299 Missing (1/2)

Zhou Wen didn't know if kneeling down was of any use in real life, but it proved useless in-game. Don't ask Zhou Wen how he knew. It would only bring him to tears.

After a few days of grinding in the camp, he had failed to obtain the Dragon Pearl. He did manage to kill plenty of poisonous bats and he managed to raise his Poison stat to 15. A few poisonous bat Companion Eggs dropped, but their stats were far inferior to the White Shadow of Poison. They were all fed to his pets as food.

On the fourth day, An Sheng brought Ouyang Lan and a few others back. Zhou Wen had an ominous feeling when he saw that the former principal wasn't among them.

”Sis Lan.” Zhou Wen went forward to ask about the former principal.

Ouyang Lan looked a little tired as she forced a smile and said, ”Little Wen, An Sheng told me of the tremendous help you provided him. However, don't take such risks again. This is beyond your abilities. Luck won't stand on your side forever.”

”Got it, Sis Lan. Where's the former principal?” Zhou Wen hurriedly asked.

Ouyang Lan's expression fell. ”I couldn't find him. We found some things that belonged to my father and the other experts in the temple, but we couldn't find any traces of them.”

Upon hearing that the former principal hadn't been found, Zhou Wen's mood improved ironically—not finding them meant that there was still hope. Hence, Zhou Wen asked, ”Could they be trapped somewhere else?”

”I don't think so. It's easy to enter the temple but it's hard to get out. The people inside can't come out without someone opening it from the outside. My dad and the rest have clearly ventured deep inside the temple. It's unlikely they can come out without any rescue,” Ouyang Lan said as she shook her head.

Zhou Wen was stunned when he heard that. He was about to ask something when An Sheng said, ”Madam didn't manage to rest while inside. Let her rest.”

Zhou Wen had no choice but to swallow the words he was about to say. He planned on asking An Sheng later.

Everyone returned to the encampment. Without waiting for Zhou Wen to visit him, An Sheng went to Zhou Wen's tent and explained the situation inside.

Ouyang Lan and An Sheng had followed the markings left by the former principal and found the temple. They did not find any markings left behind by the former principal elsewhere. They could confirm that he had been inside the temple but they could not find him, despite searching the entire area for him.

The former principal's last marking was on an altar. It meant that something had happened after they arrived. However, it was already the inner sanctum of the temple and there was no other way out, nor did they find any mechanism that made people disappear. The former principal and the others appeared to have disappeared into thin air.

After Zhou Wen heard that, he frowned and didn't say a word. There must be a problem with the temple, but it wouldn't be of any use even if he were to go, considering how An Sheng and Ouyang Lan had failed to find any clues, despite being such knowledgeable people.

”Don't worry, we've already explored a portion of the battlefield ruin's interior. With the chariot, it's safe when heading to the temple. We'll get professionals to investigate and seek out every possibility.” An Sheng paused and added, ”But based on the present circumstances, trying to find Old Mister Ouyang won't take a day or two. Madam wants you to return to school and stop wasting time here.”

”Alright, I'll head back. But before I leave, can you take me to the temple? I want to take a look too.” Although he knew that there was no point in going, Zhou Wen refused to give up unless he managed to see it with his own eyes.

An Sheng seemed to have guessed that Zhou Wen would have such a request, so he nodded in agreement.

The route to the temple was indeed very safe. The chariot was a direct route to the temple, and it would automatically stop when it reached it. It would only be sent to the entrance if someone activated it.

An Sheng led Zhou Wen into the temple. Since he had already figured out the dangers inside, Zhou Wen didn't sense any danger when An Sheng took him in, until he arrived at the innermost sanctum of the temple.