Chapter 15: A Glimmer of Victory Amid the Ruins’ Desolation

The crowd watched with bated breath, a wave of intense, malevolent aura rushing toward them. Their hearts were in their throats.

As the dust settled, the true form of the monstrosity was revealed: a creature resembling a giant lizard, its entire body covered in dark red scales that shimmered with a metallic luster. It stood five meters tall and stretched ten meters long, its thick limbs appearing as if cast from steel, and its razor-sharp claws glinting with a frigid light. Most terrifying of all were the three blood-red eyes on its head, which emitted a chilling, ferocious glare that seemed capable of piercing through the soul.

"Hisss..." The giant lizard flicked its scarlet tongue, and a nauseating, fishy stench spread, making it difficult to breathe.

The team members turned deathly pale as they stared at the behemoth. Sun Yue was so terrified that he collapsed to the ground, trembling uncontrollably, and muttered, "It’s over... we’re dead..."

Chu Feng took a deep breath, suppressing the fear in his heart. Shadow sigils spread across his arm, forming a jet-black blade. With eyes like torches fixed on the lizard, he commanded in a deep voice, "Everyone, don't panic! Form a defensive formation!"

Pan Yue’s healing sigils radiated a soft light, enveloping the group and providing a thin layer of protection. Liu Yong quickly assembled a small energy shield generator, and a pale blue energy barrier surrounded them. Chen Qiang stood at the front of the team, holding a massive alloy shield like a wall of steel. Wu Xia quickly gathered information from the surroundings, analyzing the lizard's weaknesses and relaying them to her teammates.

The giant lizard let out a deafening roar, its massive body lunging forward to ram the team. The ground shook violently, as if about to shatter.

"Boom!" Chen Qiang took the brunt of the impact; he was sent flying, crashing hard against the stone wall and spitting out a mouthful of blood.

"Chen Qiang!" Pan Yue cried out, rushing to heal him.

Chu Feng’s eyes narrowed. In a flash, he transformed into a dark shadow and circled behind the lizard, driving his shadow blade fiercely into its back.

"Clang!" With a sound like metal striking metal, the shadow blade left only a shallow white mark on the lizard's scales. Chu Feng’s heart sank; the creature’s defense was incredibly formidable.

Sensing the attack from behind, the lizard swung its massive tail like a steel whip. Chu Feng couldn't dodge in time and was struck, sent flying like a kite with a broken string.

"Chu Feng!" Pan Yue’s voice was filled with anxiety.

Struggling to his feet, Chu Feng wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. He felt the power of his shadow sigils surging, a formidable strength awakening within him.

"Roar!" The lizard bellowed again, its three blood-red eyes locked onto Chu Feng, and a terrifying aura emanated from its body...

Professor Ma said with a trembling voice, "This... this is... the berserk state..."

Gale winds whipped up debris, whistling through the air. Each swipe of the lizard's claws acted like a giant scythe, reaping the very air. The energy shield trembled violently under the lizard’s onslaught, the blue light flickering as if it might collapse at any moment.

Chen Qiang gritted his teeth, his veins bulging, as his alloy shield groaned under the unbearable pressure. He planted his feet deep into the ground, straining to hold his position, yet he was still forced back step by step by the lizard’s immense strength.

"Pfft!" With a dull thud, Chen Qiang could no longer hold on. His shield was knocked away, and he slammed into the wall, leaving a spiderweb of cracks.

"Chen Qiang!" Pan Yue called out in distress, the healing light in her hands intensifying, though it seemed like a drop in the ocean.

Sun Yue nimbly dodged the lizard's attacks, shouting anxiously, "This monster is too tough! Ordinary attacks are useless!"

The oppressive atmosphere acted like physical chains binding the team members; fear gnawed at their hearts like a viper, and everyone felt an unprecedented sense of despair.

Chu Feng’s chest heaved violently. He could feel the power of the shadow sigils within him boiling like a raging river, desperate to be released. His eyes glinted with a dark, eerie light, and the shadow blade on his arm expanded, morphing into a hideous, massive black blade.

With a roar, his aura surged, sharp as an unsheathed sword piercing the heavens. He kicked off the ground, causing it to crack instantly, and shot toward the giant lizard like an arrow from a bow.

"Roar!" The lizard let out a frantic cry, its three blood-red eyes filled with madness as its massive tail swept toward Chu Feng like a mountain.

"Bang!" The giant blade and the massive tail collided with a deafening crash. A violent shockwave swept outward, sending everyone staggering.

Chu Feng groaned, blood spilling from his lips, but instead of retreating, he pushed forward. He poured more power into his blade, cutting through the air and hacking fiercely into the lizard’s scales.

"Clang!" This time, the blade did not bounce off; it sank deep into the scales, leaving a wound that reached the bone.

"Hisss..." The lizard let out a painful hiss, its massive body trembling violently.

Meanwhile, Liu Yong calmly operated his homemade weapon, firing high-voltage electrical currents with precision into the lizard’s wound, intensifying its pain.

Sun Yue, patrolling the edge of the battlefield, finally discovered a weak point between the scales on the lizard's neck through his keen observation. He threw his dagger with all his might. The blade struck the lethal spot perfectly, and blood spurted out like a broken dam.

Through the team's seamless cooperation, the lizard’s struggles gradually weakened until it collapsed with a massive thud, sending up a cloud of dust that blotted out the sky.

In the distance, other survivors watching the battle from afar were stunned by the strength displayed by Chu Feng’s team, whispering to each other in awe.

"We... we actually won?" Sun Yue collapsed to the ground, gasping for air and muttering to himself.

Ignoring her own injuries, Pan Yue rushed to Chu Feng’s side. Just as she reached out to touch him, she saw his eyes turn vacant. He slowly raised his right hand, and a black light slowly coalesced in his palm, emitting a faint yet heart-palpitating glow...

The smoke cleared. The lizard’s massive body lay silent among the ruins. The survivors, feeling as if they had awakened from a nightmare, still had traces of fear in their eyes, but their faces were lit with the joy of surviving.

Pan Yue was the first to reach Chu Feng to check his injuries, and the other members gathered around, supporting one another, their faces full of concern.

"We... survived!" Sun Yue’s voice trembled. He hugged Liu Yong tightly, and the usually silent man even managed a rare smile, patting Sun Yue on the shoulder.

Chen Qiang leaned against the wall, clutching his chest and coughing violently. Wu Xia quickly handed him a vial of medicine and asked concernedly, "Are you okay? Can you keep going?" Chen Qiang waved his hand and grinned, "I’m not dying yet. I’ve got a tough life!"

Pan Yue healed Chu Feng, the soft light enveloping him, warm and comforting. Chu Feng looked at his companions, a warmth rising in his heart. These people were his most precious partners in this apocalyptic world; they had walked through life and death together, and their bonds were deeper than ever.

At that moment, Professor Ma, who had been silently observing the surroundings, suddenly exclaimed, "Wait! Look at that!" He pointed to an inconspicuous stone beneath the lizard’s carcass. Its surface was covered in strange patterns, emitting a faint fluorescence.

The group gathered around to observe it closely. Professor Ma picked up the stone with trembling hands, examining it with eyes full of excitement. "This is... this is a 'Sigil Resonance Stone'! A treasure from legend that can elevate the level of one's sigils!"

Everyone’s gaze was fixed on the stone. Professor Ma looked at them and said solemnly, "This stone was obtained through our collective effort; it belongs to all of us!" His words warmed their hearts, and they looked at the learned old man with newfound admiration. In the face of life and death, he had shown no selfishness, only noble character.

The black light in Chu Feng’s palm gradually dissipated. As he looked at the stone in his hand, an inexplicable sense of unease rose within him. He looked up toward the depths of the ruins, where deeper secrets seemed to be hidden. An invisible pressure weighed down on him, making it hard to breathe.

"Should we... leave?" Chu Feng asked in a low voice.

Wu Xia nodded, scanning their surroundings with a grave expression. "It’s too dangerous here. We must leave as soon as possible."

Just as they prepared to move, a deep rumbling sound erupted from the depths of the ruins. The ground began to shake violently, as if something were about to wake up...

"What is that sound?" Sun Yue asked in terror.

Chu Feng gripped his shadow blade, eyes fixed vigilantly on the depths of the ruins, and said in a low voice, "It seems... something is about to come out..."

"Quick! Everyone, take the time to scavenge!" Wu Xia commanded. Her sharp eyes swept the area like a hawk, missing nothing.

Sun Yue leaped through the rubble like a nimble monkey, skillfully prying up stone slabs to loot the hidden treasures. His movements were as if he had returned to his days as a thief, only now he was doing it openly.

Pan Yue looked after the injured team members while using her healing sigils to repair damaged facilities in the ruins. Her gentle smile warmed their hearts like a spring breeze.

Liu Yong quietly assembled precision instruments, his nimble fingers moving between parts with a crisp clicking sound. He seemed to be using debris from the ruins to craft useful tools.

Chen Qiang stood like an unbreakable fortress, his hulking frame guarding the front of the team and providing a strong sense of security.

Professor Ma acted like an excited child, studying the ancient documents they had found, his aged face filled with a thirst for forgotten knowledge.

Soon, the team had collected three sigil-related treasures: a "Sigil Resonance Stone" radiating a soft glow, a "Secret Grimoire" containing ancient sigil knowledge, and a strangely shaped "Energy Amplifier." These treasures hummed with powerful energy, filling everyone with joy and excitement.

"Awesome! We’re rich!" Sun Yue cheered, waving the treasure in his hand with a joyful grin.

"Indeed, this was a fruitful haul!" Even Wu Xia revealed a rare smile. She patted Sun Yue on the shoulder and said, "We should leave as soon as possible and get these back safely!"

Under Wu Xia’s direction, the team quickly packed their gear and departed the ruins. They embarked on their journey home, laden with their spoils.

The sun set, painting the horizon a blood-red. The team members bathed in the evening glow, their shadows stretching long behind them. They chatted and laughed, sharing their experiences from the expedition, the air filled with the joy of survival and anticipation for the future.

Back at the base, Chu Feng didn't rush to rest. Instead, he couldn't wait to take out the "Sigil Resonance Stone." He could feel the powerful energy contained within it and was desperate to use it to enhance his own sigil abilities.

He sat cross-legged on the floor, cradling the stone in his hands, and slowly closed his eyes, beginning to guide his internal shadow sigils into resonance with the stone.

Suddenly, he felt a powerful rush of energy surge into his body, like a volcanic eruption, raging through his meridians. He felt as if his body were about to be torn apart by the force!

"Ugh..." Chu Feng groaned. His face turned deathly pale, and beads of sweat soaked his forehead.

The jet-black shadow sigils on his arm began to writhe frantically, as if trying to break through his skin and escape their constraints. His breathing became ragged, and his body shook violently, as if bound by invisible chains that might snap at any moment.

He faintly heard voices calling to him; he wanted to respond, but his throat felt blocked, unable to produce a sound. He tried to control the energy within, but all attempts were futile. The power was like a wild horse, rampaging through his body. He could feel his shadow sigils undergoing a violent transformation...

At that moment, his tightly closed eyes snapped open...