Chapter 58: Shot While Lying Down?

Under Chen Xiaolian’s observation, the bodies of those coiled up snakes were as thick as a person’s arm. However, it appeared to be in a dormant state. Its eyes were closed and it would occasionally squirm its body. Without a watchful eye, one could easily mistake it for a stone.

The sight of these creatures was simply terrifying. Qiu Yun himself seemed to have fallen into a trance for nearly one full minute before giving out a light sigh. “This time’s instance dungeon might well be far more difficult than I had expected.”

He turned around to glance at Chen Xiaolian. “Next, you and I will have to work together. We will control the ironwood boat so that it will move forward along this river and cross through this cavern… the water currents will disrupt the direction of our ironwood boat. If the boat is being pushed to the riverbank side, use the oar to keep the boat away from the side. Pay attention and make sure that you do not touch those things when paddling with your oar! Always, always keep in mind! Ensure that the boat does not get washed up the bank and everything will be all right!”

Chen Xiaolian snorted. “What are those things? Are they snakes?”

“Snakes?” Qiu Yun thought about it before smiling. “Yes, and no. They should be the hatchlings of a Zombie Wyrm.”

Zombie Wyrm?

That does not sound like a good thing at all!

“Zombie Wyrm, supposedly it is a descendant of a Scaled Dragon. However, it was brought in to be buried together with Qin Shi Huang after his death. There, it was turned into a zombie guardian for the mausoleum. It feeds on the deathly aura to extend its existence. This creature is very tough; it would be for the best that we do not provoke it. Provoking one would cause the entire group to come over. In addition… these are all just hatchlings. If the big one gets enticed over, things would likely end badly.”

After saying that, Qiu Yun exhaled and turned to glance at Chen Xiaolian. “Understand? If you understand, then prepare to move forward.”

Control the ironwood boat to move forward without bumping into the riverbanks on either side of the underground river sounded easy. However, putting it into action proved to be far more difficult than expected!

Under the surging undercurrents of the underground river, the ironwood boat became no different from a disobedient child. Despite moving in a generally forward direction, it would still sway about uncontrollably. With Qiu Yun in the front and Chen Xiaolian in the back, the both of them utilized the oars to carefully control the boat. During the few times when the boat was about to bump onto the riverbank, they immediately used the oar to halt that movement and push the ironwood boat away.

Such was the case throughout the way. After a hundred or so metres of doing so, Chen Xiaolian was tired to the point of gasping – mainly due to being anxious!

Looking at the nearby riverbank, he could see that the huddling Zombie Wyrms had covered the entire ground. The sight caused him to become fearful.

As they were halfway through the cavern, a sound came from behind!

An ironwood boat caught up to them from behind! Sitting on the boat was around 4 to 5 people. The bow of their boat was equipped with a searchlight and a ray of illumination swept over the area.

That was not all, the ironwood boat’s speed was abnormally fast and a droning “weng weng” sound could be heard emitting out from it. After looking at it for a while, Chen Xiaolian was able to discern that these people had equipped a motor on the stern of the ironwood boat!

They transformed the ironwood boat into a motorboat, allowing them to ride the wind and break the waves of the underground river, moving at high speed.

Qiu Yun’s face changed and he cursed out in a low tone. “Idiotic harbingers of calamity!”

He abruptly cried out to Chen Xiaolian. “Quick! We must leave this place quickly! These idiots will be the death of us!”

Unfortunately, it was too late!

The ironwood motorboat charged into the cavern and the loud droning sound coming off the motor echoed back and forth within the enclosed cavern. Under the enclosed effect, the sound became an ear shaking noise!

Chen Xiaolian was able to notice that the Zombie Wyrm hatchlings that were on both sides of the rocky riverbank had been seemingly awakened from deep slumber. Their bodies became uncoiled and they slithered down into the river one after another…

The motorboat behind them had already caught up to them. Catching sight of Qiu Yun and Chen Xiaolian at the front, they slowed down. An Awakened one with a strapping figure called out loudly from the bow side.  “Meteor Rock Guild?”

This man’s words contained a deep and powerful voice. However, Chen Xiaolian could see that he is a blond Caucasian man.

“These brainless foreign devils,” Qiu Yun swore, ignoring him and quickly paddled the boat forward.

“My friend from Meteor Rock Guild, why are you not saying anything?”

The blond haired foreigner’s tone was obviously filled with traces of arrogance. “I have long since heard of Guild Leader Qiu Yun of the Meteor Rock Guild. Since we have the opportunity to meet today, why aren’t you willing to greet us? Let us be friends.”

“This senior never make friends with the dead,” Qiu Yun gave a grim smile, his hands did not stop moving at all.

“Hahaha! Guild Leader Qiu Yun, it appears that your preparation is insufficient. How about it? I have a spare motor here. If you want, I can loan it to you.”

Chen Xiaolian anxiously returned their stare, but was horrified to find that there were tens of faint shadows secretly moving at an incredible speed towards the motorboat from underwater!

Chen Xiaolian was hesitant as to whether or not he should speak up to warn the other party when Qiu Yun instantly shouted out. “Move quickly!”

Raising the oars, he struggled to paddle forward!

The Caucasian man behind broke out in laughter. Suddenly, a water arrow shot out from the water surface flying towards his face!

This fellow’s reaction was fast and he extended his hand to grab onto it. He successfully caught it with his hand, only to scream out miserably in an instant!

His hand held onto the body of a snake like Zombie Wyrm! However, one could easily imagine the consequences of holding on to a snake!

The snake’s body immediately wrapped itself around his arms. Then, opening its mouth, it bit down on his palms!

Chen Xiaolian witnessed the Caucasian man’s palm turning black in an instant. A mass of black air spread upwards and the Caucasian man’s arm withered down at a visible rate!

It was as though some kind of power was rapidly eroding his flesh and bones!

Seeing all these, Chen Xiaolian’s heart broke out with cold sweat. He quickly poured all his strength into speeding up his paddling motions!

The miserable screams from behind did not cease as even more ‘water arrows’ flew out from the river surface. The sounds of “pi pi pa pa” could be heard as they landed on the boat. It was unknown just how many of the Zombie Wyrms managed to land upon the small motorboat.

The team of Awakened ones were not weak and some had already pulled out their weapon to deflect and hack about. However, how much manoeuvring and dodging space was available in that small boat? Following a few cries of surprise, a “ptong” sound could be heard as someone fell into the water!

One of the Awakened ones struggled in the water but several Zombie Wyrms that were within the water had already wrapped themselves around him. Traces of blood appeared in the waters surrounding that person…

After being entangled by two Zombie Wyrms, an Awakened one who was on the motorboat roared and flames burst out from his entire body. Clearly, he had activated a certain type of skill.

The two Zombie Wyrms wrapped around his body were immediately burnt to ashes – it appeared that these creatures were weak against fire.

However, to set one’s entire body aflame within the small space afforded by the motorboat, how would the others survive?

Due to the flames, a companion of his ended up being burnt and he miserably screamed before jumping into the river.

The underground river was not too deep. After jumping into the water, that person who had good swimming skills floated up to the water surface. At that instant though, he saw countless faint shadows charging towards him from under the water! The man let out several wretched cries as the surrounding waters became dyed in red! His eyes rolled over and he sank deep into the waters. The waters flowed into his mouth and he could no longer utter anything anymore…

Chen Xiaolian and Qiu Yun were in the midst of exerting all their might to paddle the boat forward when Chen Xiaolian’s hands trembled!

He saw with clarity as a huge black shadow moved at high speed across their ironwood boat from below!

The size of this shadow was staggeringly huge!

“Guild Leader!”

“I see it! Move quickly! They have awakened a big fellow,” Qiu Yun swore angrily. “Zombie Wyrms are highly sensitive to blood. Once they catch the scent of blood, more will be attracted over!”

Boom!

A loud noise came over from behind!

Chen Xiaolian turned over to see a gigantic shuttle shaped head emerging from the surface of the water!

Indeed! It was only the head!

The size of the head was as big as a door!

He only managed to catch a glance at it. However, Chen Xiaolian was able to clearly see that upon the snake like head, there were two horn like protrusions!

The creature opened its mouth wide and in an instant bit down on one third of the ironwood boat! Even the Caucasian man who was still at the bow area of the boat was devoured by that one bite!

Then, the huge dragon like wyrm’s head sank into the water. Its humongous body threshed about and a black shadow could be seen emerging and submerging. Soon, both the motorboat and its passengers had sunk into the water…

The Awakened one whose entire body was emitting flames had the flames extinguished by the water. In his hands were a shank and a big axe. He flopped around in the water only to suddenly have his body fly up into the skies. It turned out that he was head-butted up by the dragon like wyrm. The wyrm raised its head and stretched opened its mouth to welcome the falling Awakened one. The Awakened one fell right into the wyrm’s mouth and he cried out in misery! Half his body had fallen into the wyrm’s mouth and only his upper half remained on the outside. Shouting wretchedly, he tried using his axe to create a foothold upon the mouth area of the wyrm as he struggled with all his might to avoid being completely devoured!

However…

The wyrm violently snapped its jaws shut!

With a “kacha” sound, a flower of blood blossomed and a severed arm holding onto an axe flew out…

Before Chen Xiaolian and Qiu Yun’s eyes, the bloody severed arm that held onto the axe, flew in an arc across the cavern. Then…

DUANG and it fell onto the ironwood boat where Chen Xiaolian was at [1]. It fell right before Chen Xiaolian. In fact, the severed arm also struck Chen Xiaolian once on his shoulders, spraying him with blood!

“Da- Damn it!”

Chen Xiaolian felt his scalp on the verge of exploding.

At the same time, countless Zombie Wyrm hatchlings that were situated on the riverbank around Chen Xiaolian’s location reacted. Seemingly enticed by the scent of blood, they raised their head, opened their mouths and hissed. Then, they slithered down into the river and moved towards him!

In the back, the humongous Zombie Wyrm suddenly raised its head and opened its big and bloody mouth. Its long and bloody tongue turned around for a while before it abruptly plunged into the river. Its gigantic body threshed about again on the surface of the river. Additionally… judging by the shadow evident from below the water surface, it was headed quickly towards Chen Xiaolian and Qiu Yun, causing the water surface to undulate apart in its wake!

“Damn it! I got shot while lying down!” [2]

1 ‘DUANG’. As explained in Chapter 55, the word DUANG became so popular, it became used for everything from sound effect, happiness, sadness, anger etc.↩

2 ‘Getting shot while lying down’ is a popular internet phrase in China. It means that despite not having provoked others, one still ends up being attacked (usually verbally) by others.↩