2026-01-29 17:09:53
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CHAPTER 203: THE CHAMBER OF LIVING STONE
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
CHAPTER 202: THE TUNNEL THAT REMEMBERS FOOTSTEPS
Darkness did not simply surround them inside the tunnel. It behaved.It layered itself in gradients, thicker in some sections, thinner in others, like mist made of shadow. The air flowed again, but only in slow currents that brushed past armor and skin with a cool, deliberate touch. After the crushing pressure of the basin, the sudden return of breathable space felt almost suspicious.No one relaxed.The tunnel walls were smooth and slightly curved, fused stone shaped by forces far beyond erosion. Faint lines ran along both sides at shoulder height, continuous grooves that stretched forward into blackness. They were not cracks. They were markings. Repeated, parallel, intentional.Su Yu advanced first, one measured step at a time.His boot struck stone.The sound traveled forward not backward.They all heard it. A dull tap that moved away from them down the tunnel like a thrown pebble instead of echoing behind. The acoustics were reversed. Noise fled deeper rather than returning.The c
CHAPTER 201: THE BASIN OF SILENT PRESSURE
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
CHAPTER 200: THE FINAL ASCENT OF THE VOID SPIRE
The spire before them rose like a blackened dagger stabbing into the void. Its surface was jagged, slick, and fractured, polished by centuries of wind and erosion. Shadows clung to its teeth, deepening the abyss that yawned beneath every step. The air here was thick, almost viscous, carrying a constant hum that resonated through bone and muscle alike. Wind funneled through the narrow gaps with a ferocity that threatened to sweep them from the ridge entirely. This was no longer a climb. This was a trial of endurance, precision, and sheer will.Su Yu led the column forward, moving deliberately, hand pressed against the stone to test flex and pressure. Every inch of the spire demanded respect. Loose shards crunched under boots, small avalanches cascading into the darkness below. The injured soldier remained at the center, rotated continuously, harness adjusted perfectly by Linxue. She moved alongside him constantly, hands correcting micro-swings before they could destabilize the team.Th
CHAPTER 199: THE VERTIGO SPIRE
The spire rose like a jagged spear from the valley floor, impossibly narrow at the top, polished smooth in some places, fractured and sharp in others. Darkness pooled along its base, swallowing the shadows of the ridge behind them. The wind here was relentless, funneling from unseen depths below, slicing sideways and upward, carrying the faint hum of the valley’s awareness. Each gust threatened to throw the soldiers off balance. Every step forward was a negotiation with gravity, stone, and the unseen forces that had made this valley a test of endurance and will.Su Yu led the column with meticulous care, hand pressed against the stone whenever possible, testing flex, pressure, and stability. The injured soldier remained at the center, rotated continuously, harness adjusted to perfection. Linxue moved alongside him, hands constantly correcting micro-swings, ensuring that even the slightest shift in weight would not destabilize the team. Carriers followed in perfect synchronization, mus
CHAPTER 198: THE RAZOR RIDGE THAT WHISPERS
The ridge ahead rose like a serrated blade, each jagged peak sharper than the last, slicing into the dim light that filtered through cracks in the stone above. Shadows clung to fractured surfaces, deepening the sense of depth and danger. The air was heavier here, carrying a subtle vibration that resonated through every bone, as though the valley itself was alive and aware of their movement. Wind funneled through narrow gaps, striking sideways and upward, tugging at clothing and armor.Su Yu led the column carefully, testing each foothold with deliberate precision. The ridge was narrow, barely wide enough for single-file travel. Loose shards of stone crunched under boots, threatening to shift at any misstep. The injured soldier remained at the center, rotated continuously, his weight carefully distributed by the carriers. Linxue’s hands moved constantly along the harness, correcting the slightest sway before it could destabilize the group.Every step forward was a negotiation with the
