In this slightly crowded elevator, Fu Rui could clearly feel the disdainful glances from the people around her due to her earlier actions.
Fu Rui didn't mind it. She was originally the weakest among them. She was able to co here only because she had so unique abilities, and in this operation, she was rely an observer and a backup tool for retreat afterwards.
Because she had a clear understanding of herself, she always stayed at the end of the team. It was precisely due to this reason that she narrowly escaped death when the elevator doors opened.
The elderly man with the sword, Shen, was obviously proud of his understated thod of breaking the Illusion Array. When the descending elevator ca to an abrupt stop and the elevator doors slowly opened, he, standing at the outermost, led the charge and stepped out first.
But he quickly retreated, not because his conscience reminded him that Mu Fanchen was the nominal leader of the team and his actions were inappropriate, but because he was forced back by an expanding Fire Dragon outside the door.
Seeing the changing expressions on the faces of those around her and the various mysterious techniques they each employed, Fu Rui knew this was no illusion. She also wanted to use her abilities to defend herself, but she quickly found such thoughts were unnecessary. In the cramped elevator, she didn't need to take action; her body was already covered by the powerful defensive asures of the others.
Nonetheless, despite the layered protections, the Fire Dragon's impact was still imnse. The force pushed everyone in the elevator, squeezing Fu Rui against the back wall of the compartnt, rendering her immobile. The iron floor at her feet began to turn red-hot.
Just when she thought the elevator compartnt was about to be scrapped, the Fire Dragon's attack finally dissipated, turning into a wisp of red light and disappearing into the surroundings. Fu Rui felt her body loosen, and everyone around her seized the opportunity to rush out.
Being the last to exit the elevator compartnt, before Fu Rui had a chance to steady herself, she heard a loud crash behind her. Turning her head, she saw the elevator compartnt collapse with a roar, and then the elevator doors were enveloped in a white light, rging seamlessly with the surroundings.
"Heh heh." The sarcastic sneer beside her pulled Fu Rui's attention back. Looking in the direction of the sound, she saw it was the Sarah Witch who snickered, exchanging a glance full of contempt with her companion from the Magic Realm.
From their line of sight, Fu Rui knew the one being mocked this ti wasn't herself, but the elderly man with the sword who had been responsible for breaking the Array. He, who had been the first to stride out of the elevator, bore the brunt of the Fire Dragon's assault, looking the most disheveled, with one side of his long sleeve singed and his white hair slightly deford by the heat.
Also hearing this ridicule, Shen Yuanzhou turned beet red with embarrassnt, yet he was like a dumb person eating bitter herbs, unable to say anything in protest. He could only fling his sleeves and turn his head to the side.
Mu Fanchen silently laughed to himself, thinking there was no Array in the world that couldn't be broken; it only depended on the abilities of the person trapped inside it. This Illusion Array didn't aim to trap true experts inside but to force them to break it step by step, delaying ti. Shen, however, aid directly at the Array's core, thinking the Investigation Hall's people would leave such a big flaw for him?
It was just a trap; if you used force, the balanced energy within the Array would go berserk, turning the Illusion Array into a Deadly Array, catching you off guard and killing you.
Mu Fanchen saw through it but didn't expose it. His disdain and hostility towards this arrogant group of interdinsional experts were deeply ingrained. As the nominal leader of this team, he couldn't be bothered to manage the internal relations. He wouldn't be surprised if this profit-driven, cobbled-together team fought each other now.
It was only in these monts he missed the days at the Investigation Hall when life could be entrusted to comrades in battle. Unfortunately, those days were gone and wouldn't co back.
With these thoughts, Mu Fanchen's face was as calm as water as he scanned the empty Investigation Hall lobby, sighed lightly, and headed towards a small door at the end of the hall.
Before he had taken a few steps, a voice behind him asked in a low tone, "Mr. Mu, are you sure the items we seek are within the Investigation Hall, and are you truly confident you can bypass those individuals?"
Mu Fanchen continued walking without looking back, replying casually, "The items you want have been circulating among China, the US, Russia, the UK, and France once every decade since the end of World War II. This decade, the items are in dostic custody by the Investigation Hall. As for those individuals, the Divine Wish has its own thods to deal with them, but only this once. I hope you seniors will grasp the opportunity and rember to fulfill your promises then."
Hearing this, murmurs and whispered discussions arose behind him, and after a mont, the voice spoke again, "Very well!"
Thus, the group followed him into the small door at the hall's end. Upon entering, they saw Mu Fanchen stop and take out a piece of yellow paper from his chest. Standing in place, he patiently folded it, and seeing this, the people stood by patiently without urging.
After folding and creasing the yellow paper seven or eight tis, a lifelike paper crane stood in his palm. Upon Mu Fanchen infusing it with his essence, the paper crane ca to life, flapping its wings a few tis and rising into the air.
Watching the paper crane flutter up and down in front of him, Mu Fanchen extended his hand toward the stairs and commanded in a low voice, "Go!" Then, the people followed the leisurely flying paper crane.
At each staircase landing, the paper crane would hover and hesitate for a long while before deciding whether to go up or down. After repeatedly going up and down, toying for over ten minutes, the paper crane finally hovered at a landing, circling a few tis before heading into a deep corridor.
Exchanging glances with the others, Mu Fanchen quickly followed, and after a short distance, they saw a little girl sitting cross-legged beside an old yellow dog, examining the suddenly appearing group of people with cold, seemingly pure and innocent eyes. The old yellow dog beside her had its mouth slightly open, revealing rows of sharp teeth, its throat rumbling with dissatisfied, agitated growls.
Fu Rui looked on in amazent as the major figures from various realms, after witnessing this scene, all took a step back, their faces showing fear. Increasing their vigilance, they turned their gaze toward the leader, Mu Fanchen.
Mu Fanchen didn't respond, quietly observing. The paper crane circled above the little girl's head briefly before landing in her palm. The little girl lowered her head, reading the characters on the paper crane in silence. After a while, she held the yellow paper between two fingers, flicking it, and a fla rose from her fingertips.
Amidst the scattering ashes, without raising her head, the girl coldly snorted, "If you manage to return alive, rember to tell your master this is the second ti; he only has one more chance. You have thirty minutes—if there is still anyone lingering here after thirty minutes..."
The girl's words abruptly stopped, but the threat was unmistakable. Hearing this, Mu Fanchen smiled, bowed deeply to the girl, and respectfully said, "As you command!" With his bow, everyone behind him also bent down, bowing towards her.
Without glancing at them, the little girl patted the old yellow dog's body beside her and commanded coldly, "Open the door for them!"
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