"Phew, fortunately, the ammunition had not hit the tomb directly. It won't collapse any further, there's still a chance!"

As the flames from the missile attack dissipated, the captain looked at the area around the tomb that had not been affected and released a deep sigh.

Just when everyone thought the captain was calm, his expression tensed up yet again after a few seconds of staying quiet. He whipped his head around angrily and squatted, his eyes levelled with John's, who was on the stretcher.

"Captain John! What's going on?" the captain asked, forcefully enunciating each word.

"Why did you say that all members of the expedition team have been rescued when Blake is still underground?

"That high school student jumped into the pit for your sake, don't you feel the need to save him?"

The captain of the Criminal Investigation Team was enraged; if John Jones did not provide a satisfactory explanation for his previous actions, he would never let him walk free.

Noticing that the captain might have caught on to something, John lowered his head and muttered in a sorrowful tone.

"Captain, I wasn't trying to deliberately conceal his existence, but for the sake of the Criminal Investigation Division, I had to!

"Blake is indeed under the tomb, but... he's already dead!

"Did you want me to say that we should quickly send the Criminal Investigation Division to save a corpse?"

John Jones raised his head, coming face to face with the captain of the Criminal Investigation Division. His eyes were bloodshot, as if it had been difficult and painful for him to recount this.

The captain was stunned when he heard these words leave John's mouth.

Dead?

That high school student was dead?

His gaze was stuck, and he was momentarily at a loss for words.

John studied his silent expression and took the opportunity to continue speaking.

"Captain, this tomb is abnormal. The corpse insects are crawling all over the place. I believe that you saw with your own eyes how the munitions that hit these bugs only managed to push them back slightly. Are you sure you can still save Blake by sending a rescue team to the bottom?

"Before we climbed out, we already confirmed that there were no vital signs on Blake.

"Moreover, his body was covered with the corpse bugs, and too badly damaged for us to be able to do anything to help.

"I swear! Everything I've said is true!

"He jumped into the tomb to save me, and I'm extremely grateful for that, but for the sake of many, I had to leave one behind."

John Jones' tone was sincere, with a hint of hurt in his voice.

He was an expert at manipulating emotions. Discovering the cold remarks of the audience in the livestream, he had to quickly think of an explanation.

Thus, he decided to fabricate Blake's death in order to get rid of the accusation that he had left him behind.

He believed that the other expedition members would support his words. After all, they were all in the same boat; they had all turned a blind eye to Blake and the other injured members who had been shot by John.

As for the possibility of Blake coming out of the tomb alive?

Impossible!

John Jones was very sure that the passage of the tunnel had been completely blocked off by the mountain of soil he had heaved into the opening, and there was no other exit.

Moreover, the temperature underground was extremely low, and oxygen was scarce. That boy, Blake, was also seriously injured. There was no doubt that he would definitely be dead by now!

His explanation was perfect, and no one would be able to find a flaw in it!

John maintained his calm expression, confident in his manipulation.

As expected, after listening to his explanation, the viewers of the livestream became still.

That's right.

If what John Jones said was true, that Blake was already dead, then there was indeed no need to dispatch a rescue team to save him.

After all, it just was not worth it to put any more lives in danger to retrieve a corpse.

Even so, everyone had lost their trust in John Jones' words.

"No, Blake wouldn't have succumbed that easily. John Jones, you're lying!"

"That's right! The other team members should know the truth! Captain, you should ask the others!"

"No. 3, you tell them! Is Blake really dead? You guys were under the illusion before, and Blake saved you! Don't lie!"

...

The netizens flooded the comments section with their retorts. It was obvious that they did not believe Captain John.

Naturally, the captain of the Criminal Investigation Division watched the comments in the livestream as well.

After debating in his mind for a moment, he decided to go ahead with what the netizens had suggested, and turned towards the other survivors.

"Who is the third member of the expedition team? Step forward!"

The captain faced the group of expedition team members and demanded coldly.

A burly man stood up. "Reporting, I am the third member."

The captain's eyes shot daggers at him; it was as if his pair of eyes was able to see right through him. "Tell me, is Blake really dead?"

At the same time, all eyes in the livestream also stared at him.

"This..."

The teammate lowered his head, gritted his teeth and stuttered. Finally, as if he had finally made up his mind, he lifted his head and said to the captain of the Criminal Investigation Division.

"Captain, it's true. Blake is dead. I'm sorry that we didn't bring him out with us.

"Just as Captain John said, Blake's body was engulfed with corpse worms, and we simply couldn't risk coming into contact with him anymore.

"I'm sorry…"

No. 3 said in a sorrowful tone, hanging his head regretfully.

At the same time, everyone in the livestream was left speechless.

Blake was dead...

That brave high school student would really be buried underground forever...

Everyone's eyes were filled with grief, unable to process everything that had happened.

John observed the silence, and the corners of his mouth pulled up into a smug.

Then, he quickly put away his smile, saying in an urgent tone, "Captain, Blake is already dead. Our priority now should be to think of a way to get out of here safely. After all, the demonic insects are coming onto us ferociously…"

John Jones had been proud of his rational analysis, but the audience in the livestream started to throw foul words at him.

"That bastard! He is indeed a coward! I trusted him so much! Bah!"

"Shameless thief! He only wants to run from the problems he caused himself! He doesn't have a backbone, and he can't even compare to a high school student! What a fool!"

...

The cursing continued.

However, John Jones did not look at the livestream, so he was ignorant about this.

After taking a few moments to decide on the next step, the captain of the Criminal Investigation Division decided to temporarily abandon the rescue plan and chose to retreat.

After all, the Criminal Investigation Division had already paid a heavy price.

Further loss would not be worth it for a lifeless body.

"Listen to my orders. Everyone, retreat. Withdraw from this cemetery and seal off this place completely!"

The captain's cold voice boomed across the cemetery.

The viewers were conflicted; although they were still concerned about Blake's condition under the tomb, they also expressed their understanding of the captain's choice.

The entire Criminal Investigation Division on the knoll of the cemetery began to retreat in an orderly manner...

Boom!

All of a sudden, as they had been in the midst of withdrawing from this place, the ground suddenly caved in!

A new tomb came into view, and more corpse bugs scuttled out! .

The captain squinted his eyes as he stared at the newly revealed tomb.

"A tomb?

"There's more than one tomb?

"This...

"Wait, we're not at the edge of the tomb chamber, but in the center?"

He looked around, finding that the ground around the entire Criminal Investigation Division had collapsed.

With them in the center, the land had given in!

This entire hill was actually within the range of the underground tomb?

The captain watched helplessly as the black mist came rushing in everywhere and the army of insects blotted out every inch of the land.

He was in despair – they couldn't escape!