Chapter 613: Passage Ambush

The cave mouth slopes downward.

At first it was a roughly hewn stone staircase.

It quickly turned into a naturally formed, damp and steep rock fissure.

The darkness was thick as ink.

Only scattered patches of fluorescent moss, pre‑placed by Old Zhao, glowed with an extremely faint greenish light.

Barely outlining the twisting downward passage.

The air was damp and icy cold.

It carried an ever‑more obvious sensation, as if countless tiny needles were simultaneously pricking the skin—a "repulsion".

This was an invisible force field generated by the mutual squeezing and friction of the two worlds' rules near a "weak point".

The deeper one went, the stronger this feeling became.

An ordinary person would already be splitting‑headed and unable to move a step.

But Chen Wen's steps were steady.

It likewise greatly strengthened his ability to adapt to and resist abnormal environments.

To him, that needle‑like repulsion was no more than a breeze on the face.

He adjusted his breathing.

The unique "rhythm" within him, sourced from the system, flowed slowly, silently resonating with and canceling the omnipresent rule‑repulsion around him.

Thus he could walk through this passage that should have been arduous as if on level ground.

He descended about seventy or eighty zhang.

The terrain eased slightly.

A relatively open space appeared ahead, like a cavern hall.

The light here was even dimmer.

Only a few sparse clusters of fluorescent moss.

Yet in the center of the hall floated a soft, steady, constantly pulsing milky‑white halo.

Within the halo, faintly visible were intricate, light‑made three‑dimensional geometric patterns slowly rotating.

This was the core of Old Zhao's "Light Curtain Stabilizing Device".

It functioned like an anchor.

It temporarily "pinned" the violent rule turbulence here.

Behind the halo.

A "boundary" that the naked eye could hardly observe directly, but was crystal clear in perception, stretched across there.

Like an undercurrent beneath the water surface.

Twisting.

Undulating.

It exuded a heart‑pounding aura of space being forcibly torn apart and then stuck together.

That was the light curtain.

The dividing line between the two worlds.

Passing through it would return one to the Chen Dynasty.

Chen Wen stopped his steps.

He did not rush toward that cluster of halo.

His gaze calmly swept every corner of this "hall".

"Shi Yong" fully activated.

Like invisible radar ripples, it carefully probed every inch of rock, every patch of shadow.

It was too quiet.

Apart from the low, inaudible hum emitted by the stabilizer,

and the faint "noise" of the light curtain's own rules,

there was no other sound.

Not even the usual dripping or wind sounds of an underground cavern.

This "cleanliness" itself felt eerie.

Chen Wen stood in place, waiting about ten breaths.

Then.

He stepped forward.

The moment his foot landed.

An abrupt change!

From the shadows on the hall's surrounding rock walls.

Silently and without a trace.

Twelve figures slid out.

They seemed to have always been one with the shadows.

Appearing without any omen.

Their attire resembled the grey riders encountered outside Luoyang City before, but tighter‑fitting and… less human.

Dark‑gray full‑body armor covered fine, insect‑exoskeleton‑like patterns that barely reflected the weak fluorescence.

Their faces were completely covered; only the eye areas were two deep, lustreless black crystals.

No breathing sound.

No heartbeat sound (at least Chen Wen couldn't hear it).

Even lacking the "warmth" that a living being should emit.

Only a thick, un-dissipable chill, pure and existing solely for slaughter.

Iron Crow Army.

Elite Shades.

Moreover, it is a model specially tailored for combat in such a high-regulation exclusion environment.

The positions where they appear are extremely particular.

They happen to block off all the main angles through which Chen Wen can reach the light curtain.

Faintly forming a deadly encirclement formation.

Their movements are neat and uniform.

Like puppets on strings controlled by the same consciousness.

Twelve strangely shaped short blades, their edges emanating a dark blue ghostly light, simultaneously pop out from their gauntlets.

No nonsense.

No warning.

As the echo of Chen Wen's footfall landing has not yet faded.

Twelve gray shadows.

They moved!

Fast!

So fast that in the dim light they almost dragged out a blurred afterimage!

They did not rush in all at once.

But came in waves.

The first three shades charged from the front, their short blades stabbing straight at Chen Wen's upper, middle, and lower vital points.

The angles were tricky, and they coordinated seamlessly.

Another three flanked from left and right, blocking off dodging space.

The final six, like phantoms, leapt into the air or clung to the walls, launching assaults from above and behind.

The attacks almost covered all directions, all angles.

Moreover, the timing was exquisitely precise down to the finest detail.

This displayed tactical proficiency and killing instinct far beyond that of ordinary troops.

Even if it were an ordinary martial commander—say, someone of the caliber of Yue Fei or Lin Chong—suddenly falling into such a siege would likely panic, resulting in either death or injury.

But.

Chen Wen is not an ordinary martial commander.

He is a Level 5 "Variable".

He is the target that the Iron Crow Army has painstakingly sought to eliminate.

At the very moment the shades activated.

Chen Wen also moved.

He did not retreat.

He did not block.

He didn't even glance at the deadly blade lights coming from different directions.

He simply.

Slightly turned his body sideways.

He unleashed his own 32-fold capacity.

Without reservation.

Instantly erupted!

Not bestowed upon others.

But applied to himself!

Boom!

An intangible "field", centered on him, surged outward in all directions!

Not an energy shock.

But the absolute control brought about by pushing speed and perception to the extreme!

In his field of vision.

Those twelve gray shadows, as fast as lightning.

Their movements suddenly became "slow".

The trajectory of each attack.

The minute changes in the exertion of each shade's muscles (or similar structure).

Even the undulations of the ghostly light flowing on the short blades in their hands.

Are all crystal clear, vividly before his eyes.

His thought speed, moreover, surged to a terrifying degree.

In the flash of lightning and spark.

He had already calculated all the landing points of the twelve attacks, their subsequent changes, and the optimal counterattack route.

Then.

He moved.

The movement was simple.

Direct.

Efficient.

He turned sideways, letting the three short blades that arrived first from the front pass.

His left hand shot out like electricity.

Not to grab the blade.

But he precisely gripped the wrist of the first Shade holding a blade.

32x strength crushing!

Crack!

A bone‑crunching sound (or similar supporting structure) shattering.

The blade emanating dark light flew from his hand.

Chen Wen flicked his wrist; the seized short blade turned into a dark‑blue stream of light, which he threw backhand.

Pfft!

It sank precisely into the black crystal on the face of a Shade on the left side about to pounce.

The crystal shattered.

That Shade's movement froze, and it fell straight backward.

At the same time.

Chen Wen used his right foot as a pivot, his body spinning half‑turn like a top.

His right elbow, carrying terrifying wind pressure, heavily struck the ribs of a Shade on the right side.

Bang!

A dull sound like striking leather.

That Shade's whole body bent at an unnatural arc, flying sideways like a cannonball, heavily striking the rock wall.

The rock cracked.

The Shade slid down, motionless thereafter.

The short blades of the two other Shades in front have arrived.

Chen Wen did not dodge or avoid.

Both hands moved together.

Five fingers like hooks.

He actually seized the two blades' extremely sharp, yu‑energy‑infused edges!

The Shade mechanically exerted force, trying to twist or retract.

Not moving a bit.

Chen Wen's eyes flashed a cold light.

Both arms exerted force.

Pure strength under 32× enhancement, like an awakening barbarian dragon.

Hey!

Two metal‑twisting sounds that made the heart palpitate.

Those two specially material short blades were actually twisted by him barehanded into a braid!

Following the momentum, he pulled.

The two Shades were involuntarily pulled close.

Chen Wen thrust his forehead forward violently!

Thud!

Like a heavy hammer beating a drum.

Struck squarely the faceplate of a Shade.

The faceplate dented.

The black crystal shattered.

The Shade's head tilted back, it fell limp to the ground.

Another Shade reacted extremely quickly, dropped the blade, its arm armor shot out several sharp bone spikes, stabbing straight into Chen Wen's waist and abdomen.

Chen Wen released his grip, stepped sideways.

Let the bone spikes pass.

His right hand's fingers together like a knife.

With a piercing sound of breaking air.

He fiercely chopped at the junction of the opponent's neck.

Crack!

The neck bone (or similar structure) snapped in response.

The Shade collapsed.

At this moment.

The attacks from six Shades from above and behind just arrived.

Chen Wen's figure flickered.

He seemed to instantly split into three afterimages.

In the narrow space, he executed a near‑humanly impossible, inertia‑defying swift turn and reversal.

He narrowly avoided every attacking blade and bone spur.

At the same time.

His fists, elbows, knees, feet…

Every part of his body became a deadly weapon.

Each strike.

Each was accompanied by a muffled crack of breaking bone or the sharp screech of twisting metal.

There were no flashy moves.

Only absolute speed.

Absolute strength.

Absolute precision.

Under the absolute advantage of 32‑times efficiency.

These meticulously prepared ambushes, strong enough to wipe out an elite squad in an instant, were elite shadows.

They appeared… clumsy.

Fragile.

In less than five breaths.

Twelve shadows.

Nine had already fallen.

Three remained, seemingly having received some order.

Suddenly they ceased their attack.

They swiftly retreated.

Attempting to melt back into the shadows.

"Want to leave?"

Chen Wen let out a cold snort.

He kicked up with his foot.

A perfect shadow short blade on the ground sprang into his hand.

Without even looking.

He flicked his wrist.

The short blade turned into three streaks of cold light that almost merged into one.

He shot them at the three retreating shadows.

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

The blade tips precisely slipped into the gaps in their armor where neck meets torso.

The three gray shadows stiffened all at once.

They collapsed to the ground.

Twitched twice.

Then fell still.

Inside the hall.

Silence returned.

Only a thick, unfathomable chill lingered in the air, along with a faint, strange odor like burnt metal.

Chen Wen stood in place.

He slightly steadied his breath.

Although the fight was brief, he had instantaneously unleashed 32‑times power while facing twelve elite shadows, and the cost was not small.

His coarse cotton robe now bore several tears from blade winds.

Yet his skin underneath was unharmed.

He had barely broken a sweat.

He looked around.

He gazed at the shadow corpses strewn across the floor.

His eyes were icy.

"As expected, there was an ambush."

"It seems the news of my eastward return has still been leaked."

"Or perhaps the Iron Crow Army has simply stationed troops at every possible passage."

He delayed no further.

He stepped forward.

He walked toward the stable milky‑white halo at the hall's center.

The halo gently enveloped him.

It dispelled the lingering chill and slight discomfort from the surrounding repulsion.

He reached out his hand.

He touched the distorted, undulating "boundary" beyond the halo.

It was like plunging his hand into thick, icy water.

A strong suction force came.

Chen Wen did not resist.

He went forward with the momentum.

He took a step forward.

(His) figure.

As if erased by an invisible eraser.

Completely disappeared within the boundary where light halo and darkness intertwined.

Inside the hall.

Only the continuous low hum emitted by the stabilizing device remained.

And.

The wraith remnants all over the ground gradually lost vitality, began to slowly "melt," turning into black viscous liquid.

Proving the brief yet deadly clash that had just occurred.

It was not an illusion.