One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

Bald Bear's voice echoed in the empty hall like a chilling wind.

"Those idiots who went in...they had no idea what was down there!"

His words sent a chill down the spines of everyone present. It wasn't just a cold chill, but a chill that seeped from the depths of their hearts. An abandoned, illegal biological research facility? Out-of-control modified monsters? And... an unfinished genetic source? It sounded like something out of a science fiction horror movie, but right now, it was happening right beneath their feet, in that dark, bottomless cavern.

"How do you know so much?" Master Wang stared into Bald Bear's eyes, his gaze as sharp as a nail.

Bald Bear shook his head bitterly, a self-deprecating smile playing on his lips: "Our 'War Bear' unit, back in the day... was one of the Parliament's partners in Eastern Europe, responsible for some peripheral security and... 'cleanup' work. Some of my predecessors participated in the initial construction here, and also... dealt with some 'leak' incidents—the lone experimental subjects that escaped from the caves. Those things were top secret, and the reason why many of us were retired or even 'disappeared'."

He paused, a flicker of pain crossing his face. "It was only after I became a high-ranking officer in the military that I came into contact with some fragmented files, most of which had been destroyed... The parliament's evacuation was rushed, and many data and samples were left behind, but a self-destruct mechanism was in place. Now it seems that the self-destruct mechanism may have failed, or... there is something 'alive' down there that has disrupted the mechanism."

He looked towards the cave entrance, his fear deepening, and his voice trembled: "If they go down, they might not only awaken those sleeping—or simply feigning sleep—monsters, but they might also trigger a contingency plan left behind by the council that we are unaware of... In that case, what emerges might not just be monsters..."

Silence reigned. Only the cold, foul wind blowing from the cave entrance made a "whooshing" sound, like something crying or laughing. The sound, coming up from the cave entrance, was distorted and transformed by the reflection of the rock walls into a twisted, indescribable tone, like the sigh of hell.

Nie Lingfeng listened in silence.

His fingers unconsciously patted Xiaoyun's back gently, once, once, and again. The little girl seemed to sense unease in her sleep; she frowned slightly and shrank her face into his arms like a frightened little animal.

A few seconds later, he raised his head. His gaze swept over the crowd, finally settling on the deep entrance to the cave.

"It seems we can't let those people take what's down there, nor can we leave it here." He spoke slowly, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority. Like a drop of water falling into a deep pool, the sound was soft, but the ripples spread far and wide.

"Whether it's monsters or data down there, we can't let it fall into their hands, and we certainly can't let it leak out."

He looked at Gao Lian: "The missile is safe. Your primary mission is complete. Contact the company, send more personnel, and transport the missile components and nuclear warheads away safely as soon as possible, completely sealing off the upper levels of this base."

Then, he looked at Wang Ye, Chen Duo, Zhang Chulan, Zhang Lingyu, and Feng Baobao.

"Wang Ye, Chen Duo, Xiao Yun—" He called out the names of these three first, "Chu Lan, Ling Yu, Bao'er. You guys, come down with me."

"Huh? I...we're going down too?" Zhang Chulan pointed to his nose, his face turning slightly green. He instinctively shrank behind Feng Baobao, but Feng Baobao pushed him out. He looked miserable, feeling like a prisoner being led to the execution ground.

"The situation below is complicated. Having more people may not be useful, but we need to deal with all kinds of possibilities," Nie Lingfeng explained, his gaze sweeping across each person's face as he spoke at a moderate pace, as if explaining a math problem.

"Master Wang Ye's Qimen Dunjia techniques can deal with unpredictable changes, allowing him to foresee danger and decipher mechanisms in the dark. Chen Duo's Gu poison and medical skills might be useful—there might be poisonous gas or viruses down there, or someone might be injured and need emergency treatment. Xiao Yun… she seems very sensitive to these 'anomalies,' perhaps able to sense things we can't see in advance. Chu Lan, your thunder magic is extremely Yang and strong, effective against Yin and evil monsters, and you're quick-witted and adaptable. Ling Yu's Golden Light Mantra has strong defense, and the Yin Five Thunders are unpredictable and can handle all kinds of emergencies. Bao'er's intuition and skills—no need to say more."

He paused, then added, "The others stay up there to protect the technicians and control the situation, just in case."

His plan was concise and clear, taking into account each person's strengths and the dangers they might encounter—monsters, traps, poison gas, mental influences, and so on.

Master Wang Ye pondered for a moment, then nodded: "The atmosphere below is obscure and chaotic, and the earth's energy flows abnormally. Perhaps a Qimen Dunjia formation can provide an early warning to break the deadlock. I am willing to go." He spoke casually, but his feet had already silently trodden out a Xun position.

Chen Duo simply hugged Xiaoyun tighter and softly hummed in agreement. Wherever Ling Feng went, she would go. Moreover, protecting Xiaoyun was also her responsibility.

Zhang Lingyu remained calm and bowed, saying, "Lingyu obeys." His tone was neither too loud nor too soft, as if he were answering a teacher's question in a classroom.

Feng Baobao blinked, looked at Zhang Chulan, then at the dark opening, and nodded: "Okay. There seems to be a strange smell down there." She sniffed, as if she really smelled something.

Zhang Chulan wore a bitter expression, his face scrunched up like a bitter gourd. But seeing that no one objected, especially Bao'er who had agreed, he could only grit his teeth and say, "Let's go... let's go! Who's afraid of who! Maybe there's some treasure down there!" He spoke boldly, but his steps were slower than anyone else's, walking at the very back of the group. His hand unconsciously touched the "Blood Cherry" at his waist, the katana he had obtained from Sato Ittosai.

"Mr. Nie, this is too dangerous!" Gao Lian couldn't help but dissuade him, his voice urgent. "The situation down below is unknown, you..."

"That's precisely why we have to go," Nie Lingfeng interrupted him, his tone leaving no room for argument. "We can't let the people from the Eagle Country and the Sakura Country get what's inside, nor can we let the 'thing' down below escape. This is the best way to handle it."

He looked at Bald Bear, his gaze as calm as a still pond: "You, lead the way. Tell us everything you know about the structure below, the potential dangers, and the council's backup plan."

Bald Bear's face turned pale, and he waved his hands frantically. The man, even more muscular than Zhang Chulan, now looked like a terrified child: "No! No! I can't go down! It's...it's too dangerous down there! I can't..."

"Lead the way, or I'll throw you down right now."

Nie Lingfeng looked at him, his tone still calm, as if he were saying, "The weather is nice today." But his eyes—those dark, emotionless eyes—telled Bald Bear: You have no choice.

Bald Bear looked at Nie Lingfeng's calm and unwavering gaze, then at Feng Baobao behind him, who was eager to try—her hand already on the hilt of her sword—the calm Wang Ye and Zhang Lingyu, the expressionless Chen Duo, and the resigned Zhang Chulan, and then recalled the image of Sato Ittosai frozen into an ice sculpture—the ice crystals still gleaming coldly under the light—

He shivered violently.

He knew that this seemingly harmless man, who was holding a child, was someone who would definitely do what he said he would do.

"I...I'll lead the way!" Bald Bear cried, his voice trembling as he surrendered. Going down might mean death, but not going down meant becoming an ice sculpture or being struck by lightning... Between two evils, he chose the lesser, opting to live a little longer. Maybe...it wasn't as terrible as he imagined? He tried to reassure himself, but even he didn't believe it.

Nie Lingfeng said nothing more. He gently took the still-sleeping Xiaoyun from Chen Duo's arms, wrapped her in a soft blanket, and secured her firmly to his chest. The blanket was dark blue and very thick, making Xiaoyun look like a silkworm cocoon. Xiaoyun seemed to sense the familiar embrace and scent, and slept even more peacefully, her little mouth slightly upturned, as if she were having a sweet dream.

"Walk."

He uttered that word.

They took the lead and headed towards the dark, seemingly all-consuming entrance to the cave.

A chilling, foul wind swept over me, carrying the damp, decaying stench unique to the depths of the earth. The smell seeped into my nostrils, like something crawling inside. It also carried with it unknown dangers and secrets.

Wang Ye and Chen Duo followed closely behind. Zhang Lingyu and Feng Baobao caught up. Zhang Chulan took one last look at the bright lights in the hall outside—the lights seemed especially warm at that moment, like the color of home—swallowed hard, gritted his teeth, and followed. He was still muttering to himself, "Fortune favors the bold, darling, here I come... no, I mean, to act on behalf of Heaven and eliminate hidden dangers! Heaven bless, the Three Pure Ones bless, Monkey King bless..."

Bald Bear stared at the bottomless, dark entrance, then at Nie Lingfeng's calm back. He gritted his teeth, gave his men a few instructions—basically telling them to stay put and wait for their return, and to report to headquarters if there was no news in three days. Then, with a mournful face, he followed at the back of the group, stepping into that unknown darkness.

His steps were heavy, each one feeling as if he were stepping on his own heart.

Gao Lian, Wang Zhenqiu, Zhao Qiming, and the others who remained above watched their figures disappear into the cave entrance, their feelings a mixture of emotions.

Gao Lian clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. He opened his mouth, wanting to say "be careful," but the two words stuck in his throat, and he couldn't utter them.

Wang Zhenqiu's cynical smile vanished. He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. His fingers unconsciously twirled a coin, which fluttered between his fingers like a silver butterfly.

Zhao Qiming adjusted his glasses, a glint of light flashing in his narrow eyes behind the lenses. He turned and began directing the technicians to expedite the disassembly and transport of missile components, while simultaneously coordinating a complete blockade of the upper base—welding all entrances and exits shut with thick steel plates, setting up energy barriers, and activating the monitoring system. His movements were faster than before, as if he were chasing something.

"I hope... everything goes well for them," Gao Lian said softly, his voice as light as a falling leaf.

No one answered.

Because nobody knows the answer.