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墨書 Inktalez
I marked the path again, making it clearer and more complex than before. Then we set off towards the second level as planned.
We hadn't walked far when the flame of the torch flickered and then went out. I moved to the left side of the tunnel in the dark and heard Zhao Squad Leader call out, "We're ready."
The voice came from the right side of the tunnel. I replied, "Then let's go. We'll call out every ten steps."
All of this had been discussed on the way, including my decision to take the left tunnel while they took the right. Based on our previous exploration, we were certain that as long as we hadn't reached a branch, the tunnel was a straight path without any chance of getting lost. As long as we controlled our pace on both sides, it should be safe, albeit slow.
At that moment, I glanced at my watch; we had already been in this tunnel for six hours since entering. The pain from what I suspected was a fractured sternum had subsided significantly, indicating that the injury wasn't as severe as I had imagined. Of course, this was also due to my physique, which allowed me to recover quickly. I suddenly recalled how unbearable the itching on my back had been during my struggle with the Cephalopod Monster, but now I felt nothing.
This journey had been filled with one issue after another; there was never a moment of peace. As long as it wasn't a life-threatening injury, hardly anyone paid attention. Now, in this pitch-black darkness, there was no way to check anything; I merely worried for a moment before pushing it aside.
No matter how slow we moved, as long as this tunnel had an end or a branch, we would eventually reach it. Zhao Squad Leader and I shouted almost simultaneously, "We've arrived."
I lit the torch and immediately attracted the attention of the two soldiers who had been stuck in darkness for nearly an hour. First, I marked the exit and then searched around the three tunnel openings but found no clues. Finally, I stopped at the right branch and sketched a terrain map there.
This map needed to be left at every exit so that Xiao Guolin and the others could clearly understand our current position and objectives at each junction. Additionally, while searching on the second level, we were to proceed in a clockwise direction according to plan; however, that didn't mean we had to turn right every time. By drawing maps at each branch point, we could also avoid making mistakes ourselves.
After marking everything down, I extinguished the torch and set off toward the next branch. Based on our previous slow pace, I suggested speeding up by singing fast-paced military songs in rhythm with our steps. Of course, we wouldn't actually sing all along; doing so for such a long distance would strain our voices. Instead, every few measures, people on both sides would take turns singing a line to replace calling out.
This method worked well; within half an hour, we reached the next junction. We lit another torch and made our mark before confirming that there were no signs of Xiao Guolin and his team before continuing onward.
Walking in darkness required an adaptation process; once we adjusted to this environment, fear would diminish or become numb over time, allowing us to increase our speed gradually. This time we reached the next branch even faster. However, marching quickly also consumed a lot of energy. Even though we quickly marked our position and confirmed there were no signs of Xiao Guolin and others, we decided to take a short break.
The three of us sat back-to-back in the dark at the intersection in the next direction of travel, breathing loudly. This intersection is on the left hand side of the intersection where we came out. At this time, I saw that my original decision, which was to draw a clearer topographic map at each intersection, was correct. In the honeycomb-shaped passage, you have to walk to the left Branch every two or three Branchs to ensure that you are searching on the second floor clockwise, otherwise you may end up on the first or third floor. This will also lead to confusion. Although you can follow the signs to find the Starting Point, it will not help you find a way out and will only waste precious time. This requires an accurate reference. We don’t have paper or pen to record every intersection we pass. I also dare not expect my brain to be so nervous that it will collapse and remember the direction of each step we take. But marking every intersection will definitely deepen my impression of the map and allow me to clearly remember every Branch I pass. I was glad that I had made the right decision, but at the same time my mind began to become confused, as if my spirit suddenly relaxed and physical and mental exhaustion came over me like a tide. The darkness before my eyes was darker than night, and I couldn't even tell if I still had my eyes open. I pinched my thigh violently, and the pain woke me up from my semi-drowsy state. I immediately became alert, this was not normal. Although the excitement along the way was enough to exhaust my energy and energy, it was a prerequisite for me to fall asleep at any time. But at present, my nerves are still so tense that I am about to break, and there is no reason why I cannot help but fall asleep during a short break. I suddenly asked a question in my mind: What is going on? Since we entered Embankment and rushed into this channel, we have always been in a state of tension and high tension, and we have no time or energy to pay attention to other things. Now I suddenly asked myself, and found that the environment has really changed too much, and it is all-round. The main factor causing my malaise should be the temperature. The biggest enemy we face on the waterside Embbankment is the Cephalopod Monster, and the second opponent is hypothermia. We don’t have a thermometer and can’t measure the exact temperature, but based on experience, I can tell that the temperature there is at least five degrees Celsius. After entering the passage, we were tired of running at first, and then were frightened by getting lost and strange events, and were so confused that our sensory nerves were numb. Now I realize that the temperature in the passage is much higher. My bare feet don’t feel too cold, but of course they still feel cold. If you go barefoot on Embankment, you will definitely freeze. The inside and outside of the channel are the same geological layer. I can understand maintaining a constant temperature, but it is difficult for me to understand that the temperature difference is so big. One temperature requires people to continuously increase the amount of exercise to resist the cold, while the other temperature makes people sleepy. You can imagine the huge difference between these two temperatures. I was worried that if I continued to sit here, I would fall asleep uncontrollably, so I decided to set off immediately. The advantage of having a suitable temperature is that the intake of food will be reduced, which will extend our survival time. I heard even breathing coming from both sides, and knew that these two soldiers were probably asleep. I slapped them awake hard and kept shouting: Let's go, let's go. Zhao Squad Leader was woken up by me and he pretended to be alert and said: "I almost fell asleep." I didn't bother to sarcastically say: He was just snoring.
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