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墨書 Inktalez
I lit the torch and circled around the Branch, examining it closely. There could be no oversights; if we didn't find any markings here, we would have to abandon this direction. At this moment, making even the slightest mistake was unacceptable.
Unfortunately, there were no discoveries. After confirming this result, I retraced my steps. During this time, Zhao Squad Leader had managed to rest a little. I quickly summarized the search results, and our group entered the passage below. This passage was the direction we planned to advance in a zigzag line.
Fortunately, Hu Aiguo was able to walk with assistance; otherwise, Zhao Squad Leader would struggle to hold on much longer. From now on, it would be up to the two of us to take turns carrying him forward. Simply assisting him made things much easier, allowing me to focus on leading the way and marking our path. After walking through several Branches, my hunger gradually subsided as my body entered a fat-burning phase. Although hunger decreases during this stage, using fat for energy is undeniably harmful to the body, especially since none of us were particularly fat. The three warriors were essentially muscular men, while I was lean and had little fat to spare.
Our pace slowed down significantly, and we couldn't walk for long without breaks—every two Branches, we needed to rest; otherwise, it would be hard to keep going. After slowly moving for over twenty Branches, I had lost count of how many we had traversed but could ensure that I was still on the planned route. At this point, pain began to radiate from my limbs; I knew it meant that my body was starting to consume muscle due to insufficient fat for energy. Moreover, besides running out of food, water had become a pressing issue for us. Our consumption of water on the move far exceeded what we would use while stationary; we currently had only half a jug left.
At one Branch, we stopped, both mentally and physically on the verge of collapse, becoming less sensitive to fear. In the past, if we rested at a Branch, Liu Squad Leader would have firmly opposed it; however, now he sat down heavily on the ground, leaning awkwardly against the Cave Wall, his eyes half-open and vacant. Before long, he began to snore.
After marking our path, I sat down next to Liu Squad Leader, immune to his snoring. It wasn't long before I too could barely keep my eyes open. In my drowsy state, I heard Zhao Squad Leader murmuring something to Hu Aiguo. Too exhausted to care about their conversation, resting became my top priority. Soon enough, I could no longer hear their voices; even Liu Squad Leader's snoring seemed to fade away.
I was awakened by Hu Aiguo. His voice was frantic as he said to me, “Zhao Squad Leader has been gone for a long time and hasn’t returned. What should we do?”
I nearly jumped up at that but quickly calmed myself down and leaned quietly against the Cave Wall. Previously, I insisted that Liu Squad Leader stay with us—even threatening to incapacitate his arm—because I believed there was still a glimmer of survival left for us. But in our current situation, I had completely lost hope; if someone had the ability to search for an escape alone, then they should go ahead without me. I lacked the capability to lead them out; should I really stop them from seeking a way out?
I patted Hu Aiguo: “Don’t panic. Which way did he go? Did he say anything to you?”
Hu Aiguo replied nervously, “He went down the right passage. He said he would check for clues over there and would be back soon. But it’s been so long—what if something happened?”
“How long has he been gone?” I asked.
“I lost track of time without my watch,” Hu Aiguo said anxiously. “But he didn’t sleep; he just left right after talking with me.”
I glanced at my watch and realized I had slept for seven hours. Zhao Squad Leader had been gone for at least six. It seemed he had no intention of coming back. Suddenly, I remembered something and reached out to feel around me; sure enough, the torch was missing.
A slight ripple of concern crossed my mind as I cursed Zhao Squad Leader under my breath, then calmly asked Hu Aiguo, "How much water did Zhao Squad Leader take besides the torch?"
"He didn't take any water, just an empty flask."
I was taken aback; that didn't make sense. If he intended to survive alone, he could forgo the torch, but he definitely needed to take water. That meant he planned to return. If he explored a passage alone, following my method, it shouldn't take too long. He shouldn't have ventured through the Branch to explore further; that would require him to backtrack, which was exhausting and inefficient.
I quickly realized that Zhao Squad Leader must have run into trouble. I immediately woke Liu Squad Leader and informed him of the situation, announcing a change of plans: we were going to search for Zhao Squad Leader.
Liu Squad Leader was still groggy when I pulled him up. Hu Aiguo could walk on his own now, but his speed was slow; one leg was unsteady, likely due to thrombosis and ischemic necrosis from the low temperature. Whether that leg could be saved depended on how quickly we could find a way out and get timely treatment.
We needed someone to find Zhao Squad Leader as soon as possible; time was of the essence. I decided to travel light and go ahead alone to locate Zhao Squad Leader while instructing them to follow my markers. After sharing my plan, Liu Squad Leader expressed dissatisfaction, insisting he should go ahead alone to find Zhao Squad Leader while I stayed back to care for Hu Aiguo.
I patted my chest lightly and said, "Stop arguing; you don't have a gun. You won't be able to handle any problems."
With that, I ran along the side of the Cave Wall. Perhaps because I had something on my mind, I didn’t feel too fatigued as I reached the first Branch. I lit my lighter and clearly saw the poor markings left by Zhao Squad Leader; orienting myself, I entered the next passage.
Given how long Zhao Squad Leader had been gone, I estimated he must have passed several Branches. However, judging by his behavior, he would likely return and wouldn’t have gone too far. I figured three or four Branches would be his limit; beyond that, returning would become problematic.
I quickly passed through two more Branches and at the entrance of the fourth Branch, I discovered markings different from those left by Zhao Squad Leader. These markings were simple yet professional; I recognized immediately they were made by Xiao Guolin. A straightforward diagram conveyed a lot of information: two people, one injured, entered the left passage.
Zhao Squad Leader's markings were also present here, beneath Xiao Guolin's marks—just an arrow indicating direction. He too had entered the left passage.
I felt a surge of excitement in my heart; I had finally found Xiao Guolin and Cao Mingzhe. I quickly attached a marker here and hurried into the passage. Not long after entering, I saw a flickering torchlight approaching me from the other side.
I shouted, "Zhao Squad Leader, is that you?"
A hoarse voice came from across, "Run!"
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