The crossbow bolts continued to fly out, seemingly endless, yet none struck anyone. Although these fine bolts were not powerful, even if armed personnel were hit, it wouldn't cause much trouble. However, the situation was different for the research personnel. Everyone wore a lab coat, essentially just a few layers of cloth. If hit, they would be pinned to the platform.
The platform was not large, but a tense atmosphere gripped everyone.
The armed personnel weren't afraid of the crossbow bolts but feared falling. They scrambled towards the ropes with all their might.
Yun Meng, who should have been resting in a tent above, rushed over to assess the situation.
If these research personnel died, their progress would be completely ruined. After all, they had only brought a limited number. If Bai Lin died here, it would truly be Yun Meng's failure to protect her. She was, after all, the granddaughter of a deceased elder, and no matter what, the Right Divine Hall would find a reason to kill Yun Meng.
Below.
The group continued to crawl. With the barrage of crossbow bolts, no one had been hit yet. Da Feng Novel Network.
The ancient tomb seemed to possess a spirit.
"Click... click... click..." Several consecutive mechanisms opened rapidly.
This time, it wasn't eighteen thin crossbow bolts.
Four mechanisms fired simultaneously, launching a total of seventy-two crossbow bolts.
After this volley, still, no one was hit.
This outcome was beyond everyone's imagination. Whether it was due to the favor of the goddess of luck or something else, everyone quickly crawled to the location where the ropes dangled.
"Whoosh..." Bai Lin let out a sigh of relief and attached her extension chain. The others also slowly reached the ropes and formed a circle around the dangling cables.
Once everyone had hooked onto the ropes, they held their portable instruments. Some research personnel, passionate about their work, seemed happier seeing the data than seeing their parents.
The traction machine began to operate, slowly lifting a few people. However, the crossbow bolts continued their indiscriminate barrage.
The group was already ascending in mid-air, supported by the instruments on the platform. Chen Fan and Bai Lin were clearly close to each other.
Bai Lin was still shy, and Chen Fan felt awkward. After all, Su Yingxue was his true love. Yet, Bai Lin stirred a slight spark of emotion in him.
After a while, with only about ten meters left to the exit and fifty meters above the platform.
"Ah!!!"
A cry of despair echoed, and it was clearly not just one person. More voices followed in succession.
While Bai Lin was lost in thought, a rope was struck by a powerful impact, causing it to snap. Twelve armed personnel plummeted downwards.
At this moment, the fallen armed personnel cried out with their final shouts of struggle and unwilling despair.
Bai Lin watched as twelve people, who should have ascended, were lost, feeling a pang of sadness.
Only three meters remained to the opening.
The crossbow bolts no longer posed a threat to their lives. The armed personnel who fell landed directly on the platform, dead on impact. After all, falling from over fifty meters, unless one possessed Yun Meng's level of power, death was the best outcome.
"Chen Fan, if you had fallen, what would have happened to you?" Bai Lin asked out of the blue as they neared the opening.
"Me?"
Chen Fan looked down at the platform in the distance, estimated the height, and said.
"At this height, I believe I would be unharmed," Chen Fan stated confidently.
Indeed, a confident man was most attractive to women.
Hearing Chen Fan's reply, Bai Lin looked at him with excitement.
"Can... can you teach me martial arts?" Bai Lin said, looking at Chen Fan.
"Martial arts are arduous. It's no problem for me to get you started, but I fear you might not be able to endure it..." Chen Fan shrugged, looking at Bai Lin.
"Oh..." Bai Lin replied with disappointment and fell silent.
Soon, everyone was pulled onto land one after another.
"That scared me to death!"
"We really shouldn't have gone down so rashly."
"I agree. When the rope snapped on the previous team, I thought we would be next."
"Thank God..."
The research team, now safely on land, exchanged these sentiments.
"Fortunately, only a few armed personnel died. It's good that no major issues occurred with the research personnel."
Yun Meng said this knowing that research personnel were what they lacked the most, while armed personnel were plentiful. After all, there were over ten thousand armed personnel, but less than two hundred research personnel.
Bai Lin approached Chen Fan. While others weren't paying attention, she spoke into his ear, her words revealing a struggle that had led to a firm decision.
"Chen Fan, I hope you will agree to teach me martial arts. I will endure hardship and study diligently."
Chen Fan looked at Bai Lin and said nothing more.
"I hope after you safely return from this ordeal, you will find me."
"Okay." Bai Lin nodded.
Yun Meng watched them, wondering what they were whispering about.
"Hey, hey, hey, you armed personnel, hurry up and stop dawdling," Yun Meng said to Chen Fan.
Chen Fan couldn't say much more and immediately followed suit, grabbing a document box and starting to move it, along with various files and new instrument reports that needed to be filled out. The temporary construction crew also began to busy themselves.