Ahhhhh, high-altitude survival!

Chapter 160, Black Tower Level 1

Before entering their respective sections of the black tower, the teams repeatedly confirmed and reminded each other of the precautions, emphasizing that in case of danger, survival should be the priority and no one should act recklessly.

After confirming several times, the three teams reached out together and pushed open the tower door in front of them.

Just as everyone carefully stepped into the Black Tower, the heavy tower door behind them seemed to be controlled by an invisible hand, closing slowly behind them without any wind.

As the last gap was tightly closed, a soft "clang" sounded, as if drawing a clear line between the world inside the black tower and the outside world.

In an instant, just as Xiao Bing had said, the entire Black Tower was plunged into pitch blackness, so thick that it seemed like ink that could not be dissolved, as if it would swallow everyone up.

Although she knew it could still be opened, Lin Yue felt her heart suddenly clench, and her heartbeat quickened uncontrollably. She took a deep breath and calmed herself down for a while before turning her head slightly to look in the direction where Xiao Bing was beside her.

But with complete darkness before her, she could only rely on her vague memory of the location and whisper, "Is there any light in here?"

Xiao Bing was taken aback by Lin Yue's words, then frowned and pondered hard. After a while, a hesitant look appeared on his face, and he said uncertainly, "I've never heard of it being impossible. It's just that when we were young, we were timid and had some awe of the Black Tower, so we never dared to try lighting it. So I can't say for sure whether it will work or not."

Lin Yue nodded. Since it hadn't been mentioned, it probably wasn't a major taboo. This place was so dark; any clues would be covered up. She still had to give it a try. Thinking this, she took out the treasure map that Lin Chenguang had given her back then, the one that had been left over.

This thing survived unscathed in such a dangerous environment as the volcano, so it should be fine here in the Black Tower, right? I just don't know if it will obey my commands now.

The treasure map seemed to have no idea it would have a chance to be used. When Lin Yue first took it in her hand, it was a dark, lifeless lump, lying quietly in Lin Yue's palm as if it were asleep.

However, after it came into contact with the outside air for a few seconds, it began to change slowly. First, it faintly glowed, and then slowly, the light spread throughout the entire treasure map.

In just a few seconds, the treasure image seemed to awaken completely from its slumber, suddenly becoming lifelike. It leaped from Lin Yue's palm with a fish-like motion, then swiftly landed on Lin Yue's head, hovering there steadily.

In an instant, a familiar white light poured down from the treasure map. The light was soft and not dazzling, just like the warm sun in early spring. It not only made Lin Yue feel that the temperature around her became more pleasant, but also allowed her to vaguely see the outlines of her surroundings.

Using the dim light, everyone curiously looked around. Upon seeing this, they unconsciously huddled closer together, their faces showing a mixture of tension and disgust.

It turned out that the first floor of the black tower was not empty. On the contrary, the walls were covered with a dense layer of something. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Lin Yue's "old friend"—bats!

The bats seemed to be asleep, lined up one after another, their dark brown wings occasionally fluttering slightly, producing a very faint rustling sound in the silent black tower.

The dense array of shapes, viewed from afar, resembled a moving black carpet covering the wall, which was quite eerie. Even Lin Yue, who has no trypophobia, couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine.

Xiao Bing was barely able to speak; he quietly leaned close to Lin Yue's shoulder and asked, "What should we do? Fight or run?"

He looked as if he was afraid that if he raised his voice even slightly, he would wake all the bats. Luckily, he was close enough, otherwise Lin Yue wouldn't have been able to hear him clearly.

Running away is definitely not an option. If we run away before we've even started looking for clues, then we've come all this way for nothing.

But to fight them, you need to be skillful. After all, with so many bats, if they all wake up at once, the situation can be difficult to control.

Lin Yue looked carefully at the bats that didn't seem to be fully awake yet, and replied in a low voice, "Everyone, spread out and look for any clues."

After saying that, she seemed to remember something, took out cumin-flavored mini potatoes from her backpack compartment, handed one to each person, and whispered, "Eat this first."

Lin Yue's team consisted of six members of the Shadow Thief Clan, all of whom were known for their strict adherence to orders. Although they were somewhat puzzled by Lin Yue's sudden action, they obediently stuffed the cumin-flavored potatoes into their mouths. After finishing, a look of delight appeared on their faces.

Seeing that everyone was ready, Lin Yue nodded and whispered, "Go ahead, be careful, and try not to disturb the bats if you can avoid it."

Except for Xiao Bing, everyone dispersed in different directions, their footsteps as light as if they were walking on cotton.

To be honest, Lin Yue wasn't too worried about the Shadow Thief Clan, since they had a natural advantage. In comparison, she was more worried about herself.

Compared to the Shadow Thief Clan's innate lightness and agility, even with the bonuses from Sky Wings, boots, and Cloud Feather Armor, she only has 31 points of agility.

According to Xiao Bing, the Shadow Thieves are born with an agility value of over 20, and this value will increase with age. Take Xiao Shu from their group, for example; his agility value is said to be over 50, and it's no exaggeration to say he moves like the wind.

As Lin Yue silently marveled at the sight, she cautiously approached the bats on the wall, squinting her eyes to examine them closely for anything unusual.

But just then, on the other side of the black tower, a very clear gasp suddenly came, followed by a "thump" of a heavy object falling down, accompanied by a low groan.