Chapter 52: Everyone is Going to Die

 Chapter 52: Everyone is Going to Die

Seeing everyone's eager anticipation, Xie Lingxi pursed her lips and spoke with a young girl's clear and sweet voice:

"In the old version of the strategy guide, the spiritual realm practitioners needed to pass through an underground parking lot. During this process, there was a car-person who appeared every three minutes. It would chase the spiritual realm practitioners entering the parking lot, and those who were caught would be eliminated."

"Before everyone is eliminated, the spiritual realm practitioners need to find the controller and deactivate the car-person's power, and the controller is hidden in one of the cars in the parking lot," said Xie Lingxi.

The fiery-tempered Fire Mage suddenly understood and asked, "So we need to find the controller to deactivate the car-person, right? Wang Tai, what do you think?"

While others were contemplating the idea, they immediately turned their gaze towards Zhang Yuanqing. They wanted to see what insights this young man, who had perfectly resolved the crisis in the first mission, had to offer.

Zhang Yuanqing responded to the rough and vulgar Fire Mage's previous words, saying, "In the old version of the amusement park, elimination deducted experience points, not death. But now, the difficulty has changed to S-level, and the correct understanding is that one person will die every three minutes."

The charming face of Xishi changed, "We only have a maximum of eighteen minutes..."

Feeling guilty as a father, he shook his head slowly, "No, it's best if we don't have anyone die in this level. The more people entering the haunted house, the higher the probability of surviving."

Zhang Yuanqing sighed, "Father, you almost didn't say it clearly. The haunted house needs cannon fodder..."

"Lingxi, will our skills be sealed in the parking lot?" asked the Fire Mage.

Xie Lingxi recalled and shook her head, "The strategy guide didn't mention that."

The Fire Mage thought for a moment and suggested, "Once we enter the parking lot, let's split up and search for the key. This way, we can find it faster."

The Monkey King quickly shook his head, "It's too dangerous to split up in such a place; it's just asking for death."

The Fire Mage stared, disdainfully saying, "You're just afraid of death, you useless piece."

The Monkey King's eyes flashed with anger, but he also feared the Fire Mage. He coldly hummed, "Regardless, I don't recommend splitting up."

"Splitting up might be the most appropriate way, if we don't have any weak links in the team..." Zhang Yuanqing intervened, cutting off the argument, and suggested, "Let's go in first. Planning relies on having enough information."

He took the lead and descended the steep slope, entering the underground parking lot flooded with bright white lights.

Walking down the slope, Zhang Yuanqing scanned the surroundings and his mouth twitched. The underground parking lot was spacious, similar to a large mall's parking garage. Countless cars were neatly parked in their designated spots.

Various car models filled the area, with a thick layer of gray ash accumulated on their roofs.

Xie Lingxi and the others followed into the parking lot, and upon seeing the scene before them, the Fire Mage's expression darkened, "With so many cars, when will we find it?"

Xishi's eyes swirled, and a worried expression appeared on her charming face. "Shouldn't we split up? With so many cars, when will we find it?"

The others didn't say anything, as they all received a prompt from the instance:

【Ding, the team has entered the underground parking lot. Experience begins, and unnecessary items have been cleared for you.】

【Hint 1: Controller. Hint 2: Car keys. Good luck!】

【Countdown: 00:02:55】

"Our active skills are sealed again..."

"We can't access our inventory either. Damn it, it's another skill seal..."

Several team members' faces changed slightly, but Zhang Yuanqing's attention was drawn to the two hints.

There are hints? The old version of the strategy guide didn't mention any hints for this level...

S-level instances wouldn't provide obvious hints; spiritual realm practitioners are expected to observe, think, and deduce patterns to find a way out.

To actually have such obvious hints like "controller" and "car keys" in the underground parking lot means the danger level is high. Otherwise, the spiritual realm wouldn't provide hints.

Zhang Yuanqing whispered, "Everyone, the situation isn't looking good."

Everyone was startled, breaking free from the panic of their sealed skills. After carefully considering the instance prompts, their expressions instantly became serious.

"Car keys..." The impatient Fire Mage quickly walked to the nearest commercial van and attempted to open the door, but it was locked.

He then tried to smash the window with his elbow, but despite the loud noise, the glass didn't shatter; there wasn't even a crack.

"Can't break it. From the looks of it, to find the controller, we must first find the car keys..." The Fire Mage spat out a mouthful of saliva in frustration, cursing, "I suggest splitting up."

Zhang Yuanqing swept his gaze over everyone and saw they all had the same idea. He immediately said, "Alright, but don't split up too far. Make sure you're always within sight of your teammates. We don't have much time; let's move."

The countdown was like a death knell, and the six spiritual realm practitioners didn't waste any more time, each searching in the parking lot.

The vast parking lot was silent, with only the sound of their footsteps echoing.

Zhang Yuanqing deliberately stayed behind, ensuring that everyone remained in his line of sight. While paying attention to his teammates' every move, he also continued searching for the car keys.

"This task doesn't seem right. The underground parking lot is so huge; it's impossible for us to find the controller within three minutes. It's almost impossible for us to find it and avoid elimination in time..." Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself.

Just then, he heard Xie Lingxi on his left crouch down, slipping under a car and, a few seconds later, she excitedly shouted, "I found the car keys! They're under this SUV!"

She raised her fair and tender arm, holding up the car keys. At the same time, she pressed the unlock button on the key.

The parking lot remained silent, and the vehicles showed no response.

Xie Lingxi's small face turned disappointed, and she pitifully said, "The car isn't near me..."

Seeing this, the others continued their search. Soon, the Monkey King exclaimed loudly, "I found the car keys!" He pressed the unlock button, and there were two beeps, and the taillights flickered.

They all rushed over and opened the four car doors, searching inside thoroughly.

Disappointed, the father figure said, "There's nothing."

"Wait a minute..." Xie Lingxi, with sharp eyes, leaned into the car's interior, propping up her little butt, and picked up a metal card from under the seat.

It was a card with a metallic texture, coated with a layer of golden paint, depicting a clear pool of water in the center.

Staring at the card, they saw the information floating in front of their eyes:

【Life Essence Concentrate】14

【Type: Potion】2

【Function: Healing】

【Introduction: A potion containing massive life force that can heal all external injuries.】4

【Note: Being a consumable, it has no cost.】9

"Life Essence Concentrate?" Xishi's eyes brightened. "I remember Life Essence is an item related to the Musician profession. I didn't expect to find consumables in the car. Do you think there might be more in other cars?"

If that were the case, their chances of successfully clearing the level would greatly increase.

Zhang Yuanqing resisted the urge to ask because Wang Tai was an experienced practitioner who had been through numerous spiritual realms, and he was a reliable teammate.

If the other team members found out that their leader was a rookie who had only been to the spiritual realm once, he didn't know how they would feel.

"Let's put it away for now..." Zhang Yuanqing glanced at the countdown. "Continue to find the car keys; we don't have much time left."

They dispersed again and swiftly searched for the car keys.

As Zhang Yuanqing looked for the car keys, he pondered, "With hints and consumables given, this level's danger level is probably beyond expectations. The murderer is likely to be detected. I hope he won't harm anyone and try to preserve the lives of our teammates as much as possible. Otherwise, we won't be able to pass through the haunted house..."

As time ticked away, they couldn't find the third set of car keys. The spiritual realm practitioners grew increasingly anxious, and their search became more urgent.

At that moment, the Monkey King, who had been keeping an eye on the countdown, exclaimed, "Time's up..."

Suddenly, a powerful engine roar echoed from a distance. Everyone's heart trembled, and they looked in the direction of the sound, seeing a tall figure at the entrance of the underground parking lot.

It stood at a height of two meters, covered in metal, with a pair of eyes emitting red light. In its hand, it held a three-foot-long chainsaw.

"All of you will die, all of you will die!" Its chest speaker echoed with electronic sounds.

"Transformers?!" Xie Lingxi exclaimed.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

The engine roared, and the car-person slid its feet, rushing towards the group from a distance of tens of meters.

"Spread out!" Zhang Yuanqing shouted loudly.

The team members scattered in all directions like bowling pins being hit.

Xie Lingxi's physical abilities seemed to be inferior to the others, and she reacted a beat slower. During her evasion, she was knocked down by the robot, hitting her lower back on the car body. She groaned in pain, and her vision darkened, making it impossible for her to get up.

Gas sprayed from the robot's ankle vents, counteracting the inertia, performing a sudden stop that humans couldn't achieve. It raised the chainsaw in its hand and swung it down with force.

The motor of the chainsaw spun, sounding like the whisper of the grim reaper.

The young girl's face turned pale with fear, and her expression was filled with despair.

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