Chapter 234: Chapter 234: Everyone on Alert

In the past, whether through conversation or observation, Xu Qingsui could sense Shen Yan’s sorrow regarding his physical condition, but it had merely been a superficial impression. Now, seeing the cage Shen Yan had built for himself, she profoundly felt his torment. She stopped delaying, desperate for a swift solution.

"The Frenzy Factor also stems from Spiritual Power. If you simply place a layer of barrier over it, it naturally won’t be triggered as easily," the Golden Octopus said in a breezy tone.

Xu Qingsui immediately grasped the crux of the method. "I can use a Spirit Barrier to help him?"

"Exactly!" the Golden Octopus replied crisply.

But just as a smile surfaced on her face, its next words shattered her joy. "However, with the host’s current Spiritual Power, it’s highly unrealistic to shield Shen Yan’s Frenzy Factor. If you level up one more tier, you might barely be able to achieve it."

The light in Xu Qingsui’s eyes visibly dimmed at those words. But in just a breath, she pulled herself together. At least she had a method now.

For now, she could guide and soothe Shen Yan’s energy. Once her spiritual power increased again, she would be much better equipped to aid him. Given that Shen Yan had endured it for so many years, she was confident he wouldn’t mind waiting a little longer.

Having figured things out, her mood brightened considerably. While gently patting the Flying Dragon, she examined the cage Shen Yan had forged for himself. They had been spending time together for a while now. Though she couldn’t agree with some of Shen Yan’s decisions, she had come to realize that many of his actions were born out of absolute necessity. Shen Yan appeared infinitely glorious on the surface, but behind closed doors, he bore a tremendous amount of heartache. Before she knew it, her opinion of him had shifted dramatically.

She had initially intended to let Shen Yan rest a bit longer, but a sudden fluctuation of energy from the outside world disrupted her plans. They were, after all, still inside the dungeon, surrounded by hidden dangers. They couldn’t afford to rest here for too long. Without hesitation, she withdrew her spirit body and opened her eyes.

The moment her eyes fluttered open, a prickling sensation ran down her spine. Xu Qingsui furrowed her brows and spun around in alarm, only to be met with a myriad of expressions from her teammates.

The most intense gaze, however, belonged to Lu Jingyu. His face was thunderous, his icy glare fixed squarely on Shen Yan’s face, which was currently resting on her shoulder. The rest of the team covertly observed Lu Jingyu—some looking amused, others stifling chuckles. The bizarre atmosphere made Xu Qingsui uncomfortable. She had initially worried that another Mermaid had appeared, but compared to the current awkwardness, a monster attack might have been preferable!

Seeing Xu Qingsui awake, Lu Jingyu’s expression morphed instantly. He walked over with a charming smile. "I was afraid you might run into danger, so I gathered the team and rushed back immediately. I didn’t expect you to finish the soothing process so quickly."

As he spoke, Lu Jingyu reached out and pulled the resting Shen Yan away from Xu Qingsui. A flicker of disgust flashed in his eyes when he caught sight of the man now slumped against him. Thankfully, a quick-witted teammate immediately stepped forward and proactively took Shen Yan off his hands.

Lu Jingyu brushed off the spot where Shen Yan had leaned against him, then turned his attention back to Xu Qingsui. "Can your body handle two consecutive sessions? Do you need to rest?"

In the past, guiding two SSS level sentinels back-to-back would have been a physically impossible task for her. But this time, having just devoured the source of pollution in the Mermaid’s song, her spiritual power had surged. With abundant Spiritual Power, two consecutive sessions had left her slightly fatigued but with no severe negative side effects.

Recalling their current predicament and the rules of the Mermaid dungeon, she quickly shook her head. "Don’t worry, I’m fine! However, we’ve been in this dungeon for quite some time now. Although the clearance time is forty-eight hours, there’s that twelve-hour boundary. Seeing as more than half of that has already passed, we should keep moving! Hopefully, we can clear this within the twelve hours."

Although it felt like they hadn’t accomplished much since entering the dungeon, between one thing and another, several hours had already slipped away. Despite his concern for Xu Qingsui, the mention of their tight timeframe made Lu Jingyu’s heart heavy. After studying her carefully and ensuring that her complexion and spirits were truly fine, he nodded. "Alright then, the team will keep moving!"

"I’ll lead the way," Xu Qingsui volunteered. "I know how to get into the castle!"

Earlier, the team had been completely unable to approach the castle, despite it being right in front of them. When Xu Qingsui was abducted by the Mutated Mermaid and taken to the gates, she had noticed on her way back that the path was riddled with small traps, which was why they couldn’t get close. She had dismantled those mechanisms on her return; now, they only needed to retrace her steps to enter the stronghold.

Lu Jingyu had already felt like he was missing a crucial piece of the puzzle. When Xu Qingsui offered to lead the way, it suddenly dawned on him. He wondered what exactly had happened after he lost control. His last memory was of Xu Qingsui being dragged away by the Mutated Mermaid. When had Shen Yan entered a frenzied state? Furthermore, who had taken care of the Mutated Mermaid? Who had saved Xu Qingsui? And how did she know the way into the castle?

A flurry of questions rushed into his mind, but before he could voice a single one, Xu Qingsui had already turned and marched off with the team. Seeing this, he swallowed his inquiries and silently matched her pace. The questions could wait; clearing the dungeon was their primary objective right now. Besides, no matter how she knew the way, he trusted her implicitly.

Led by Xu Qingsui, the team resumed their journey through the dungeon.

Meanwhile, the 27th District had entered a state of full alert.

Under Chen Yunfei’s arrangements, the squad members were divided into several groups, taking turns resting and assisting Meng Donghua in fending off the encroaching vines. Despite multiple rotations, the vines’ assault showed no signs of slowing down. But Chen Yunfei could no longer spare any attention for the plants; his total focus was fixed on the chemical plant.

With time running out, he dispatched another squad to surround the entire facility. He personally led the charge, holding the line in the open clearing outside the chemical plant. To keep strict track of time, he even had his subordinates drag a massive grandfather clock out into the clearing.

Tearing his gaze away from the dungeon entrance, Chen Yunfei looked at the clock. Eight hours had already passed. He wondered how things were going inside the dungeon. If Lu Jingyu, Xu Qingsui, and the rest didn’t make it out within the remaining four hours, the threat they faced would morph into Mermaids.

Watching the hands of the clock tick away, Chen Yunfei’s heart clenched, pounding in tandem with every mechanical shift. The sheer oppressive weight of the countdown made his skin crawl. Unable to bear staring at the clock any longer, he drew his weapon and began meticulously wiping it down.

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