Chapter Fifty-Four: The Living Statue

Vanessa reacted instantly, whipping out a dagger and placing herself protectively in front of the timid Giggs.

Behind them, Qi Guanbei emerged with a relaxed smile.

"The Cyclone Cross Guild?" Qi Guanbei signaled for Xiao Zhang and Zhao Bai to turn on their headlamps, stepping into the beam so the others could see his face clearly. "Long time no see, Marcus."

"Qi Guanbei?"

The red-haired man’s expression changed, but his eyes shone with delighted surprise. "My God! Qi Guanbei, Qi Guan! Thank heavens, it’s you!"

Vanessa, too, seemed to let out a sigh of relief, lowering her dagger and offering Qi Guanbei a cordial look.

Marcus strode over and embraced Qi Guanbei. "Last time we met was half a year ago, in that other instance, wasn’t it? Qi Guanbei, I still owe you a huge favor."

Vanessa smiled and raised two fingers to her temple in a salute—an old military gesture.

"Alright, now’s not the time to reminisce. Let me introduce my new team members," Qi Guanbei said.

As he introduced Xiao Zhang and Zhao Bai, the three across from them paused in surprise—was this really it?

Marcus, the captain, scrutinized Xiao Zhang before letting his gaze settle on Zhao Bai. "These are your new members? They don’t look particularly bright."

Qi Guanbei chuckled. "They’re both excellent newcomers."

"You’re really getting… well, as you’d say, lower and lower in standards," Marcus quipped, shooting Qi Guanbei a sidelong glance that, to Xiao Zhang, was unmistakably laced with pride. Clearly, the two had a good rapport.

"Xiao Zhang, Zhao Bai, come here," Qi Guanbei beckoned. "Let me introduce you. These are members of the Cyclone Cross Guild from New Zealand—this is Marcus Arkin, and this beauty here is Vanessa. Don’t be fooled by her delicate appearance—she’s one of the West’s most notorious assassins! And as for this one…"

Qi Guanbei looked at the timid Giggs and simply smiled.

"This is our new member, Giggs," Marcus Arkin interjected with a laugh. "Don’t underestimate him, Qi Guan—he’s a mage!"

Qi Guanbei raised his eyebrows. "A mage? Congratulations, Marcus. Magic users are in high demand."

In such company, Xiao Zhang kept his mouth shut, choosing instead to stand cautiously aside, tugging Zhao Bai close.

At that moment, Zhao Bai suddenly gave Xiao Zhang a quick punch.

Xiao Zhang looked down to follow Zhao Bai’s pointing finger, and his expression changed—he noticed that a small stone statue not far away seemed to have moved.

The others appeared to notice something strange as well, their gazes following the direction of Xiao Zhang’s headlamp.

After several minutes, someone finally asked, "What are you looking at?"

Xiao Zhang himself wasn’t sure if the thing had really moved. "Nothing! I was just admiring Captain Marcus’s club!"

A chorus of playful jeers followed, and the group ceased to pay attention to that corner.

Just as Xiao Zhang was about to speak, Zhao Bai leaned close and whispered urgently in his ear, "Dog, I have a bad feeling. We need to get out of here right away!"

"Is it dangerous?" Xiao Zhang narrowed his eyes. "What’s going on, Zhao Bai?"

"I really saw the statue move, and I feel like something inside is about to come out!"

"Captain, I think we need to leave!" Xiao Zhang called to Qi Guanbei, eager to support his own team in front of outsiders.

Qi Guanbei looked puzzled. "What’s wrong?"

"Those statues moved just now!"

Marcus Arkin’s face changed instantly. "What?"

Xiao Zhang repeated, "Captain Marcus, I just saw those statues move. We should get out of here."

Zhao Bai, his eyes fixed on the statues, suddenly pointed and shouted, "They moved—really!"

Everyone’s expression shifted, even Qi Guanbei’s. Giggs, terrified, shrieked and dove behind Vanessa, trembling violently.

In a flash, everyone drew their weapons, bracing themselves.

A minute passed. Then another.

Yet under their tense gazes, the statues remained frozen in their sculpted poses.

At last, Marcus spoke up. "Alright, this place is definitely strange. Let’s get out of here! Qi Guan, shall we go together?"

Qi Guanbei shrugged agreement. "By the way, Marcus, what kind of monster did you encounter earlier?"

"The Flower Fiend," Marcus muttered. "If some fool in my team hadn’t insisted on picking up gear tangled in those vines, it never would’ve woken up."

Xiao Zhang guessed that the so-called Flower Fiend must be the vines he’d encountered—and the equipment, the remains of the previous, wiped-out group.

Qi Guanbei considered for a moment and made a decision. "Let’s get out of here!"

Marcus hesitated. "You mean, go through this place?"

Qi Guanbei nodded. Whatever lurked in the vines behind them was surely on the loose now; retreat was no longer an option. Their only way forward was through the stone statue forest.

Zhao Bai sighed quietly to Xiao Zhang. "Run as fast as you can, when the time comes!"

Xiao Zhang was still confused, unsure what Zhao Bai meant, but all at once his face changed dramatically!

As Qi Guanbei and Marcus discussed their route, a rattling noise swept over them—the little stone statues all began to move.

Shedding their stone shells, they transformed into countless small bats and surged at the group.

Qi Guanbei reacted with lightning speed, drawing his greatsword and cleaving through several bats that hurled themselves at him.

"Run!" everyone shouted at once!

At that moment, Xiao Zhang’s blood ran cold.

Every statue in the platform began to move, even the four great statues surrounding the altar. Their stony skins began to peel away.

A roar echoed—the white tiger statue on the right was the first to break free.

"FUCK," Marcus cursed, taking the lead. "Follow me and break through!"

He charged forward, swinging his club, but in a few strides, the white tiger blocked his path.

Giggs, startled, was knocked down by the bats, but Vanessa grabbed him by the collar and hauled him up.

"Giggs! Stop screaming, use your magic—blast that stone tiger ahead!" Vanessa shouted, spinning her twin daggers to keep the stone bats at bay.

Xiao Zhang instantly shoved Zhao Bai behind him, drew his Spider Cutter, and unleashed a flurry of Silver Light Slashes, cutting down every bat that came his way.

He unleashed several of these strikes in quick succession, dispatching the bats with ruthless efficiency.