Apocalypse: Reborn with a Soul Sync Farming Space System-Chapter 177 Urgency

Laurel steadied herself as the trembling beneath her feet intensified, her fingers tightening slightly as she ensured the last Snow Lotus was safely stored within her space. Her chest rose and fell unevenly as the calm that once filled the barrier shattered completely and was replaced by a suffocating urgency that pressed heavily against her senses.

Then, a faint voice broke through the chaos from outside the cave, distorted and distant, yet clear enough for her to recognize immediately, causing her gaze to snap toward the barrier as worry began to surface across her face.

"Laurel!"

Her lips parted slightly as her brows drew together, her heart tightening as she strained to listen more carefully, and before she could confirm it, another voice followed, calmer but just as urgent, cutting through the noise and making her chest clench even tighter.

"Laurel!"

"...Alexander... Chris..."

Worry marred her face as her thoughts raced uncontrollably, realizing they were still outside and exposed to the danger while the cave continued to collapse around them, and with no visible exit leading out of the cave, she could not tell whether they were still safe or already trapped, and the thought that they might not make it out alive pressed heavily against her mind.

Before she could think further, a sharp cracking sound echoed through the air, pulling her attention back instantly as her gaze lifted toward the barrier, where fine cracks had begun to spread across its surface, faint at first but quickly deepening as the light flickered violently and lost its stability. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Her eyes widened slightly as the cracks spread further, branching across the entire barrier until it could no longer hold, and in the next moment it shattered completely, the protective light breaking apart as the black mist surged toward her in an instant, rushing in like a force that had been held back for too long.

Laurel froze where she stood as fear gripped her tightly, her body refusing to move as she shut her eyes instinctively, bracing herself for the cold and the crystallization that she had witnessed before, expecting the mist to engulf her completely.

But instead of cold, she felt warmth.

It spread across her skin gently, steady and unfamiliar, causing her brows to furrow slightly as her lashes trembled, and when she slowly opened her eyes, she saw a soft light surrounding her, forming a barrier that pushed the mist away each time it tried to close in.

Her eyes widened slightly as she took in the sight, unable to fully understand what was happening but realizing that the mist could not reach her, as if the light itself was shielding her from harm.

A loud crack echoed from above, snapping her attention upward as rocks began to fall from the ceiling, crashing down one after another while the frost petals shot toward her again, faster and sharper than before, slicing through the air with deadly precision.

Laurel moved quickly, stepping back to avoid a falling rock before shifting forward to evade the incoming petals, her movements becoming more hurried as the cave grew increasingly unstable, and with every passing second the shaking intensified, making her heart hammer violently against her chest.

Her gaze snapped toward the entrance, only to find that it was already collapsing, large chunks of rock falling and piling up as the opening narrowed rapidly, leaving only a small gap that would soon disappear entirely if she did not act immediately.

A sense of urgency surged through her as her breathing quickened, the realization settling heavily in her mind that if she did not leave now, she would remain trapped inside the cave with no way out.

Driven by her survival instinct, she ran forward without hesitation, her steps fast and unsteady as she dodged falling rocks and incoming frost petals, her body reacting instinctively as she forced herself through the collapsing path.

The gap ahead grew smaller with every passing second, and the path became increasingly difficult to navigate as debris blocked her way, but she did not stop as she pushed forward with all her strength, climbing over the rocks that obstructed her path while her breath turned ragged.

The opening was almost completely sealed by the time she reached it, leaving only a narrow space that barely allowed passage, but she gathered all her remaining strength and pulled herself upward, her hands gripping onto the rough surface as she climbed before forcing her body through the small gap.

She jumped. Her body squeezed through just as the opening collapsed behind her, and she landed heavily on the other side, the impact knocking the air out of her lungs as she hit the ground and struggled to breathe.

A strained wheeze escaped her lips as she lay there for a moment, her chest tightening painfully as she tried to regain control of her breathing, her body trembling slightly from the exertion and shock.

After a brief moment, she turned her head back toward the entrance, only to find that it had been completely blocked by fallen rocks, leaving no trace of the path she had just escaped through.

A breath of relief escaped her as she realized she had made it out.

But it did not last.

"Laurel!"

The voice came again, muffled and distorted as if it were submerged underwater, causing her head to snap forward as her eyes widened in shock.

Alexander and Chris stood a short distance away, frozen in place with ice covering their bodies completely, their forms rigid and unmoving as if they had been turned into statues.

Fear and concern flooded her expression as she pushed herself to her feet and rushed toward them, her steps unsteady as she stopped right in front of them, her hands hovering uncertainly as she did not know how to break the ice.

They could not speak nor respond. The ice had sealed them completely.

The ground trembled violently once again as the cave continued to collapse, rocks falling around them and blocking the path ahead entirely, leaving no way forward as the ceiling above began to give way.

A deep sense of panic rose within her as she realized that if they remained here any longer, they would be crushed beneath the falling debris.

She hesitated for a brief moment, her teeth sinking into her inner cheek as her mind raced, struggling to decide what to do as the situation grew more desperate with each passing second.

Then she closed her eyes and let out a slow breath, forcing herself to calm down as she made her decision.

Above them, a massive section of the cave broke apart and began to fall, leaving them with only seconds before it came crashing down.

Laurel reached out and grabbed their hands, her fingers tightening firmly around them.

In the next moment, she teleported the starleaf flowers, Alexander, Chris, and herself into her space.