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墨書 Inktalez
The cave, which was recessed into the riverbank, was quite high. I walked along the Cave Wall, where strange formations of Stalactites hung down like icicles, constantly appearing before my eyes.
Some Stalactites hung from the Ceiling, while others grew upward from the Ground. They resembled ice formations and took on various shapes of mountains, jungles, and animals, each with its own unique posture. However, they all shared one common feature: their immense size. This cave had existed for millions of years.
I didn't linger here for long and quickly observed the flat area. When I returned to the campfire, I was carrying a pile of Firewood. Scattered across this small flat area were many pieces of broken wood, especially near the ground where the Stalactites clustered, where fragments were piled up among them.
These pieces of wood were not fresh; they were dry and likely washed down during a previous flood. What intrigued me was that these woods were in very small fragments, with a large amount of matchstick-like splinters accumulated here, leaving me puzzled.
The campfire was in the center of this flat area. I tossed the broken wood into the fire and said to Jack, "Take me upstream; I'm curious about your conclusion that there is no life here."
I sensed that Jack had been observing me. When he saw me return with a pile of broken wood, a strange smile appeared on his face. "You must have some guesses by now."
I nodded but remained silent. Yes, I had an inkling in my heart. However, I needed to see it for myself. If Jack's conclusion was correct, we would likely need to head downstream immediately—whether to find a way out or to search for food.
Jack tossed me a gun and a backpack while he slung his own backpack over his shoulder and grabbed an AK-47, leading the way upstream.
As I put on my backpack and slung the rifle around my neck, I noticed that the pain from my back injury had lessened significantly. I couldn't help but doubt my earlier judgment—was it really not a fracture? Or had listening to Jack eased my pain through psychological effects?
I followed closely behind Jack and asked him, "Jack, what exactly is wrong with my back? It feels serious. Don't try to fool me."
Jack stopped and turned back to me. "I can assure you it's not a fracture; it's a ligament tear."
When I was in school, I injured the ligaments in my knee, and it was a tearing pain. It felt different from what I'm experiencing now. Just based on that, I couldn't trust Jack.
"Then why does it feel different? I've had a ligament tear before. I know what that kind of pain feels like," I said, dissatisfied. "Just tell me the truth. There's no need to hide anything from me in this situation. I can handle it."
I saw a look of despair cross Jack's face.
"Alright," Jack sighed. "A ligament rupture is much more serious than a tear; it requires surgery to heal. And until the surgery is successful, your right arm will likely be immobile. Are you satisfied with that answer?"
I moved my right arm lightly. "But my right arm can move, and the pain feels very different from a ligament tear. How can I be satisfied with that?"
Jack's expression shifted from surprise to confusion, then finally back to despair. "Damn it, how did you manage that? How about this—I’ll check you again."
"Go to hell," I shouted. "I’d rather let that big snake swallow me than let you touch me again."
Of course, my words were exaggerated, but they reflected my firm attitude and fear. The examination he performed left a shadow in my heart and made me doubt his claims of having a medical degree.
Jack frowned and insisted, "You need to trust me..."
I raised my hand in a stopping gesture. "Lead the way, let's move on. Can we end this topic?"
"A ligament rupture is really serious. Don't take it lightly; it could lead to disability."
I silently stared at Jack, already regretting bringing up this subject.
"I insist on giving you another check."
I transferred the flashlight I held in my right hand to my left, letting my right arm hang naturally. I said to Jack, "It can't move anymore."
Jack's face flushed instantly, his emotions boiling over as he shouted, "You're insulting me!"
What the hell. You want to torment me and don’t allow me to insult you back?
However, Jack's expression genuinely intimidated me. This time, I realized that this American guy had a lot of strength, completely unlike his refined appearance. If he really decided to force himself on me, given my current state, I would likely end up pinned down and trampled.
Fortunately, our standoff was limited to sheer will. After seeing my unusually firm attitude, he cursed under his breath in English and turned to walk upstream along the riverbank.
A cold sweat broke out on my back, and even the clothes that had just dried were damp again. The psychological pressure was immense.
The flashlight quickly burned out, and I tossed the wood aside to pull out the One-Eyed Beast Flashlight. At that moment, Jack finally turned back and said, "Don't use the flashlight; we don't have many batteries left. Let's use glow sticks instead. The illumination is worse, but they last much longer."
I nodded and put away the flashlight. "How many glow sticks do we have?"
"Six. They're all with me. If we can't find food, we won't use up these six glow sticks."
I shot him a glance for his pessimism. Frankly, I had more confidence than he did; I believed our greater enemies were the darkness and the inability to find a way out.
Leaving the flat riverbank where we rested, Jack and I began to climb along the mountainside on one side of the riverbank. Below us was the rumbling Underground River. The cliffs on either side of the river weren't too steep, and stalactites hung from the walls, creating many strange formations and providing plenty of footholds. We moved at a slow pace but encountered little danger along the way.
As I traveled upstream, I noticed a problem: the Underground River, while hollowing out its channel, was also eroding the cliffs on both sides. The sections of the cliffs near the Pavement were smoothed out by the rushing water, with hardly any Protrusions, making it difficult to climb up the cliffs from within the river.
I thought that if it weren't for the slightly elevated flat area where we rested, Jack and the others—myself included, even though I was still uncertain about my fate at that moment—would have continued drifting downstream, not knowing where we would end up.
Seeing this situation, my mood sank a bit. It seemed likely that we would have to travel downstream eventually, and if both riverbanks were in such a condition, we would only be able to traverse along the cliffs. However, this would slow us down significantly and exhaust our strength, making it harder to find food.
Due to the limited range and pitiful brightness of the Glow Stick, I had to stay close to Jack; otherwise, it would be difficult to see the path. I specifically asked Jack to shine the Glow Stick towards the Pavement for a better look, and he understood my intention. Shaking his head, he said, "There's nothing to grip onto from the water."
He confirmed my suspicions.
After about an hour or so, I heard a louder sound of rushing water, as if something was about to collapse. I could feel the cliffs trembling.
At that moment, Jack shone the Glow Stick on his face and mouthed to me, "We're here." (To Be Continued...)
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