In Sector R of the underground world.
No matter how many times Tang Ling imagined what the underground world should look like, when he saw it with his own eyes, he realized that his imagination was still limited. He could not even imagine a complete civilization.
At least, that was what Tang Ling thought.
What kind of civilization was it? As a matter of fact, when he jumped down from the uneven crevice and traveled underground, he could roughly define it as a cave civilization.
Indeed, it seemed like the Underground race had a strong obsession with digging holes. Therefore, the underground was not like a deep ravine that led straight to Sector R. Instead, it was filled with all kinds of winding, intersecting caves.
The underground black market would love this kind of place.
Not only did the Underground race have a strong obsession with digging holes, but every single one of them should be a master.
The lines of the caves they built were neat, and the ventilation was smooth. It was unknown what method was used, but every cave had a light transmission opening, which led to the natural light coming from the ground.
Tang Ling believed that it was something that could be solved with a light source like an oil lamp since the Underground race did not lack oil, but they still guided natural light to the surface. However, they still attracted natural light regardless of the trouble. Could this be understood as a kind of persistence?
Other than that, the Underground race could not hold back their curiosity, so they would carve decorations that humans could not understand on the surface of the caves.
Maybe they were decorations? It was also possible that their totems and words seemed to be narrating an ancient history.
Due to the existence of the Prosthetics, all the caves were built in a strange double-circle structure, with a smaller circle next to a bigger one.
Imagine the scene. When the Prosthetics were removed, they would walk through the smaller cave and when they put on the Prosthetics, they would walk through the bigger cave.
However, based on human thinking, it would be a waste of engineering work. Wouldn't it be better to build a bigger cave instead?
Therefore, when Tang Ling saw the double-circle structure and the intersecting paths, he assumed that the Underground race had a special obsession with digging holes.
After a hundred years of exploration, the maze-like paths were no longer a hindrance. Following the special markings left behind by the humans, they moved forward without any hindrance.
Tang Ling's Precise Instinct was operating rapidly. The complicated paths were quickly imprinted in his mind like a precise 3D model.
After all, the only map he had was with Andrew, and he did not want to be controlled by someone else.
The cave was very quiet. There was no sign of the Underworld Race. According to Aber's intelligence, the possibility of encountering the Underworld Race was zero since the main force was gathering.
As they traversed the area, they looked forward to seeing the Underground Race's civilization.
"You can't see it. Even if you reach Area R, it won't be their real civilization." Andrew's voice came from the front of the group. He was answering a question from a member of the Summit Squad. Sector R was the place where the Underground lived, so why did Yang Kong say that no one knew about the real Underground civilization?
"Why?" Someone couldn't help but ask. His voice was a little high, reverberating in the quiet cave. No one knew how far it had traveled.
"Quiet." Andrew reprimanded in a low voice and replied simply, "Legend has it that the true civilization of the underground races is gathered in a few of their underground cities. That is the origin of their civilization, and the secrets of this planet are buried there. "
"As for District R, or even the larger underground race gathering places, it's impossible to see their civilization. You can understand that it's just a military camp, a military camp that invaded the surface. Can you see their civilization from a military camp? "
One had to admit that Andrew was very knowledgeable. All the information that could not even be found in the database deepened his understanding of this world.
"I'm really curious about their cities," someone said softly.
"You better not have such thoughts. Just like what Instructor Yang Kong said, no one has really entered their country, let alone their big cities. There are more powerful humans than you can imagine, so why is it like this? "Andrew replied with a question to dispel the person's unrealistic curiosity.
Why else? Humans had always been creatures with an endless desire to explore and were bursting with curiosity. It was like an instinct that was carved in their genes, but even with the drive of the instinct, they still knew nothing about the Underground civilization. It could only mean that the place was unimaginably dangerous, and many powerful humans had gone there but never returned.
Even so, it was still good to have a look at Area R. Even if a place similar to a military camp couldn't allow him to spy on their civilization, he could at least get some clues.
It was what Tang Ling and most of the New Moon Warriors of the First Reserved Camp shared.
Only the geniuses would have the mood to be filled with questions and curiosity before a life or death battle.
However, they were marching after all. After the question was asked, the group fell into silence again. Only the rapid footsteps echoed in the cave.
Based on the marching speed of the First Reserved Camp, the winding caves took them a whole 15 minutes to reach their destination, Sector R.
Tang Ling used his Precise Instinct to calculate along the way. The caves might seem to be parallel, but they were actually meandering downwards. However, the downward angle was very slight. It might seem like they were only 50 meters away from the surface, but they were actually almost 100 meters deep underground.
There was still no difference between the underground and the surface. The air was still flowing, and it was not stuffy. Natural light shone in, but other than that, the whole of Sector R was unusually hot.
62 degrees Celsius.
It was the answer given by his Precise Instinct.
Humans from the old civilization could not last more than an hour in such an environment because the environment was not extremely dry.
Because this place wasn't an extremely dry environment, there was an underground river meandering through the center of the entire Zone R. The air here was destined to be full of humidity, which prevented human sweat from evaporating smoothly.
However, in this era, the environment and the high temperature were not unbearable for normal people. In other words, they could endure it for a longer period of time, let alone the New Moon Warriors who were much stronger than normal people.
Other than feeling a little hot, they did not feel any discomfort. They did not even think of removing their battle uniforms. They were shocked by the new civilization even though it was just a military camp.
Tang Ling was equally shocked.
He realized that it was wrong to call this civilization a cave civilization. If he had to be more precise, it should be a geothermal civilization.
What was the whole Sector R? It was a giant cave, but inside the cave, other than the underground river, there was a hole no more than 10 meters in diameter with boiling magma gushing out like the mouth of a volcano.
The hole was not bare. Instead, it was covered by a translucent cover that looked like it was made of impure diamond.
There were extremely complicated lines on the cover, just like the lines on the gene tester. However, compared to the gene tester, the lines were much rougher. After all, the lines on the gene tester were so fine that they looked like an ordinary line, but there were countless lines within the line.
Even so, Tang Ling's Precise Instinct noticed that the precision of the cover was no less than the most advanced human chip, but the circuit structure was completely different. The key points of the cover were embedded with fine red rubies, similar to the advanced mechanical watch made of man-made rubies as the mechanical bearings.
However, Tang Ling had no idea whether the red rubies were the bearings or not.
All he knew was that the cover made of diamond was suitable to be used as an abstract work of art.
However, no one could take it away because it was obviously a large machine. On top of it was a solid pipe with a diameter of 20 cm and a length of 3 meters.
This three-meter-long solid pipe was polished to a very bright and tidy state. Different angles were carved into it, just like how a human would carve a diamond.
Through some unknown principle, the cover gathered the heat energy from the magma, causing the entire solid pipe to turn red, like a pillar of fire.
One end of the fire pillar was connected to the diamond cover while the other end was connected to a machine hanging 3 meters in the air.
The machine was also covered in diamond, but one could vaguely see the various parts inside, such as gears and bearings that were running non-stop.
On top of this machine, there were countless pipes connected to it. These pipes were firmly fixed to the top of the cave, and then spread out into countless branches, leading to various small holes on the cave wall.
The smaller holes were obviously the dwellings of the Underground race. Even standing in the middle of the hall, one could feel the circulation of air and wind in the holes and the constant temperature. There were also some ferocious-looking Prosthetics hanging outside the holes and they were connected to a pipe, flickering in and out of existence.
So? The pipes were used as air conditioners to maintain the temperature at 62 degrees Celsius, which the Underground race loved. After Tang Ling entered Sector R, he realized that the temperature was almost constant.
The pipes were also used to exchange air and allow the air to circulate as a fresh air system.
Was the biggest function of the pipes to charge the Prosthetics?
Tang Ling still could not come up with a specific theory since he was not a scientist, but in general, he knew where the energy source of the Underground civilization came from. It came from the magma! Or rather, all kinds of geothermal energy.
Without a doubt, as long as a sustainable energy source existed, a civilization would have the foundation to grow.
Tang Ling was a little jealous because the energy source of the Underground race seemed to be more environmentally friendly than the petroleum energy source of the old civilization.
The Underground race even used their racial advantage to mine a large amount of diamond. The old civilization once speculated that the planet was rich in diamond energy, but the technology of the old civilization was not enough to mine the diamonds buried deep underground.
Therefore, based on the hardness of diamond, it would last forever, but its value? It might not be enough to last forever.
In conclusion, the geothermal energy source had refreshed Tang Ling's understanding of the Underground race, but it did not represent everything about the Underground race.
The place was filled with an unusual sense of contradiction.
Despite the advanced geothermal technology, the place was filled with bonfires and beside the bonfires were all kinds of bones that had been gnawed clean. There were even human bones among them.
It was infuriating. Since they were not of the same race, the Underground race would not feel any guilt eating humans, but when humans saw it, they would never accept it.
The primitive and crude way of living coupled with the earthenware, bone, and even stone tools that seemed to have been excavated from the ancient civilization made Tang Ling feel like he was looking at a primitive society.
What kind of collision was this? Tang Ling's eyes uncontrollably landed on the densely packed small caves on the wall of the giant cave.
The caves were not as crude as he thought. They were all in different shapes and sizes. The lines might be strange, but they were rich. Every single cave was like an abstract sculpture, and one could even find the shadow of human civilization in each cave.
For example, one of the caves that Tang Ling saw was filled with an ancient Huaxia vibe. It tried its best to express the antique style of the tiles and bricks and the quiet elegance of the bamboos.
Even though it might not have been learned properly, the combination of the two seemed a little out of place.
Was this the spiritual world of the Underground race? Every single one of them was a master sculptor and a master of digging holes. Maybe the life without sunlight was too depressing, forcing them to this state? After all, they played with mud and stones in the underground.
Tang Ling did not feel any sympathy for them. Why should he pity these man-eating creatures? He did not even have the interest to integrate them with civilization!
All he had was an appropriate amount of humility and respect for a brand new civilization.
In less than two minutes, Tang Ling had gotten all the information he needed. He finally had a shallow understanding of the Underground race.
However, his mission here was to fight.
Andrew coughed appropriately and said, "Standing here and letting you satisfy your curiosity is already my biggest failure as a commander. It's been two minutes, but thankfully, there's no battle.
Now, spread out and carry out your mission according to the plan. "
**
The area where the Fierce Dragon Squad was located was at the intersection of the second and third strategic paths.
The area was around half a kilometer in circumference and was close to the underground river. Due to the irregular shape of the caves in Sector R, there was a rock wall extending out from the north and south of the area, making it look like a semi-enclosed area.
Other than that, there was nothing special about the area.
After the Fierce Dragon Squad arrived at the area, they started to rest and reorganize themselves. It might seem quiet at the moment, but a battle could break out at any moment. Therefore, maintaining their stamina in tip-top condition was something that every qualified warrior would never forget.
However, Tang Ling did not choose to rest and reorganize himself. Instead, he walked around the area half a kilometer in circumference.
As he observed his surroundings, he gradually furrowed his brows.
The two rock walls seemed to give him a sense of security. Other than the fact that he had to go around the rock walls to fight when he received the backup signal, it was a little troublesome.
However, how troublesome was that? Each of the rock walls was less than 100 meters long. Given the speed of the New Moon Warriors, it would only take a few seconds for them to reach the wall.
Was that really the case? Of course not!
After all, one side of the cave wall was huge, and the other two sides were rock walls. It formed a concave shape, and if the enemies behind them broke in during the battle, the Fierce Dragon Squad would be surrounded like dumplings.
One should never hope for backup. One should never long for help from the outside.
However, was it a trap? It was obviously not! It was a simple trap, and it was easy to see through it.
Tang Ling tried his best not to let his imagination run wild. After a careful observation, he circled four spots on the walls and told the other members of the Fierce Dragon Squad, "Come over here. Let's drill through these four spots."
Don't be taller than 2 meters and less than 1.5 meters wide. "
"What are you doing? It's a waste of stamina." Orston did not even have the intention to start a battle. He laid down lazily on the ground. Maybe because the place was too quiet, there were no sounds of battle from the Purple Moon Warriors in the strategic paths, so he could not help but let his guard down.
With the Purple Moon Warriors at the front, it gave him a sense of security.
"Nothing. Just dig through it." Tang Ling was not in the mood to explain. The anxiety in his heart grew heavier to the point that it was torturous. He drew his grade C alloy longsword and started to cut through the rocks.
Fortunately, it was not diamond. Otherwise, with the hardness of diamond, even with his strength and grade C alloy longsword, he would have to exert a lot of strength to cut through it.
Tang Ling's direct action made the other members of the Fierce Dragon Squad, who had always trusted him, move as well. Even though they still had doubts in their hearts, the tacit understanding between them, trust, and affection were not built overnight. Therefore, since Tang Ling was unwilling to explain, no one asked.
The sound of sharp weapons cutting through the rocks echoed in the small area. Due to the lack of light and distance, the other members of the squad did not know what was going on.
All they could do was suppress their doubts and be more vigilant. They were not allowed to leave their respective spots without permission.
Silence. The silence was oppressive. Along with the rising anxiety, Tang Ling dug through the rocks faster and faster. As the rocks flew, Tang Ling sensed an obvious loophole in the battle, and he could smell a conspiracy.
What was the loophole? Tang Ling frowned in deep thought. He was in charge of one spot each, so he was faster than the other three spots, which required two people to work together.
Bang! Tang Ling kicked down the last thin layer of the stone wall. Following the thud, faint sounds of battle finally came from the third strategic passage.
The noises were not loud at first, but in less than a minute, they grew louder and louder. Everyone in the cave could hear them clearly.
The clarity of the noises was like a signal. Subsequently, the first and second strategic passages heard the fighting noises at the same time.
In an instant, it went from blurry to boiling and exploding, accompanied by a faint tremor. One could imagine that from the start of the collision, there was no excess, and it directly entered the climax.
Orston's palms started to sweat. What the hell is this damned rock wall? It might not be unbearably hard, but it was still annoying. Every time he smashed a piece of rock, he would have to consume a lot of stamina.
Therefore, when the fighting noises became clearer and the three strategic passages exploded, Orston could not help but ask, "Tang Ling, do you want to continue? We might enter battle mode at any moment. "
Tang Ling did not answer. He had already dug a hole that fit the requirements. He dashed to Orston's side and quickly helped Orston and Christina to dig the stone wall.
"Tang Ling is right. Let's hurry!" Yu suddenly shouted. The Yufeng family was famous on the battlefield. Yu was not only trained in individual strength since he was young, but he was also trained in strategies and tactics on the battlefield. He noticed the problem.
"Yes, let's hurry." Tang Ling was fast. He could not care less about hiding as he hacked at the rock wall as if he was venting his anger.
"Are you a monster?" Orston was still confused, but the sudden nervousness infected him. He dared not hold back at all.
Sweat started to form on his forehead. It was not because he was tired, but the anxiety in his heart seemed to have reached its peak at that moment.
"Kill!" A clear word came from the third strategic passage. Since it was close to the intersection of the first and third passages, the word sounded like it was right beside his ears.
Tang Ling's hand shook. He had a strong feeling that something was not right, but he had not caught the point!
Time! Give me two seconds!
Think! I need to think!
Tang Ling stabbed the longsword into the rock wall and stopped. He tried his best to calm himself down.
Crucial point! Crucial point!
Tang Ling looked around. His ears were filled with all sorts of fighting noises. What was the crucial point? The lava cave on the surface? The shocking geothermal device? The uninhabited cave? There were no more than 40 Prosthetics hanging outside the cave, and they were still flickering. Were they charged?
Or was it the message conveyed by the fighting noises?
One second, beads of sweat rolled down Tang Ling's forehead. Two seconds, Tang Ling clenched his fists. Three seconds, four seconds … Orston roared madly. With Tang Ling's help, he successfully opened the second entrance.
Clang! The longsword that Tang Ling stabbed into the wall fell to the ground. Orston turned to Tang Ling, his lips parted as he doubted Tang Ling's current condition.
It was at that moment that Tang Ling looked up abruptly. He did not even bother to pick up the longsword. Under Orston's astonished gaze, he swung his wrist and pulled out the Wolf Crunch. He leaped up and extended his arm to nail the Wolf Crunch deep into the cave wall. With the Wolf Crunch as a support, he quickly climbed up the wall.
"What are you doing?" Orston did not understand why Tang Ling's mind was jumping so fast.
At the same time, a dozen battle cries echoed in the first and third passages. Then, a series of intense clanging noises followed by the sound of firearms.
"Go help me dig the entrance." Tang Ling did not explain. All he did was climb up the wall quickly. The moment his voice subsided, he was already 15 meters up and was almost as high as the stone wall.
This height is not enough! Is there no conspiracy? It turned out that this conspiracy was hidden so deeply! What if it's directed at me? What should I do now? What should I do?
All kinds of thoughts rumbled in Tang Ling's mind, but he was out of ideas. All he could do now was to salvage the situation.
But even immortals would not be able to outline the conspiracy hidden in the dark when there was a lack of information.
Tang Ling's heart started to ache. He knew he might have to bid farewell in the next moment. He might not even have the time to say goodbye.
At this time, he had climbed to a height of about 20 meters. He grabbed a slightly protruding rock and used the Wolf Crunch to quickly cut out a 3-centimeter diameter hook-shaped rock pillar. Then, he hung the smart lock of the tactical movement disk on it.
Before he could catch his breath, he quickly cut out a second and a third hook.
"Toss your tactical movement disks to me!" Tang Ling shouted as he hung on the rock wall.
On the wall of the big, unnoticed cave, one of the Prosthetics suddenly stopped flickering.
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