The Frail Guide Who Devoured an Entire Pollution Zone

Chapter 60: Chapter 60: You Look So Good When You Smile

Xu Ruming was already resentful about being forced to scout for traps. Now that she finally had a chance to get even, she wasn’t about to let it slide.

Lu Jingyu’s brow twitched. He was growing tired of Xu Ruming’s petty scheming.

He trusted Xu Qingsui, but in a dungeon, luck wasn’t the sole determinant of one’s safety.

He didn’t want Xu Qingsui to put herself in danger. Just as he was about to take back his words, Xu Qingsui stepped forward on her own.

Lu Jingyu was the team leader, with so many eyes watching him—especially Shen Ling’an’s and Xu Ruming’s. She didn’t want to give them any ammunition against him.

”I’ll take the lead!”

Lu Jingyu glanced at Xu Qingsui. Guessing her intentions, he didn’t object.

”Alright. We’ll take the lead. The middle of the formation will stay as it is. Shen Ling’an and Xu Ruming, you’re on rear guard.”

Xu Ruming frowned. Being the rear guard meant she’d have to be constantly on alert for sudden dangers from behind. It was still risky.

But Xu Qingsui had already volunteered to scout ahead. If she refused even to guard the rear, it would only make the others resent her.

After weighing her options, she could only accept the arrangement with reluctance.

Once everything was settled, Lu Jingyu and Xu Qingsui led the team back into the diverging paths.

Because of Xu Ruming, Xu Qingsui tried to walk at the very front of the line. But Lu Jingyu, worried about sudden dangers, always stayed half a step ahead, his shoulder effectively blocking hers.

Xu Qingsui tried several times to move past him, but Lu Jingyu saw through her attempts every time.

After several failed attempts, she gave up and dutifully followed behind him.

Just a few minutes later, a new fork in the road appeared before them.

Lu Jingyu looked at Xu Qingsui, once again letting her choose the path.

Xu Qingsui pointed to a path that felt right, but after only a few more minutes of walking, they hit yet another fork.

Xu Qingsui chose again, and the result was the same.

Eventually, Xu Qingsui and Lu Jingyu fell into a rhythm. Whenever they reached a fork, Lu Jingyu would step aside and let her choose.

The maze was a winding labyrinth, constantly presenting them with new choices.

The rest of the team followed the two of them in silence, pressing onward.

But Xu Ruming, who had already been forced to choose a path once, was still nursing a grudge. After several more forks, she once again broke the silence with a discordant comment.

”Hah! So much for ’lucky.’ If you ask me, this is nothing special. How long has it been? How many forks have we already hit? At this rate, we’ll be at a dead end in a few minutes.”

Xu Ruming never seemed to learn. She intentionally raised her voice so that everyone could hear her taunts.

Lu Jingyu stopped in his tracks. He glanced back, and his icy gaze shot past everyone else to land squarely on Xu Ruming.

Xu Ruming shivered and quickly looked down, avoiding his eyes.

”Don’t mind her. You can’t expect a dog to spit out ivory.”

Xu Qingsui smiled and shook her head, not bothering to stoop to Xu Ruming’s level.

Seeing his serious expression, she said, ”I can’t be bothered with her. But didn’t we talk about this? Stop comparing them to dogs. It’s an insult to dogs. Dogs are adorable. How could you insult them like that!”

Her words were enough to make even Lu Jingyu’s icy face break into a smile.

Seeing his smile melt away the cold, radiating warmth, Xu Qingsui added, ”You look so handsome when you smile. You should do it more often.”

At her words, Lu Jingyu’s face instantly flushed crimson, the blush spreading all the way to the tips of his ears.

Not wanting her to see his embarrassment, Lu Jingyu quickly turned away. But the image of his blushing face was already seared into her mind.

After they had walked down the corridor for a while longer, the blush finally faded from Lu Jingyu’s face. His brow furrowed once more as he scanned his surroundings with a grave expression.

At some point, a fog had begun to form in the corridor.

It was thin at first, and in the dim light, no one paid it any mind.

But as they pressed on, the fog grew thicker. By the time they took notice, it had already become so dense that they could no longer see anyone else.

The moment the path beneath his feet vanished and Xu Qingsui’s figure disappeared from view, Lu Jingyu grabbed the hand next to him. He only felt a slight sense of relief when he felt the warmth of her touch.

He tried to pull her in front of him, but the fog seemed determined to keep them apart. Even when they were standing face-to-face, he could still sense her presence but couldn’t make out her form.

Realizing it was the fog’s doing, he didn’t press the issue.

”Everyone, status report! The fog is getting thick. Stick close to the person in front of you. Do not, under any circumstances, get separated from the group.”

Faint responses echoed from within the fog, and Lu Jingyu breathed a sigh of relief.

”There’s something strange about this fog. To make sure no one gets lost, we should all hold hands until we’re clear of it.”

The fog was too bizarre for him to take any chances, so he resorted to the most basic solution.

Soon after, Xu Qingsui felt a hand reach out from behind. Presumably mindful of the propriety between men and women, the person didn’t take her hand, instead gently grasping the hem of her clothes.

Amidst a RUSTLING of clothes, confirmations that everyone was ready came from down the line.

After getting the all-clear, Lu Jingyu once again led the team forward.

Unable to see the path ahead, Lu Jingyu slowed his pace even more.

For a time, the only sounds in the corridor were the RUSTLING of clothes and the heavy breathing of the team.

”Shen Ling’an, save me!” Xu Ruming’s shrill voice shattered the silence.

The team stopped dead in their tracks. They turned toward the source of the cry but couldn’t see who had screamed.

But the distinct sounds of a struggle carried through the air. Shen Ling’an must have engaged something.

”Everyone, hold your positions! Shen Ling’an, can you two handle it?”

This was exactly the kind of situation where panic could be fatal.

Lu Jingyu barked the order, intending to go help himself.

The sounds of battle continued, but there was no reply from either Shen Ling’an or Xu Ruming.

Lu Jingyu took a deep breath. ”Stay here and don’t move,” he said to Xu Qingsui. ”I’m going to check it out.”

”Okay!” This was Lu Jingyu’s responsibility as the team leader, so Xu Qingsui didn’t try to stop him. ”Be careful.”

Lu Jingyu gave her hand a firm, reassuring squeeze before moving past her and heading back the way they came.

Lu Jingyu wanted to see Xu Qingsui’s face clearly, but even as he stood right in front of her, the fog blocked his view.

Left with no other choice, Lu Jingyu could only navigate by following the chain of linked hands, making his way toward the back of the line.

As he moved toward the rear, Lu Jingyu noticed a foul, coppery stench filling the air, and it was growing stronger.

Lu Jingyu guessed it was the smell of the Mutant that had attacked Xu Ruming.

Now with the scent to guide him, he quickened his pace.

Just as he moved past the last team member, right before where Shen Ling’an and Xu Ruming should have been, a vicious blast of wind shot out from the fog, heading straight for his face.

Sensing the danger, his first instinct was to dodge, but a sudden thought of the team members behind him made him meet the attack head-on instead.