54: Chapter 54 A Cannibalistic Family Photo

The hull had just broken through that layer of eerie mist when the art style of the surroundings abruptly changed.

The air turned directly from deathly gray to poisonous dark green; taking a breath felt like rubbing sandpaper against one's lungs.

Splash—!

The water surface exploded without warning, the commotion as loud as a depth charge detonating.

A nine-headed giant snake, as tall as a three-story building, burst out of the water! Eighteen snake eyes flickered with a greedy, murderous light, and each head displayed an eerie hue. It didn't care for sportsmanship at all, opening its mouths to unleash a full-screen wave of five-colored poisonous rain!

"It's over!"

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Lin Sa's pupils constricted. This kind of area-of-effect damage was a guaranteed kill on a narrow boat!

"Let's give it our all!" Old Ghost roared, gritting his teeth as he pulled out a tortoiseshell shield covered in inscriptions—clearly a trump card.

Xu Mo had already prepared for certain death, his hand tightly clutching his only defensive item.

However, the expected agony did not arrive.

Buzz—

A pale gray, translucent light screen unfolded over the hull without warning.

[Underworld Divine Artifact · Netherworld Shield]

The sky-filling poison splashed against the light screen like raindrops hitting tempered glass, sliding off and evaporating without leaving a single trace.

Immediately after, Pei Duo raised that Yellow Springs Gourd again.

"Is it reasonable for there to be so many things in this river?"

She wasn't stingy this time, turning the gourd upside down and pouring a large amount of yellow springs water into it.

This water wasn't the purified version from before, but "dead water" with extremely strong decomposition properties.

Boom!

The water quality of the poisonous river underwent a qualitative change instantly. The Hydra, which had been in its element, suddenly felt as if it had fallen into a vat of strong acid; its scales fell off in large patches, leaving it a bloody mess.

"Hiss-roar—!!"

The Hydra let out a shrill scream, its nine heads tangling together in pain as it crashed back into the depths, not daring to show its face again.

The boat of oblivion leisurely passed through the poisonous mist under the protection of the light screen.

On the boat.

Xu Mo slowly lowered the hands protecting his head, his gaze fixed intently on the light screen.

This light screen... was also Xiuolotl's doing?

This Aztec god's service awareness was a bit too advanced, wasn't it? This wasn't just divine protection; it was practically spoon-feeding them.

"Old Ghost," Xu Mo suddenly spoke, his tone somewhat meaningful, "Did you buy a VIP subscription for this faith of yours?"

Old Ghost wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and gave a dry laugh, his eyes also filled with confusion. "Sincerity brings results, sincerity brings results..."

But in his heart, a stormy sea had already risen: Is this s-rank instance bugged? Why does it feel like entering a starter village?

...

The following ice river area was even less of a contest.

A ten-meter-tall frost giant had just attempted to block them when it was melted right through the legs by a scoop of "hot spring water" poured by Pei Duo, shattering across the ground like a collapsing iceberg.

The boat of oblivion, carrying a group of players who were unharmed and even a bit dazed, smoothly bumped into the shallows of the opposite bank.

"We're here..."

Everyone jumped ashore, feeling as if they were in a dream.

The legendary, supposedly fatal Nine Bends of the Styx... they just crossed it just like that?

What was with this damn sense of security?

On the shore stood a massive black sacrificial stone gate.

There was no lock on the gate, only a slot carved with a skull relief. And directly above the stone gate, that familiar ancient camera was still embedded.

Old Ghost looked at the camera, his eyes flickering.

He turned around, pointed at the churning Styx behind them, and looked solemnly at the scout in the team. "A Kuan, we can't let our guard down in an s-rank instance like this. That Hydra might not be completely dead; it would be trouble if it crawled ashore for a sneak attack."

Hearing this, A Kuan subconsciously shrank back. "What do you want to do?"

"We need someone to stand guard by the river." Old Ghost patted A Kuan on the shoulder, his tone sincere. "Brother, the backs of the whole team are in your hands. Shout if there's any movement, and we'll call you as soon as the gate is open."

"But..." A Kuan looked at the gloomy river water, instinctively resisting.

"Brother Kuan, don't decline at a time like this. Whether everyone lives or dies depends on you." Old Ghost's tone grew heavier as he subtly signaled the others.

The remaining team members were also shrewd; everyone understood the concept of 'better you than me.' They immediately chimed in, "Yeah, Brother Kuan, you're our team's Eagle Eye. This task has to be yours!"

"Exactly, it's only for a few minutes."

Xu Mo and Lin Sa were even more pleased to see this; after all, neither of them was familiar with this temporary teammate.

Under everyone's flattery and moral kidnapping, although A Kuan felt terrified, he could only grit his teeth and nod. "Fine! Then you guys better move fast! You must back me up!"

After saying that, he trembling held his gun and walked to the riverbank ten meters away from the stone gate, his back to the crowd as he stared intently at the water.

Pei Duo stood to the side, watching this scene coldly.

As the only "outsider," she knew exactly what Old Ghost was planning.

This wasn't any kind of guard duty.

This was a sacrifice.

"Alright, everyone, get into position."

Old Ghost quickly returned to the stone gate and called for the rest of the people to line up.

He skillfully raised the shutter remote connected to a long cord, a simple and honest smile on his face that no one could find fault with. "Everyone get closer, this camera's wide-angle isn't enough."

Xu Mo stood in the line, his brow furrowed tightly.

That strong sense of discord welled up in his heart again.

He subconsciously glanced at A Kuan, who stood alone by the river in the distance, and suddenly spoke, "Old Ghost! Shouldn't we wait for A Kuan to come back? Not everyone is here!"

"Yeah, aren't we waiting for him?" Lin Sa also gripped her dagger; her intuition told her something was wrong.

Old Ghost's finger was already on the button, a flash of indiscernible ruthlessness crossing his eyes, but he said casually, "It's fine. I've seen the rules for this gate; as long as there are enough people, it doesn't matter if everyone is present. We can just call him once the gate is open. Don't waste time."

"But..." Xu Mo still wanted to say something.

Click—!!

Without any hesitation, Old Ghost decisively pressed the shutter.

The blinding magnesium flash erupted again, illuminating the small area in front of the stone gate in a deathly white.

In the distance, A Kuan by the river seemed to hear the noise and subconsciously looked back. "Eh? How are you guys..."

His face was swallowed by the intense light.

Standing outside the circle of light, Pei Duo watched as A Kuan's figure distorted and flickered in the air like an old television with a bad signal, and then...

Pop.

He vanished completely.

It was as if he had never existed.

The stone gate rumbled open, revealing a deep passage behind it.

The light faded.

Xu Mo shook his head; the dizziness from his brain being forcibly reformatted made him feel a bit nauseous.

He looked at Lin Sa beside him, then at Old Ghost and the other team members in front.

One, two, three... eight people.

"The number of people is correct."

Xu Mo's brain automatically corrected the logical chain. "Our group of eight, under the protection of the god Xiuolotl, successfully crossed the River of the Dead."

There was no sense of discord.

"The gate is open, let's go!"

With a satisfied smile on his face, Old Ghost was the first to step into the stone gate.

The team members followed one after another, laughing and chatting about the "miracle" that had just occurred.

Xu Mo took one last look at the empty bank of the River of the Dead.

Only the black river water lapped against the rocks, making a splashing sound.

"Why does it feel like... something is missing?"

Xu Mo muttered to himself, but soon shook his head, adjusted his glasses, and followed the team.