“Mr. Sadrick, we’re trapped in this enchantment circle. What should we do now?” Danny looked around frantically, but he couldn’t make sense of the direction.
He had thought that following Dustin would keep them safe, especially with someone ahead scouting the path. But as soon as they entered the Forbidden Ground, the thick fog blocked their vision, and they lost track of everyone.
“Don’t panic. Just keep moving forward, and we’ll get out of here.”
Marcell’s gaze scanned the ground.
There was only one path. The faint footprints left by Dustin and the others would be their guide. As long as they followed the trail, they should be able to catch up with the others.
“Stay close, everyone! Don’t fall behind, or you’ll face the consequences!
“Danny shouted at the group.
Everyone responded and tightened up their formation. At this critical moment, falling behind could mean running straight into danger.
Under Marcell’s lead, the two groups merged and started moving forward. Everyone was on high alert with their hands resting on their weapons. Their eyes darted around, and were wary that a monster might appear out of nowhere.
After following the footprints for about half an hour, Marcell felt uneasy. The footprints were still there, but something about them felt oddly familiar-like they had been there before.
According to their pace, they should have exited the fog by now, but they hadn’t. Were they trapped?
Marcell frowned and marked the ground before continuing forward as anxiety gnawed at him. Half an hour later, he suddenly stopped. He saw the mark he had just made and realized they had returned to the starting point.
The realization hit him like a cold wave, and panic began to set in. He was sure he had been moving forward the entire time without any turns or backtracking. If that was the case, there was no reason they should be back where they started.
Was something messing with his senses? Or was the entire environment changing?
“Mr. Sadrick, this doesn’t look good.” Danny noticed the markings, and his expression immediately darkened.
They had been walking in circles for a while and were really starting to run into trouble.
“This maze won’t be a problem. I have a plan,” Marcell said confidently.
He pulled a small black bottle from his pocket and opened it. Two black- winged insects flew out and landed gently in his palm.
“Mr. Sadrick, what are these?” Danny asked, intrigued.
“They’re my specially bred spysects. They’re trained to track treasures. As long as something valuable is nearby, they’ll sense quickly. Just follow them, and we’ll get out of here,” Marcell explained.
“Wow, those are some amazing treasures!” Danny tried to flatter him.
But in his head, he grumbled, “If you had these spysects, why didn’t you use them sooner? We’ve wasted over an hour walking in circles.”
“Go ahead and lead us!” Marcell raised his hand. The two spysects flew off and vanished into the fog in the blink of an eye.
“Mr. Sadrick, they’re gone!” Danny blinked in surprise.
The spysects vanished so quickly, so how were they supposed to follow?
“Don’t worry. Let them fly for a bit. Just follow me.” Marcell walked forward without a care.
The spysects had a special bond with him. He could sense their location within a ten-mile radius, so he wasn’t worried about losing track of them.
The group followed Marcell and were relieved they didn’t get lost this time. After about half an hour, the fog began to clear, and the landscape slowly came into view.
Soon, they arrived at the base of a large mountain. In the distance ahead, they saw the entrance to the Sacred Wyrm Summit’s Forbidden Ground, guarded by two heavy bronze gates. Getting through wouldn’t be easy.
“Haha… We’re out! We made it!”
“As expected of Mr. Sadrick! You’re amazing!”
“With Mr. Sadrick leading, this mission will be a success!”
The whole team erupted in cheers as they emerged from the fog. The oppressive feeling of being trapped was lifted and was replaced by a wave of relief.
Being stuck in the fog for so long had been depressing. But thanks to Marcell’s experience and the spysect’s help, they had finally found their way out. It seemed they had chosen the right leader after all.
“Mr. Sadrick, it looks like we’re the only ones who made it out. The other team is still stuck inside.” Danny glanced around but didn’t see Dustin or the others.
“Well, they’re just unlucky. You don’t expect me to go back and rescue them, do you?” Marcell said indifferently.
“Of course not.” Danny chuckled. “I’d rather they stay lost in there. The fewer people to compete with for the treasure, the better for us.”
“Well said.” Marcell nodded approvingly. “Once we get the treasure, we’ll split it 50-50. The wealth of Sacred Wrym Summit is worth centuries of riches. If we pull this off, we’ll never need to work again.”
“Looks like we’re about to get rich!” Danny laughed heartily.
“Don’t get too ahead of yourself. We still have to get through that door before we can start hunting for treasure.” Marcell pointed to the large bronze gate ahead.
“Relax, Mr. Sadrick. Leave it to me!” Danny thumped his chest confidently. ” It’s just a door, right? Watch me bust it down with one punch.”
He removed his jacket to display his muscular arms and strode toward the door.
The bronze door towered 20 feet high and spanned 16 feet wide. It was filled with ancient, mystical symbols.
Danny took his stance, drew a deep breath, and swung his fist at the door. ” Open up!”
