The outcome was the same. With the addition of the Swordsman, the black figures essentially lost the will to fight, scattering in all directions.
However, the Swordsman showed no mercy, dispatching them one by one with his sword.
Only after arranging the affairs in the camp did he approach the three of them.
"Apologies for keeping you waiting."
Xiong Da quickly said, "Senior Swordsman, you jest. Please, command us."
Xiong Da clasped his hands repeatedly. Li Chonglou now understood why they were asked to follow: the Swordsman didn't want the three outsiders wandering around the camp.
As they walked over, he noticed that people in several areas became hasty upon seeing them, as if trying to hide something.
The Swordsman was satisfied with Xiong Da's reaction and didn't say much, only telling him to continue with his task. However, when he heard Mei Niang wanted to return the way they came, he suddenly spoke up, "That won't do."
Mei Niang's expression tensed.
"Why?"
The Swordsman frowned slightly and said seriously, "This is a critical time. No one is permitted to move around unless absolutely necessary, not even outside the camp."
Li Chonglou was stunned. They could come, but they couldn't leave?
Mei Niang had the same thought, but out of respect for the Swordsman's strength and status, she didn't voice it. She merely asked, "Then what about me? Do I have to go with you?"
This changed the nature of things entirely. The word "forced" could be considered a violation of freedom for someone independent.
Red Coast had never experienced such a situation in all its years.
Just as Mei Niang thought this might happen to her, the Swordsman offered a choice: "You don't necessarily have to go. I know Red Coast's rules, but if you don't go, you cannot leave my sight until they return."
"Then I'll go."
Li Chonglou looked at Mei Niang in surprise, not expecting her to change her mind so quickly, without even a hint of hesitation.
The Swordsman seemed unfazed, merely repeating, "In any case, I've delivered the message. Either go and complete the mission, or stay here and wait for them to return."
With that, he turned and left.
This time, Xiong Da didn't speak again.
Li Chonglou finally perceived the subtle relationship between them, not as individuals, but tied to this status.
Li Chonglou leaned closer to Xiong Da and whispered, "Senior Xiong Da, do our Red Coast and the people here have some conflict?"
Xiong Da seemed surprised, "You already know?"
"Anyone can see that," Li Chonglou said, shrugging. At this moment, Mei Niang sighed and said, "It's not really a conflict, it's just that they belong to the General Bureau, and we don't belong to any faction."
What's the problem with that?
Mei Niang continued to explain, "Sometimes, when they want our help with something, we refuse. Don't mistake them for being from the General Bureau; they hardly have any Blood Crystals, so they can't afford our compensation."
Li Chonglou was still a bit confused, "It's just because of that?"
"Pretty much. In their eyes, we're just a bunch of money-grubbing individuals, so our temperaments don't quite match. If you want me to stay here, I might as well go with them."
There was more to that statement. If it was just a matter of dislike, it wouldn't lead them to gamble with their lives. Li Chonglou didn't mince words and asked directly.
"Then they wouldn't really make a move against us in the camp, would they?"
Mei Niang chuckled, "Kid, you're still too green. They have plenty of ways to pin the blame on you. This isn't something I'm making up."
Xiong Da sighed slightly, "Before, some of our people were taken away by them under various pretenses of wrongdoing, but the real reasons are still unknown. Over time, our relationship with the people in the camp has become like this."
Li Chonglou could see that Xiong Da still maintained a neutral stance towards the people in the camp. However, Mei Niang's words seemed to be the truth, judging by his expression. He wanted to say something to smooth things over but couldn't find the words.
After that, Xiong Da didn't give him another chance to ask, confirming with Mei Niang if she was indeed going with them.
The latter said resignedly, "I don't want to disappear without a trace. Even if death is my fate, I want to die with clarity."
Xiong Da nodded and waved his hand, "Then let's go."
The three continued deeper. After deliberation, Li Chonglou also chose to accompany them, and he had gained some understanding of the terrain of this underground world.
From the entrance until now, the three had essentially walked in a straight line. These three camps should be situated in a triangular formation near the entrance, and this would constitute the safe zone's perimeter.
As for the environment, Li Chonglou had only seen jungle scenery so far, and the terrain had not changed at all. This meant that at least a significant portion of the area would remain this way.
"How much further is it to the edge of the safe zone?"
Xiong Da instinctively replied, "About another half-hour's journey."
Li Chonglou immediately deduced the approximate scale. The safe zone wasn't very large, perhaps equivalent to a district in Shangjing.
However, Mei Niang had mentioned earlier that the underground world's area was equivalent to a Eurasian continent, and the safe zone was about a tenth of that. Now, it seemed that even one percent would be considered generous, let alone ten percent!
Li Chonglou gazed into the distance, but all he saw were towering trees that reached endlessly into the sky. Since entering, the only dangers he had sensed came from those black figures, the native dangers of this underground world.
He hadn't felt any others.
Yet, even with experts at the eighth layer, they couldn't expand the safe zone's boundaries, indicating the immense danger.
"What kind of mutated beasts are there, or is it the environment itself?"
However, whether it was the former or the latter, it represented more possibilities for this world. The eighth, ninth, or even tenth layers might not be the absolute ceiling!
At the thought of this, the dormant warlike spirit within Li Chonglou stirred. Now that he had merely touched upon the next stage of cultivation, his strength already had a direction for improvement.
Did this mean that as long as he could push his cultivation to its extreme, he would also reach the ceiling of this world?
Or, to put it another way, when he could reach the ceiling of this world, it would mean his cultivation could be developed to its fullest potential?
From either perspective, Li Chonglou felt excited just thinking about it. It might be a side effect of his cultivation, but Li Chonglou did not reject this feeling.
In life, there were always times for passion, regardless of the era.
Perhaps lost in thought, Li Chonglou forgot to control his breathing. Only when he felt a slight dizziness did he realize it.