Chapter 278: Layer 2: The Path of Resilience (Rewrite)

The crowd heard that and instantly turned their heads toward the direction Lin Yifan pointed!

Sure enough, the wall that had been covered with mysterious patterns had now split open with a crack.

The crack wasn't large, but it was enough for a person to pass through!

Now the situation here has become increasingly dangerous; many Survivors are already wounded, and if we keep going like this, we'll just be wasted away to death.

So the group immediately followed Lin Yifan's suggestion and rushed toward the crack.

Yin Mian's short blade shot out like lightning, Aieriliya's slender sword traced an elegant yet lethal arc, and Lin Yifan's Great Axe swung down with massive force.

The three led the charge, forcing everyone through the tentacle assault until they reached the crack.

"Attack together!" Lin Yifan shouted.

The crack was still a bit too small; letting thousands pass would take an unknown amount of time.

Therefore, widening the crack is the best solution!

The three struck simultaneously; under the heavy blows the crack quickly widened, finally collapsing with a roar and revealing a narrow passage.

"There's actually a passage here?" Lin Yifan said in surprise.

Because this passage wasn't the flesh-and-blood wall outside, but was constructed with materials like those used for a lounge.

No one knows where this passage leads!

But at this moment, he couldn't afford to think that much!

First, escape to the heavens!

The instant his body fully entered the passage, the suppressive feeling of the Demon-Restricting Domain vanished abruptly.

Familiar magical energy flowed anew within him, and Lin Yifan, without hesitation, turned and activated the Eternal Freeze Domain, sealing the entire passage entrance in ice.

"Temporarily safe..." he panted.

The passage was pitch black, but most people carried personal space gear that stored some emergency supplies.

So soon many pulled out flashlights to illuminate the passage.

Leaning against the damp wall, Lin Yifan's chest rose and fell violently; after calming for a while, he looked toward the end of the passage he had just stared at:

"Where does this passage lead?"

Yin Mian pondered briefly: "If I recall correctly, this should be a maintenance tunnel left from the construction of Heroes Tower, leading to the second layer, but the tower is now corrupted, so this maintenance tunnel may have changed as well."

"We have no retreat now; wherever this road leads, we can only move forward," Lin Yifan inhaled deeply and said decisively.

"Everyone, follow me quickly. My ice sealing skill only lasts for a while; it will melt soon, so we must leave this place promptly."

At this point, over three thousand who entered the tower with Lin Yifan had already suffered heavy losses, and the danger here was evident to all.

Therefore, at this moment, no one dared to dissent!

Some moved along the narrow passage, and in the darkness only rapid breaths and noisy footsteps echoed.

After about ten minutes of walking, an upward staircase appeared ahead.

"We should be close," Yin Mian said after pausing, looking at the steps and hesitating a moment.

"If nothing goes wrong, this leads up to the second layer, but you must be prepared; the entire tower is a living thing, and no one knows whether the path ahead is a trap."

"Moreover, even if this is the second layer, since you haven't destroyed the first layer's core, according to Heroes Tower's rules, failing to destroy the previous layer's core doubles the difficulty of the next layer."

"Each layer's challenge mode differs, but one thing is clear: the higher the layer, the more dangerous, and with double difficulty, the second layer is bound to be extremely perilous."

At that point, Yin Mian turned to Lin Yifan and said solemnly:

"Honestly, even I don't know if I can make it through the second layer. Are you really sure you want to try?"

"If we turn back now, I still have the ability to get you out of the tower, but once we enter the second layer, I truly won't be able to help you."

"We won't turn back!"

Lin Yifan gripped his weapon tightly, his expression resolute as he said, "Others may not know, but I don't want to accept fate like this. Even if I must die, I will do so willingly, so regardless of what others think, I am definitely going to give it a try."

Princess Aieriliya, standing beside him, now showed a determined expression:

"I won't retreat either. The 300 I brought are elite of the Dawn Alliance and also warriors of my Nature Spirit Tribe; if we all fall here, I cannot answer the Alliance nor my people."

"So as long as I'm alive, I will lead them out!"

As for the other Survivors, which of those who have survived this far isn't mentally steadfast?

At this moment, everyone understood the life-or-death crisis.

But from the moment they entered the tower, they had already made their decision!

Thus now no one hesitated; all pressed forward unwaveringly.

Yin Mian glanced at them, the corner of his masked mouth lifting slightly: "Your unwavering advance impresses me; I wish you good luck."

Having said that, he was the first to step onto the stairs, his figure gradually merging into the darkness.

Lin Yifan and Aieriliya exchanged a glance, followed closely, and stepped onto the stairs leading to the second layer.

Perhaps ahead lies an unobstructed path to life, or perhaps a lamb walking into a tiger's mouth.

No one knows what lies at the end of this road.

But at this moment, everyone's steps were unwavering.

Yet as the stairs rose, the group suddenly noticed the steps had changed!

What had been a straight upward staircase now became a massive spiral staircase.

What truly sent chills down everyone's spine was that the previous stairs were built from white Stone, but now the spiral staircase had turned into a flesh-and-blood stair.

The constantly shifting vessels, trembling flesh, and the overwhelming stench made everyone want to retreat.

At that moment, Yin Mian hurriedly shouted:

"Do not retreat! No one retreat! Absolutely do not retreat, or bear the consequences yourself!"

"What would happen if we retreat?" Lin Yifan halted, his brow furrowed as he asked.

"We would die!" Yin Mian said coldly:

I have just remembered what this place is; this is the Second Stage, and the spiral staircase before you was once called the Path of Endurance. Only those who brave the tower and pass through the Path of Endurance can reach the Third Level.

The Path of Endurance has one rule: you may not retreat. Anyone who steps back is eliminated. Now this place has become like this; the punishment will certainly be more than mere elimination—most likely it will cost you your lives.

Therefore on these steps, everyone can only press forward upward, climbing until they reach the summit exit!