87: Golden Waterway

"Plop."

Lin Feng dropped into the pipe, the icy liquid instantly soaking his pant legs.

This wasn't sewage, but an unknown, slightly viscous coolant flowing slowly through the golden pipes, carrying away the waste heat generated during conduction.

"Brother Feng, wait for me!"

Wang Dalong followed close behind, his massive frame almost forced inside, making a dull thud.

The two had just gained their footing when the sound of the stone door being opened came from above, along with Juan's angry shout.

"Where are they? Where did they go!"

"Captain! There's a hole here! They've escaped!"

Hurried footsteps echoed above their heads.

"Quick! After them!"

"We can't let them get away! The Boss will be here any moment!"

Lin Feng and Wang Dalong looked at each other, both seeing the urgency in the other's eyes.

"This way!"

Lin Feng didn't panic in the slightest. Before jumping down, that grand Historical Echo, like a high-definition documentary, had already branded every detail of this city into his mind.

He knew that these coolant pipe networks spanned the entire city underground, like human capillaries, incredibly complex. But he also knew that all the main arteries would eventually flow into the city's energy core or lead to the main outlet for wastewater treatment.

He led Wang Dalong, choosing not to go against the current, but instead following the flow of the coolant, trekking rapidly through the golden pipes.

The interior of the pipes wasn't dark; the golden walls themselves emitted a faint light, enough for them to see the path ahead clearly.

"Brother Feng, where are we going?" Wang Dalong ran, splashing up golden water. "This place is like a maze. We won't get stuck here forever, will we?"

"To the edge of the city. There's a main waste liquid outlet there; it's the only passage to the underground river outside the city," Lin Feng explained succinctly.

Their only way out now was to escape this Golden City. As long as they could return to the underground river and find the Golden Ship, they would have a chance to shake off their pursuers.

From the pipes behind them came the footsteps and curses of the pursuers. Fortunately, this pipe network was so complex with many forks that the other party seemed to have taken the wrong turn at some junction, and their voices gradually faded away.

The two didn't dare slacken, continuing their journey with heads down.

After traveling through the golden underground maze for about half an hour, a change finally appeared ahead.

The pipe began to slope downward, and the flow of water became turbulent.

"The main pipe should be ahead," Lin Feng said.

After walking for a few more minutes, they reached an intersection. A wider, massive circular pipe, large enough for three or four people to walk side-by-side, appeared before them. Countless branch pipes merged here.

"Holy crap, you could drive a car in here," Wang Dalong marveled.

They jumped into the main pipe; the water speed was faster, almost pushing them forward.

"Hold on to me!" Lin Feng warned.

Just then, the buzzing sound of many people talking could be heard from above.

Osiris had arrived!

Lin Feng's heart tightened suddenly, and an unprecedented sense of crisis enveloped him. He immediately realized they could no longer use the wastewater outlet. Osiris would surely bring a better-equipped team, and they would definitely block all exits immediately.

Going out now would be walking straight into a trap!

The plan had to change!

His brain worked rapidly, overlaying the map of the underground pipes with the architectural structure of the city above.

There!

"This way!"

He suddenly grabbed Wang Dalong and ducked into an inconspicuous maintenance branch.

This branch pipe led upward, with grooves in the walls for climbing.

"We're not going? Why are we climbing up?" Wang Dalong asked, confused.

"Osiris is here; all exits must be sealed," Lin Feng explained as he climbed. "Going out now is suicide. The only way is to hide."

"Hide? Hide where?"

"The most dangerous place is the safest place."

A sharp light flashed in Lin Feng's eyes.

They followed the maintenance pipe, climbing upward for about dozens of meters. A metal grate cover appeared above them.

Lin Feng carefully pushed open a crack and peered out.

Outside was a secluded alleyway in the city.

He could clearly hear the sound of disciplined footsteps from the central plaza not far away, along with the sounds of various precision instruments being assembled.

Holding his breath, he led Wang Dalong silently out of the pipe and then quickly restored the grate cover to its original position.

The two clung to the wall like geckos, slowly moving toward the mouth of the alley.

With just one glance, their breathing almost stopped.

At the entrance to the central plaza, a squad of soldiers in silver-gray combat suits—even more sophisticated than those of the Scorpion Squad—were lined up on both sides, guarding the perimeter.

In the center of the group, a man in a well-tailored black trench coat, with a tall build and an elegant temperament, was slowly walking into the Golden City.

He looked to be only in his thirties, with gray-blue eyes as deep as the starry sky and a faint smile on his lips. He carried no weapons, merely keeping his hands behind his back as if touring his own backyard.

But the powerful, commanding aura he exuded made all the surrounding heavy-duty soldiers pale in comparison.

Without a doubt, he was Osiris.

Just then, the Captain and Juan ran over from the direction of the spire in a pathetic state, almost crawling to kneel on one knee before Osiris.

"Boss!" The Captain's voice was filled with terror. "We... we lost them!"

The smile on Osiris's face didn't change in the slightest.

He didn't even look at the two kneeling on the ground, instead looking up to admire the magnificent Golden City with interest, as if appreciating a perfect work of art.

Then, he spoke slowly. His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of Lin Feng and Wang Dalong at the alley mouth.

"Useless."