Chapter 209: Battle Royale

Under the torchlight, the black debris mingled with the dirt was barely noticeable.
But in that moment, both of them knew exactly what it was—because they both smelled a familiar, unusual fragrance.

Earlier, when they were frantically fleeing from the swarm of insects, they hadn’t noticed the scent. But now that they were closer, the aroma grew stronger as it dispersed in the firelight.

No wonder the insect swarm had vanished—it had been repelled by the fragrant black powder on the ground.

Xie Qiong frowned as he approached. “Why is this stuff here?”

The corner they were in had no tomb chamber or concealed space, just an ordinary passage. In a tomb full of deadly traps, it made no sense for something here to save their lives.

Li Zhi crouched down for a closer look. Following the trail of the black powder, she found a piece of torn gold-threaded fabric at the base of a stone wall.

They stood at a T-shaped junction, turning left led to a new passage, but going straight from the corner extended about five more meters to a sealed stone wall. When they had reached the junction earlier, they turned left immediately, not noticing the short extension ahead.

The trail of fragrant powder stretched from the corner all the way to the wall, where it abruptly stopped. Li Zhi picked up the fabric and found more of the crushed powder inside—clearly broken up on purpose.

The fabric was the same material as the sling bag Xie Qiong carried—probably another burial item from the tomb.

Xie Qiong brushed over the disturbed dust on the ground, his gaze settling on the stone wall. “Someone was dragged in from here. There are drag marks.”

Li Zhi held out the gold-thread cloth to him. “It must’ve been one of our teammates. He used the powder to protect himself. But something ambushed him here, the bag dropped, and the scattered powder ended up saving us.”

As she spoke, she moved to the stone wall and pushed against it. “He was likely pulled inside here.”

But the wall was solid and showed no signs of seams or hinges. It looked like the tomb builders had simply stopped digging at this point, perfectly blended into the surrounding rock. Li Zhi pushed hard—nothing budged.

She turned to Xie Qiong. “Help me find a mechanism.”

Xie Qiong stared at her. “You’re going in?”

Li Zhi had already started searching the wall. “Someone might still be alive.”

Xie Qiong’s face was blank. “Or they’re already dead. You could be letting out whatever monster’s in there.”

Li Zhi tilted her head at him. “You can leave if you want.”

Xie Qiong pressed his lips together. After a moment, he silently joined her search.

The livestream chat exploded:

【Xie Qiong being this obedient feels so strange.】
【Amnesia instances really show players’ true nature—and Li Zhi is still Li Zhi.】
【They don’t know they’re being livestreamed. What we see is their truest selves. You can’t fault Li Zhi’s character.】
【She’s always valued human life. I’m sobbing for this god-tier woman.】
【Proud forever to be a Li Zhi fan!】
【Wait, is Xie Qiong’s true personality... dog-like?】
【Dog?? Our Qiong King is a lone wolf!】
【Xie bro what are you doing! You’re a lone wolf! Don’t let that woman lead you around—she’s your lifelong rival!】

…

Worried the insect swarm might return, they moved quickly. Before long, Li Zhi found a raised stone block hidden in the crevice. “Found it.”

She pressed it hard. With a loud clang, the seamless stone wall rotated like a hinge, shedding dust and debris as it revealed a slanted opening.

Li Zhi stuffed the fabric-wrapped powder into her jacket, held the torch in one hand and her bronze candlestick in the other, and slipped sideways into the passage.

Inside, the drag marks became more distinct. They followed them, and the tunnel gradually narrowed until they had to hunch, then crawl.

Li Zhi extinguished her torch and switched to the smaller flame from Xie Qiong’s candlestick. The dimmer light reduced the risk of exposure. From crouching to crawling, the space grew tighter and tighter.

From behind, Xie Qiong said coldly, “If something attacks us now, we’ll be trapped here.”

“Then crawl faster,” Li Zhi replied.

“…”

Luckily, both had the stamina to keep pace. After squeezing through a particularly tight section, a burial chamber opened up before them.

Li Zhi raised the candlestick. In the center of the chamber sat a white coffin.

White coffins were rare—usually reserved for unmarried youths. But this one was different, covered in elaborate vine engravings, more like a work of art than a burial item.

As Li Zhi observed it, the pale vine patterns seemed to come alive, veins becoming clearer and more vivid as color bloomed across them in an eerie, thriving energy.

It was like watching an old woman become a young maiden after drinking blood.

Li Zhi stepped toward the coffin. Suddenly, a swish swish sound echoed—and countless black vines shot out from beneath the coffin, striking like snakes.

These must be what dragged their teammate away.

Li Zhi dodged the vines snaking for her legs. Behind her, Xie Qiong flung his torch toward her. “Use fire!”

They lit the torches quickly. Xie Qiong set his jacket on fire—its fabric blazing instantly—and hurled the burning coat under the coffin, jamming it into the roots.

A foul burnt stench filled the air. The vines recoiled, slowed, now sluggish like lazy snakes.

But the fire wouldn't last long.

They sprinted to the coffin and heaved the lid off.

By now, the white coffin was tinged with red. Inside lay a beautiful young woman in a gray-blue hiking jacket—clearly one of their kind.

But her skin was ghostly pale, like paper—drained of all blood.

Li Zhi grabbed her shoulders and pulled her out. The unconscious girl grimaced in agony.

Then Li Zhi saw the white vines extending from the bottom of the coffin into the girl’s back, feeding on her blood like IV tubes.

Without a word, Xie Qiong pulled a bronze blade from his pack and hacked at the vines.

The white ones were far more brittle than the black—several clean cuts severed them. The girl groaned in pain but was freed.

They hoisted her out. Li Zhi slung the girl over her back, and they bolted toward the entrance.

The way out was much harder. Li Zhi led, Xie Qiong took the rear, the girl bound in the middle with Li Zhi’s coat as they crawled.

When the flames died, the black vines returned—but slower now, their reaction dulled. Xie Qiong hacked as they crawled.

When they burst out of the crawlspace, Li Zhi ran for the stone door.

But just as she reached it—thud—she turned sharply. Xie Qiong was on the ground, vines coiling around his legs, dragging him back.

Silent, eyes fierce, Xie Qiong plunged his bronze blade into the floor. Veins bulging in his arm, he gripped it tight. The vines slowed—but more came. Both his legs were bound.

As he neared the tunnel again, he looked forward.

And saw Li Zhi dart out the stone door with the girl.

Xie Qiong lowered his gaze.

Then, timing his move as his body slammed into the tunnel wall, he ripped the blade free and twisted, slashing at the vines on his legs.

They weren’t as weak as the white ones—but with enough force, he split one open. The rest loosened.

He raised the blade again—but footsteps echoed ahead.

A flaming bundle flew overhead. Xie Qiong looked up.

Li Zhi, coat ablaze in hand, hurled herself toward the darkness.

Hissssss!

Black smoke engulfed the tunnel. The vines released him.

Li Zhi snatched his blade, sliced the rest off his legs, and hauled him up. “Go!”

They ran. No looking back. Through the door.

Li Zhi hit the hidden mechanism—clang, clang—and the rotating stone wall closed.

Inside the tomb, only a faint candlestick burned. The unconscious girl leaned against the wall, still holding the fragrant powder bag.

A bloodied bronze blade was handed to Xie Qiong.

He looked up—Li Zhi was offering it back. Her hand, burned from the fire-wrapped coat, trembled slightly.

Xie Qiong took it. “You saved me. Again.”

Li Zhi smiled faintly. “You covering the rear got us out. We’re teammates.”

She didn’t say more. She tore off a strip from her inner shirt with her teeth, wrapped her burned hand, then crouched beside the girl. “Help me get her on my back.”

Xie Qiong looked at her injured hand. “I’ll carry her.”

Li Zhi glanced at the unconscious girl, gently placed the girl’s hand over her own shoulder. “I think she’d rather I do it.”