Half a day into the ruins!
Ye Cangtian found the entire ruin to be vast, so much so that he even wondered if it might be a grand ruin.
Of course, his understanding of ruins was limited. Even when he entered the island ruins last time, he and Lord Zi Long had only reached that eerie forest.
Now, after walking in the ruins for half a day, though he had encountered some mercenaries and corpses, most of the time there wasn't even a shadow of a person.
It was important to note that at least several thousand people had entered the ruins, and perhaps even over ten thousand if one included those who entered later.
"Perhaps if I continue towards the center of the ruins, I'll encounter more people!"
Ye Cangtian looked up at the sun in the sky, the only thing that could help him discern direction.
Of course, this so-called 'sun' was merely a large fireball of unknown origin. It looked no different from the sun, but Ye Cangtian was certain it was not the sun.
This was because the 'large fireball' in the sky remained stationary, unchanging even as time passed, as if it were frozen.
Perhaps the direction of the large fireball indicated the center of the ruins!
Ye Cangtian was currently wearing a silver mask, which would be convenient if he encountered members of the Dark Association. He speculated that besides Xuan Jiu's squad, other members must have entered this place.
He needed to assess the situation first!
As for the silver mask's positioning and communication functions, just like in the island ruins, they were still unusable here.
The inability to communicate was indeed very inconvenient.
However, one thing reassured him.
Although this was a ruin, it seemed there were no other dangers.
This way, if Shangguan Yanran was lucky enough to find a place to hide after entering the ruins and avoided encountering people from other organizations, she wouldn't be in too much danger.
Just as he thought this, Ye Cangtian's brows twitched, his body stiffened, and he leaned back slightly.
At that moment, a black shadow streaked past his cheek, its sharp claws mere centimeters from his throat.
Only then did Ye Cangtian frown, realizing it was a feline creature resembling a leopard, but its speed was several times faster than an ordinary leopard.
This beast had been lurking in the shadows, preparing to ambush. If it had been an ordinary person passing by, there would have been no time to react!
"Is this beast a creature from the ruins?"
Ye Cangtian took out a dagger from his pocket, feeling a touch of curiosity. It seemed there were indeed unknown dangers within these ruins!
Several meters away, the slender, lightning-fast leopard was staring at him, gathering its strength. After a breath, it pounced towards him with full force.
However, in the next moment, a scream rang out.
The leopard fell more than ten meters away, a long blade-like gash beneath its belly, with blood and internal organs spilling out.
Ye Cangtian had easily dealt with this ferocious animal.
But his brows furrowed. If others encountered such indigenous creatures of the ruins, it would likely be quite troublesome. While joining the Dragon Group indicated a certain level of strength, being ambushed by these beasts would make it difficult to react.
And then there was Shangguan Yanran, an ordinary person, and a woman at that. She was in extreme danger in a place like this.
"I hope she's alright!"
She was not only Tang Xinwan's best friend but also Shangguan Yun's sister, the pampered daughter of the Shangguan family. If anything happened to her, he, as the team leader, would have to take responsibility.
He regretted agreeing to let her come!
Ye Cangtian rubbed his head, feeling a headache coming on. Suddenly, he heard screams from ahead. He paused for a moment, then quickly rushed towards the sound.
...
A thousand meters away.
A leopard from the ruins was being jointly killed by several mercenaries. The corpses of three of their companions lay on the ground, clearly having been attacked by this leopard earlier.
These mercenaries were all from the Wild Wolf Mercenary Group, including their leader, Dalebei.
They considered themselves fortunate, as their mercenary group had sent fifty to sixty people this time.
After entering the ruins, these individuals had appeared not too far apart, and they had quickly gathered eleven people. However, after being attacked by this ruin's leopard, only eight remained.
Dalebei kicked the leopard's head with his foot, spat on the ground, and cursed, "Damn it, what kind of creature is this? Much more powerful than an ordinary cheetah!"
They were seasoned veterans of battle, but even so, they had lost three elites to this beast's ambush.
"Captain, this place is too terrifying. I wonder if there are any other creatures ahead!"
A single leopard had killed three of their companions right before their eyes, indicating the extreme danger of this place. The other mercenaries were somewhat fearful.
It was a pity that firearms couldn't be used here; otherwise, they wouldn't fear these beasts.
Dalebei also frowned but quickly said, "Don't be afraid, everyone. Just be careful and guard against these beasts. Are we in this line of work afraid of danger? If you want to eat well and live lavishly, you have to put your head on the line."
"Also, the Chinese Dragon Group has entered this time, and many of our brothers have died at their hands. If we encounter any lone Chinese individuals, avenge our fallen brothers!"
The Wild Wolf Mercenary Group and the Chinese Dragon Group had a long-standing animosity. If they encountered each other within the ruins, they naturally wouldn't let it go.
Moreover, previously, outside the ruins, in front of countless factions, he had been slapped. Dalebei was determined to exact revenge for this humiliation!
"Don't let me encounter that guy again, otherwise..." Dalebei touched his face, gnashing his teeth.
However, before he could finish his muttering, a voice came from behind him.
"Otherwise, what?"
The sudden voice startled all the members of the Wild Wolf Mercenary Group, and even Dalebei instinctively looked behind him.
Seeing Ye Cangtian appear behind them, Dalebei froze, but his expression quickly turned into a cold smile.
"It's you? I didn't expect to run into you here again!"
As Dalebei spoke, he scanned his surroundings, worried that other members of the Chinese Dragon Group might also be present.
However, he soon realized that there seemed to be no one else around, and only this person had come.
This immediately put him at ease, and the cold smile on his face grew more pronounced, even revealing a hint of killing intent.
The people of the Chinese Dragon Group already had a feud with their Wild Wolf Mercenary Group, and this person had humiliated him in front of everyone before. Therefore, this person deserved to die!
"It really is fate that we meet again!"
Ye Cangtian's lips curved slightly. He glanced at the other mercenaries, somewhat surprised that these fellows were so lucky to have gathered together.
"Fate?"
Dalebei blinked, then smiled and nodded, "Yes, fate. But I also admire your courage, coming here all by yourself!"
"Kid, meeting us is your bad luck. Today is your day to die!"
"Kill him and avenge our fallen brothers!"
The surrounding mercenaries also shouted, drawing their weapons and surrounding Ye Cangtian.
Dalebei grinned sinisterly, "Kid, you can only blame yourself for being too unlucky! Brothers, attack together."
Although the people of the Chinese Dragon Group were all formidable, he didn't believe they could escape an attack from them all!
Several mercenaries immediately charged towards Ye Cangtian.
The Wild Wolf Mercenary Group was, after all, considered one of the top twenty organizations in the mercenary alliance. Their ability to contend with members of the Chinese Dragon Group like Mu Chenglong in the northwest region for many years proved that these mercenaries were not weak.
But unfortunately for them, they had encountered Ye Cangtian!
"I was reluctant to make a move, but since you insist on seeking death, I'll fulfill your wish!" Ye Cangtian shrugged helplessly, then moved his body slightly.
A cold gleam flashed, and blood splattered five steps!
...