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墨書 Inktalez
Time seemed to stand still, and except for Tang Yumo, all of us were staring across the Beipan River.
Although I was standing on Chessboard Stone, my view wasn't much better than anyone else's. The altitude of this mountaintop was already high enough, with no obstacles to block our sight. I didn't know what was about to happen, but my hand instinctively reached for my waist, where a handgun rested.
With a loud bang, the stagnant time resumed its flow.
My hand gripping the gun trembled involuntarily as I watched the Zip Line that spanned the Beipan River snap from the other side, producing a deafening sound as it sliced through the air before plummeting into the river and disappearing in an instant.
Suddenly, both my face and my heart turned cold. I knew we couldn't escape now.
I looked at Tang Yumo coldly and said, "It seems you've changed your mind about feeding us to the fish in the river. So, I want to know what you went through all this trouble for by bringing us here?"
While my heart was growing colder, it was also becoming calmer. I quickly analyzed the current situation; although crossing the river was impossible now, we weren't in a desperate situation either. At least we had Tang Yumo in our hands. Even if the Hakka People had ulterior motives, they would be cautious due to her presence. I also realized that Tang Yumo held a very special position within Hakka Village.
What astonished me was that the order to cut the Zip Line came from Tang Yumo herself. This reflected two pieces of information. One was that among this group of Hakka People, Tang Yumo had decisive authority; all of them would obey her commands.
The other was that this Zip Line spanning the Beipan River could be severed at any moment, meaning they could cut it while one of us was in the middle of it. If they were discreet about it, they could easily claim it was an accident.
Now I could firmly conclude that the Hakka People had kept us in the village for so long for this very purpose. Their target was most likely me.
What puzzled me was why Tang Yumo would choose this moment to cut the Zip Line. They had gone to such great lengths and taken so much time; it couldn't possibly be just to keep us in the valley. The current outcome served no other purpose than to trap us here.
"So you went through all this trouble just to feed us to turtles? No wonder that old man Wu wouldn't let us leave; he must have been plotting something here. What’s wrong? Did your conscience finally kick in?"
Fatty's injury made it difficult for him to move, but it didn't stop his mouth from running.
Jack looked at Tang Yumo in shock, his expression complex as he began to retreat involuntarily, his movements stiff and numb as if he were lost. Even Xiao Ting released her grip on Tang Yumo, watching her with a face full of suspicion.
Tang Yumo stood subtly among the four of us, perhaps overwhelmed by the pressure we exerted on her. I could sense the Hakka Robe she wore trembling slightly, and the strange flush on her face had not faded. Her porcelain-like skin was smooth, with a faint blush on her cheeks that should have appeared cute and alluring.
Yet, I did not feel that way; instead, I felt fear, and I believed she felt it too. Beneath her trembling Hakka robe, her body must have been shaking. What was she afraid of?
"We need to go back," Tang Yumo turned her face toward me.
"We? Including us?" I stood on the Chessboard Stone, looking down at her. "Of course, we can't cross the river. But why should we return to the Village? What for? Do you think there is still trust between us?"
"We must retrieve the specimens Jack left underground. No living creature from the Ground can enter the Underground Cavern; otherwise, it will disrupt the ecological balance down there."
"I'm sorry. There are too many loopholes in what you just said; can you come up with a better excuse?" I retorted bluntly. "The entrance in your Village might block other creatures from entering the Underground Cavern. But that entrance at the Pit Vortex cannot prevent anything from getting in. If we can enter, then so can other species. Are you testing our intelligence?"
"Under normal circumstances, no living thing would enter through that entrance. Even if a living creature were to enter, it would be instantly destroyed by the internal sound wave resonance. Of course, I'm referring to specimens like those Mr. Jack caught. Larger species cannot approach that area; you should know why—there's something guarding it. The fact that you could enter through that entrance is a miracle; I doubt it can be replicated."
"But my specimen is kept in a sealed jar. Moreover, it's a specimen, not a living creature; how could it disrupt the ecological balance underground? Sister Tang, you're overreacting."
Tang Yumo gradually regained her composure, though her body still trembled slightly. The flush on her face had not dissipated; she seemed to be still emotionally stirred.
"We have lived here for a long time and bear an undeniable responsibility for this Valley and the Underground Cavern; we must protect its safety. Even a minor mistake could lead to disaster, which we cannot accept. Therefore, even if there is a slight possibility of danger, we must confirm the truth and eliminate any threat before it can grow."
"Now I'm curious. What exactly is your danger? What threat could a bug possibly pose?"
Fatty finally chimed in.
Tang Yumo did not turn away but continued to gaze directly at me, as if she had determined that I was the leader of this team.
"Will kill all creatures in the Underground Cavern."
"Are you kidding us?" It was more a reaction to being ignored by Tang Yumo that Fatty raised his voice. "You bring out such nonsense to scare us?"
Tang Yumo continued to look straight at me, her tone cold. "Go down and see for yourself. It's terrifying, and I'm not exaggerating. You wouldn't lack the courage to take a glance, would you?"
I could only scoff at Tang Yumo's poor attempt at provocation. Fatty sneered even more.
"What if we refuse?" Jack finally spoke up with a rational question.
I was also curious. The Hakka People could keep us here, preventing us from crossing the Beipan River temporarily, but they couldn't force us against our will. At this point, they had lost their initiative. We couldn't cross the Beipan River for now, nor could we leave this place temporarily, but we had already departed from the Hakka People's Village and escaped the treacherous Valley. Their control over us was significantly weakened.
Of course, we couldn't leave right now; we had two severely injured members. However, we could now establish contact with the outside world, something that was impossible within the Valley. There were no longer any barriers. We could at least reach out to the Search and Rescue Team from Hong Kong and seek their help. Leaving this cursed place wouldn't be too difficult for us.
(To Be Continued...)
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