Ji Xun was originally very curious about the outside world, but as soon as he came out, he heard Chu Jiu's voice.
He detected the urgency in her tone and immediately guessed what was going on.
Without any hesitation, he followed her into the mist.
Surrounded by thick fog, Ji Xun had no idea where he was, and it seemed to be nighttime with no light at all.
Fortunately, he had previously merged with the [Joker Card], significantly enhancing his night vision, allowing him to see without much trouble.
The ground was cement, and the shadows around him indicated the presence of tall buildings.
Ji Xun speculated that they were in some kind of building complex.
Weeds, cracks, shadows of unknown creatures... everywhere bore the marks of age and decay, resembling the ruins of an ancient city.
Chu Jiu said nothing, leading the way quickly.
They stopped only when they reached a platform.
Ji Xun surveyed the area, which looked like the roof of a building, with even taller structures above and some lower ones below.
Before he could understand where they were, Chu Jiu suddenly took out a bottle of potion and sprayed it all over Ji Xun as if disinfecting him.
Before Ji Xun could grasp what was happening, his teammate said, "This is [Scent Removal Potion]."
Chu Jiu knew that with Ji Xun's intelligence, he would figure out the reason, so she didn't explain further.
Ji Xun understood immediately upon hearing the name.
It was a measure to prevent tracking.
His teammate was as cautious as ever.
This also confirmed his earlier suspicion that breaking out of that different-dimensional space had brought trouble.
Although there was a slight chance that Chu Jiu was also after what he had, facing this teammate who had shared hardships with him was far better than dealing with any young master from the Cao family.
---
"Hold tight!"
After using the potion, Chu Jiu suddenly whispered.
Time was of the essence, and without further explanation, she grabbed Ji Xun's tactical vest.
Then, with a leap, she jumped off the cliff shrouded in dense fog of unknown depth.
Despite knowing how smart Ji Xun was, she couldn't help but admit that his physical condition was terrible.
If she let him jump on his own, he might have fallen to his death.
Ji Xun had guessed they were escaping, but this direct leap off a cliff made his eyelids twitch.
Before he could react, Chu Jiu had already taken him into a rapid freefall.
Yes!
It was like bungee jumping.
His soul was still on the platform while his body plummeted into the abyss.
In mid-air, Chu Jiu shot out a steel cable from her mechanical arm, and with a "clang," it hooked onto something metal.
Ji Xun immediately felt a deceleration force, allowing his soul to catch up.
Cold, wet wind hit his face.
A layer of mist formed on his gas mask as Chu Jiu, looking half a head shorter than him, effortlessly swung him through the misty shadows of the buildings like a pendulum.
Though a bit scary, this method was fast.
After about seven or eight swings of the steel cable, they had already moved far away from the previous building.
"Clang."
Ji Xun's feet landed on the ground, and he found himself standing on a massive metal pipe.
Mist surrounded them, and he couldn't see the bottom. The sound of flowing water indicated a height of at least twenty or thirty meters.
Chu Jiu, still leading the way, warned him as they walked, "Be careful. There are some mutated creatures in the sewer below. Falling in would be very troublesome and might attract attention."
"Mm."
The mist and moisture made the pipe slippery. Ji Xun walked cautiously.
At this moment, he finally had the chance to say, "Thank you."
It was clear that his teammate had just helped him greatly, even saving his life. A thank-you was in order.
Chu Jiu's tone remained calm and indifferent, "No need to thank me. We each got what we needed from the cooperation. Without you, I couldn't have escaped that different-dimensional space."
She knew that without Ji Xun's incredible problem-solving skills, she couldn't have gotten out of that space smoothly, let alone gained such rich rewards.
Not only did she get unexpected job-change materials, but she also received an A+ rating during the exit evaluation.
Getting an A+ in such a challenging different-dimensional space was rare.
This allowed her to draw a card that matched her well.
Therefore, Chu Jiu felt she owed him a favor.
But it was precisely because of the high rating that she anticipated more trouble.
She knew that if she got an A+ rating, Ji Xun's rating would be even higher.
An S rating?
Highly likely.
But if someone got an S rating, the entire space would collapse and disappear.
This would inevitably cause trouble.
Chu Jiu stayed nearby.
Sure enough, it didn't take long for the 407 different-dimensional space to suddenly collapse.
The fourth young master of the Cao family probably thought they were dead or that they were just card apprentice, so he only sent some Black Water mercenaries to guard the area.
Moreover, after the space collapsed, the exit location would become random.
This gave Chu Jiu the idea to help.
Fortunately, everything went smoothly.
It was easy for her to fool some mercenaries. Using some tricks to thicken the mist, she found Ji Xun before the mercenaries noticed.
---
Hearing this, Ji Xun smiled and said, "Miss Chu Jiu, you're too polite. Without you, I wouldn't have come out alive either."
After a pause, he added, "Besides, you just saved me again."
Chu Jiu said nothing more.
Both were smart, direct people who didn't need to beat around the bush or be overly polite.
They continued walking on the pipe, and Chu Jiu jumped down onto another horizontal pipe about four meters below.
This height might be nothing for extraordinary beings.
But for Ji Xun, who was not physically strong, it made him flinch.
His rational mind wasn't scared, but his body couldn't handle it.
He pondered that while jumping down might not break his legs, the likelihood of falling off the pipe into the unknown depths of the mist was high.
Without any embarrassment, Ji Xun smiled and asked, "Miss Chu Jiu, could you catch me if I fall?"
"..."
Chu Jiu glanced up at him.
The contrast between his domineering demeanor in the different-dimensional space and his current timid attitude when jumping pipes was stark.
Yet seeing him like this somehow made Chu Jiu feel a sense of balance.
Seeing her acquiescence, Ji Xun jumped down.
With a "thud," his weak body wobbled, almost falling off.
As he lost his balance, a hand caught him, pulling him back.
Ji Xun steadied himself and said, "Thanks."
Chu Jiu didn't respond, continuing, "An S-level rating in a different-dimensional space means it will disappear, which means everyone knows the most valuable treasures are with us. The fourth young master of the Cao family won't let this go easily. Moreover, the 407 space is quite well-known, and many people in the Demon Cross camp are eyeing it. You'd better hurry back to Innocence City before the news spreads. Once you're in the city, even the governor's office will find it hard to find you..."
Here, Chu Jiu suddenly stopped.
Not everyone had heard of the "Epic Source Card," and she had intended to remind Ji Xun of its value.
But as she spoke, she felt her words were redundant.
Such a smart person couldn't possibly overlook this.
Ji Xun, however, was puzzled.
### Ji Xun Could Think of It
But he knew nothing about this world. Terms like "Demon Cross Camp" and "Innocence City" were completely foreign to him.
He had hoped to gather more information from Chu Jiu, but she had stopped talking.
Ji Xun understood her reasoning, but now information was crucial. He asked directly, "So, how do you think I can safely return to Innocence City?"
Chu Jiu found it odd for him to ask such a question but responded, "In half an hour, the Hunter Guild's transport train will leave Demon Cross. With the news not yet spread, it's your best chance to leave."
Ji Xun took note of this. So there was a train. If he wanted to leave, the sooner the better.
The Cao family's eldest son valued the Epic Source Card so highly that even if he knew who took it, he wouldn't publicize it. Leaving the ruins before the news spread was the best choice.
Of course, that depended on him leaving successfully.
---
The two walked on the pipes for more than ten minutes. It looked like a massive steel plant, with pipes of various sizes.
The surrounding buildings had a unique style: tall, slender, like towers. Each building had various pipes and bridges, exuding a strong magic punk vibe.
If Ji Xun remembered correctly, Chu Jiu had mentioned the name more than once: "Demon Cross Ruins."
They reached a platform high in the ruins, offering a clear view.
The mist below them was like a sea of clouds, accumulating around the buildings' midsections.
At waist level, they were still surrounded by towering structures.
The city was old, decayed, and ancient, filled with a mysterious and timeless charm.
To Ji Xun's surprise, this was an underground city?
Looking at the sky, he saw no stars, just darkness.
The city's light sources seemed to come from some cave plants and the materials of the buildings themselves, which emitted a faint glow.
And in the distance, there was a volcano.
At the end of his vision stood a tall, active volcano?
Yes, an underground volcano!
Ji Xun realized why the air had a constant sulfur smell.
The red lava flowing from the volcano's mouth was striking in the dark underground world.
Looking closer, he saw the buildings' layout formed a huge cross.
From above, it looked like a mysterious symbol with some magical function.
No wonder this ruin was called "Demon Cross."
Ji Xun marveled at the sight, "What a spectacular underground city. What's going on in this world..."
This magnificent city was just an ancient ruin.
The human city of Innocence City was somewhere else.
Not far away, a cluster of buildings was brightly lit, bustling with activity—probably the "Hunter Camp."
Chu Jiu stopped and prepared to say goodbye, "The camp is ahead. There are no mutated creatures nearby, so we'll part ways here."
"Mm."
Ji Xun nodded.
Escorting him this far was already very considerate.
He could manage the rest of the distance himself.
He initially thought Chu Jiu might have ulterior motives in helping him, but now he realized he was overthinking.
This teammate truly didn't want to owe any favors.
As they parted, Chu Jiu gave a final warning, "One more thing. Don't tell anyone you've seen me, or you'll face endless trouble. And don't mention your gains from this different-dimensional space to anyone, or... it will be very troublesome."
Ji Xun understood, "Take care."
Chu Jiu said nothing, leaping away.
Ji Xun watched her agile figure disappear into the thick mist. Without his teammate, the surrounding breeze seemed full of danger.
He didn't linger, heading toward the camp.