Chapter 248

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Chapter 248: Tunnel Squad
Zhang Mu and the mutated wolfhound always kept a distance of about five meters from each other. Even though the mutated wolfhound controlled itself a bit below, the taste of eating dirt was definitely not pleasant.
When Zhang Mu estimated that they were about fifteen miles away from Luo Yang City, suddenly the noise ahead stopped. As they approached, they discovered that the mutated wolfhound had collapsed in front of a stone wall and was not moving.
Oh no, oh no, could it be that it’s exhausted? It was fine just now, boasting that there was no problem, but now it seemed to have run out of energy halfway.
Zhang Mu saw a strange mutated wolfhound crouching with its head down. He walked over and realized the wolfhound was sniffing something, not just being lazy.
Zhang Mu was curious now. He went up to the wolfhound and asked, “What did you find?”
The mutated wolfhound quietly growled towards Yuan Rui’s shoulder where an Obsidian Beetle was perched. The beetle flew over slowly and circled around the wolfhound before communicating with Zhang Mu. “The dog says there’s a strange smell here, it feels a bit off, so it stopped digging.”
Zhang Mu frowned slightly and asked the Obsidian Beetle, “Are you saying there are mutated creatures living twelve meters underground?”
The Obsidian Beetle mocked Zhang Mu, “Forget twelve meters, even at twenty meters, two hundred meters underground, there’s a good chance of mutated creatures existing. I caught a whiff of something earlier, just checking if its energy fluctuations would affect us.”
The mutated wolfhound couldn’t gauge the owner of the scent’s strength. It glanced at Zhang Mu and was about to resume digging the tunnel. It was very sensitive to danger, but clearly, the scent posed no threat, so it decided to ignore it.
Zhang Mu couldn’t make any judgment because he didn’t even know what the scent that Obsidian Beetle and the others were talking about was. All he could smell was the earthy odor, and he felt like his sense of smell was failing him.
Just as the mutated wolfhound was about to start digging again, the Obsidian Beetle suddenly flashed and pressed the wolfhound’s head down, preventing it from moving. Initially startled, the wolfhound tried to resist, but the beetle communicated a message to it, causing it to quiet down and lie still on the ground.
Zhang Mu was about to speak when the Obsidian Beetle sent a message through their soul connection, signaling him to keep quiet.
“Above us, there are lots of animals staying still, and I sense a second-rank scent at a distance of twelve meters. Although there are rocks blocking us, I don’t know if the energy waves will be detected. For now, stay quiet and don’t move.”
Zhang Mu gestured for Yuan Rui and the two of them to crouch down, trying to stay quiet and keep their energy stable.
Indeed, there’s a second-rank mutated animal nearby, just twelve meters away behind the rocks. Even without it making a move, with dozens of minions by its side, Zhang Mu and the others could easily be trapped, cornered in this tunnel.
The Obsidian Beetle also restrained its scent, not daring to use the power of wind element, quietly sticking to Zhang Mu’s back.
The cave was very quiet, not knowing why the mutated animals on the surface remained stationary.
Could it be that they’ve been discovered?
Cold sweat slowly dripped from Zhang Mu’s forehead, this possibility wasn’t nonexistent. What if the second-rank mutated animal above happened to be of earth element, extremely sensitive to changes in the earth element, detecting abnormalities underground.
Because the Obsidian Beetle stopped supplying natural wind, coupled with the mutated wolfhound requiring a large amount of oxygen, the lack of oxygen in this cramped space had begun to show, with the heavy breathing of the few people becoming more pronounced.
“Can we release a bit of natural wind?” Zhang Mu looked at Yuan Rui and saw them struggling, asking the Obsidian Beetle if it could release a bit of the wind element’s power.
Unexpectedly, the Obsidian Beetle firmly refused Zhang Mu, saying, “Don’t have any hope of luck. My hiding technique relies on not using energy, maintaining a stable breath. Releasing even a bit of wind element will disrupt this balance. I don’t know if it will be detected, but if it is, many of us won’t be able to fight effectively.
Fighting outside might be possible, but in such a narrow space, combined with the disadvantage of being attacked from above, we will surely lose, no need to think too much about it.
Releasing a bit or releasing all is the same, it disrupts the balance. Just a little force is enough.”
Zhang Mu stopped speaking, realizing it was not the right time yet. What the Obsidian Beetle said was correct.
Just as Hao Hao’s face turned pale with anger, Zhang Mu decided it was time to take a risk. The Obsidian Beetle suddenly opened up natural wind, freeing everyone. It looked at Zhang Mu with surprise and said, “Don’t look at me. The animal group above has dispersed, and the second-rank mutated beast king has left.”
“Gone? Great, if it lingers any longer, I’ll have to prepare for battle.” Zhang Mu patted the mutated wolfhound’s head, saying, “Let’s keep going. We still have half the journey to go. The time we waited just now is almost a third of the time from the start to halfway point.”
The Obsidian Beetle shook its wings slightly and harshly exposed what Zhang Mu had said earlier, “Battle? To have a battle, we need equal strength. With thousands of mutated beasts plus at least one second-rank king, our small group is like a snack. You should think twice.”
Luckily, the Obsidian Beetle couldn’t speak, it just mocked Zhang Mu through the soul connection. Otherwise, he would have lost face. Zhang Mu glared fiercely at the Obsidian Beetle, but it ignored him and went back to Yuan Rui’s side.
The mutated wolfhound had already started digging again. With the recent event and the closer they got to Luo Yang City, the density of mutated beasts increased. It slowed down its movements to be more cautious.
Zhang Mu and Yuan Rui strolled leisurely, not in a hurry. When they reached the city, finding Wang Liang would reveal the truth behind why so many mutated beasts were surrounding the city.
Normally, without Era Sub-merchants having basic agent privileges, Era Store would not protect this city. However, due to the recent animal rampage at the Luo Yang City zoo, causing significant losses for newly recruited Era Sub-merchants, when No. 37 intervened, the whole city felt the presence of Era Merchants.
Mutated beasts naturally fear the aura of Era Store, yet they daringly encircled Luo Yang City. Although they are afraid of the power and pressure from Era Merchants and dare not attack, they still block the city completely. Something significant must have happened.
Along the way, they stopped a few times. Zhang Mu and his companions were only five miles away from the foot of Luo Yang City.
It was not easy to enter Luo Yang City. Will their underground team finally make it?