Emerging from the cave, the monster had vanished. The outside was empty, and a sweep of my flashlight yielded no sign of it. Wang Yang and I exchanged a look, then pressed ourselves against the wall, inching towards the collapsed section nearby.
We had no idea where Zhou Yongxiang and the others had gone, but the deafening roar earlier was undoubtedly their doing. Upon reaching the collapse, I spotted a backpack – likely dropped by Zhou Yongxiang’s group. This strongly suggested they were buried within.
Shining my flashlight, I couldn't see Zhou Yongxiang or Da Jun. I scanned the surroundings and whispered to Wang Yang, "Where did that monster go?"
He shook his head. "Don't know. Probably left."
But this place was so confined; where could it have gone? Had it burrowed underground?
Wang Yang flicked his flashlight, and I followed his beam to a larger cave entrance. The monster seemed to have gone in there. I scrabbled at the rocks and called out softly, "Old Zhou, Old Zhou..."
A weak voice soon responded, "I'm here..."
I quickly moved a stone, finally finding Zhou Yongxiang. He and Da Jun were trapped in a recess, thankfully not crushed by rocks. However, his face was streaked with blood, indicating he was likely injured.
After some hesitation, I decided rescuing them was the priority. I instructed Li Zhasan to stand guard in case the monster returned. Then, Wang Yang and I worked to clear the stones, eventually freeing Zhou Yongxiang and Da Jun.
They were both covered in dust. Da Jun's right hand was bleeding profusely, several fingers mangled. Zhou Yongxiang had a head wound, bandaged like an Indian, his head wrapped like a turban.
"The bronze statue! Don't forget the bronze statue!" Zhou Yongxiang’s urgent reminder to Da Jun came even as he was being pulled out. It seemed Zhou Yongxiang had some sway over Da Jun, who, without complaint, began dragging the bronze statue out.
With them rescued, we faced two paths: return to the cliff base or venture into the large cave. Both held unknown dangers. Returning meant navigating the plank path back to the cliff top, and we weren't even sure if we could find our way out. Advancing into the cave risked encountering the monster again.
Everyone seemed hesitant. Finally, I gritted my teeth. "Since we've come this far, why not explore inside? That monster, though terrifying, couldn't see us. As long as we're careful, we should be alright."
My words prompted glances among the group. With Zhou Yongxiang's nod of agreement, everyone accepted my proposal. Wang Yang and I took the lead, Li Zhasan stayed with Zhou Yongxiang, and Da Jun carried the bronze statue. We proceeded into the vast cavern.
The air inside was incredibly humid, a fine mist coating my face and the back of my hands as soon as we entered. The further we went, the wetter it became, the very air feeling saturated. Soon, we heard the gentle murmur of flowing water. A flashlight beam revealed a curtain of water, with a stream about a meter wide flowing from beneath it.
"Could that monster have gone into this waterfall cave?"
Zhou Yongxiang suggested, "Let's follow this stream upstream. We should be able to find a way out." We all agreed.
The stream was frigid. The moment my feet touched the water, an intense chill shot from my soles to the crown of my head. As we walked upstream, the current grew stronger, and the rocks underfoot became slick, making slips and falls a real possibility.
After about half an hour, we reached a dead end, marked only by a spring. It was a circular pool, about ten meters in diameter, with a colossal tree standing in its center. Its height was impossible to gauge; looking up, its canopy was lost to sight. The tree was also alarmingly thick, with ladders fashioned from vines clinging to its trunk.
"What kind of tree is this?" I asked.
"Probably a bald cypress," Zhou Yongxiang replied.
"A bald cypress this big?" I craned my neck, still unable to see the top.
"These ladders are man-made. If we climb up, there should be a way out," Da Jun said, testing a vine ladder. There was no point in hesitating; the longer we stayed, the greater the danger.
"Who's going first?" Da Jun asked, turning to the group.
"I will," Wang Yang said, and he was the first to ascend the vine ladder. I followed close behind. The vines were thick, providing a secure footing, though the climb was strenuous. At this point, however, exertion was secondary; survival was paramount.
After a short climb, Zhou Yongxiang couldn't continue and asked us to go ahead and scout. Wang Yang and I pressed on. Soon, I too felt the strain, my waist injury starting to ache again. My legs trembled. Looking up, I still couldn't see the top. Glancing down, I could only see the faint beams of their flashlights, about four or five meters below, and then nothing but darkness.
"Let's rest," I called up to Wang Yang. He stopped and looked at me. "You can sit on the vine to rest." I nodded, shifting my position. Once seated, a wave of drowsiness washed over me. To stay awake, I touched my waist wound. The pain, when I felt it, almost made me cry out. I gasped, realizing this tomb had already cost me half my life!
After catching my breath, Zhou Yongxiang and the others began their slow ascent. I turned to continue climbing, but as I did, I saw a human face carved into the tree trunk! My nerves, frayed by previous encounters, had become somewhat dulled. I shone my flashlight directly onto the trunk, examining it closely. It was then I realized the "face" was a carving. Pushing aside the vines, I saw other patterns besides the face. I called out to the others, sharing my discovery to prevent them from being startled.
They looked. Zhou Yongxiang's voice drifted up from below, "This must be the Longevity Tree..."