2:36 pm
Chapter 282 The Abyssal Rift.
Chapter 282 The Abyssal Rift
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
Riley checked her bearings against the blowing snow and pointed toward the distance.
“It should be that way.”
Following her direction, the three girls walked another dozen yards.
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Right where the old camp used to sit, the ground had been split clean open like a giant axe had sliced through the earth. A pitch-
black rift stretched down into endless darkness.
The canyon was nearly a hundred yards wide. Its jagged rock walls were an eerie dark gray, lined with sharp dangling icicles.
Just as Riley had guessed, the brutal blizzard swept across the top of the rift without pouring inside. Instead, cold air currents drifted upward from the abyss, carrying a faint sulfur stench.
“Whoosh-”
The wind howled through the canyon, sounding like distant wailing ghosts.
Faint, muffled growls echoed from deep within the blackness.
PineappleBeer walked to the edge, carefully leaned over, and peeked down.
“It’s pure black down there. I can’t see the bottom. There’s some kind of dark fog hovering halfway down.”
“I’m glad this place didn’t get erased like the rest of the camp.”
Riley nodded at several thick iron chains bolted into the cliff edge
The chains were anchored deep into solid rock, their other ends vanishing into the dark void below.
Beside the chains stood a massive rusted elevator frame. Most of its wooden planks had rotted away, but the metal winch structure was still intact and barely functional.
“This must’ve been their way down.”
Riley stepped forward to inspect the winch, which was covered in a thick layer of ice.
She drew her Storm Splitter Dual Axes and tapped the ice gently with the flat back of the blade.
Crack!
The icy shell shattered into pieces.
“It still turns.” Riley tested the mechanism and continued.
“This elevator looks sketchy, but it’s our only option. Pineapple, I’ll work the winch. You go down first to check it out?”
“Got it.”
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2:36 pm
Chapter 282 The Abyssal Rift
PineappleBeer did not hesitate. As an agility-based assassin, rough terrair barely threatened her.
She hopped into the shaky wooden basket and gripped the chains tightly.
“Lower me down!”
Riley slowly released the winch brake.
“Creak-Creak-”
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Grinding, ear-piercing metal noises echoed across the empty snowfield. The basket carried Pineapple Beer downward, slowly vanishing into the darkness.
TartKing leaned nervously over the cliff edge, staring down.
“Pine! Are you okay?!”
“I’m fine! It’s just wobbly!”
PineappleBeer’s voice echoed upward.
“The air currents are messed up down here. This basket swings like a swing set… Shit!”
Thud!
A dull crash rang out, followed by the harsh sound of the winch locking up completely.
“What happened?!” Riley instantly grabbed the winch handle.
“It’s stuck!” PineappleBeer sounded annoyed.
“This garbage elevator! The pulley must’ve rusted over or frozen solid. I’m not even halfway down!”
Riley’s mouth twitched in irritation.
“Nightshade had terrible infrastructure. How did they even trust this janky contraption? No wonder their faction collapsed.
“Forget this broken thing.”
Riley locked the winch firmly to keep the basket from falling.
“Tart, we’re climbing down. These chains are still sturdy enough.”
“Huh? Climb… climb down?”
TartKing glanced at the endless dark fog and swallowed nervously.
“Don’t be scared.”
Riley patted her shoulder reassuringly.
“I’ll stay below you. If you slip, I’ll catch you. Besides, our stats are superhuman now. Even a fall would only leave minor bruises.”
“Burger, are you sure we won’t end up torn apart and scattered all over the place?”
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2:36 pm
Chapter 282 The Abyssal Rift.
In the end, the three girls abandoned the broken elevator.
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