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墨書 Inktalez
The three of them waited in the darkness, each lost in their own thoughts, wondering if they would soon find an exit or if they would meet their end in this place.
After resting for a few moments, there was still no sign of Third waking up. First said, "We should move on." Second hoisted Third onto his back, feeling that Third's breathing had started to become more even. Seven led the way ahead while First brought up the rear.
They hurried along, and First glanced back with a worried expression, saying, "We need to pick up the pace."
Second replied, "Big brother, can you handle it?" First responded, "I'm fine. Can you manage?"
With a smile, Second said, "It's just carrying one person. I could handle a few more."
All of them were injured to some extent, though Seven was slightly better off.
They quickly traversed the straight path. Sweat beads had formed on Second's forehead, but he remained silent, his condition worse than he had imagined; he felt increasingly weak.
Seven, leading the way, began to sense that they were returning to their original starting point. A flicker of hope ignited within him as he said, "I think we're onto something."
The others felt a surge of encouragement and instinctively quickened their pace. After walking for a while longer, it seemed they were nearing the end of this dark passage. Seven, sensing something ahead, excitedly quickened his steps and soon emerged into the light. However, in an instant, it felt as if cold water had been splashed over him; his heart sank into despair.
The sound of water rippling in a pond reached his ears. Seven felt a heavy tug at his heart; everything he had relied on before suddenly became useless. He regretted having carried the title of "living map."
Second continued to follow Seven, unaware of his distress until they reached the pond and fell silent at the sight before them. Seven remained quiet. Upon witnessing this scene, First was also taken aback and was about to instruct everyone to keep moving when he suddenly noticed a "flaw."
A quick glance revealed no pavilion in sight but rather signs of burning. This only strengthened First's conviction as he said, "Everyone, don't lose hope; we haven't returned to where we started."
Feeling as if he had grasped at a last lifeline, Seven asked, "What do you mean by that?" First continued, "Do you remember the pavilion we burned down?" Second nodded in response as both their gazes followed First's pointing finger. Indeed, the pavilion was nowhere to be seen.
Seven quickly understood, but still said a little unsurely: "You mean there are two similarities." First nodded heavily. Second was still kept in the dark and asked: "What are the similarities? You should explain clearly." Seven felt more cheerful and said with a smile: "There are two pools and two pavilions." First also smiled, and Second seemed to understand but scolded: "No wonder, I always thought I met a ghost!" Both of them laughed, but First felt more relieved. If there are two Water pool, then... First doesn't dare to speculate further. We'll talk about everything after Third wakes up. Now that everyone has their bottom, even if they reach the original point, there may not be an exit. How can a few people care about this now? They finally frowned and didn't want to ruin this hope. Third has been bumping on Second's back, and he vomited blood once. Second said worriedly: "We can't rush like this anymore, Third will be too much to bear." First also realized this problem, So I stopped to rest in a dark place, Seven started to make fire, and the murals on the walls were faintly flashing, and some seemed to be beating. Several people suddenly felt a sense of familiarity. Feeling reassured. After resting for a while, I continued to move forward. Seven strongly felt that I was about to reach the "original point". Can't help but urge. Third frowned in his sleep, suddenly opened his eyes, and said in a strong and warning tone: "Don't rush there, I know the exit." After saying that, he fainted again. , the three people immediately stopped, Seven, and Second are now waiting for First to make a decision. First thought about it for a while and said: "Listen to Third." "But Third didn't say where to go," Second said mumblingly. Seven also lowered his head and stopped talking. First said: "Find a place to rest first, but definitely not here." The three of them turned around and rushed away. Second complained and said: "Damn it! This is harder than fighting. In war, your head is tied to the waistband, but here your head is dragged on the edge of the knife." Seven did not answer, First said calmly: "From now on, everyone, don't talk and keep your strength." Second swallowed lowly and stopped talking. I carried Third with all my strength and wholeheartedly.
After walking for a while without stopping, First said, "Let's rest here." Second slowly lowered Third from his back, nearly losing his balance. Seven quickly stepped in to take Third and gently placed him on the ground. Second was starting to feel the strain as well. Seven asked with concern, " Second, are you okay?" Second forced a smile and replied, "I'm fine!"
Once they settled down, First announced, "Everyone should take a break; I'll keep watch." His tone left no room for argument. Second and Seven began to rest.
In the darkness, there was hardly any sense of time. Yet everyone closed their eyes and started to drift into sleep, allowing their bodies to begin self-repair. First squatted nearby, reflecting on everything that had happened—the strange occurrences down the slope, the secrets hidden in the pond, and Third. Everything was becoming increasingly perplexing. He realized that they had all been drawn into another "world."
Time is both the most candid and the most secretive; many things are concealed by it, while many others are revealed.
After a few moments, Seven woke up and walked over to First. "Big Brother, you should rest; I'll take over watch." First glanced at Seven and said, "Come sit down."
Seven sat beside First. First calmly remarked, "Seven, you must regret following me." If you had chosen to follow Fourth instead, you wouldn't have ended up in this situation.
Seven replied earnestly, "Since I chose to follow you, I have no regrets." The two shared a moment of silence. First smiled at him, thinking what a good brother he was. Seven then said, "Big Brother, you should take a break!" Without hesitation, First closed his eyes to rest.
The space fell into silence; thankfully, they could still hear Second's soft snoring.
Hearing that snoring was a relief in itself, Seven couldn't help but chuckle at the irony.
Second was sleeping soundly; he was truly exhausted. So when Third woke up, Second remained oblivious. First comfortingly asked about him, to which Third replied, "He's not dead yet."
Third then urged, "Big Brother, wake Second up quickly; we can't afford to linger here much longer."
When Second finally stirred awake, he groggily said, "I was just enjoying my sweet dreams!" The others could only manage a wry smile. Although Third had awakened, he still couldn't move on his own.
Second had recovered somewhat, yet still felt unwell. Nevertheless, Second said, "I'll carry Third." Seven replied, "Let me carry him." Second refused.
Third looked at the two arguing and felt a warmth in his heart. Finally, First intervened and said, "Let Seven carry him first, then we'll switch to Second." Following First's words, Seven lifted Third onto his back.
As Third was being carried, he said, "If I can survive and get out of here, I will repay you all."
The others were taken aback; this was the first time Third had spoken his name. Whenever they asked before, he would remain silent. This time, it seemed he was serious. Second immediately scolded him, saying, "What do you take me for? I consider you a brother. If you speak like that again, Seven, throw him down and we'll leave on our own."
Seven agreed. First added, "We are all brothers who have faced life and death together; we are family and should not speak like strangers." Third quietly acknowledged this in his heart.
Following the route indicated by Third, they proceeded smoothly. Seven asked in surprise, "Third, you understand the terrain too?" Third replied from Seven's back, "I know a little; compared to you, it's hardly worth mentioning."
He couldn't reveal to them that he had a map of this underground palace in his mind. Seven said, "Third, you're being modest. The terrain is so complicated here, yet you can find a way out."
Third could only smile in response. Seven continued, "Once we're out of here, I need to learn from you." Third casually hummed in agreement and fell silent.
As they continued walking, Second and Seven began to feel that the path was becoming familiar. Seven tossed a torch to Second and said, " Second, check if there are any lanterns on the walls." Following his suggestion, Second found that there were indeed lanterns. He lit one but was quickly extinguished by First, who said to keep a low profile.
After walking for a while longer, the path felt increasingly familiar to Seven. He could almost confirm that this was the fork they had taken when parting ways with Third. How had they ended up back here through another route? Second was still somewhat confused. After looking at several lanterns, Second remarked, "All the oil lamps here have burned out; could someone have been here before?"
Seven chuckled and replied, "Those were lit by us." Second asked in surprise, "Did we come through here earlier?"
After Seven explained further, Second finally understood.
Seven and Second suddenly recalled that incident. Second could no longer contain the secret and said, "There is a corpse that looks exactly like Third."
Upon hearing this, Third, who was on Second's back, felt a heavy weight in their heart, as if something was pressing down on them. First immediately pressed for more information, "What did you say?" If you don't believe me, you can ask Seven. Seven chimed in at the right moment, "What Second said is true. It really exists!" First's expression grew serious as they asked, "Where was it found?" Second replied, "Just ahead."
At that moment, everyone heard a sharp, piercing sound. "Oh no," Second exclaimed, "that group of crows is back."
"Let's run!" The group began to flee and soon reached the stone door. Seven intended to press the switch above with a finger but was intentionally blocked by Third. With everyone focused on escaping, there was little time for hesitation. Third urged, "Let me down, Seven."
Third knocked on the stone door in what seemed like a random manner but was actually a hidden technique; the door opened in response. The cursed crows were closing in fast. Second quickly scooped up Third and dashed through the door first, followed by Seven and First. Third knocked three times on the wall where the switch was located.
However, it appeared to be just a flat wall. The door was about to close when only the lead crow, larger than the others, managed to rush in while screeching loudly.
Second looked at the crow with malice, as if saying, "Last time you pecked me the hardest; this time you're done for." The crow seemed to realize its predicament and let out a few desperate cries tinged with sorrow from within. Just as Second prepared to take action against it, Third said, "We don't have time; we need to move quickly."
Reluctantly, Second waved a fist at the crow and said, "Consider yourself lucky this time." They were all just trying to escape. The crow seemed to understand and cast a grateful glance at Third.
Now it was Second carrying Third. Upon entering, they found themselves in a long corridor primarily made of wood.
Third instructed, "Keep going forward without stopping." The slope became steeper as they progressed. Everyone was exhausted, especially Second, who was drenched in sweat.
"Second, let me down; I can walk now," Third said.
" Second " retorted, "Don't be stubborn; I can still carry you."
"Calmly," said Third, "I know my own situation." Second, not wanting to push further, let Third down and watched as he took a few steps away. Only then did Second feel reassured enough to let him go on his own.
The four of them climbed the slope, exhausted. "We're almost there," Third said. Second replied skeptically, "It looks all dark and murky; how can we be almost there?" Third didn't respond, but First chimed in, "We should be close." Seven agreed.
As they continued, the slope gradually began to level out, making it easier for them to move.
After about a quarter of an hour, Third touched the wall and knocked three times. A door opened directly above the swamp, and it was dark outside.
One by one, they climbed up. The stone door closed behind them, and the swamp returned to its original state, making it impossible to tell that there had been a door there. They were still in the swamp.
"Damn it, we're still stuck in this cursed swamp," Second shouted. Seven added, "We just escaped from the tiger's mouth only to fall into the wolf's den."
First looked around anxiously, feeling helpless.
"Seven," Third said, "you can use your map now." Seven glanced at Third with doubt. Third smiled at him and assured him, "I'm sure about this."
Seven then turned his gaze to First, who nodded in agreement.
For Seven, it was said that once he saw a map, he would remember it perfectly. The glowing dot map wasn't wrong in essence; it had just been used incorrectly.
The group began to follow Seven's lead...
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