Chapter 324 : Battle at Ruins City
The next day was "clear and pleasant."
Even the usually boiling Sea of Ice and Lava seemed to have calmed down, as tranquil as a lake without a ripple.
Sailing through the underground world was a very unique experience: because the light didn't shine down from above, but shot up from the lava sea below.
So the girls' shadows were all cast on the ceiling... This made Zhou Mixue feel slightly uncomfortable, as she always had the illusion that her panties under her skirt were being "exposed."
Fortunately, after yesterday's nerve-wracking experience, the girl now had some resistance to "unexpected situations."
Though Yicheng was still barking, and Elucia still looked simple-minded, at least... everyone was still safe, right?
And today her job was to take care of Lonis in place of Elucia.
"Lonis, don't move around. I'll feed you."
"Wuu meow, wuu meow!"
Looking at the little fox crawling on the ground before her, Zhou Mixue instinctively blushed a little.
Because Lonis right now was just too cute!
Soft fluffy fox ears, a pure white big tail~~ Those clear pupils were like a child's, without a trace of impurity.
(Sigh, if only my sister were this cute. Really, she never lets me worry for a single day.)
Actually, Zhou Mixue had brought Zhou Suling out this time with the intention of giving her some training.
This way she could grow and learn something... But Zhou Mixue hadn't imagined that every companion on the ship was stranger than the last!
Even the originally mature and scheming Elucia had become like a little loli, completely leading Suling astray.
......
"Sigh, but I'm not qualified to say much either. Flirting with cute underclassmen at school all the time—I should grow up a bit too."
Zhou Mixue sighed, then poured milk from her chest into a plate for Lonis.
"Wuu meow!"
Though seeing the milk, the white-stockinged little fox showed a joyful expression, she didn't use her tongue to lick it but looked pitifully at Zhou Mixue, as if asking something.
As a master of romance, Zhou Mixue naturally understood her worry immediately: "Don't worry, Elucia is on duty today and went to the pilot house."
"Woof wuu..."
"She can't take Lonis along because it'll be busy there today... Little fox can't refuse to drink because of this. If you don't behave, I'll tell on you to your master."
"Wuu wuu meow, wuu wuu woof!"
Though still seeming somewhat worried, the little fox still crouched down and used her tongue to lick the milk... But because some of her side bangs were long, the girl's silver hair also got into the milk.
"Ah, really, not careful at all."
"Woof..."
"Never mind, finish drinking first. I'll wipe you clean afterward."
Zhou Mixue gazed gently at Lonis's cheek, planning to give this little fox a good rubbing later.
But no one expected...
......
Clang!
......
With a violent impact sound, the entire ship's floor shook violently.
The little fox had been drinking milk and hadn't expected this to happen... Completely unable to dodge, the splashing milk directly splashed on her face.
"Wuu meow, wuu woof!"
The little fox had never experienced such a shock and was so frightened she jumped onto the cabinet... Milk was spilled everywhere.
Though Zhou Mixue also wanted to hold the little fox and comfort her, she understood very well what had happened to the ship...
Her worst fear had come true.
The Time Shuttle was under enemy attack!
......
❀⋆｡°✿☆❀✿°｡⋆❀
......
A quarter hour earlier,
The Time Shuttle was sailing on the vast Sea of Ice and Lava, with Ruins City clearly visible in the distance... It was cylindrical, like a giant cake rising from the lava sea, reaching straight up to the ceiling of the underground world.
Though too far to see clearly, the architecture of Ruins City had quite an apocalyptic wasteland style. Many buildings were constructed from steel pipes and discarded large metal sheets, with deep yellow liquid flowing through pipes and eventually pouring into the lava sea.
(So that's one of the enemy's... strongholds?)
Looking at the distant buildings, it was impossible for Luozhi Sheng not to feel nervous. In fact, for nearly a thousand years, no one had been able to penetrate underground and truly experience the underground world's appearance.
So what dangers they might encounter, Luozhi Sheng had no idea.
But because Elucia was beside her, she felt much more at ease...
"Senior Elucia, shall we continue forward?"
"Yes, of course. The enemy's main force has already been crushed by me at Ice Rock Fortress. Let's strike while the iron is hot and kill our way into Ruins City's interior."
Elucia's decision was very decisive, but just then...
"It's Freeze Mosquitoes. Those Freeze Mosquitoes are charging out again."
"Hmph, ignore them! I've already activated the heating engine. We can charge right through~~"
Overwhelming numbers of Freeze Mosquitoes surged out from inside Ruins City, a full 200 or more.
They charged toward the ship one after another, trying to block the Time Shuttle's advance...
But just as no matter how many mosquitoes there were, they were still just mosquitoes.
Even though their bodies were very large and had the unique ability to absorb heat, they couldn't gain any advantage against the well-prepared Time Shuttle.
Instead, the Time Shuttle's speed was fast, and under the violent impacts, dozens of mosquitoes were smashed to powder—calling it "a mantis trying to stop a chariot" was even too flattering for these Freeze Mosquitoes. They could only try to swarm the ship from all sides and absorb heat.
But the Time Shuttle's heating engine was also running, and everyone hadn't wasted much energy along the way. So the indoor temperature only cooled by a dozen degrees before quickly returning to normal.
These Freeze Mosquitoes couldn't have much effect at all. Even after they were completely consumed, they had barely managed to slow the Time Shuttle's advance.
"We broke through! Captain Elucia, we succeeded!"
......
But just as the girls were all rejoicing over breaking through the Freeze Mosquitoes...
The vast lava sea suddenly began to boil.
A massive vine emerged from the lake, striking directly at the bottom of the Time Shuttle.
There wasn't even time to react. This vine moved so quickly, immediately splitting into branches and surrounding the Time Shuttle.
Though the massive ship broke free from this vine almost instantly,
But immediately after...
Three vines, six vines, countless vines rose from the ground like a swarm of snakes reaching for the sky, coiling toward the Time Shuttle.
Each one carried the chill of the Sea of Ice and Lava, eerily unlike anything of this world... No matter how indestructible the Time Shuttle was, its forward momentum was now restricted.
Countless vines exerted force, trying to drag the entire ship into the boiling lava sea.