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墨書 Inktalez
We had anticipated this outcome; it was the worst result we could imagine.
According to our assumptions, the Ironclad Pillbug could not withstand the severe cold outside the tunnel, and even a short distance near the entrance would be enough to render them inactive. Correspondingly, the Giant Millipede outside the tunnel could not adapt to the temperature inside; they wouldn’t venture deep into or even enter the tunnel, thus maintaining a balance. Therefore, the stretch from the tunnel entrance to the warmer part of the tunnel should be safe, allowing us a temporary refuge where we could make our final decisions or struggles.
However, those damned bugs did not play by the rules. We hadn’t run back for long when we heard a deafening “whoosh” sound from the direction of the entrance that vibrated our eardrums. The sound emitted by the Giant Millipede was akin to ultrasonic vibrations, materializing within the tunnel.
Listening to the sounds that echoed like death itself from both sides, I lost confidence in continuing to run. I felt it was pointless and began contemplating how to die with minimal pain. Suddenly, I heard Hu Aiguo’s voice ahead: “There’s a path over here.”
We had entered the tunnel running along its left side, and as we turned back, we remained on that same side. When we first entered, I had to keep one hand on this side of the Cave Wall to navigate; otherwise, I would crash into it without realizing it. Thus, running back meant there couldn’t be another path on this side; if there was a path, it could only be on the opposite Cave Wall.
Worried about missing an intersection—perhaps our only chance—I shouted loudly, “Don’t go in yet; wait for me!”
I left my side of the Cave Wall and reached out toward the other side.
At that moment, Hu Aiguo called out again: “We haven’t gone in; follow my lighter.”
Immediately, a faint light flickered ahead. The flame from the lighter was small, especially since it was one of those disposable lighters, but in extreme darkness, even that little light illuminated a certain area; at least it was effective for orientation. However, upon seeing that light and the area it illuminated, an icy chill surged down my spine, leaving my body numb.
In the glow of the firelight, I saw Hu Aiguo and Liu Squad Leader standing side by side, their faces uniformly pale. Behind them was a Branch that seemed larger than the tunnel itself. I realized they must have felt extreme fear as well because this Branch appeared on our left when we came in—exactly where each of us had touched as we walked.
I numbly approached them, facing both of them and this newly appeared Branch. I reached out a hand toward Liu Squad Leader’s ear and touched the icy surface of the Branch’s stone wall—it was solid rock. No one could create a passage through such hard stone in such a short time. Moreover, this Branch's stone wall resembled any other wall we had passed; it was ancient and definitely not something hastily excavated.
Yet I had indeed been feeling my way along this side of the Cave Wall when I came over; even if my left hand occasionally missed contact, those gaps were minimal—there was no way I could have missed such a large distance. Everything about this situation was beyond my understanding and explanation; all I could do was confirm that this passage was not an illusion.
I withdrew my hand and looked at the three people across from me.
Liu Squad Leader shook his head first, staring blankly at me without saying a word. We had developed a certain understanding; the message conveyed through his gaze was clear: I didn’t notice this Branch earlier. We really are in deep trouble this time.
Cao Guolin stated with certainty, "This Branch appeared no more than ten minutes ago."
Hu Aiguo seemed relatively calm. "I was following Liu Squad Leader the whole time, so I didn’t pay attention to whether there was a Branch. I was the first to run back, and I found this intersection. I don’t know anything else, but do we have any other options?"
Yes, do we have any other options?
The noise from the passage grew louder and closer. Even if this passage led to hell, we had no choice but to jump in. With a voice trembling beyond my control, I said, "Let’s go in, unless you want to feed the worms."
With that, I squeezed between Liu Squad Leader and Hu Aiguo, rushing into the Branch without looking back. As for what others would choose, I felt powerless to intervene. I didn’t believe that this step I took was the right one; perhaps it would only buy me a little more time. What troubled me most was that the consequences of entering this passage were unlikely to be more fortunate than dying at the mouths of worms; perhaps an even more tragic ending awaited.
Especially Liu Squad Leader, whose fear of ghosts made me believe he would make an even more extreme choice. The hopelessness or despair about our future led me to give up on persuading him; let him choose his own path.
This passage shared a common feature with the previous one: it was hellishly dark. I didn’t run along one side because I felt this passage wouldn’t be too deep; the chance of crashing into the end of the passage was greater than getting lost. Also, I didn’t think Liu Squad Leader and Hu Aiguo would follow so readily—especially Liu Squad Leader; his likelihood of entering this passage was slim. Since I no longer worried about my teammates getting separated, there was no need to discern the path.
To my surprise, just moments after entering the passage, I heard two distinct footsteps behind me—Liu Squad Leader had actually entered this passage as well, which truly caught me off guard.
Before I could fully process this unexpected turn or react to it, something even more surprising happened.
I had entered the passage slightly earlier than Liu Squad Leader and Hu Aiguo—just a little bit, probably not more than five seconds. If they had moved any slower, I wouldn’t have been able to hear their footsteps so clearly.
As their footsteps reached my ears, a sudden silence enveloped them. It wasn't that I couldn't hear the footsteps or that all sounds had vanished; it was as if I could only hear those footsteps. It felt like being in a vast hall, devoid of anything else, with only the three footsteps echoing sharply and clearly.
My nerves tightened for just a moment before settling into calmness. I had a premonition and mental preparation that entering this passage wouldn't be smooth sailing. Whatever was about to happen, I hoped it would come soon; enduring the torment of fear was far worse than facing danger directly. I was ready to accept the worst outcome.
In the next moment, a flash of lightning appeared before me; it had arrived.
This blinding white lightning manifested right in front of me, not striking my head but seeming to split open a door. Before I could react, I dashed into the white light of this lightning. At that moment, an unbelievable scene unfolded before my eyes.
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