Chapter 23: Anomaly

Within the Lost Woods, the earth finally succumbed to the relentless strain and collapsed, fulfilling the worst expectations.

What shoddy construction caused this mountain path to be so dilapidated? Ke Lu thought.

Her feet suddenly found empty air, and a violent sensation of weightlessness seized her. Uncontrollably, she plummeted downward along with the collapsing earth and rock.

The wind roared in her ears as shards of stone scraped painfully against her cheeks.

Yet amidst the chaotic freefall, her vision pierced through the swirling dust and smoke to reveal an astonishing sight.

The ground they had just stepped on was as thin and fragile as an eggshell. Beneath it lay not solid soil or rock strata, but a heart-stopping, bottomless cavern!

This was no natural geological formation; it was clearly an elaborate hunting ground.

It was as if a cunning hunter had deliberately concealed a deadly trap with leaves and branches, waiting for prey to step onto it and meet their doom.

Simultaneously,

an even more chilling discovery awaited them. Above the crumbling edge of the collapse, an unnerving mass of Secret Realm creatures had gathered unnoticed!

Wind Howl Rabbits, Shadowclaw Leopards, and even several massive Hill Giant Apes...

Creatures with wildly different habits, some even natural enemies, had converged here in an eerie assembly.

They stood silently at the edge of the pit, their scarlet or emerald eyes glaring coldly down at the plummeting humans, as if collectively witnessing a long-awaited sacrifice.

Even Secret Realms must adhere to fundamental laws and logical relationships. For every effect, there must be a cause. So who was responsible for this?

Ke Lu had no time to ponder such questions. A more immediate crisis demanded her attention: survival.

Of course, Ke Lu wasn't alone in this desperate struggle. The others, far from resigning themselves to death, had instinctively tried to save themselves the moment they sensed the danger.

Alas, their efforts proved futile.

Bai Yu rapidly formed hand seals, emerald light surging from his palms—Spiderweb.

This basic plant-based control skill could summon resilient vines that formed a sturdy net.

Several thick vines shot forth from Bai Yu's hands, hurtling toward the stone walls on either side of the pit.

But his Spirit Power was clearly insufficient to sustain such a long-distance spell. The vines withered and drooped limply before reaching the walls, utterly failing to establish effective anchor points.

On the other side, Ma Fei abruptly swung the muzzle of his rugged-looking heavy machine gun downward, his index finger savagely jerking the trigger. He attempted to use the weapon's violent recoil to create a brief "flying gun" buffer.

Rat-a-tat-tat-tat!

The deafening roar of gunfire echoed wildly within the narrow pit, flames erupting from the barrel.

Unfortunately, he had grossly overestimated his control and underestimated the impact of the fall.

The heavy machine gun bucked violently in his hands, utterly uncontrollable. Bullets sprayed wildly in all directions, failing to slow his descent in the slightest.

Worse still, a stray bullet ricocheted off the wall with a thud and struck Shi Lei's thigh, just as he was struggling to regain his balance.

"Fuck you, motherfucker!" Shi Lei yelped in shock and agony as a crimson bloom erupted on his leg, throwing him completely off balance.

Their chaotic, desperate attempts at self-preservation only plunged them deeper into chaos.

Ke Lu and Su Rou fared significantly better.

The instant the fall began, Su Rou reacted with lightning reflexes, instinctively raising her hands. A thin, nearly transparent layer of shimmering light rapidly enveloped her and Ke Lu—the Minor Shield Technique.

However, Ke Lu glanced at the trembling, rainbow-hued barrier that looked as fragile as a soap bubble and coldly assessed: This shield is barely better than having nothing at all.

Su Rou, fully aware of their dire situation, closed her eyes and shouted with dramatic flair, "Ke Lu, we may not have been born on the same day, in the same month, of the same year, but let us die together on the same day, in the same month, of the same year!"

Her voice strained and distorted by the rushing wind, made her words even more desperate.

"Ha," Ke Lu chuckled, unable to suppress her amusement even in this critical moment. "You're being way too dramatic."

Despite her teasing, her movements never faltered.

Ke Lu silently chanted an incantation, her fingers dancing through the air with dazzling speed, tracing mystical patterns that shimmered with arcane light.

Spirit Power surged from within her, erupting from her fingertips to coalesce into an intricate and precise spell: Light as a Swallow.

A white light blossomed from Ke Lu's hands, flowing into both her and Su Rou's bodies.

Ke Lu felt her descent abruptly slow. The sensation of weightlessness diminished significantly, and their falling speed stabilized at a precarious balance. At this rate, the impact would be manageable.

Ke Lu glanced at the tense Su Rou, her tone teasing, "How are you feeling now?"

Su Rou, sensing the change in her body, opened her eyes and stared in disbelief at their stabilized descent. "Lu Lu, how did you do that?!"

Her mind raced, but she couldn't figure out what skill Ke Lu had used. "I don't remember this being a basic skill?"

Su Rou was an excellent student herself, and due to her close friendship with Ke Lu, she paid particular attention to Support Class mechanics, which gave her confidence to voice her doubt.

After a moment's hesitation, she ventured uncertainly, "Did you learn this in advance?"

Ke Lu gave a simple nod of confirmation without further explanation.

This skill wasn't part of the high school curriculum - Ke Lu had indeed studied beyond standard requirements.

While the Support Class's purpose was to provide team buffs, the high school program overemphasized stat enhancements, failing to utilize the class's full potential.

This simplified approach was designed for easier student comprehension.

But Ke Lu wasn't bound by conventional limitations, naturally transcending textbook knowledge.

Her focus shifted to the three boys struggling in their descent below, eyebrows knitting slightly.

She still needed to extract information about the "Red-Tier Faction" from Shi Lei - she couldn't afford to lose him mid-fall.

As she turned her head, a green vine suddenly flashed across her vision.

Ke Lu's pupils contracted. Almost synchronously with the vine's appearance, her left hand snapped up and violently seized the intruding tendril.

The yanked vine revealed Bai Yu's boyishly handsome face below.

He offered an awkward smile tinged with embarrassment and entreaty: "Uh... Big sis, mind carrying me?"

Bai Yu's vines not only bound Ke Lu's hand but also linked the three boys together.

With the two groups falling at different speeds, this connection would slow down the boys' descent.

It had to be said, Bai Yu's delicate and adorable face, combined with his youthful voice, was a lethal combination for girls his age.

Ke Lu raised an eyebrow, impressed by his adaptability.

Interrupted by the sudden incident, Su Rou's earlier anger had already dissipated significantly. When Bai Yu's pitiful plea tugged at her heartstrings, she huffed, turning her face away.

"Hmph!" Su Rou turned her face away, a barely perceptible softening at the corners of her mouth. "...Fine, fine. Let's just land safely first."

Amused by her sudden change of heart, Ke Lu channeled Spirit Power. A white glow flowed through the vines, maintaining their controlled descent to the ground.

Crunch.

Ke Lu stepped on something uneven. The floor was pitted and uneven, and a strange, fishy stench permeated the air.

Wrinkling her nose, Ke Lu covered her nose and peered around, using the faint sunlight filtering through the broken ceiling.

The dim light barely illuminated the immediate area, but the scene that met her eyes made her heart sink.

Beneath her feet lay a massive pile of stark white bones from unknown creatures, some still clinging to blackened, shriveled fragments of flesh.

In the shadows, a pair of predatory eyes watched everything unfold.