Chapter 1177: Returning to Netherworld City
A strange ancient city stood in the sandstorm. Outside the ancient city’s entrance was a group of soldiers. One of them was a cold-looking officer who was sizing up the ancient city with a heavy expression.
“Overseer, Charlie Team has already exited the city, but nothing was discovered.” A soldier’s report made the officer’s expression turn colder.
After An Tianzuo arrived at Netherworld City, he had immediately sent four teams to explore it in batches. According to the experience and data he had obtained, three teams had successfully cleared Netherworld City, but they hadn’t brought good news.
Although there were many of the living dead in Netherworld City—people who didn’t even know that they were dead and were being tortured day after day—Ouyang Lan and the accompanying soldiers hadn’t been found.
“Overseer, it looks like Young Master Wen is right. Madam and the rest might have entered the true Netherworld. We need to experience all the punishments before we can open the true entrance to the Netherworld,” An Sheng said.
An Tianzuo glanced at the officers and soldiers behind him. At this point, there was only one possibility left.
However, the punishments in Netherworld City weren’t something anyone could withstand. Even someone as powerful as him couldn’t withstand all the punishments in a day.
Apart from the fact that his body couldn’t withstand it, time was also a critical problem.
There were three ironclad rules in Netherworld City. Those who committed murder would die, and those whose feet left the ground would die. One had to kill one person every day they entered the city, or they would die.
There was an unresolvable contradiction, so one had to leave Netherworld City within a day. Otherwise, no matter how powerful an existence was, they would be killed by the taboo power of Netherworld City.
One had to experience all 239 punishments in a day. Even if one’s body could withstand it, there wasn’t enough time.
As powerful as An Tianzuo was, and he had countless capable people under him, no one could fulfill this condition.
“If Delta Team returns with nothing, we will enter the city,” An Tianzuo said.
An Sheng whispered, “Overseer, should we wait for Young Master Wen? He’s gone to look for Li Xuan. He should be here soon.”
“There’s no time to waste. Every minute we wait means one less chance of survival for my mom and the others,” An Tianzuo said.
“But if Young Master Wen isn’t around, I’m afraid we won’t be able to withstand all the punishments in a day,” An Sheng reminded.
“Commander Lu, you have already seen the punishments in Netherworld City. What are your thoughts about them?” An Tianzuo asked an officer from Charlie Team.
The officer was fair and chubby. He had a smile on his face as his eyes narrowed into slits. He looked harmless.
However, from his figure, he was at least two hundred kilograms. He was almost the shape of a ball. In this era, there weren’t many people who could be this fat.
Commander Lu’s name was Lu Bushun, or literally ‘awry.’ As for why his parents gave him such a name, it was not something outsiders would know.
Upon hearing An Tianzuo call him out, Lu Bushun moved his body and took a step forward. He raised his arm with great difficulty and gave a military salute. He widened his eyes and said, “Overseer, I’ve tried a few types of punishments. Those punishments can ignore the defenses of the body. Even a Mythical power can’t withstand them. The only thing that’s effective is a body’s self-healing abilities. As you know, Overseer, this is my specialty. As long as there’s enough time, it won’t be difficult for me to withstand all the punishments.”
An Tianzuo nodded slightly and looked at another young officer. “Jingyu, what about you?”
An Jingyu was a few years younger than An Tianzuo. He was an expert that had risen from the An family in recent years. He was extremely talented and his strength was temporal in nature, a rare power.
Although An Tianzuo had once had an unhappy relations.h.i.+p with the An family’s elders, he was still the leader of the An family’s current generation. He still spared no effort to nurture the youths who had a chance of success.
An Jingyu was one of the young members of the An family that he valued the most. He had brought him along this time.
Although according to the family hierarchy, An Jingyu should address An Tianzuo as Uncle, he could only salute obediently in military fas.h.i.+on. “Overseer, I’ve already tried. I can use time acceleration to accelerate the punishment. As long as Commander Lu can withstand it, I’m confident that I can make him suffer all the punishments in twenty-four hours.”
An Tianzuo nodded slightly and didn’t question further. He said to An Sheng, “Make the preparations. We’ll enter the city once Delta Team comes out.”
Since he was here, he was naturally prepared. He didn’t come blindly.
It wasn’t An Sheng’s place to say anything else. He also knew that what An Tianzuo said made sense. Every minute wasted meant less hope for Ouyang Lan and company.
However, he had a nagging feeling that there was a huge problem with Netherworld City. If he could wait for Zhou Wen to come along, their chances would be higher.
However, now that they had reached the point of no return, they had no choice. This was because he didn’t know when Zhou Wen would arrive. It was impossible for them to keep waiting.
An Sheng could only pray that Zhou Wen would arrive early, but Zhou Wen hadn’t arrived by the time Delta Team exited the city.
An Tianzuo personally chose the candidates to enter Netherworld City with him. Including him and An Sheng, there were a total of sixteen people. These sixteen people might not be the strongest in the An family and the Sunset Army, but they each had their own unique abilities. They might be of use when facing different problems.
“Prepare to set off.” An Tianzuo didn’t wish to delay any further.
“Ah, Overseer, please wait. I’ve left something important in the camp. I’ll go get it now. I’ll be back soon.” An Sheng smiled apologetically as he ran towards the tent.
What should I do? This is killing me. Why isn’t Young Master Wen here yet? Inside the tent, An Sheng was like an ant on a hot pan. He knew that this trip was very dangerous. If they could wait for Zhou Wen, they would have a higher chance of survival.
An Sheng circled the tent a few times, hoping to stall for more time, but he heard An Tianzuo’s voice from outside. “Adjutant An, if I don’t see you in three seconds, you can forget about going.”
“I’m coming!” An Sheng could only leave the tent with a bitter expression. As he walked towards An Tianzuo, he held his stomach and walked especially slowly as though he was in pain.
When he finally came close to An Tianzuo, An Sheng said, “Overseer, I need to relieve myself. I want to use the bathroom…”
“Go,” An Tianzuo said indifferently.
“Thank you, Overseer…” An Sheng was delighted. He could stall for time again.
To his surprise, An Tianzuo added, “You don’t have to come back if you go. Just return to Luoyang.”
“Overseer, I don’t think it’s a big deal,” An Sheng immediately said as he stood up.
“Can we leave now?” An Tianzuo asked An Sheng.
“As long as Overseer says so.” An Sheng stood straight and answered without looking sideways.
“Let’s set off.” An Tianzuo glanced in the direction of the desert, but it was only for an instant. He quickly retracted his gaze and firmly walked towards the entrance of Netherworld City.
“Young Master Wen!” An Sheng followed An Tianzuo towards Netherworld City. Just as they were about to reach the door, An Sheng looked back and was immediately overjoyed.