12dz Chapter 298 Disappeared
Chapter 298 Disappeared
After experiencing so many dangers along the way, no one questioned the old hunter anymore. They sat in a circle on the ground, chewing the bread they brought with them. They were trapped in the thick fog. The people ate next to each other, but the sounds were indistinct, as if coming from far away.
Everyone sat together on the ground exhausted, taking out hard biscuits from the packages they carried with them and chewing them in big mouthfuls.
They were trapped in thick fog and were very close to each other, but the sounds of eating seemed to come from a very far away place, sounding vague and a little dazed.
Marquis Wu'an looked at his son with great worry and concern in his heart.
He really wanted to ask about the journey, but when he looked up at the pitch-black environment around him, he finally gave up the idea helplessly, slowly closed his eyes, and tried to relieve his physical and mental fatigue by taking a nap.
As the night deepened, the fog grew thicker, and time seemed to have completely stopped at this moment.
There was dead silence all around, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
This terrifying silence makes everyone's heartbeat seem particularly loud.
At this moment, the old hunter's deep and powerful voice suddenly rang out: "Everyone, cheer up! We're about to enter the valley!"
As soon as he finished speaking, it was like throwing a huge rock into a calm lake, instantly breaking the silence.
Different from the vague and illusory sounds when everyone was eating before, the old hunter's words at this moment were extremely clear, as real and natural as normal face-to-face communication.
The crowd, who were originally highly nervous, were suddenly awakened by the sudden sound. Their bodies trembled involuntarily, and then they quickly adjusted their state and prepared to face the upcoming unknown challenges.
When everyone looked closely, they were all shocked. The fog that was previously everywhere disappeared without a trace!
The mountains and forests were still shrouded in darkness at this time, but the bright moonlight fell on the darkness like a veil, making everything around appear hazy and dim.
With this faint light, everyone could see each other's faces clearly.
Suddenly, a clear bird song was heard in the distance, followed by a low beast roar. The sound echoed in the silent mountains and forests, making people's hearts tremble suddenly.
However, in just a moment, everyone quickly calmed down, as if they had instantly returned to the real world from an illusory dream.
"Hurry up! If we miss the time, we won't be able to reach our destination." The experienced old hunter said solemnly. Before he finished speaking, he took a step forward without hesitation, and with the guidance of the moonlight, he walked towards the depths of the dense forest.
"Everyone, hurry up and follow the team closely. Don't fall behind!" Wu Anhou remembered the accident that Ru Yue and Chu Ning'an had encountered before. He did not dare to slack off and shouted loudly to everyone.
As the fog dissipated, the originally peaceful and tranquil forest seemed to have lost its former tranquility.
They rushed furiously, and after more than an hour, they still hadn't reached the end of the forest. From afar, they heard the sound of rushing water. The air began to fill with a strong, pungent smell of blood, making them nauseous.
The old hunter suddenly stopped in his tracks as if nails had grown under his feet, and his weather-beaten face was instantly filled with fear.
His eyes widened, his lips trembling slightly. He turned to the Marquis of Wu'an beside him and said in a trembling voice, "Sir! Ahead...ahead is the stagnant river! I, an old man...I can only take you here!"
His voice sounded like the wheezing sound of an old bellows being pulled, hoarse and low, with an indescribable forbearance.
The sound penetrated into people's ears, making their throats feel dry and itchy. However, at this moment, looking at the old hunter's nervous look as if he was facing a great enemy, no one present dared to make a sound.
After the old hunter hurriedly finished speaking, without even waiting for others to respond, he slowly lightened his pace, taking each step extremely cautiously, moving forward bit by bit at almost a snail's pace.
Seeing this, the people following behind him followed suit, following him closely, not even daring to breathe, for fear that the slightest carelessness would bring about some unexpected disaster.
They carefully bypassed a dense forest. Suddenly, the scene ahead changed drastically, and the originally narrow road suddenly became open and bright.
However, even under the hazy moonlight, when everyone saw the scene clearly, they couldn't help but be frightened and their faces turned pale, without a trace of blood.
Before them lay a mighty river, its current surging and turbulent. Even more horrifying, the banks were littered with piles of eerie bones, some belonging to wild animals, others clearly human.
These bones, some lying horizontally, some standing upright, were piled together in a disorderly manner, gleaming with cold light under the moonlight, which made people feel a chill from the bottom of their hearts.
"Old man, may I ask where exactly is this place?" Marquis Wu'an asked with a gloomy face and a cold voice.
The old hunter raised his head, his cloudy eyes looking at Marquis Wu'an, and slowly said, "This is the Dead Water River, but some also call it the Forgotten River. As long as you cross this river, you will reach the Forgotten Valley."
Hearing the old hunter's words, Marquis Wu'an couldn't help but frown. He glanced at the piles of bones around the riverbank. A wave of horror washed over him, and he asked again, "Old man, is there something special about this river? Why are there so many skeletons scattered along its banks?"
The old hunter shook his head and replied softly, "I've never crossed this river myself. I've only heard from the older generation that there are extremely powerful things hidden in this river, but no one has ever seen what they are."
Upon hearing this, Marquis Wu'an looked troubled and asked, "Old man, there are no bridges or boats on the river right now. How can we cross the river safely?"
The old hunter did not answer immediately, but searched carefully along the river bank in silence.
His movements were slow and cautious, as if he was afraid of disturbing something. As for the skinny grandson who was following beside him, he had lost his previous liveliness and cleverness. He followed closely behind his grandfather, following his steps step by step, not daring to slack off even for a moment.
Time passed minute by minute, and everyone waited silently.
After a long time, the old hunter finally stopped at a place where the skeletons were piled most densely.
He turned around and said to the anxious Marquis Wu'an behind him, "Don't worry, sir. This is where the bridge is."
Upon hearing this, everyone's faces lit up with astonishment, and they hurriedly gathered around. When they took a closer look, they couldn't help but gasp—where was the bridge? It was clearly just a row of stone piles, less than three inches above the water, and as thick as bowls!
These stone piles stand alone in the water, as if they will be washed away by the rushing river at any time.
Everyone unconsciously glanced towards the other side, only to see the turbulent river, over ten feet wide, surging and surging. Could they truly reach the other side safely relying solely on these stone piles? Furthermore, there was the mysterious entity that had never appeared, lurking in the river, its nature unknown.
Thinking of this, everyone's hearts began to beat fast.
Everyone firmly believed that the experienced old hunter's words were true. After all, the piles of bones piled up like mountains by the river were the best proof. If there wasn't something extremely powerful in the river, how could it have caused so many deaths?
At this moment, a lean man stepped out of the crowd. He quickly walked up to Marquis Wu'an, clasped his hands together, and said respectfully, "My Lord, I am willing to lead the charge and test the depth of the river. Please grant me your permission!"
Upon hearing this, Marquis Wu'an gazed deeply at the row of black stone piles that stood out in the moonlight. They resembled a long, winding snake, quietly crawling in the river.
For those with exceptional skills and martial arts prowess, the river's width isn't a significant obstacle. Those with exceptional martial arts skills might easily cross it in just three or two leaps. However, unknown dangers still lurk in the shadows, forcing one to remain vigilant.
"Be extremely careful!" Marquis Wu'an nodded solemnly in agreement, and at the same time gave a concerned reminder.
The man didn't hesitate, his eyes firm and confident. He stretched out his right foot and gave two powerful kicks to the stone pile closest to the shore. Two dull thuds echoed, but the pile didn't budge at all, as if deeply rooted in the earth.
Feeling the solid touch under his feet, the man suddenly felt more at ease.
He took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the surging river ahead. Then, he suddenly leaped up, hurtling towards the stone pillar in the center of the river like an arrow. After tracing a graceful arc through the air, he landed steadily on the stone pillar. However, the moment he stepped onto the stone pillar, he became acutely aware of a strange aura permeating the river. The current seemed to have become unusually turbulent and surging.
The man didn't hesitate, launching himself into the air once more. His figure was as nimble as a flying swallow, and with two consecutive leaps and drops in mid-air, he crossed the vast river in the blink of an eye, landing unscathed on the other side. His movements were so smooth and seamless, drawing admiring glances from everyone present.
At this moment, everyone's attention was focused on the man who successfully crossed the river, and no one noticed that a tiny ripple was quietly appearing in the depths of the river.
Just as everyone was still immersed in admiration for the man's wonderful performance, a shrill scream suddenly rang out, breaking the originally tense and quiet atmosphere.
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound in astonishment, only to find that a personal guard with his back to the river had disappeared without a trace in an instant in front of everyone's eyes, leaving behind only a heart-wrenching silence.