Chapter 1097: Deep Buried Underground
Even if the mutant creatures in this area weren't everywhere, the number rushing toward the explosion site from different nests was still considerable, especially since some mutants weren't particularly bright—when they couldn't squeeze past their own kind, they'd take it out on the nearby rocks.
That wouldn't normally be a problem, but the issue was that Zheng and Jiang weren't the only ones in the underground nest. So when too many mutants clogged the passages and they couldn't break through the thick rock, small bombs came in handy.
As one side started blasting, the other responded, and explosions rang out from three locations in total—no one could care about anyone else now, each thinking only of their own escape, so they used their explosives without restraint. On top of that, the area above them had been dug through by 114 with quite a few tunnels. With the combined force of the three parties, a strip of rock collapsed!
Before 114 could finish digging its way out above, heavy stones came crashing down like an avalanche, slanting all the way to the bottom. This made the already unstable cave even more precarious. The shaking lasted only a few seconds, followed by the cave collapsing and the tunnels being buried. All surrounding space was compressed, leaving no room to move!
Xu Huo had already recalled 114 and landed on the ground. Before the stone ceiling came down, he deployed the 101 Shelter, entered without closing the door, and simultaneously activated "Inviolable Domain" and "Three Seconds of Life."
The sound of rocks pounding against the props and the screams of mutants rose and fell for about three minutes before gradually quieting down. By the time everything outside had completely stopped, four minutes had passed.
The entrance of the shelter was blocked by two larger stones, but looking out from inside, there were still sizable gaps between the piled rocks—it wasn't completely sealed off. However, the dust was thick, making visibility poor.
Xu Huo turned on a lighting prop and probed outward. Suddenly, a claw shot out from the side. He pulled back his hand, shifted the light, and saw two mutants crushed between the rocks, their bones shattered and internal organs spilling out, barely clinging to life.
The area around was littered with crushed mutants, but some had survived by huddling right next to large rocks.
The shelter was pinned down and couldn't be retrieved for now, so Xu Huo had 114 crouch at the entrance and dig downward, barely opening a gap through the stone crevices. He cleared the rubble that was dug out beside him.
Just as the shelter was about to fill up, 114 returned from below.
Such a short time shouldn't have been enough to dig a tunnel to the surface. Xu Huo checked 114's records and found that the exit it had found wasn't the ground above, but half a passageway that hadn't collapsed.
Clearly, there were other people in that passage.
Stuck here wasn't an option. Xu Huo first retrieved the prop, then jumped into the underground passage just before the rocks above came crashing down, charging out in one go.
Wang Mo and Pu Gaoshan were setting up props at the entrance of the hole 114 had dug.
"Such a good robot—definitely not from our Xiaohe City. Must be either that Zhou guy or that Xu guy. Whoever it is, I'll gladly take this robot..."
Before he could finish, several ice beads flew out, one of them hitting Wang Mo's arm. He flinched back, swatting away the bouncing beads while activating the rope blade and bell trap at the entrance!
But unexpectedly, an invisible force broke through the rope blade first. Wang Mo and Pu Gaoshan watched as Xu Huo, still a short distance from the entrance, reached out and touched the prop. The rope blade, the bell, and all the other props set up around them instantly failed—some even turned to powder!
Shock flickered in both their eyes. The next second, they simultaneously used defensive props to block, trying to trap him inside the hole. But with two loud "bangs," both were kicked flying, and Xu Huo smoothly emerged, following up with a suppression combo—Pu Gaoshan was suspended in the air by the iron chains of "Hell Cage," while Wang Mo was pinned to the stone wall by "Gravity Press."
Xu Huo dusted off his clothes and smiled at the two through his protective barrier. "Fancy meeting you two here."
Pu Gaoshan couldn't break free from "Hell Cage," but Wang Mo managed to shake off the gravity pressure. However, instead of rescuing his companion or attacking the enemy, he retreated straight into a corner.
"This passage is only ten meters long. Where can you hide?" Xu Huo glanced at him, casually pulled out a chair, and sat down. "This is a good place. Let's settle our issues before we leave."
"What issues?" Wang Mo's eyes darted between him and Pu Gaoshan as his palm slowly turned.
Xu Huo pointed his chin at him. "There are two people here, but only one needs to answer questions."
Their eyes met. Wang Mo involuntarily stepped back until his back hit the wall before snapping out of it. After a moment, he asked gravely, "What do you want to know?"
Xu Huo wasn't in a hurry to question him. Instead, he said, "Your other companions asked this question too, but I didn't give an answer back then."
"Later, I thought about it—you were the ones who arrived here first. You should be the ones to tell me what I need to know."
"This space is narrow and could collapse at any moment. How about we make this quick?"
Pu Gaoshan sneered coldly. "You think we'll talk just because you want us to?"
"Don't talk about two-on-one—even one-on-one, do you really dare to go all out against us? If the passage collapses, we won't be the only ones dead!"
"You've got a hard mouth." Xu Huo looked up at him. "Do you know why I let you go alone back at the big river?"
Pu Gaoshan squinted, as if hearing a joke. "You let me go? More like you set a trap nearby, and Yuan Kai and the others were unlucky enough to step into it."
"If that's how you want to see it, fine." Xu Huo nodded. "From that remark, I can tell you're a man of brute force and little wit, not someone who thinks carefully at all times."
He smiled, then asked, "Have you eaten people?"
Both reacted.
Xu Huo didn't press for an answer but turned to Wang Mo. "Pu Gaoshan told the others that I killed someone. Seven against two—why didn't you attack?"
Wang Mo was under mental suppression and felt that this man was probably even harder to deal with than Jiang Wenzhang had said. After weighing his options, he said, "It was Jiang Wenzhang's decision."
Xu Huo shook his head. "That's not the answer."
Wang Mo glanced at Pu Gaoshan. "Jiang Wenzhang was afraid he couldn't beat you without heavy losses. He wanted to wait until we got back to Xiaohe City to deal with you."
Xu Huo chuckled. "If that were the case, why give me a map to catch mutant cubs? You just didn't want to go through the trouble of getting rid of me."
"But that's not the real reason either. There must be something else."
"From meeting Zheng Da, to Xiaohe City, to this trip out—you weren't in a hurry to make a move against me and my companions. Though being polite and thorough doesn't match your reputation as wanted criminals, you did manage it..."
Noticing the shift in Pu Gaoshan's expression, he turned his gaze to him. "Do you know the real reason?"
(Chapter End)