CHAPTER 174: CHAPTER 126: SPIRIT CONTAMINATION, HOLY SPRING’S PROTECTION, FAREWELL LISA

Lin Feng’s group immediately shone their lights in the direction of Chen Shanshan, but unfortunately, the shadow had already disappeared without a trace.

Regaining her composure, Chen Shanshan leaned against Lin Feng, quietly explaining the eerie scene she had just witnessed.

The unknown mutant was right beside them!

"Be careful, Lin Feng is right, the mutants that originally existed only below the third floor might have already made their way to the upper three floors due to the spread of mental contamination."

"However, the number of migrating mutants is limited. With the six of us and the protection of the Master of the Holy Spring, these creatures dare not come near but are merely attracted by the light source."

Zheng Yan Ying comforted them with a few words, then turned to remind them:

"Our main task this time underground is to get familiar with the environment. Don’t be overly startled. First, adapt to this high-pressure environment and discern from the mutants’ actions whether they’re probing or preparing to attack."

"The more panicked you appear, the more tempting you become in their eyes."

As she spoke, Zheng Yan Ying stopped and looked back at Chen Shanshan, who was beside Lin Feng:

"When you shouted just now, did the murmuring in your head suddenly get louder?"

At this moment, Chen Shanshan’s face beneath the mask already looked a bit pale. In her moment of panic, the murmuring in her head felt amplified tenfold, as if through a loudspeaker, causing her to freeze momentarily.

With lingering fear, she nodded, unconsciously grabbing the sleeve of Lin Feng’s battle armor.

"Remember, keep your mind steady and stay calm!"

After reminding everyone, Zheng Yan Ying turned and continued to lead the way.

Lin Feng looked at the team; the others were in relatively good condition, except for Chen Shanshan. Due to her young age, even though her experience in the wasteland was longer than the others, she had always lived under her master’s wing in the early years...

She was used to the wasteland environment, so it’s understandable that she felt instinctive fear towards the unknown horror in front of her.

Some people can face the danger of a mutated desolate beast without blinking, but experiencing a real haunted house or watching a terrifying horror movie might not be as calm and composed as during a fight in broad daylight.

Visible danger is not considered a threat because there is some psychological preparation in advance.

True fear stems from the unknown.

Especially when the unknown also brings the threat of death.

Ah Lian and Ah Ming in the team are both around thirty, having woken up before the wasteland, at least in their late twenties. They might not have experienced similar eerie environments but have at least seen some horror and thriller movies.

They are somewhat mentally prepared.

However, before the wasteland, Chen Shanshan was just a child in her early teens, still at the age of watching cartoons.

Her six years in the wasteland were spent under the sun’s exposure, and during the most desperate times, it was merely hunger and thirst.

She didn’t even have the experience of walking alone at night...

The darkness in front of her, combined with the unknown terror, indeed poses a great challenge to her.

Lin Feng immediately held Chen Shanshan’s hand, then nodded to her, signaling her to calm down:

"You stay in the middle, I’ll bring up the rear."

With the system’s reminders and the powerful perception of a Tier One Late Stage Evolver, Lin Feng could precisely detect the mutants attempting to probe nearby.

Chen Shanshan is the strongest combatant in the team aside from himself. If she can’t adapt to the environment of the ruins, it would undoubtedly cause a serious decline in the team’s overall strength.

Encouraged, the young girl took a deep breath, nodded, and began to focus, adjusting her state and mindset.

Having Lin Feng behind her certainly made her feel much more at ease.

As they continued forward, the deeper they got, the more shadows flashed by them. Occasionally, they could even see an unknown gray-black viscous liquid on the ground.

If not for the respiratory mask filter, the stench of rot it emitted would surely be noticeable.

Even with the sealed battle armor’s barrier, when the searchlight illuminated it, the viscous liquid seemed to have a life of its own, starting to wriggle and twitch, causing psychological discomfort to the group.

While smell and sound can be isolated, the impact on vision cannot be avoided and must be endured.

The viscous liquid’s cells are mutated specimens resulting from radiation assimilation, similar to slime molds.

The light’s stimulation affects its perception system.

Being infected by this thing would be a fate worse than death.

"Let’s go, we’re almost there."

Zheng Yan Ying gave a reminder and looked at the distant, dark, and decaying ruins.

At the end, there was a doorway that seemed to lead into boundless depths.

After taking note of the scene, the group immediately followed Zheng Yan Ying’s steps, arriving at the end of B1 level.

Here lay a staircase leading to the underground B2 level.

Just like when they entered B1, a ten-meter-high staircase with thirty steps leading directly down to the next level.

As they stood at the passageway, the searchlight revealed the staircase ahead, where a dozen yellow, blackened figures suddenly appeared in their view.

At the same time, blood splattered across the walls, along with various unrecognizable bodily limbs...

Like a murder scene, a hellish picture unfolded before their eyes, slowly displayed in this ten-meter-wide stairway passage.

Having just overeaten, Shen Yue was immediately nauseated, with her stomach churning and retching uncontrollably. The rising liquid food was forcibly swallowed back down.

Chen Shanshan had never seen such a horrifying scene; even in the past, seeing the refugee horde on the wasteland was just mentally slightly uncomfortable...

But the sight before them already caused severe physical discomfort for everyone.

The feeling of a chill running down the spine, as if a stone was simultaneously pressing on their chest and heart, left them breathless.