Chapter 454: Chapter 454 Wasteland (Part Sixteen)_1 Chapter 454: Chapter 454 Wasteland (Part Sixteen)_1 “What’s going on?”
As Fu Qian and the others descended, one of the group immediately asked Gerard.
This was also a lady, but she was much older than Ailena, and she was cloaked in a thick, dark robe, with half of her face hidden under a hood.
From her demeanor, she stood the straightest of all, clearly quite loath to touch anything around her.
As for strength, Fu Qian could only say that the Siren Group did indeed live up to its reputation as a top consortium, for she was yet another demigod!
“We brought someone over to join in the exploration.”
It was apparent that the demigod lady held a high position within the Siren Group.
Upon the question, Gerard promptly stepped forward and explained in a low, respectful voice.
And listening to his address, this lady seemed to be called Sybil.
“Is it him?”
After a brief explanation from Gerard, Sybil quickly frowned and looked over.
After sizing up Fu Qian, the demigod lady finally nodded slightly.
“I understand.”
“I’ll arrange for him to join the action later.”
With an even tone, the lady kept her gaze on Fu Qian.
“I don’t care who you are or what secrets you have behind you; if I find any inappropriate behavior from you later, I will kill you on the spot,” she said flatly.
“Okay.”
Facing the death threat from a demigod, Fu Qian responded without much fluctuation in his tone.
With a demigod personally leading the exploration and another one to join later, it was evident that the Siren Group had unparalleled regard for this place.
Even including Ailina and her associates, they were at least of Middle Tier standard.
The Siren Group had truly brought out their elite, clearly seeking a swift battle and a quick resolution of the exploration.
After dealing with this matter, they would then free up their hands to handle the situation outside.
In a situation where they had absolute confidence in their own strength, such a response was reasonable, but it was unknown what they had found earlier that merited such serious attention.
For a moment, Fu Qian too was filled with curiosity about the things deep within the ruins.
Gerard, however, clearly did not wish to linger. Seeing that Sybil had accepted the newcomer, he quickly took his leave as if pardoned.
Once he received the nod of approval, he led his people back the way they came without another word.
Meanwhile, Ailina in the corner also looked up in their direction.
Fu Qian had not attempted to disguise his voice when speaking earlier, so it probably sounded a bit familiar to her.
However, with Fu Qian wearing a mask, she clearly could not imagine that such a monster would be forced to take part in this kind of exploration and merely glanced a few times before quickly shifting her gaze elsewhere.
“Alright, the break is over; we will now explore the next area.”
Not a minute after Gerard and his party had left, Sybil promptly summoned everyone, announcing the end of the rest period.
“Stay alert; without my permission, no one is to touch anything!”
As she said this, her eyes were practically fixed on Fu Qian, the warning clearly intended for him.
Being watched by a demigod like that, Fu Qian just nodded and silently began reloading his gun, bullet by bullet.
Though the demeanor of the group suggested they had not encountered any formidable enemies before, professionalism still had to be demonstrated.
In the silent underground, the rhythmic sound of loading bullets was quite clear, drawing many glances as they watched Fu Qian’s actions, until Sybil ordered them to move out.
Since they had already been in before, the group seemed quite relaxed.
They moved along the smooth corridor, and though deep underground, the air within the ruins was surprisingly dry and without any odor.
Soon, the group made its way through the passageway and arrived at a much broader hall.
And the first thing Fu Qian saw was the giant mirror facing the entrance.
Was this the mirror Ji Yicheng had mentioned? The description was accurate; it was indeed enormous.
From top to bottom, it was definitely more than ten meters tall, with a surface like flowing mercury that somehow remained dust-free in this lightless underground space, no matter how much time had passed.
The periphery was adorned with intricate patterns, resembling intertwining vines, extending all the way to the base.
What also caught the eye was the area at the foot of the mirror.
Grey-white feathers, almost as long as a palm, overlapped one another to form a thick layer.
However, in comparison to the mirror, these feathers didn’t seem to possess any magical qualities; not only were they visibly dirty, but some had even decayed into dust.
Could this scene be the result of a bird person primping in front of the mirror after molting?
Fu Qian’s imagination was instantly sparked as he continued to survey the surroundings.
Indeed, judging from the overall layout of the hall, it would have been more fitting to have something like a throne here.
Besides the entrance they came from, there were doors of various shapes leading into the depths on the other three sides.
According to what Sybil had just speculated, they were probably exploring one area at a time.
“Don’t look at the mirror. Don’t touch the feathers on the ground.”
At this moment, Sybil repeated her icy reminder and then gestured for everyone to follow her, crossing the hall in the straightest line possible, towards one of the doors behind the mirror.
The group followed swiftly, with eyes fixed forward.
This was when the advantage of wearing masks became apparent. If one acted normally, it was difficult to detect what they were looking at.
Thus, as Fu Qian reached the middle of the hall, he caught a glimpse of his own reflection in the mirror-like surface of mercury.
It was very clear, but not in a realistic style.
What Fu Qian saw seemed to be an image composed of numerous overlapping perspectives.
Among countless disordered patches, one could see white bones and pink flesh with distinct lines and bizarre angles, combined in a way that completely defied logic.
No wonder looking at the mirror was forbidden; the visual impact was indeed somewhat overwhelming.
At the same time, Fu Qian felt a certain change within himself.
The feeling was hard to describe, akin to enlightenment, as if all troubles had been dispelled, his heart felt an unprecedented calmness.
Fu Qian kept walking and noticed that the reflection in the mirror was also constantly changing, with hardly any form lasting more than half a second.
And after passing through the door behind the mirror, there were no further reactions.
“Just like before, we’ll explore in groups of two or three, each taking different routes.”
After safely crossing the hall, the group was faced with several differently styled passages.
The members of the group appeared unfazed by the sight, and Sybil efficiently assigned tasks with clear instructions.
“Mr. Fu.”
After giving the orders, she turned back to Fu Qian and spoke softly.
“You’ll be with Ailina’s group. Remember to report back to me immediately if you encounter any abnormalities.”
What’s with this courtesy all of a sudden?
In that instant, Fu Qian felt a chill down his spine.
What Sybil said made sense, of course, but the tone… Hadn’t it changed a bit too much from before?
He casually agreed and scrutinized Sybil’s face.
At that moment, her eyes were clear, her demeanor inexplicably serene. Even through the thick hood she wore, a saint-like aura seemed to emanate from her.