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墨書 Inktalez
"It's over, A-Feng. It seems that this time, the three of us really have to face the end here." Luo Shanhe sat down heavily on the ground, his tone tinged with sadness, but more so with a sense of unwillingness. He was reluctant to accept that they hadn't made it to the end, that they hadn't reached the heart of the Dark Side of the Moon.
In contrast to Luo Shanhe, A Yan appeared much calmer. Although she felt anxious inside, she didn't show it. The presence of Leng Fengyang beside her was enough; regardless of life or death, perhaps this was what love truly meant.
Of course, her genuine affection for Leng Fengyang remained restrained. In this apocalyptic world, survival was already the greatest challenge; love seemed like a luxury, a dream that one dared not touch lightly.
Leng Fengyang, however, maintained his composure and did not easily give up. He carefully examined the surroundings of the Small Dark Room and then pulled out a diary from his pocket. Although the contents were not entirely accurate and were merely design sketches, he could always find some traces of what had been experienced.
The diary in Leng Fengyang's hand was like an ancient key, slowly revealing the secrets hidden within the Small Dark Room. He scrutinized the yellowed pages; despite the faded handwriting, he could still discern clues about the structure of this secret chamber.
"Look here," Leng Fengyang pointed at a simple sketch in the diary and indicated it to Luo Shanhe and A Yan. "According to these records, although the construction didn't fully follow the design plans later on, it's certain that the exit is not on any of the stone walls or above us but is hidden in some mechanism beneath our feet."
"A-Feng, I must say I'm impressed! You have such skills hidden away! I really underestimated you before." Upon hearing Leng Fengyang's words, Luo Shanhe, who had felt deflated like a punctured ball, suddenly reignited with hope.
"Look at this," Leng Fengyang continued with a hint of reverence in his voice. "This isn't just a sketch; it's a profound understanding of the laws governing nature by ancient sages. It combines the principles of Yin and Yang from Bagua with the flow of energy in feng shui—ensuring that this secret room can remain hidden from the world while harmonizing with nature."
"What is Bagua? Feng shui sounds too complicated. A-Feng, just tell me where this mechanism is!" Luo Shanhe clearly couldn't contain his impatience any longer; he just wanted to leave this place as soon as possible.
Luo Shanhe shot him a glance and continued explaining: "From my guess, the design inspiration for this secret chamber comes from the Bagua layout in the I Ching. Each hexagram represents different directions and energy fields. Feng shui further details these energy flows to ensure that the chamber remains concealed while coexisting harmoniously with nature. That's why the exit doesn't reveal itself on any wall but is hidden beneath our feet."
Following Leng Fengyang's guidance, Luo Shanhe and A Yan focused their attention on the sketch. They noticed that simple lines outlined the contours of Bagua, with subtle connections between each hexagram resembling celestial trajectories guiding them toward an unknown direction.
At the center of the Bagua diagram, a point was deliberately marked—that was precisely where the mechanism was located: an unremarkable stone slab on the ground that actually concealed a secret.
"It should be this stone slab under Lao Luo's feet," Luo Shanhe said, his eyes flashing with surprise. He quickly crouched down and began to search carefully on the ground.
As expected from Leng Fengyang's deduction, beneath what appeared to be an ordinary stone slab lay a barely noticeable groove.
Leng Fengyang cautiously pressed down on the mechanism within the groove. With a rumbling sound, the floor slowly shifted aside, revealing stairs leading downward.
The three exchanged glances filled with excitement and nodded in silent agreement.
"A-Feng, you really have your ways, but it seems that your system isn't foolproof either. Didn't it just say there were no exits?"
"A-Feng, you truly have some skills. But speaking of which, our system doesn't seem to be the all-powerful key we thought. Just a moment ago, it confidently claimed there were no exits, right? Haha, looks like..."
Luo Shanhe shook his head half-jokingly, as if both teasing and understanding.
"Systems do have their off days; perhaps it's the work of some programmer with a few quirks. It's inevitable. The important thing is that we’ve made it out; that’s what truly matters."
As for the system's blunder, Leng Fengyang was unfazed because he knew that relying too heavily on the system for their journey to the Dark Side of the Moon was clearly not going to lead them to safety.
Below the stairs lay a complex maze filled with bones and skulls, exuding a decaying stench—this was evidently the graveyard of countless lives.
Without hesitation, Luo Shanhe prepared to descend the stairs but was stopped by Leng Fengyang, who said, "We need to be cautious here, Lao Luo. Not only is this place filled with unknown dangers, but it also harbors powerful malevolent energy. Charging in recklessly will only put us in a more precarious situation."
"So what do we do next?"
Luo Shanhe tightened his grip on his firearm, his brow furrowed as he was clearly shaken by the eerie atmosphere.
It seemed there was no turning back; Luo Shanhe's foot involuntarily stepped onto the first ancient stone step, and the air instantly thickened with tension as everyone held their breath.
At that moment, a chilling cracking sound echoed from below the stairs—a prelude to ancient mechanisms awakening, like a slumbering beast slowly opening its eyes.
"Lao Luo, don't move!"
Leng Fengyang's voice pierced through the tense atmosphere; it was the sharp judgment of a Grave Hunter.
He understood well that this step was not just a challenge to the unknown but also a test of life and death. The seemingly ordinary stone steps concealed intricate traps; every slight movement could trigger deadly mechanisms.
"Think of something, A-Feng!"
Luo Shanhe's eyes widened in fear; he dared not even breathe as if standing on a ticking time bomb. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead and dripped onto the icy stone step.
Leng Fengyang took a deep breath, striving to remain calm. He recalled reading about simple yet cunningly designed physical traps.
Beneath the steps lay ancient and complex mechanisms created thousands of years ago to protect hidden treasures or fend off invaders. Each stone step had been meticulously carved, embedded with fine copper wires and precise gears that interlocked to form an invisible web. Once someone stepped on them or applied unusual weight, it would trigger a chain reaction activating the mechanisms hidden beneath.
Once activated, a faint yet precise airflow would surge from the gaps between the steps. This airflow would follow predetermined paths, pushing small stone balls or iron plates into motion. They would fall like dominoes until finally activating the most critical component—a massive spring made of high-strength steel hidden underground.
The spring would instantly release enough energy to flip over the stone slab above or cause the ground to collapse, revealing traps filled with spikes below or shooting hidden poisoned arrows—each capable of killing intruders on the spot.
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