yasinovel Chapter 67 The Beginning of the Rupture
Chapter 67 The Beginning of the Rupture
Vijay might be able to fool others, but he had no intention of fooling himself!
According to the route Bim had described, even if they successfully exited the swamp, they would only have completed one-third of the entire trade route.
There are still many more challenges ahead.
But Vijay can't say it now!
He could only use this futile attempt to lure these people who were on the verge of collapse back onto the right track.
The effect was obvious; morale was completely boosted, and everyone's eyes were once again filled with longing.
"Let's go, keep going!" Vijay waved. "The next safe zone where we can rest peacefully isn't too far away!"
Reorganizing, the caravan once again ventured into the vast fog.
Time passed slowly, but the ground remained covered in endless mud and miasma, and the view before us was still a gray and white expanse of thick fog with no end in sight.
The safe zone still hasn't appeared.
The initial enthusiasm sank little by little.
The team members' steps grew heavier and their breathing more rapid, and a sense of panic crept into their hearts once again.
Everyone was secretly wondering if they would have to spend the night in the swamp again.
Just as people's hearts were once again in turmoil, Vijay had already quietly completed a private exchange with old Beam.
Based on the total distance traveled over the past few days, we are indeed not far from leaving the swamp.
Even if they did deviate slightly from the route, the time difference wouldn't be too long.
This relieved Vijay somewhat; at least he hadn't completely lied, nor had he crossed his moral bottom line.
Just then, the eyes, which had been sitting quietly on the oxcart like a statue no matter what happened, suddenly stood up straight on the cart!
The action was so sudden that it startled the surrounding teammates, who gasped in surprise and caused a commotion.
Everyone, including Vijay, instinctively turned to look at this adult.
Suddenly, the enormous pupil of the eye opened wide, then contracted to a single point, staring intently in a certain direction deep within the thick fog, remaining motionless.
"Lord Mu?" Seeing his expression, Vijay's heart tightened, and he tentatively asked in a soft voice, "Is there something ahead?"
The eyes did not respond at all, remaining in that stiff posture, the light flashing in the giant pupils, the aura becoming increasingly heavy and oppressive.
"Is it dangerous?"
"What is it?"
The team members tensed up completely, the sound of weapons being drawn filled the air, and everyone's eyes were fixed on the depths of the thick fog, their hearts pounding in their throats.
It's unclear whether the crowd's vigilance alerted something, or whether that entity was no longer hiding.
The next second, the thick, dense fog suddenly split open in the middle.
Beyond the crack, the outline of an ancient building constructed of massive stones slowly emerged.
Since entering this swamp, they have seen ruins, demonic vines, and ferocious beasts, but they have never seen a single intact man-made structure.
"It's a safe zone! It really is a safe zone!" Seeing that Vijay had once again fulfilled his promise and led everyone to the safe zone before dark, someone couldn't help but shout excitedly.
Vijay was also stunned, his face showing obvious surprise.
How come there's a stone temple here?
Could it be a true safe zone left behind by my ancestors?
Could there be any clues inside?
Or perhaps, some new notification screen?
If that's the case, that would be wonderful!
"Turn around! Go that way!" Vijay gave the order without hesitation.
The entire convoy slowly turned around and approached the stone temple shrouded in thick fog.
Mu did not sit down again. He stood on the oxcart, and the aura emanating from him grew heavier and more oppressive, like a dark cloud that made it hard for everyone to breathe.
Even the few nags pulling the cart seemed to have encountered an ancient ferocious beast, their limbs trembling with fear, neighing and retreating incessantly.
Just like when we encountered the ferocious beast before!
Even though Gan Tan tried his best to soothe and communicate with them, he could only get them to move their feet with difficulty, each step filled with fear.
Only when the group got close enough to see the whole picture clearly through the fog did they realize that this was indeed a safe zone.
However, the ground in this safe zone has been completely occupied by this stone temple.
The stone temple is entirely constructed from massive blue stones, their surfaces covered in moss and cracks, exuding an aura of age and eeriness.
The temple gate was pitch black and deep, like the open mouth of a giant beast, capable of swallowing all light. Standing outside and looking inside, all one could see was a chilling darkness.
At the main entrance of the stone temple, two huge stone statues stand on the left and right.
The stone statues are burly and muscular, clearly resembling powerful warriors, but they lack faces where their heads should be.
The caravan abruptly stopped, not daring to take another step forward.
He stared intently at the two faceless stone statues, his mind completely calm, without any images flashing before his eyes or any prompts appearing.
He quietly turned his head to look at Bim.
The old servant's face turned pale, and he gently shook his head.
The meaning is clear: I have never seen this temple before, and I don't know what this place is.
He glanced at it discreetly, but the disc in his arms remained completely still!
Vijay made a decision immediately in his mind.
When you encounter such an unidentified building in this strange place, the only correct choice is to go around it, stay away from it, and not provoke it!
Vijay was just about to lower his voice and order them to leave, go around, and continue eastward!
But at that moment, Delanvila strode past the crowd, walked to Vijay's side, and asked in a deep voice, "May Indra protect us! Master, is this temple related to our eastward trade route?"
How would I know if it matters!
Vijay was just about to answer that way.
He paused, then looked at Mu, his longing for the temple evident in his eyes.
Vijay's mind raced, and he instantly came up with an idea.
He deliberately showed a hint of hesitation, as if trying to hide something, then quickly turned his head away and said vaguely, "It's nothing, it's probably just an abandoned old temple."
His feigned guilty expression was clearly seen by everyone.
The same thought immediately popped into the minds of the team members: This patriarch must know something!
He's hiding something!
Vijay wanted to perform a few more tricks to divert everyone's attention.
But at that very moment, a very strange, inhuman voice rang out.
Everyone turned to look at the source of the sound.
This time, he didn't make a sound by vibrating the air; everyone listened carefully.
The voice came from behind the cloak behind the pupils!
And this time, he didn't float in the air.
To everyone's astonishment, the cloak beneath that enormous pupil suddenly began to undulate slightly.
Then, one, two, three...
Countless tiny, pink hands slowly crawled out from the gaps in the robe, gently twisting and supporting the body of the person in question.
The impact of this scene was no less than that of any of the monsters they had ever encountered before!
"Damn it, get over there!"
The voice came from there again, each word sounding as if it were being squeezed out from between teeth.
Although Delanvila was arrogant, he still dared not be too presumptuous in front of the Brahmin representative, but he also had his own responsibilities.
Seeing that a dispute had arisen, he immediately stepped forward, bowed to the official, and said, "Sir, this temple has nothing to do with the eastward trade route. There's really no need for us to take this risk. Let's leave as soon as possible!"
But as soon as he finished speaking, everything went blurry before everyone's eyes.
His eyes appeared in front of Delanvila in an instant, his giant pupils almost touching his face.
His pupils were bloodshot, a frightening red.
"I'll let you pass." Each word was enunciated, clearly demonstrating his domineering attitude.
Delanvila froze, his face turning pale.
Seemingly struggling with the decision and weighing the pros and cons, Delanvila succumbed in just a few seconds.
He took a deep breath, nodded slowly, and turned to count the six elite soldiers remaining beside him, including Sada.
"You lot, come with me." Delanvila's expression was grave, his tone extremely cautious. "Approach slowly, examine carefully, and if you encounter any danger, retreat immediately! Don't hesitate!"
Soon, the seven people carefully walked to the main entrance of the stone temple.
Delanvila stopped, raised his hand to signal the group to stand still, and leaned slightly forward to peer tentatively into the dark depths of the temple.
No matter how wide he opened his eyes, all he saw was absolute darkness, as if all light had been swallowed up. He could see nothing, hear nothing, and feel nothing.
That deathly silence was more terrifying than the roar of a wild beast.
Delanvila frowned and turned to nod to a soldier beside him.
The soldier understood and immediately lit a torch he was carrying and threw it into the temple.
The torch, which was burning fiercely, vanished the instant it entered the stone temple cave.
There was no fall, no crackling sound; it was as if swallowed whole by darkness, without even a spark.
Delanvila's face darkened, he took a deep breath, and no longer hesitated.
He knew that Vanumu was serious. Although he was not Vanumu's direct subordinate, Vanumu was a Brahmin's stand-in, and the class division had penetrated deep into Delanvila's bones.
With absolute confidence in her combat abilities, Delanvila gripped her weapon tightly and said in a deep voice, "Follow me, be careful, and approach slowly."
The seven people huddled together, holding their breath, and stepped into the darkness that swallowed all light.
Just as their feet were completely submerged in shadow, everyone's vision blurred.
In the blink of an eye, the seven figures vanished into thin air.
There was no struggle, no screams, no fighting, and no warning whatsoever.
It was like being instantly pulled into an abyss by an invisible hand.
The entrance to the stone temple cave returned to its deathly silence, as if no one had ever been there.
Vijay, who was watching from a distance, felt his heart clench, swallowed hard, and his pupils contracted sharply.
Those were seven battle-hardened warriors!
There was the brave and fearless Delanvila, the agile Sada, and six elite guards.
Even if they encountered demonic vines, black panthers, or even ferocious beasts from the primordial era, they could fight back desperately for a while. But now they couldn't even make a single reaction and just disappeared silently.
What kind of weird place is this?
Should we run?
Is it too late to turn around and run away now?
Vijay subconsciously turned his head to look at Fannumu beside him.
To his surprise, he found that Vanu was not flustered at all. Instead, he was staring intently at the stone temple, his huge pupils flashing with an unusual light, as if they could penetrate the darkness and see things that Vijay could not see at all.
That focused yet greedy look gave Vijay a reminder.
Just then, the panel flickered slightly, and "Faith Yoga" gave him a direct prompt.
In an instant, the view changed dramatically.
Under the perception of Faith Yoga, the originally lifeless stone temple was filled with countless tiny points of pale purple light.
These faint lights flickered like breaths, swirling around the stone temple walls, statues, and cave entrances, emanating an ancient, unfamiliar, and highly alluring aura.
This fluctuation seemed to be something Vijay had never seen before in his life!
It does not belong to Brahma, nor to Shiva, nor to any known deity.
When you feel something in your heart and believe in yoga, you are in itself experiencing the power of the divine!
Vijay knew perfectly well that this temple must hold a miracle!
Fan Numu followed along the way, precisely because he was seeking the unique divine grace of the Mirta family.
Having already sensed the presence of an unknown deity, how could he possibly give up so easily!
Just as Vijay was in a state of shock, Fannu's eyes finally moved.
He slowly turned his huge pupils, his indifferent gaze sweeping over each member of the caravan.
His gaze was devoid of any warmth, as if he were looking at a pile of chess pieces that could be used at will.
"You, continue going in."
The emotionless voice rang out again.
These words were like a death sentence, terrifying the remaining team members so much that their faces turned pale, their legs went weak, and they fell to their knees one after another, frantically kowtowing and begging for mercy.
"Lord Mu! Spare me!"
"The first seven people are all dead! We'll just die if we go in!"
"Please! Let us go!"
They knew very well that if even a warrior of Delanvila's caliber could vanish instantly, then for ordinary servants like themselves to go in would be certain death.
The more they begged for mercy, the colder and more irritable Fan Numu's aura became.
His divine power had been excessively depleted during this period, and being outside Brahma's protection while being stimulated by the aura of other gods, his patience had long been exhausted.
Brahma's stern voice pierced the minds of everyone present: "Your lives are a gift from Brahma! Now is the time for you to prove your faith to Brahma!"
This statement sounds grand and dignified, yet it overemphasizes the issue and pushes people to the brink.
For these ordinary people who have devoted their lives to the devout faith in Brahma and the gods, this statement has a fatal oppressive force.
Some people trembled all over, yet still stood up cautiously, like puppets on strings.
Fannu nodded slightly in satisfaction, then his gaze fell directly on Vijay. There were no questions, no discussions, only an undeniable command:
"Let's go in together."
Vijay's heart sank completely; he had ultimately failed to escape!
So, should we refuse?
So, should we change our plans and just turn against each other?
With his own strength plus Bim's, he is not without a chance of winning!
Vijay's hand gripping the Kanda sword bulged with veins, his heart filled with turmoil.
The eye seemed to sense Vijay's resistance. "If you cooperate with me to enter the temple, I will take full responsibility for your sins before the Brahma priest! Even if Roshman comes after you, I can guarantee your safety!"
His words seemed to contain something else, a certainty that he had seen through Vijay's hand.