The Gatling gun-style barrels rapidly rotated, firing a dense curtain of bullets within seconds, easily shredding the first wave of Copper Mechanical Lifeforms rushing into the room.
Fortunately, the Copper Mechanical Lifeforms' defense wasn't high, allowing Golem room to adjust firepower, ensuring destruction of the lifeforms without damaging the underground ruin's structure.
Otherwise, indiscriminate firing could collapse the building, burying them alive.
Destroying the first wave in one go, Golem suddenly rotated their body, facing another entrance/exit in the opposite direction.
They not only had strong long-range firepower but also formidable reconnaissance ability, accurately judging target movements through subtle sound sources.
The Copper Mechanical Lifeforms' signature gear-grinding sound was like police sirens, letting Golem anticipate them early.
"Golem stays to hold the rear. The rest, with me."
Beyond strode forward, crossing the ground littered with Copper Mechanical Lifeform fragments.
Hearing Beyond, everyone followed immediately. Golem stood behind the team like a stone wall marking 'no passage'.
The person providing light was also a Stone Wall squad mercenary. With him providing illumination, they wouldn't have to move in the dark.
"Pariston, you lead the way," Beyond said.
"Alright."
Pariston immediately moved ahead several body lengths, taking the lead. The route chosen was one not previously explored.
Their time on the B3 level wasn't long, and exploration progress wasn't optimistic. Finding a safe zone with a crystal was pure luck.
Next, they needed to quickly find a second safe zone. Otherwise, even with the ability to withstand Copper Mechanical Lifeform attacks, they'd be worn down to death because the number on the B3 level was enormous.
After all, only from this level onward were there safe zones, and safe zones were where Copper Mechanical Lifeforms were produced.
After destroying several waves of Copper Mechanical Lifeforms in the room, Golem decisively caught up with the team.
Relying on the mercenary on the back firepower platform, Golem could harvest Copper Mechanical Lifeforms pursuing from behind while moving.
"Everyone, we might not find a new safe zone in a short time. So, this might be a prolonged battle," Beyond at the front said without psychological burden.
Team members accustomed to the underground ruins' situation naturally had no objections. The Copper Mechanical Lifeforms' terror lay mainly in numbers. As long as the team cooperated, danger could be minimized.
However, facing endless Copper Mechanical Lifeforms, endurance was crucial here.
If one couldn't keep up, causing them to fall behind, no one would actively come to rescue then.
Even Beyond himself, if falling behind, wouldn't qualify for rescue.
The underground ruins were such a dangerous place, one where it was hard to stop.
If the team had extremely bad luck, never finding a second safe zone, the risk of team annihilation would increase.
Beyond certainly considered this when deciding to take the crystal.
But he did it anyway, mainly because the Copper Mechanical Lifeforms' defense was too weak.
"Pariston, do you think these ruins were built by humans?"
While speaking, Beyond thrust his hand into a passage wall, grabbing a piece of rubble, crushing it into small pieces, then hurling them at approaching Copper Mechanical Lifeforms from ahead.
The rubble cluster made sharp whistling sounds, destroying the Copper Mechanical Lifeforms ahead.
"Judging from various architectural details, undoubtedly of human origin. But this is the Dark Continent… any phenomenon has the potential for reversal."
Pariston followed behind Beyond, not needing to lift a finger, quite relaxed.
"Reversal, huh..."
Beyond grinned, throwing another handful of rubble, destroying the approaching Copper Mechanical Lifeforms.
He cleared obstacles ahead, while Golem handled the rear.
If not for taking the crystal, no matter how confident Beyond was, he wouldn't proactively provoke the Copper Mechanical Lifeforms.
After all, if unable to disengage or successfully find a second safe zone, they'd definitely die with no burial ground.
Of course, both Beyond and Netero had considered directly destroying all Copper Mechanical Lifeforms. But they didn't know the true number and had seen the countless Copper Mechanical Lifeforms above ground.
If they knew the specific number, perhaps both teams wouldn't be so passive.
Now, Beyond's team discovered the assembly-line production of Copper Mechanical Lifeforms, making the idea of destroying all of them in the ruins even less feasible.
One drop of water from the crystal, plus a small amount of stone or sand, could create a Copper Mechanical Lifeform.
This extremely low-difficulty assembly-line process undoubtedly indicated the number of Copper Mechanical Lifeforms in the ruins reached a terrifying level.
Although they had grasped some intel about the Copper Mechanical Lifeforms' origin, Beyond still had no intention or plan to quickly leave the ruins.
His question to Pariston actually represented his curiosity.
Because since entering the underground ruins, they hadn't found any traces of human habitation.
Assuming such a magnificent, epic-scale underground city was built by humans, its vast area should represent a once-prosperous human civilization.
Then, the absence of human traces was strange.
At the very least, there should be writing… if not writing, then graffiti carved on walls or stones.
This was the norm for human ruins...
Within the underground ruins filled with Copper Mechanical Lifeforms, Beyond's team and the Hunter Association each faced different situations.
Above ground, the Scarecrow and Copper Mechanical Lifeform armies were like countless dead ends, blocking the paths for both teams to leave.
Leaving aside how they could survive in the underground ruins, how to leave was also a fundamental problem.
…
Far away, in the Ancient Labyrinth City.
Salin's ancient script translation hadn't progressed, but Ai-chan's appraisal result was out.
The seeds taken from the pool were indeed seeds of the Herb for All-illnesses.
This result immediately lifted everyone's spirits.
Because the Mountain Ship's arrival had basically destroyed all the herbs in the city.