Chapter 382 Don’t You Find It Strange?

Chapter 382 Don't You Find It Strange?

They had no weapons in their hands, and when the tiger approached them, they used their fists to strike it.

Although this prevented the tiger from injuring them, it was impossible to kill it with one blow.

The tiger took several heavy hits and, in pain, retreated backward.

The brothers could see that the direction the tiger fled seemed strange.

Before it was completely dark, they had checked that direction.

There was a small swamp there, which an ordinary person without lightness skills could not pass through.

Given the sensitivity of animals, even if escaping, they would not choose such a place.

There were two possibilities: first, the tiger might have been stunned by the blows from the eldest and second brother, losing its sense of judgment.

The second possibility was that the swamp was not as simple as it appeared.

Mo Jiuye led the chase and reminded his brothers.

"Let's follow it."

The brothers followed closely behind the tiger.

Mo Jiuye moved the fastest and, upon reaching the swamp, saw the tiger's massive figure quickly disappear.

And the way it disappeared was peculiar—it vanished into the swamp in the blink of an eye.

This situation was entirely different from what the brothers expected.

Normally, whether human or animal, entering a swamp would result in a gradual sinking, but the tiger vanished instantly.

The brothers exchanged glances.

The eldest brother stepped forward and said, "This swamp is not simple. Let me test it."

Seeing the eldest brother about to step forward, Mo Jiuye hurriedly stopped him. "No, don't do it."

The eldest brother, puzzled by Mo Jiuye's action, asked, "Ninth brother, the tiger just disappeared like that. Don't you find it strange?"

Strange?

Of course, it was strange.

But Mo Jiuye did not want his brothers to take risks.

Sixth Brother had gotten used to following Ninth Brother's lead recently. Seeing the eldest brother about to disobey, he quickly helped Mo Jiuye restrain him.

Without explaining much, Mo Jiuye picked up a stone slightly larger than a fist while Sixth Brother held back the eldest brother.

He threw the stone into the swamp, and under the light of the torches, they could see it quickly vanish without making any sound.

The brothers were shocked once again.

"Ninth brother, this doesn't seem like a swamp," Sixth Brother said.

This was the same conclusion the brothers reached. Compared to the tiger, the stone was much lighter.

If the tiger's weight explained its quick descent, the stone's disappearance made no sense.

Mo Jiuye frowned and pondered for a long time before saying, "I suspect this is a barrier disguised as a swamp, and it's hollow inside."

As soon as he finished speaking, the brothers heard another tiger roar.

And they could clearly discern that the sound came from beneath the swamp.

This confirmed Mo Jiuye's suspicion.

The tiger had been in the swamp for nearly half an incense stick's time, enough to suffocate and die.

Yet, its roar showed no signs of suffocation or weakness.

Mo Jiuye handed the torch to Sixth Brother. "I'll go down and check. Do not act rashly until you hear from me."

Knowing that his brothers would try to stop him if he hesitated, Mo Jiuye jumped into the swamp before anyone could react.

Simultaneously, several urgent voices echoed behind him.

"No!"

"Ninth brother, let the eldest brother go."

"Ninth brother, don't be reckless."

"Ninth brother..."

Words were slower than actions. As these calls rang out, Mo Jiuye had already vanished into the swamp, standing firmly on solid ground.

Expecting darkness, he found dim light instead.

Mo Jiuye determined that the light came from oil lamps, indicating the presence of people.

Ignoring further thoughts, he faced the startled tiger, which was staring at him menacingly and preparing to attack.

Mo Jiuye knew he needed to deal with the tiger to understand the situation fully.

Thus, he raised his dagger and plunged it into the tiger's throat.

If it were an ordinary person, even if the small dagger pierced the tiger, the threat would not be significant.

But who was Mo Jiuye? He was the war god praised by the people of Great Shun. If he made a move, how could the tiger possibly have any chance of survival?

The dagger struck the tiger's throat precisely. The tiger merely grunted and struggled for a moment before expiring.

Mo Jiuye pulled out the dagger, wiped off the blood on the tiger's fur, and began to observe his surroundings.

When he jumped into the swamp, he had carefully sensed his descent, which was at least thirty feet.

This confirmed that he was now in some sort of underground chamber.

Although there was light here, it was quite dim. Mo Jiuye decided to take out his flashlight from his pocket.

He first shone it upwards.

The area above him was quite unique. Through the flashlight's beam, he could clearly see that it was slightly shimmering, similar to the surface of the swamp.

He couldn't identify what it was, but he was certain it had a permeable quality. He had entered through this and it remained undamaged.

When the tiger entered the basement, the sounds it made could be heard outside, indicating that there was no soundproofing.

To alleviate the worries of his brothers outside, Mo Jiuye shouted loudly, "Brothers, I've entered safely and am now safe."

Thinking he was just reporting his safety, he was surprised when his brothers started appearing around him shortly after.

Eldest Brother was the first to jump down. Hearing Ninth Brother's voice, he deduced that jumping into the swamp would lead to entry.

Next came Sixth Brother and Second Brother, appearing almost simultaneously before him.

"Ninth Brother, have you found anything?" Eldest Brother asked first.

Mo Jiuye had just killed the tiger, observed the ceiling of the basement, and reported his safety to his brothers, but hadn't had time to explore further.

"I haven't had the chance to check yet."

Hearing this from Ninth Brother, the brothers dispersed in four directions, each beginning their own inspection.

Mo Jiuye didn't idle either. With his brothers present, he put away the flashlight and used the light from the oil lamp to examine the surroundings.

Visually, the walls of the basement appeared to be ordinary stone, but they all knew there must be other passages.

The builder wouldn't create such a mysterious square pit without purpose.

Though the brothers had not yet discovered anything, they were not discouraged.

They continued to feel along all the walls, searching for any hidden passages.