Everyone else, upon hearing this, widened their eyes. They could indeed see several figures resembling humans walking towards them!

As long as it wasn't that group of abominations, that was a relief!

The crowd’s hearts eased slightly, but they dared not let down their guard.

"Ah, they really are people."

Finally, they were getting closer, and vague features were becoming visible.

The bolder ones stepped forward two paces, lowering their voices to call out, "Who goes there?"

At this moment, Zhong Shenxiu and his group had also spotted these people. They saw them clearly and wondered why they would encounter others here. There seemed to be quite a few of them—who could they possibly be?

Hearing the call, everyone turned to look at Zhong Shenxiu. However, he showed no reaction at all, continuing to walk straight ahead.

Seeing Zhong Shenxiu remain silent, the others dared not answer rashly, following closely behind him.

Finally, Zhong Shenxiu’s party reached the entrance of the passage. The mercenaries hastily made way, looking at Zhong Shenxiu's group with peculiar expressions.

There are children?

The crowd nearly thought they were hallucinating, their mouths gaping wide enough to fit an egg!

"Who are you people?" the capable-looking middle-aged man asked, alerted by the noise.

"We are the 'Ethereal Mercenary Group,'" Kaini replied, though she didn't slow down, sticking close to Zhong Shenxiu.

"Ethereal Mercenary Group?" Everyone paused, having never heard that name before.

While these people were stunned, Zhong Shenxiu had already stopped. He surveyed the surroundings and declared, "Alright, we rest here for today!"

They had walked for a long time and navigated several secret chambers. Judging by the time outside, it was already dusk!

Zhong Shenxiu wasn't in a hurry to proceed; while he was here for exploration, he was more interested in savoring the thrill of it!

Angelia and the others were genuinely tired, especially after maintaining high alert for such a long journey—their spirits were worn thin. As they sat down to rest, the mercenaries began to surround them one by one.

"May I ask where you came from?" the middle-aged man inquired curiously.

He couldn't help but wonder. This ancient tomb was like an underground maze; they had wandered for who knows how long without finding an exit. Yet, these newcomers, from their attire to their demeanor, did not appear as haggard as they were. What did that imply?

"We came from above, not long ago," Gandalf said. Seeing their state, he was reminded of his own miserable and desperate condition when he first arrived here!

"What?" All the mercenaries were deeply shocked, their expressions suggesting they might eat Gandalf alive!

They had paid an enormous price searching for an exit, only to learn that these people had just descended from above. Heavens, was this a sign of divine mercy, finally pointing them toward a path to survival?

"So, there is an exit upstairs?" one mercenary asked urgently. He could already see the light of hope beckoning him!

Gandalf nodded, looking at their excitement, unsure what to say.

"Hey, did you hear that? There’s an exit over there! We can finally get out."

"Wonderful! I’ve long wished I wasn't stuck here. I swear I’ll quit being a mercenary once we get out!"

"I need to breathe the fresh air outside."

"I need a full meal and a proper sleep!"

Instantly, the hall descended into chaos. Their words betrayed their immense excitement; even those who had moments ago spoken of suicide were now filled with hope for the future!

"Old sir, may I ask if you encountered anything on your way in?" The middle-aged man had not let the elation cloud his judgment.

At his question, the momentary uproar among the mercenaries fell silent, all eyes fixed nervously on Gandalf!

"What do you mean by 'anything'?" Gandalf, not understanding, quickly asked.

"Did you encounter any monsters on your way in?" the middle-aged man asked, surprised.

"No," Gandalf shook his head. Forget monsters; they hadn't even seen a dead rat!

"Wow, that's fantastic! We can actually get out alive this time."

Upon hearing there were no life-threatening monsters, the men cheered immediately.

"And you didn't encounter anything else?" The middle-aged man was also somewhat excited, his voice trembling slightly.

"What do you mean?" Gandalf asked again.

"You mean you walked all the way here without running into anything at all?" The middle-aged man’s eyes widened, staring at Gandalf and his group in disbelief.

If this was mere luck, it was too incredible!

They had been extremely cautious here, facing not only vicious monsters but also traps everywhere—a single misstep could mean death. Yet, judging by Gandalf’s tone, they seemed to have encountered nothing. How was that possible?

"We really did walk through just like that!" Gandalf stated.

The man glanced at Gandalf, then at Angelia and the others, feeling it was hard to believe. Their clothes were clean, showing no signs of fighting; it seemed they truly had encountered nothing!

"How far is the exit you used from here?" the middle-aged man managed to ask, suppressing his excitement.

Gandalf considered it. Excluding the time spent in the secret chambers, if they had walked non-stop to this point, it shouldn't take more than a few hours.

"If we walk fast, about two hours," Gandalf replied.

The middle-aged man wanted to ask more, but the others were growing impatient. A loud shout erupted, "Brothers, what are we waiting for? If they can come through, we can get out! Anyone who doesn't want to stay here and die, follow me!"

Responding to this call, several men actually started moving toward the passage.

"Wait a moment, don't act rashly!" the middle-aged man shouted.

"Wait for what? The monsters will catch up to us soon! Are we supposed to be their appetizer?" the man said as he stepped into the passage.

Seeing he couldn't stop them, the middle-aged man resigned himself to their decision. He turned back, intending to ask Gandalf for the exact route, when a cold snort echoed from nearby.

He looked toward the sound and saw the small boy who had first entered—he was greatly astonished!

Zhong Shenxiu truly found no words adequate to describe the ignorance of these people. They could pass through unscathed because his spiritual probing had already identified the mechanisms and marked them—those small points of light were the guides. But these people plunging in blindly was surely seeking their own demise!

As expected, at that moment, several screams pierced through the passage, causing those who were about to follow instantly to freeze!

"What happened?" The middle-aged man’s heart lurched, and he rushed over to see the situation.

When he peered inside using the faint light of a torch, he gasped sharply! The mercenaries who had just entered were impaled by countless spears, a truly gruesome sight!

How could this be?

The same question bloomed in everyone's mind. They had only gone perhaps ten meters in before meeting such a fate; the dangers ahead were imaginable!

Driven by curiosity, Charlotte and the others also approached the passage entrance to look. Seeing the terrible state of those mercenaries, they felt their scalps tingle!

We walked through a passage like that?

Charlotte couldn't help but steal a glance at Zhong Shenxiu. They knew that without Zhong Shenxiu guiding them, their fate would have been the same as these mercenaries!

"How did you manage to come through there?" The middle-aged man had calmed down; having seen far more brutal scenes, he had developed a strong resistance.

"We just walked through like that," Charlotte replied vaguely, retreating back to Zhong Shenxiu’s side. She had firmly decided she must listen obediently to everything Zhong Shenxiu said.

The same resolve settled upon Angelia and the others.

The women quickly returned to Zhong Shenxiu’s side, unanimously maintaining silence, sitting there to conserve their strength!

All the mercenaries now sized up every member of the "Ethereal Mercenary Group" with a strange gaze. Questions popped up one after another in their minds, yet at that moment, not a single person dared to speak.

After an unrecorded period, a white-haired elder approached Zhong Shenxiu's group. He bowed respectfully and said, "Esteemed members of the 'Ethereal Mercenary Group,' I am Harimanpu. I beg a favor of you."

"You are 'Harimanpu'?" Gandalf and the others were surprised. They thought to themselves, what a coincidence! Their mission this time was precisely to find this man!

Harimanpu paused, inquiring, "Do you people know me?"

Gandalf didn't answer, instead looking toward Zhong Shenxiu.

Zhong Shenxiu looked up at Harimanpu and asked, "Are you the Archmage Harimanpu who studies historical artifacts?"

"Indeed I am. How do you know of me?" Harimanpu felt a connection as if he were meeting an old acquaintance; if he could establish a relationship with these people, speaking later would be much easier.

However, a very crisp voice interrupted his dream!

"We don't know you at all," Zhong Shenxiu finished, then looked away from Harimanpu, closing his eyes to rest.

Ugh!

Harimanpu was speechless. If they didn't know him, why was he so agitated before?

But Harimanpu quickly composed himself. After all, at his age, he shouldn't stoop to arguing with a mere child. He quickly turned back to Gandalf and asked, "How did you know I am the Archmage studying historical artifacts?"

He thought perhaps someone of a similar age would be easier to converse with!

However, Gandalf just kept staring at Kaini. Without Zhong Shenxiu's endorsement, Kaini was the one who called the shots here!

Kaini smiled, neatly resolving Gandalf’s dilemma. "Because our mission here is to rescue you!"

[End of Current Chapter]