Chapter 16: The Abyss of Hell

Chapter 16: The Abyss of Hell

The firebrand continued to fall, and the swarm of insects grew restless. Some were panicked by the blaze, scrambling to escape the light—some fell from the vines, others quickened their climb upward. The fire illuminated countless legs and antennae, casting writhing shadows across the cavern.

As the firebrand dropped over a dozen meters and landed on the cave floor, its embers gradually died, leaving a suffocating darkness behind.

Zhang Sanlu, swinging at the center of the cavern, gripped a vine and reached upward, but something caught his eye—a sight beyond imagination.

The nearly extinguished firebrand landed on the soft earth below. Its dying ashes suddenly flared back to life, igniting fiercely. In an instant, as if doused in oil, the entire ground erupted into roaring flames.

Fire surged along the center, forming rings that transformed the ground into a vast inferno. The countless centipedes writhing on the earth were instantly consumed. They twisted furiously within the blaze, struggling to flee this sudden catastrophe, but their efforts seemed futile.

The center resembled a colossal burning ritual circle, the flames leaping and painting twisted patterns, crackling and roaring with an almost supernatural intensity. The heat was so fierce that even from meters above, Zhang Sanlu could feel the waves threatening to scorch his skin.

The air shimmered and warped from the sudden temperature, blurring everything beneath the hungry flames. Sparks burst forth, only to vanish into the encroaching darkness.

An oppressive feeling grew in the air, making it hard to breathe. The power of the fire was malicious and destructive, as if it might break free and devour everything at any moment.

A pungent scent of burning flesh mingled with the acrid fumes of scorched centipedes, even the sour tang of burning sulfur. Some centipedes curled into tight balls, others dashed wildly. Their legs blackened and shriveled in the flames, finally dangling limp before being consumed.

As the fire spread, centipedes untouched by the blaze began to panic, fleeing with frantic urgency. Some raced along the walls, seeking escape; others dropped from the walls, desperate to find safety on the ground. Chaos reigned as the centipedes surged into every corner, driven by fear and fire alike.

Some were surrounded by flames, their bodies bursting in the heat with sharp, popping sounds. The cavern echoed with the dying struggles of the centipedes, the relentless crackle of fire devouring all.

The flames ravaged the cave, illuminating the rocks as if the place itself were a furnace from hell.

Zhang Sanlu witnessed it all, the fire reflected in his eyes. The burning web seemed a vision of the underworld.

Suddenly, after a prolonged buzzing cry, the central ground was destroyed in an instant. The scorched earth and countless burning insects collapsed and fell away.

In a daze, Zhang Sanlu heard intermittent, sharp, chaotic noises at his ear—like a hallucination, whispers and roars from countless humans, insects, and beasts murmuring beside him.

The firelight continued to fall, plunging downward for over a hundred meters. Its glow revealed, deep beneath the earth, an unimaginably vast shadow!

Zhang Sanlu saw the enormous silhouette, filling the subterranean space. The gap exposed by the dozens of meters of cave mouth seemed barely enough to display even a part of it.

That immense shadow shattered Zhang Sanlu’s understanding of the world.

Its terror crept through his soul like an invisible fissure—not a sudden stab, but a subtle thread, winding tighter and tighter until breathing became impossible. In the face of such fear, one felt utterly powerless, unable to comprehend the source, much less prepare or defend against it.

Then, from the edge of silence, came a piercing wail. At first faint, as if from a distant place, but quickly growing clearer and louder. It was not the cry of any human, nor of any living creature. The sound was filled with agony and despair, the wailing of countless souls in the abyss, saturated with endless sorrow and fury.

The cry echoed in the darkness, penetrating all, striking directly at the heart. It was like a cold hand squeezing the heart of anyone who heard it. The horror contained within nearly froze Zhang Sanlu’s blood, and his breath almost ceased.

As the wailing continued, the air itself seemed to twist and grow heavy. Invisible spirits wandered amid the cries, their lament forming a chilling chorus. It was as if they spoke of torment in life and endless suffering in death.

Here, it was the very threshold of hell’s abyss.

The wailing from the abyss marked the boundary between life and death, the junction of hope and despair. Beneath its veil, even the faintest light was swallowed, leaving only endless darkness and terror.

On the monstrous shadow, countless twisted forms seemed to stack atop one another. As Zhang Sanlu stared, even more frenzied whispers filled his ears.

In a flash, all combustible matter seemed consumed, and the depths below returned to total darkness. Yet Zhang Sanlu’s gaze remained fixed upon that abyss, unable to look away.

Suddenly! A powerful tremor surged through his body. A shrill screech rang out, as if a thousand furious voices melded into one, threatening to tear his eardrums apart.

He felt an immense force wrench him upward, as if plucked from the abyss itself. His body shuddered violently, as if passing through a thin membrane, returning from a nightmare to reality.

Zhang Sanlu snapped awake, his right hand clamping tightly onto the vine. He dared not glance below again, even though nothing could be seen now, only bottomless darkness and unfathomable depths.

Yet those mad whispers seemed to linger still at his ear.