Global Coming: Farming with my sister-in-law in the end times

Chapter 709 Arriving at the Ruins, Encountering Another Smog Disaster!
"Whoosh-"

They once again crossed vast, uninhabited areas.

After about forty minutes, the group had traveled more than 700 kilometers.

Lord Oran said, "Lord Cao Xing will be here soon."

Upon hearing this, Cao Xing immediately lowered his head and looked down at the snow-covered land below.

This is also a desolate, uninhabited area.

Apart from the endless snowfields and a few frozen lakes, there was no sign of human life in the surrounding area.

"Is this it? Where are the ruins?" Cao Xing asked in confusion.

Lord Oran explained, "That ruin is also hidden underground."

"It's just that the entrance is rather special."

After saying that, he pointed down and said, "Lord Cao Xing, do you see those frozen lakes?"

Looking in the direction he pointed, Cao Xing did indeed see several huge ice lakes.

The lake surface was covered by a thick layer of ice, like giant mirrors reflecting a faint light.

"You mean... those frozen lakes are the entrance to the ruins?" Cao Xing asked.

Lord Oran nodded. "Yes."

"The entrance is usually at the bottom of the ice lake, where the water is about 300 meters deep."

"Only by diving to the deepest part and passing through a vortex portal can one truly enter the interior of the ruins."

"However, this one step alone has stopped countless people."

"The lake water, which can freeze a person instantly, and the ferocious beasts hidden in the water, can take the lives of many adventurers."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "This can be considered the first test of the ruins."

"If you can't dive deep into the water, you don't even qualify to enter the ruins."

"Otherwise, the dangers inside the ruins are even more terrifying."

“Even mechanical creatures that appear on the periphery, or even those golems, can easily take the lives of intruders.”

Cao Xing nodded in realization.

Upon hearing this, Qinong added, "Besides the inherent dangers of these glacial lakes, we also need to be wary of unscrupulous adventurers."

"They might set traps underwater or at the entrance to the ruins to harm explorers who want to enter."

Upon hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Cao Xing's eyes.

He won't meddle in other people's business unless they provoke him.

But if they dare to mess with him, then he shouldn't blame him for being impolite.

Cao Xing continued, "Then let's just find any frozen lake and enter the ruins."

Three hundred meters of water depth sounds terrifying, but given their strength, it's nothing to them.

With that, the Griffin King flapped its wings and led everyone toward the surface of one of the frozen lakes.

At this moment, looking down from high above, one can see huge craters appearing on the frozen lake.

The ice layer has been broken, and it appears that quite a few adventurers have already entered.

at the same time.

A metal spear appeared out of thin air in Qinong's hand, and he said in a deep voice, "Lord Cao Xing, let me break through the lake water to avoid some unnecessary trouble."

Hearing this, Cao Xing was somewhat puzzled.

But he still nodded and said, "Okay."

After receiving Cao Xing's permission, Qinong instantly raised his spear and gripped the shaft tightly.

In that instant, Qinong changed his usual peaceful fishing man demeanor, and an invisible aura burst forth from his body!
His entire being seemed to merge with the spear, exuding lethality.

The next moment, he whispered, "Rainbow Piercing the Sun, Go!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the spear transformed into a red sun.

Like the sun falling from the sky, it shot towards the lake!

The instant it came into contact with the lake surface, it triggered a tremendous explosion!

"Boom——!"

Not only the surface ice, but even the surging lake water was broken apart by this terrifying impact!

In the center of the lake, a huge whirlpool appeared, and the sand and stones at the bottom of the lake could even be seen.

At that moment, Cao Xing understood what it meant for Qinong to break through the lake water.

They actually managed to forcefully open a passage in this way.

The level of control over power is truly breathtaking!

Both Lord Oran and Bai Zhi, who were in charge of the banquet, looked at the old man with surprise.

However, the passage opened by Qinong's shot could not last long.

Taking advantage of this moment, Cao Xing quickly said, "Old Wang, take us down!"

The next moment, the Griffin King flapped its wings violently.

"Wow—!"

With a clear cry, it plunged into the water, carrying everyone on its back!

"Crash! Crash!"

Since the lake water had been broken open by the impact of Qinong's spear energy, the Griffin King's momentum was not hindered in any way!
Coupled with their terrifying speed, they traversed water depths of several hundred meters in an instant!
In an instant, we arrived at the deep bottom of the lake.

Not even a drop of water got on their clothes.

At the same time, the surrounding lake water surged and churned, carrying an astonishing chill.

It appears that it is about to close again, completely submerging this area.

Cao Xing quickly asked, "Lord Oran, where is the passage located?"

Upon hearing this, Oran quickly scanned his surroundings.

Then, pointing in a direction, he quickly said, "There."

Upon hearing this, everyone turned their attention to it.

About several dozen meters away from them, there was a faintly glowing area.

Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be a circular portal, its surface glowing with blue light, slowly rotating.

Like a whirlpool appearing at the bottom of the water.

Cao Xing said helplessly, "Looks like I still can't avoid getting wet."

"This cold weather is quite a challenge."

However, this didn't affect them much.

Cao Xing quickly composed himself and ordered, "Let's go, let's charge in."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Griffin King let out another cry.

"Wow—"

With a flap of its wings, it carried everyone into the icy lake!
"Crash..."

The icy lake water instantly submerged their figures, and a biting chill swept over them.

But the group did not stop; instead, they rushed towards the glowing vortex without hesitation.

The sound of rushing water filled my ears, and waves of frigid air swept over me.

In the blink of an eye, they arrived in front of the portal.

Cao Xing also became slightly more vigilant.

Because he remembered that Qinon had said that there might be other malicious people setting traps near underwater portals like this.

This is used to harm other adventurers who want to enter the ruins.

However, after observing for a while, no abnormalities were found.

It seems they were quite lucky.

There's nothing wrong with this entry point.

The next moment, the Griffin King led everyone into the vortex.

Suddenly, everyone's vision went black.

It felt as if we had suddenly emerged from the icy lake bottom and entered a tunnel.

The surroundings were completely dark, with only faintly visible spheres emitting a dim light, constantly rotating.

The distance of this teleportation channel is extremely short.

Before Cao Xing could take a closer look, everyone's vision went black again.

At the same time, a system notification appeared.

You have discovered a special area: The Lost Royal City.

[Exploration Experience +45, Reputation +1500]

……

When they opened their eyes again, a strange sight appeared before them.

Before them lay a vast, desolate wasteland!

Compared to the vast expanse of snow-covered ground, this place appears even more desolate and barren.

On the dark yellow earth, one can vaguely see a pile of black metal fragments and the remains of some buildings.

An ancient and heavy atmosphere permeated the air, as if time had stood still here for thousands of years!

Looking around, one can see that the surroundings are shrouded in a thick fog.

The deeper one goes, the thicker the fog becomes, like an invisible barrier blocking outsiders from prying into their lives.

In the mist, the silhouettes of some ancient buildings can be vaguely seen, standing quietly on this wasteland.

The architectural style here is extremely unique. Compared to the domed or pointed buildings commonly found in other ancient cities in this world, these buildings appear angular and sharp, like geometric shapes.

The walls were entirely black, made of an unknown material, with a smooth, mirror-like surface that reflected a faint light.

Even after so many years, these buildings still stand.

"Ten years later... I've come back here again..."

Qinong looked at the surrounding scenery, a look of emotion appearing in his eyes.

The Lord of Oran City standing to the side also looked somewhat excited.

Cao Xing glanced around to make sure everyone was there, then quickly said, "Everyone, take care of your soaked clothes first, so you don't get hypothermia later."

Upon hearing this, everyone quickly glanced at their own bodies.

Their soaked clothes clung to their bodies, and waves of cold air swept over them, quickly drawing away their heat.

However, those brought by Cao Xing this time were all at least level 70 powerhouses.

The aura around everyone intensified, and the energy within their bodies surged, quickly washing away the moisture from their clothes.

They quickly cleaned up their soaked clothes.

Just then, Elisa, as if she had discovered something new and exciting, pointed ahead and exclaimed, "Look, look! There are so many people and so many tents!"

After hearing this, everyone looked ahead.

About 500 meters away from them, there was a wide open space with rows of simple tents set up.

Next to the tents, many bonfires were burning, making it look like a large gathering place.

Through the firelight, one could see many figures in the camp.

Those were all adventurers who entered the ruins ahead of time.

Some of them sat on the ground, while others rested.

Some of the adventurers even set up stalls on the spot.

Cao Xing looked at the Lord of Oran City beside him, "What's this?"

Lord Oran explained, "This is where we outsiders gather, and it's also one of the few safe areas in these ruins."

"Because it's near the entrance, that area won't be swallowed by the fog."

"Many adventurers rest there or trade there."

"You can also find suitable teammates there and form an expedition team."

"Because it's inside the ruins, sometimes you can actually find some good stuff."

Cao Xing nodded in realization.

Then, with a wave of his hand, he released all of his dozens of powerful subordinates from the necromancy bag.

Dozens of dark figures suddenly appeared in front of everyone.

The moment they appeared, they quickly exited their undead state, and their skin began to return to normal.

The towering Jord Ironfrost and the Tauren chieftain.

The alluring white snake Irena and the green snake Lana.

The Great White Mammoth, as large as a small mountain, and the Snowy Bear Volibear...

One figure after another emerged!

Having just switched back from their undead state, they were still not quite able to control their aura.

The auras of dozens of powerful figures converged and spread out like a tide.

Even the adventurers in the large camp hundreds of meters away sensed this aura.

However, the overwhelming sense of oppression also made them turn pale instantly!
It was as if a horde of ferocious beasts had appeared ahead!
Fortunately, these powerful individuals withdrew their auras after only a few seconds.

Andrew, Berthold Sunstrider, and the others bowed respectfully: "Greetings, Your Lordship."

The others also chimed in, "Greetings, Lord."

Cao Xing nodded slightly. "Everyone, we have now arrived at that ancient ruin."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked around.

Like Cao Xing and the others, they also showed surprise in their eyes.

I found the strange sights in this ancient ruins quite fascinating.

Standing on the shoulder of the earth dragon mech, Tong Chuchu exclaimed softly, "Wow... this place is so big!"

"And the exterior of these buildings looks so peculiar!"

The demon dragon Bingbing flapped its small wings on its back and flew in mid-air, curiously looking around.

At that moment, the big guy Bloom seemed to have discovered something.

He pointed ahead and said, "My lord, isn't there a wall over there?"

Upon hearing this, everyone looked in the direction he was pointing.

Passing through thick fog, at the edge of the field of vision, a black wall can be seen.

This wall is thousands of meters high, as if it covers everything.

Cao Xing seemed to realize something and asked in confusion, "Is the inner city we're teleporting to behind that wall?"

Lord Oran nodded slightly. "Yes, the entire inner city is currently shrouded in this mist, and we cannot get close."

"This also means that the inner city is not yet ready to open."

"We can only go in when the fog clears."

Cao Xing frowned and continued to ask, "You said before that the safe zone wouldn't be swallowed by the fog."

"It is also said that the inner city is shrouded in mist."

Is there any danger lurking within this fog?

Upon hearing this question, Lord Oran nodded and said, "That's right. Some high-level vengeful spirits will appear in this mist. They will suddenly emerge from it and drag the adventurers into the mist."

"A vengeful spirit?" Cao Xing was puzzled again.

"Yes."

Lord Oran replied, "These vengeful spirits in the mist are very powerful, most of them are around the fifth to ninth rank."

"It is said that there are powerful vengeful spirits of the tenth rank or higher in the inner city!"

“They are different from the dead in the outside world, who retain some consciousness and are able to communicate simply.”

"The vengeful spirits here are purely evil creatures. They have only a thirst for killing and will attack any living being."

"They appear and disappear mysteriously in the mist, launching attacks on adventurers from time to time."

"Fortunately, these vengeful spirits can only leave a certain range of the mist. As long as they stay away from the mist, they will not be attacked."

Beside him, Qinong chimed in, "When these vengeful spirits are merely one of the dangers in the ruins."

"The real danger is the fog itself."

"These fogs may seem harmless, but once you enter them, you will be completely lost."

"Even legendary-level powerhouses are not immune."

At this point, Qinong said with a serious expression, "According to some powerful figures, the power in this mist is similar to the haze and fog disaster."

Upon hearing the term "smog disaster," Cao Xing raised an eyebrow.

He vividly remembers the natural disaster he experienced a few months ago.

Under the shroud of that mist, the entire continent seemed to be plunged into darkness, and even legendary-level powerhouses could not walk within it.

He even went so far as to lead a group to cause a ruckus because the creature in the mist wanted to take Elisa away.

Later, the old witch appeared and helped him bring Elisa back.

This also made Cao Xing more wary and hostile towards the dense fog.

Lord Oran nodded and said, "Mr. Qinong is right."

"It's not just the inner city, but also the surrounding areas, if you see those areas with thicker shadows and fog."

"Try to keep a distance."

"Otherwise, if you are accidentally swallowed by the fog, even if you are only inside for a short time, you may become completely lost inside."

"Besides that... we also need to be careful of those adventurers."

At this point, he looked towards the camp ahead: "In this ruin, some guys will specifically use this fog to ambush and kill some newcomers from outside."

Cao Xing frowned slightly as he looked at the land shrouded in mist before him, realizing that this lost royal city was no ordinary place.

It also contains many dangers!
He continued, "The inner city isn't open yet, so does that mean we can only stay on the outer perimeter for now?"

Lord Oran nodded and said, "Yes, but we need to be mindful of the time and find the safe zone before midnight."

"What is the safe zone?" Cao Xing asked again, puzzled.

Qinong, who was standing next to him, chimed in, explaining, "It's still because of that eerie fog. At a certain time, the fog in the inner city will erupt and spread."

"Until the entire outer and inner city areas of the lost royal city are completely covered."

“The period from midnight to 6 a.m. every day is when the fog covers the area.”

"At that time, only a few safe areas of the entire ruins will not be eroded by this fog."

"These places include the adventurer camp in front, as well as some buildings in the ruins."

Qinong looked at Cao Xing and continued, "So, before the fog completely erupts, we only have two choices: either go back to the entrance, which is the adventurer camp in front of us."

"Or find a building inside and hide there."

Cao Xing nodded in realization, a hint of感慨 in his voice: "There are really quite a lot of rules here."

Lord Oran sighed, "Yes, this is experience gained through countless deaths."

"Behind every rule, there may lie the cost of countless lives..."

……

(End of this chapter)