Chapter 426: Stone Shadow: Fatal Error

Cold sweat broke out all over my body, and the fear was beyond words. When they opened the door, they must have thought it was absolutely safe and would have been very relaxed. If they suddenly ran into a trap, it would surely be a bad omen, and it was all because of my mistake here. That would be equivalent to me killing them. Even if Poker-face and the others could survive, as long as someone died, it would be my responsibility, and I couldn't face that.

Xiao Hua reacted much faster than I did. He immediately jumped onto the pulley and was sent out of the cave. I heard him shouting outside, trying to get the message out, but I knew it was already too late—at least three days had passed since they went in. If something was going to happen, it would have already happened.

In an instant, all the relaxed feelings vanished. It felt like when I used to help someone cheat on an exam and only realized after submitting that the two of us had taken different subjects. I also walked out of the cave, and the two of us stood on the cliff, entering a state of extreme anxiety and daze.

Xiao Hua sent a message asking the people there to immediately check the situation and give us feedback, but the message would take at least two days to get there and back.

I tried to think of some excuse to comfort myself and Xiao Hua, but it was obvious just from a casual thought that this was very serious. I couldn't even calm my own heart.

That kind of anxiety was indescribable. I sat there, wanting to do something, but I knew that nothing I did now would be of any use, and everything was my own responsibility. A hidden fire burned inside me, making it impossible to calm down.

But there was no way around it; I just let it burn. I was anxious until evening, when all my energy was exhausted, and I collapsed.

On the third day, we received feedback—just a few words: "We've lost contact with them." My head exploded with a buzz.

I couldn't stay there any longer. Xiao Hua and I went down the cliff and returned to the nearby village. We communicated directly with the people in Banai via computer. As soon as our stuff arrived, they also realized something was wrong and immediately sent people in, but there was no response.

Now they had taken emergency measures and were preparing to send people in to check. They told us to continue waiting for news.

That night, I couldn't sleep at all—I didn't know if it was because I hadn't slept in a bed for too long or because of the anxiety. The next day, there was still no news. Even the people who went in to check hadn't come out.

I covered my face and understood that there would be no good news.

Still we waited—the third day, the fourth day, the fifth day, the sixth day. After a week, I realized what was happening, but I still asked the other side to give me news every day. They were completely in despair. Xiao Hua patted me and said, "Stop fooling yourself. Something must have happened inside."

I had never been so at a loss. Normally, I could calm down because I had Poker-face and Fatty by my side, but suddenly, I was all alone.

I thought of all the times—in the Seven Stars Lu King's Palace, under the sea, on the Changbai Mountains—those times I was with them, trapped, facing danger together. I never felt so anxious. But now... I couldn't stay any longer. I immediately made a decision: I would go to the Guangxi site.