CHAPTER 227: CHAPTER 227 EFFORTLESSLY 1(3)_1

In the pitch-black depths of the large hole, she could clearly see the brown elements scattered around. This made her even more certain that an Earth Spirit Bead must be inside.

"AH! Help!" Yu Zijin’s shrill cry rang in her ears. Shangguan You, who was about to jump into the hole’s entrance, halted her action, her figure flashing as she quickly returned to her original spot. The bodies of Shangguan Qing and five others were tightly coiled by snakes, ensnaring them completely. Six large snakes formed a circle with their tails, tightly entwining the six of them and pulling them ever closer to the dark entrance of the hole.

Observing the bright red liquid on the ground, Shangguan You’s lips twitched fiercely. Which damned person stepped on a small snake at this critical moment, provoking an attack from the swarm?

"What do we do?" Yu Zifeng felt his breathing grow difficult.

"We can’t move our bodies. The only thing we can move is our mouths. So, why don’t we open them and shout? Perhaps the people below can hear us and come to our rescue?" Gui Mo spoke faintly. In this situation, he inexplicably felt a thrill, and his words even carried a hint of jest. Being entwined by snakes like this was an experience he had never had before.

"Gui Mo, do you have any other ideas?" Gui Jun rolled his eyes. His cousin can still joke around at a time like this? Unbelievable. The soft coils of the snakes around them, and one snake head after another, made them feel as if they were being swallowed whole.

They felt as if they had entered the snake horde’s stronghold. If that was the case, they were like sheep entering a snake’s mouth, with no hope of escape.

"No way. This is my first time being coiled by a snake too." Gui Mo’s eyes flashed as the coils around his body tightened bit by bit.

"Shangguan Qing, what can we do?"

"Let’s wait and see how things unfold. We’re powerless right now anyway. If we make any move, I believe we’ll end up as snake food," Shangguan Qing spoke calmly, managing to retain a sliver of composure.

"Help! Help!" Yu Zijin shouted loudly, the sound carrying far and wide through the thick fog.

"Zijin, it’s no use," Zhang Yuchen tried to stop Ye Zijin from shouting, disagreeing with Yu Zijin’s loud cries for help. "Even if they hear our cries for help down the mountain, by the time they come up, five or six hours will have passed. By then, we’ll all probably be dead."

"That’s right, Zijin, it’s useless."

"Who says it’s useless? Perhaps we can still hold out for Liu Dabao to come rescue us! Let’s all shout together. The more forcefully we shout, the more likely our voices will reach the troops and someone can save us!"

"Alright, let’s shout together."

In the midst of the dense fog, the six people entangled by the tails of the snake horde began to shout at the top of their lungs.

"Help! Help! Help!"

Their voices pierced through the fog and clouds, carrying far, far away. Deep within the military encampment, those who were sound asleep were jolted awake. Liu Dabao, in particular, shot up from his bed, his expression somewhat grim. Naturally, no one would be in a good mood after being woken up just after falling asleep.

"Liu Dabao, it’s the children’s voices! They’re in danger! Hurry up the mountain!" Gui Yongjun urged. He hadn’t slept all night, worried sick that the children might encounter danger. He also feared something might happen to Gui Mo; Gui Mo’s backers weren’t as easy to deal with as he was. If something truly happened to Gui Mo, an unending stream of trouble would descend upon them, and no one would know peace.

Liu Dabao quickly gathered people for the ascent, though he thought bitterly, Utterly useless. What danger could there be on the mountain? There isn’t even a single snake, yet they’re shouting for help so loudly!

It would take the civilians seven hours to climb the mountain, while the troops could do it in four—that was the difference between professionals and amateurs.

Just as the group reached the foot of the mountain, sharp cries echoed out again. The expressions of Liu Dabao and everyone else changed once more. These were screams of pure panic. Beads of cold sweat formed on Liu Dabao’s forehead. What exactly have they encountered? There’s clearly no danger on the mountain, so why are they screaming like this?

"Commissar Gu, I’ll go up first! You guys follow behind!" Liu Dabao said urgently, then dashed alone towards the mountain.

"Liu Dabao, wait! Let me go with you. I’m worried about the children!" Gui Yongjun called out loudly, swiftly following suit. The two men sprinted up the mountain. Kids, you must wait for us!

"Vice Group Leader Qian, I’m leaving everything here to you! As soon as everyone is gathered, hurry up the mountain!" Liu Dabao ordered loudly as he ran upwards.

"Yes, Group Leader!" Vice Group Leader Qian responded, his face full of urgency. If only they had noticed earlier that the children hadn’t come down the mountain, they would have gone up already. Then they wouldn’t be ignorant of the danger the children now faced.

"AH!" A scream once more reverberated in everyone’s ears.

The snakes that had bound Shangguan Qing’s group of six suddenly began to unwind. The snakes rapidly slithered off their bodies. Suddenly freed, they were then flung one by one into a pitch-black, bottomless pit by a sweep of the giant snakes’ tails. Their initial cries for help transformed into screams of terror. This was why Liu Dabao had heard such sharp, terrified screams before he started climbing the mountain.

"Where is this place?"

As Shangguan You watched the group being swept into the black hole, she leaped and followed them down.

"Everyone grab someone’s hand! We mustn’t let go! We don’t know what’s down there, so we mustn’t get separated!" Shangguan You’s cool voice echoed. At this moment, each person was falling freely inside the large hole. Regardless of whether an Earth Spirit Bead or something else lay below, the seven of them could not afford to get separated.

While speaking, she grabbed Shangguan Qing’s and Gui Mo’s hands. Hearing her words, the others also reached out, grabbing the hands of those beside them. They formed a circle, ensuring no one got separated, for none of them knew how deep this hole was.

"Shangguan You, why did you come in as well? Were you thrown in by the snakes?"

"No, I saw you all being dragged in, so I jumped down on my own. I was alone up there with so many snakes; I was scared." Shangguan You’s deep eyes shone with unusual brightness in the darkness.