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墨書 Inktalez
"There's an exit here?! This isn't a closed space. Here..." I stumbled over my words, the sudden realization making it difficult for me to organize my thoughts quickly.
Yes, Jack's discovery was significant. There was no echo here.
In the Underground Cavern, there would always be some degree of echo, whether faint or strong. In the worst cases, a single sentence would reverberate like waves crashing in my ears until the echoes faded away. Even in the least noticeable places, there would still be a faint buzzing in my ears, making it clear that I was in an enclosed environment.
But at this moment, the sensation of echo had vanished. I felt as if I were in an open field rather than the Underground Cavern. Of course, this was just a perception based on my hearing.
"A simple exit wouldn't have such a noticeable effect. Just like this passage," Jack gestured towards the tunnel behind me. "We still feel echoes at the other end of the passage, but not here. I lean more towards your second point: this isn't a closed space. Or perhaps your third point."
I looked up and then ahead towards the direction of the object that Fatty had pointed out to me.
At this moment, Flare's light had dimmed, and darkness was rapidly enveloping the space. The torchlight and One-Eyed Beast Flashlight once again became our primary sources of illumination.
The thought of this made my head throb with confusion. Behind me was a massive stone wall; for there to be no echo in this space, it had to be large enough that echoes couldn't return quickly, or all directions except for this wall had to be open, including above. Clearly, both conditions were nearly impossible to fulfill.
I shook my head at Jack. "Your third point."
Jack looked at me in surprise. "That's your point. It was yours just now."
"My what?"
Jack craned his neck to look at me over Tang Yumo, his expression serious. "You spoke too quickly behind me or used some dialect; I didn't understand. But it sounded impressive at least—your expression suggested that. I want to know what you meant."
Hearing Jack say this, especially seeing his utterly earnest expression, I felt like I could almost choke on my frustration.
I don't have a third perspective at all. I was rambling incoherently, and what came out were just a few phrases in my hometown dialect. I never really learned the local language; the most I heard was when my parents argued, and they usually didn't speak it outside of those moments. You can imagine the level and vocabulary of the hometown phrases I picked up—certainly not anything pleasant.
Fatty had heard me curse in our dialect, so he knew what those words meant. I couldn't help but burst into laughter when I realized Jack had misunderstood so deeply. I even threw one of those words back at Jack: "Haben'er."
As soon as Jack heard that, he became serious. "Yes, that's the one! What does it mean?"
Of course, I wouldn't translate it for Jack, but I worried about Fatty's big mouth; he would definitely be interested in explaining the meaning to Jack.
"We can't split up to find a way out; this place is too vast, and if we separate, we'll probably never regroup. My suggestion is to check out that protruding object over there. No matter what it is, there will definitely be something to discover. That thing is too obvious. The Hakka People wouldn't just put something that large there for no reason."
I first shot a questioning glance at Fatty. He shrugged noncommittally. "I have no objections; it doesn't matter which way we go—it's all just wandering around."
"What about you? Any suggestions?" I turned my face toward Jack.
"Well, at least there's a visible target over there."
I didn't look at Tang Yumo. I was worried she might mislead me. I felt she wouldn't give me good advice right now, and a bad idea could get us all killed.
I nodded. "I'll lead; Fatty, your torch has a wide range, so keep an eye on the people behind us."
"Look at you, as if I'm a selfish person." As long as his tongue was working, Fatty would never stay silent in any situation.
"You two stick close together. Don't get lost; the boss will blame me." Fatty poked his head out toward Jack and Tang Yumo.
Seeing this attitude from Fatty, I hurriedly waved my hand. "Let's go."
With those two words, I took a step forward.
"Passage."
A dull thud echoed, shaking the ground beneath us. The four of us instantly turned pale.
Of course, it wasn't my footsteps; I wasn't a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
The sound came from behind us, more precisely, from the passageway behind us. This passage wasn't long, much shorter than the Underground Passage, allowing sounds from the other end to reach us—especially such a massive noise.
Yes. There was no doubt that something had fallen at the other end of the passage. Judging by the sound, this time it was something even larger, something capable of turning that Big Black Pig into a meat patty.
I suspected it was Heimanluo. From the tense expressions and held breaths of the other three, I guessed they shared my assessment.
Fatty tiptoed back two steps and slowly crouched down, pressing one ear tightly against the ground.
After a moment, Fatty jumped up. "Damn it. What a lucky choice; it's coming our way. With a one in three chance, why did it have to pick this passage? What bad luck."
Seeing my anxious and confused expression, Fatty snapped, "What are you waiting for? Run! The footsteps are coming toward us."
"Are you sure?" Although Fatty had broken the silence, I still spoke softly, fearing that Heimanluo might hear me.
"Damn it. Brother Qiang, do you think I'd make this up? It's life or death here."
Hearing this made my legs go weak. This cave was flat with no place to hide; if Heimanluo charged out of this passage, we would only face slaughter.
"Zhang, give me your gun and backpack," Jack's voice was as calm as ever. "I can't outrun it, but I'll do my best to buy you some time. I hope you can find a way out."
In that moment, I felt that Jack was the true leader. Really, at such a critical juncture where sacrifices had to be made, he was willing to do so. No matter whose life was at stake, even if it was his own.
"American Guy, you're a real man! If I make it out alive, I'll definitely throw a feast in your honor."
I almost spat in Fatty's face upon hearing that. Was he craving a drink or celebrating the loss of a rival?
I knew Jack's decision was the most realistic and feasible plan at the moment, but I couldn't do it; I didn't have the courage to abandon my teammates. Yes, I believed such a decision required bravery.
"You said I wouldn't die if I followed you, right? And Tang Yumo has always thought so too. So let's run together; if the prophecy holds true, we won't die."
With that, I stepped in front of Jack. "Get on my back; I'll carry you out of here."
(To Be Continued)
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