The Professor heard this, and his already furrowed brow tightened even further, as he fell into deep thought.
"We can still establish contact."
Seeing Fang Cheng’s keen gaze, seemingly seeing through his actions, he pondered briefly, choosing to admit frankly.
However, after a brief pause, his tone shifted, and his face showed deeper concern:
"But my teammates are in even more trouble now; it seems they’ve encountered a phantom barrier."
Fang Cheng was slightly stunned upon hearing this.
The aning behind these words hints at issues with the route out of the manor.
.................
In the dense forest of mist, it’s as though enveloped by a black curtain, almost impossible to see one’s hand in front.
Lin Chuqiao leads the way, Bai Ling in the middle, and Big Hamr at the rear, the three of them lined up cautiously advancing.
Each step is taken with extre care, as if the ground beneath could crack open at any mont, swallowing them.
The thick, ink-like fog around them seems alive, constantly surging and changing, completely obstructing their view.
Since the sudden earthquake a few minutes ago, the entire Mist Mountain seems to have been dragged into a mysterious and horrific alternate dinsion.
The fog not only becos thicker and more suffocating.
Even the once-familiar mountain path is now rugged and indistinguishable, and the surrounding trees appear twisted and fearso under the cloak of fog.
Vaguely visible are so strange shadows that don’t quite resemble humans hiding within.
Everything is a sign of so unsettling but unpredictable change occurring here.
To avoid getting separated from each other, Lin Chuqiao frequently slows down, signaling Bai Ling behind with a gentle pull of her hand.
Bai Ling also stretches her hand to tug at Big Hamr’s clothes, ensuring they remain within visible distance.
They stay close together, so close they can feel each other’s breathing and heartbeat, fearing to get lost in this labyrinthine place.
Once separated, they might completely lose themselves in this vast, dark forest, unable to find a way out.
"This damn place, why does it feel like we’re wandering in circles?"
Big Hamr, with the most impatient disposition, mutters under his breath, filled with anxiety and unease.
The iron hamr in his hand occasionally swings to attempt to disperse the surrounding mist.
But the mist clings to them, dispersing only to quickly regroup.
Bai Ling furrows her brows tightly, holding a simple compass.
She specially prepared this before departure, intending it as an ergency tool for when lost.
Because Lin Chuqiao possesses high Perception Ability, she can accurately judge the path, making the compass unneeded until now.
It finally seems useful, yet at this mont, the needle spins wildly, unable to show direction.
"Sothing’s wrong, the compass is faulty too, the magnetic fields here are constantly changing; Xiao Chu, have we encountered a phantom barrier?"
Her voice carries a few breaths of tension, seeking help from Lin Chuqiao walking ahead.
Normally, they should’ve already reached the main road outside Mist Mountain.
"Don’t panic, take a break for now, I’ll try to reconnect with the Professor."
Lin Chuqiao wears a similarly grave expression, yet her tone remains soft.
She knows that in such danger-filled circumstances, she must remain calm as the guide.
At that mont, the Professor’s voice suddenly echoes in her mind:
"Hey, Xiao Chu, can you hear ?"
The voice feels like a faint yet clear radio wave, piercing through the dense mist, instantly boosting Lin Chuqiao’s Spirit.
She promptly responds:
"Yes, I can hear you, Professor. We followed your thod to check the treetops but still found no markers."
The Professor’s voice seems disrupted, slightly delayed, then it replies:
"Xiao Chu, listen to , this is an illusion trap, your senses have all been disrupted..."
"Try to calm down, feel the temperature variance of the ground beneath, then head towards where it’s slightly warr, that’s the direction of a village, which should lead you out of the mountain."
Upon hearing this, Lin Chuqiao’s Spirit lifted; she quickly closed her eyes, tried to dismiss distractions, aiming to sense the temperature differences ntioned by the Professor.
A mont later, she detected a sliver of subtle difference, opened her eyes, and with a touch of hope, began heading in the judged direction.
Bai Ling and Big Hamr saw this; though their minds were unsettled, they could only follow.
However, after walking in this direction for quite a while, the surrounding fog not only failed to disperse but grew denser.
The twisted shadows flickered intermittently, eerie whispers reverberating, seemingly drawing closer.
"What’s going on? This thod doesn’t work at all!"
Big Hamr couldn’t help but complain, his face full of dismay.
Lin Chuqiao frowned, deeply puzzled, once again communicated with the Professor:
"Professor, I did as you said but we’re still trapped in the woods, showing no signs of a way out."
"Don’t rush; the illusion trap might be more complicated than I imagined."
The Professor’s voice remains calm, trying to soothe their emotions:
"Try looking around for any glowing objects or unusually bright areas—they might be the key to unraveling the trap."
Lin Chuqiao widened her eyes, carefully scanning her surroundings.
In this dense, unyielding mist, aside from the occasional ghost shadow flickers, there were no glowing objects.
All was silent, not even the calls of owls, a silence that chilled the heart.
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