Beyond the shattered spire summit, the terrain changed without warning.The knife thin ridges and vertical climbs ended at a descending slope of dark, fused stone that curved inward like the inside of a broken bowl. The air felt heavier the moment they stepped onto it. Wind no longer howled. It faded into a distant murmur far above, as if sealed away by the surrounding walls. Sound did not travel normally here. Boots struck rock with dull, swallowed thuds. Armor brushed stone without echo. Even breathing seemed absorbed before it could spread.The valley had shape here. A basin. Deep, circular, and enclosed by towering walls of layered black rock that leaned inward slightly, forming a colossal crown around the depression.Su Yu slowed the column immediately.The silence was wrong.Not peaceful. Not safe. Pressurized.The injured soldier was rotated and lowered slightly to adjust the carry angle for descent. Linxue checked the harness lines again, fingers numb but precise. She shifted

The spiral continued downward, each narrow step hugging the curved wall with unforgiving precision. The blue light beneath their boots pulsed softly with every footfall, spreading outward through the carved grooves like ripples across dark water. The shaft was vast, far wider than it first appeared, its opposite wall barely visible through layered shadow and glow. Depth swallowed distance. Looking down too long bent the senses.No one looked down again.They focused on step placement, breathing rhythm, load balance.The injured soldier remained perfectly centered in the harness. Linxue maintained constant contact, fingers hooked along two tension lines, correcting tilt before it formed. Downward spirals created rotational drift. She countered it continuously with small wrist turns and strap pressure adjustments. The carriers matched her timing without needing instruction now. They had become a moving system rather than separate bodies.The resonance from below grew stronger as they de

Beyond the crystal column, the passage narrowed again, funneling them into a corridor carved from fused stone that seemed almost liquid in its formation. The walls were smooth but irregular, bending inward at impossible angles, forcing the column to move single file. Light from the crystal faded behind them, leaving only faint blue traces along the grooves etched into the walls. The valley’s pulse seemed to follow, a subtle vibration beneath their boots, a reminder that nothing here moved without awareness.The injured soldier remained rotated in neutral suspension. Linxue maintained constant contact with the harness, adjusting straps with precision as they advanced. Every micro-movement mattered. The carriers tightened their shoulders, knees flexed for balance, and eyes scanned the path ahead. The air was colder now, carrying the faint metallic scent of stone under pressure.Footsteps echoed strangely, not backward, but in the walls themselves. Each tap of boots seemed to drift sidew

The tunnel beyond the mirrored descent was narrower, darker, and colder. The walls pressed in from both sides, fused stone slick with condensation. Every step echoed faintly, but the sound behaved oddly, spreading sideways and downward rather than returning from behind. The valley’s pulse followed beneath their boots, subtle but insistent, a constant reminder that nothing here was passive.Su Yu led the column with deliberate caution. Each footfall tested stability. Pebbles scattered unpredictably across the slick floor. The injured soldier remained perfectly centered in the harness. Linxue adjusted straps continuously, correcting micro-swings before they could destabilize the carry. The carriers moved as a single, synchronized entity, muscles straining, senses heightened.The tunnel curved sharply to the right, forcing the column into tighter single file. The ceiling lowered in sections, compelling hunching and careful step placement. The valley had engineered every inch to test coor

The bridge ended abruptly at the mouth of a narrow tunnel carved deep into black fused stone. No light penetrated here except faint residual blue from the previous chamber, barely illuminating the slick, jagged floor. The air was thick and still, carrying a subtle vibration beneath their boots that made every step feel heavier than it should.Su Yu led cautiously, measuring each footfall. Pebbles shifted under weight. Small fragments of stone threatened balance. The injured soldier remained centered in the harness, rotated carefully to counter pendulum sway. Linxue adjusted straps constantly, fingers never leaving the tension lines, correcting every micro-motion. The carriers moved in near-perfect unison, muscles tense, senses heightened.The tunnel narrowed further, forcing the column into tighter single file. The ceiling dipped sporadically, requiring crouches and adjustments. Every rotation of the injured soldier required precise coordination. Linxue anticipated each tilt, each shi