Chapter 5：He Retrieved Something from Inside

As the bomb detonated with a deafening roar, the cavern was engulfed in a blinding flash of light, illuminating the darkness with a searing intensity that seared through the shadows like a blade through the night. In an instant, the grotesque creature was engulfed in a maelstrom of flames and shrapnel, its vile form torn asunder by the sheer ferocity of the blast.

The cavern echoed with the sound of crumbling stone and crumbling flesh, the very air thick with the stench of charred remains and desolation.

Exposed was a grotesque sight—a gigantic pulsating heart nestled in the very center of the mass of flesh. It throbbed with a sickening rhythm, its surface mottled with veins that pulsed. Veins of pulsating energy coursed through its translucent membrane, casting strange shadows that danced across the cavern walls.

Following the revelation of the gigantic pulsating heart, there came the eerie screech once more, its sound amplified to a deafening pitch that reverberated through the cavernous chamber like a primal cry of agony and despair. It was a sound both piercing and grating, echoing off the walls with an otherworldly resonance that sent shivers down the spines of all who heard it.

The beating heart bore numerous damaged openings, from which a multitude of small, malformed creatures were squeezed out and spilled forth. These creatures, entangled in sticky tendrils, wriggled and writhed together, emitting faint cries akin to newborns leaving their mother's womb. They wriggled and writhed together, their faint cries echoing off the walls in eerie harmony.

As they watched the creatures writhe and squirm, Sang Nian and Broken Blade felt a chill run down their spines.

Sang Nian's breath came in ragged gasps, her chest rising and falling with the exertion of their struggle. Beads of sweat glistened on her brow. Every muscle in her body ached with exhaustion, her energy nearly depleted from the relentless battle against the horrors that lurked within the cavernous depths.

Her small frame nestled in the embrace of Broken Blade. His arms encircled her with a protective strength.

In the dim light of the cavern, their faces were drawn and weary.

But there was no time to rest.

Small soft-bodied creatures intermittently crawled into the cave entrance, drawn by the scent of blood that lingered in the air. Their movements were swift and purposeful, their bodies undulating with an eerie grace as they navigated the rocky terrain.

With tendrils extended, the creatures reached out, their touch cold and invasive as they sought out the wounds that marred the flesh of the weary warriors. Involuntary secretions dripped from their tendrils, a viscous fluid that seemed to possess an otherworldly quality, as if infused with the essence of darkness itself.

Some of these small creatures, their forms grotesque and alien, approached Sang Nian and Broken Blade quickly. Their tendrils extended like probing fingers, reaching out towards the wounds that marred the surface of their skin.

With a sickening sense of inevitability, the tendrils made contact with the open wounds, secreting a viscous fluid that glistened in the dim light of the cavern.

Broken Blade acted swiftly, lifting Sang Nian from the ground and retrieving a lighter from his pocket with practiced ease. With a deft flick of his thumb, he ignited the flame, the glow casting eerie shadows against the cavern walls.

As the light danced in the darkness, the small, soft-bodied creatures recoiled, their movements jerky and erratic as they instinctively retreated from the flame. The tendrils that had extended towards Sang Nian and Broken Blade curled up in fear, their once-aggressive advance halted by the searing heat of the fire. As the flame touched their tendrils, they curled up in agony.

Sang Nian nestled in Broken Blade's embrace, her chest rising and falling with each ragged breath as she struggled to regain her composure. With one arm wrapped tightly around Broken Blade, she used her free hand to vigorously pull off the small, soft-bodied creatures that clung to her body.

With each motion, Sang Nian's movements were swift and decisive, her fingers digging into the creatures' slimy forms as she forcefully tore them away from her skin. She cast them aside, their writhing forms skittering across the rocky terrain as they landed with a sickening thud.

As Sang Nian furrowed her brow, she realized that the small, soft-bodied creatures were indeed too quick for her to fend off entirely. With a sickening sensation, she felt several other tendrils press against her skin, their sharp mouths opening wide as they lunged forward to bite her wounds.

Her arms and legs, exposed to the air, became targets for the relentless onslaught of the creatures' razor-sharp teeth, their jagged teeth tearing through flesh and sinew with ruthless efficiency, their bites leaving behind a trail of blood and agony in their wake.

This made her struggle even more.

Broken Blade held Sang Nian tighter in his arms. "Don't move. The soft-touch monsters are poisonous. The more you struggle, the deeper they bite."

His voice was deep, leaning close to Sang Nian's ear, devoid of any discernible emotion.

Broken Blade's gaze remained fixed on the pulsating heart, his eyes unwavering as he carefully avoided the intrusion of the small creatures that swarmed around them. Despite the chaos and confusion that surrounded them, his focus remained singular, his attention honed in on the rhythm of the screams that echoed from within the heart.

With each beat of the heart, he could sense the ebb and flow of the darkness that lurked within its depths, the primal energy that pulsed through its twisted veins. In the midst of chaos, he sought out the subtle nuances of sound.

The small soft-bodied creatures attracted to the cave were increasing in number.

At a momentary pause, Broken Blade swiftly moved forward. With flames licking at his fingertips and his knife held firmly in hand, he carved a path through the writhing mass of flesh, his movements guided by instinct and purpose.

As he drew closer to the heart, the screams grew louder, echoing through the cavern with an intensity that sent shivers down his spine.

And then, without hesitation, he reached into the heart, his fingers closing around something hidden deep within its depths.

He retrieved something from inside!