Chapter 577: Abyssal Transit

Xia Chong got into the Jeep with an impassive face, adjusted the seat forward, and started the engine.

The car rolled out along the gravel road.

It was only then that Lu Xin realized that the Central City Team had set up camp in an outrageously large and opulently decorated manor. He couldn’t help but marvel at how Central City always managed to choose such a stellar temporary hideout.

Qinggang, on the other hand, was completely different – they were still lodged in a hotel…

The car drove out of the manor and wound its way through the labyrinthine streets of Heichao City. It headed straight onto a steel drawbridge leading south, racing along a rammed-earth road through the marshes, its headlights slicing forward like gleaming swords.

Xia Chong wasn’t one for many words, and neither was Lu Xin.

So they journeyed in utter silence – a far cry from the entertaining banter when Gecko was at the wheel.

After roughly two hours they passed an abandoned small village. Xia Chong consulted the map and then turned off into the settlement, slowly navigating the rugged road while scanning both sides intently.

Lu Xin finally couldn’t hold back and whispered, “Are you looking for something?”

“I’m looking for a complete door,” she replied.

Xia Chong explained, “Once I find an intact door, I can ferry you through the Abyss to our designated checkpoint, using that door as a hub for shuttling back and forth. With my current capacity, I can only manage the trip from here to the checkpoint; but once we’re there, leaping into the Red Mud Town ambush circle becomes much easier.”

“Of course, in a short time I can only do a single transit – else the strain would be too intense.”

“……”

“Oh, I see.”

Lu Xin finally understood and curiously asked, “So you can only use your ability with a complete door?”

“Not really.”

Xia Chong replied, “Incomplete doors work too, but I just prefer a complete one.”

“……”

Lu Xin was momentarily at a loss for words.

It was a compelling reason indeed – traveling through an incomplete door just doesn’t feel right. What else can you do?

Fortunately, wherever humans gather, at least doors are plentiful.

Even though this town had clearly been abandoned for many years, after a few hundred meters they spotted a door, cloaked in dust and withered grass yet still relatively intact. Xia Chong pulled the Jeep over, opened the door, and stepped out.

Lu Xin followed her, then suddenly remembered, “If you head straight from the checkpoint to Red Mud Town, what about the car?”

“……”

Xia Chong gave him a puzzled look and said, “You can come back for it later, or just ditch it – what’s the matter?”

“Nothing.”

Lu Xin felt his resolve shrink a bit and shook his head in silence.

That door definitely pleased Xia Chong, though being unused for so long had allowed dirt and rust to jam it.

Xia Chong tapped it a couple of times without forcing it open, stepped back a few paces, lifted her skirt, took a running start, and delivered a flying kick.

With a resounding clang, the door flew open, and a swarm of bats burst out in a flurry.

Lu Xin stepped back slightly, positioning himself just behind Xia Chong.

Xia Chong watched indifferently as the bats swept past her, not even batting an eye.

Once the bats had dispersed, she stepped forward, inspected the door, nodded in satisfaction, closed it, and extended her hand toward Lu Xin.

Lu Xin reacted quickly and grasped her hand.

After all, this was strictly business.

……

Xia Chong let out a low breath, reopened the door, and pulled Lu Xin into the Abyss.

Entering the Abyss from this deserted town evoked a strange sensation – the vast, dark red soil and the sparse, withered hand-like growths made it feel like a desolate, oppressive wasteland.

But neither Xia Chong nor Lu Xin had time to dwell on it. Hand in hand, they dashed through the crimson wilderness.

In the wasteland, the few withered hands, though sparse, were vicious; their sharp claws reached out toward Xia Chong.

Lu Xin noticed that countless sharp claws had sliced through Xia Chong’s legs, leaving them bleeding profusely.

Unable to bear the sight, as they passed through another thicket of withered, hand-like thorns, he deliberately lifted his foot and stomped hard. Instantly, the mass of hands convulsed violently, as if struck by some unspeakable horror.

They even emitted a strange, squeaking cry before shrinking rapidly into the barren expanse, trembling incessantly.

“Hmm?”

Surprised by the sight, Xia Chong turned to look at Lu Xin.

But in the depths of the Abyss, she didn’t press further; instead, she grabbed Lu Xin’s hand again and quickened their pace.

The Abyss was an uncanny realm – though it mirrored the real world, its structure and proportions were wildly distorted.

This distortion allowed ability users like Xia Chong to achieve rapid transits over limited distances.

However, the vast distances of the real world still exerted their influence on the Abyss.

Since their route was long, their journey through the Abyss stretched on considerably.

Lu Xin estimated that they had spent roughly five minutes in the Abyss before Xia Chong slightly eased the pace. Guided by a well-behaved worm crawling on her arm, they approached a black circular ring – a door.

With another flying kick, she blasted the door open and charged forward with Lu Xin.

“Phew…”

The door shut behind them, plunging everything into darkness. Lu Xin could hear Xia Chong’s labored breathing.

Those five minutes in the Abyss had clearly pushed her to her limits.

“Are you alright?”

Lu Xin quickly reached out to check on Xia Chong, his voice laced with concern.

“Don’t pinch my nose,” came Xia Chong’s amused reminder from the dark, prompting Lu Xin to swiftly withdraw his hand.

Moments ago, he had felt something round and chubby – realizing it was her cheek – and naturally grabbed her arm.

After helping her up, he rummaged through his bag and found a lighter.

He rubbed it until a small spark flared up.

But they soon realized they were in a chaotic space, surrounded by toppled shelves, cobwebs, and dust – it resembled an abandoned warehouse filled with sealed-off areas, leaving no clear exit.

“Come with me,” Xia Chong murmured.

“I scoped out the route on my way out,” she added quietly.

Though the Abyss was a distorted exaggeration of reality, it still offered a glimpse of the real world.

But only an experienced Abyss ability user like Xia Chong could manage that.

Naturally, Lu Xin followed her obediently, using the lighter to illuminate the path beside her.

After a few steps and a quick turn, they clambered out through a shattered window into a starlit sky.

They found themselves on the outskirts of a desolate town, where collapsed buildings and wild, overgrown trees dominated the landscape.

Neglected for decades, these trees had twisted into sinister shapes over thirty years. Thankfully, it was still winter – their sparse branches allowed a glimpse of scattered stars and the heavy Red Moon looming over the ruins.

They climbed over several fallen, crumbling walls and gazed into the distance by the light of the Red Moon.

On the dark red wasteland, an eerie silence reigned, as if the world itself had died.

“Judging by the route, that Mental Monster should be coming straight at us,” Lu Xin noted.

After catching her breath, Xia Chong explained, “Our only hope is to force that monster to retreat the way it came.”

“Whether it breaks through directly or skirts around, it spells mission failure,” she continued.

“So, I’ll summon the Abyss Creature I recently contracted to guard both approaches for you.”

“……”

“Well…”

Listening to her plan, Lu Xin pondered briefly, then shook his head and smiled, “No need.”

Xia Chong looked at him, puzzled.

After a moment’s thought, Lu Xin explained with a smile, “You called me because that monster fears me. I have a pretty good idea of what terrifies it, so if I want to force it to retreat, I have to revert to the state that scares it.”

“With a little effort, I can do it,” he added.

“But when I get into that state, my self-control falters a bit,” he admitted, looking calmly at Xia Chong. “It’d be dangerous if you stayed by my side.”

“Very dangerous…”

Xia Chong frowned slightly as she watched his placid expression and then hesitantly asked, “Are you really sure you can do it on your own?”

Lu Xin smiled and shook his head, replying, “Don’t worry. I’m not exactly alone.”

Not wanting to alarm her in the dead of night, he offered no further details.

Seeing his confident smile, Xia Chong quickly decided, “Alright then, I’ll go back and help them.”

Without hesitation, she turned and left.

After a few steps, she suddenly turned back to Lu Xin and said, “Captain, I know you’re strong, but be extra careful out here on your own, or that skinny, rod-like woman from Qinggang will surely come after you.”

“Rod-like woman?”

Lu Xin, after a moment, realized she meant Han Bing and could only chuckle, “Got it.”

In fact, Han Bing wasn’t really a stick figure – her height made her appear slim, but she had everything she needed.

Xia Chong continued forward, determined to find a complete door to exit.

As her figure began to vanish into the ruins, Lu Xin suddenly recalled something and called out, “Wait…”

Xia Chong quickly turned around, looking at him in curiosity.

After a brief hesitation, Lu Xin finally asked, “Was that two million to be transferred via card or in cash?”

“Phew…”

Xia Chong exhaled softly and said seriously, “Via card. Whether the capture mission succeeds or not, as soon as we’re back in Central City, the transfer happens immediately.”

“Alright,” Lu Xin replied, beaming with gratitude as he flashed a brilliant smile at Xia Chong.