed.

Before anyone could react, a scream rang out, and the jamming device in Xingling xue zhe's hand was snatched away!

"Who is it?" the group looked toward the voice, and saw a skinny, pointed‑eared figure standing at the far end of the passage, clutching Xingling xue zhe's jamming device, a sly grin on its face.

"Pointed‑ear thief Tuo Mu!" Xingji Xiake instantly recognized the infamous thief, "Hand over the item!"

Tuo Mu ignored Xingji Xiake's warning entirely, instead pointing the jamming device at the group, "Want it? Then come and take it!" He flickered his form and vanished into the passage's shadows.

"Chase!" Zhang Cheng ordered, and the group immediately gave pursuit.

Tuo Mu moved nimbly, constantly darting through the fortress's passages, evading the group's chase.

He would appear atop heights one moment, then slip into darkness the next, like a cunning rat, impossible to pin down.

"Damn, he got away!" Xingji Xiake slammed a fist into the wall, saying angrily.

Suddenly, Li li's eyes flashed with a keen light... "I've found him."

Li li's delicate fingers trembled slightly, her eyes shimmering with a ghostly blue psionic glow, while an odd energy ripple permeated the air.

She locked onto Tuo Mu's psionic trail, a visible blue beam shooting from her fingertip, striking the shadow where Tuo Mu was hiding.

"There!" Li li shouted, and Ma Ke, like an arrow released, surged forward, his heavy footsteps echoing through the metal passage.

Tuo Mu hadn't time to react before Ma Ke's powerful arm clamped him firmly, immobilizing him.

The jamming device was reclaimed, and the group let out a sigh of relief.

Zhang Cheng approached the subdued Tuo Mu, his tone icy: "Tell me, who sent you? What secret does this fortress conceal?"

Tuo Mu struggled a few times but couldn't break free of Ma Ke's hold; a sly grin spread across his face: "Want to know? I won't tell you!"

"If you won't drink the toast, you'll drink the penalty!" Xingji Xiake roared, about to step forward and punish Tuo Mu.

"Wait!" Zhang Cheng stopped Xingji Xiake, "Since he refuses to speak, then we'll force him to speak!"

At that moment, Tom's face suddenly changed, his eyes filled with fear, he trembled as he said: "I… I know a secret… a secret about the mysterious employer… inside this fortress…"

Before he could finish speaking, a black energy bolt suddenly descended from the sky and instantly pierced Tom's body.

Tom let out a miserable scream, his body turned to ash and vanished into the air.

Everyone was stunned; this sudden change caught them off guard.

"Who is it?!" Xingji Xiake roared, but got no response.

The air was filled with a strange atmosphere; everyone looked at each other, their hearts full of doubt.

What exactly is hidden behind this?

Who is this mysterious employer, exactly?

Zhang Cheng's gaze fell on the spot where Tom had disappeared, his eyes deep: "It seems we must go deep inside the fortress to find the answer…"

The Guangming Envoy walked up beside Zhang Cheng, gently took his hand, giving him silent support.

Xingyun Zhizhe pushed up his glasses and said in a low voice: "According to Tom's hint before his death, this secret is likely…" He pointed toward a direction deep inside the fortress, "There."

Zhang Cheng took a deep breath, his eyes firm: "Let's set out!"