Chapter 491: Fog Fills the Air

I immediately hoisted the young man onto my back. Fatty was already reacting to the poisonous gas, coughing violently, blood even spraying from his nostrils. We couldn't afford to care about that, rushing all the way back to the entrance of the cave, where Fatty stopped again. He still didn't dare to go in.

At the same time, I saw that inside that cave, where the dragon's mouth had been carved, mist was actually pouring out as well. Above the cave, a layer of fog was slowly descending, like smoke from the underworld, and beyond it was another world.

"We're dead dead dead." Fatty paced frantically, "Dammit, Innocent, you'd better put a bullet through my forehead right now, I don't want to end up like those ghost shadows."

"If you die, who'll kill me?" I cursed. Fatty said, "No problem, just put a bullet through your own mouth. Don't worry, it won't hurt a bit."

"Why don't you do it yourself?" I yelled. "Why do you always ask me to do this kind of thing?"

"I'm a fucking Christian, I can't commit suicide."

"When did you convert to Christianity?" I asked. Fatty replied, "I just prayed to God a moment ago."

I looked at the countless threads ahead. "Going crazy isn't painful. Dying's just dying—better than rotting alive."

Fatty gritted his teeth and dashed out, and I followed close behind. The two of us began to walk forward cautiously on the single-log bridge.

The situation was chaotic, but Fatty was even calmer than I was. He quickly wove past several silk threads without triggering a single bell. I followed behind, mimicking his movements, and somehow I also got through. At that moment, I felt my moves were fluid and smooth, gaining a sliver of false confidence, thinking there was hope.

Maybe, after Fatty believed in Christ, he really could be blessed for once. We'd had nothing but bad luck the whole way—could it be that all our luck was being saved for this moment? That would make the heavens far too wise. Hallelujah, Amitabha, I'll definitely repay you! Just as I thought that, Fatty let out an "Aiya," and his whole body slid off the single-log bridge. He barely managed to control himself, but his hand still touched a silk thread. I saw a very slight vibration begin to travel along the thread, and the nearest bell started to shake.

In an instant, I saw the young man's hand reach out from beside my mouth. His two unusually long fingers, at incredible speed, very steadily pinched that bell.

The thread instantly stabilized. I broke out in a cold sweat. The young man slowly let go and said in a low voice, "Keep going—don't stop."

"Xiao Ge, are you okay or not? Are you unconscious?" Fatty asked. "I can't handle the pressure. If you're fine, you take the lead. We really can't manage this."

But the Poker-face gave no response. Fatty cursed loudly. I said, "Keep going!"

Fatty cursed, "How can I keep going? Lean over and see what's ahead." I leaned past Fatty's face and looked forward, and saw that the silk threads in front of Fatty formed an incredibly complex web. Given Fatty's size, getting through the gaps in the web would require an extremely exaggerated level of body control.

"Believe in yourself, you can do it!" I encouraged Fatty. Fatty suddenly spread his arms, made a "crane spreading its wings" pose, let out a yell—"Eeya!"—and then suddenly lunged forward, leaping into the air, somehow slipping through the largest gap in the web, then landing with a big belly-flop into the water.

I was dumbstruck.

Fatty wiped the water from his face and said to me, "Believe in yourself, you can do it!"

I looked at Fatty and suddenly felt that I was truly a failure. Damn it, this Fatty had definitely been hiding his skills—though usually unreliable, in a critical moment, he didn't let anyone down. But what was I supposed to do? Leaving aside the fact that I was carrying the young man, even if I weren't carrying him, there was no way I could let out an "Eeya" and jump over like that.

Sure enough, being fat or not is not a standard to judge any problem. I stood frozen in front of the web for a long time. Fatty looked up at the ceiling and said urgently, "Hurry, the mist is coming down."

I looked up; the mist was still about six or seven meters above us. Fatty had already covered his mouth, and I felt an intense burning sensation starting to rush down from my nasal cavity.

"First get the young man out," I said, suddenly calm. As I said this to Fatty, I flipped the young man off my back, then lifted him in a princess carry and pushed his head through the gap in the web. On the other side, Fatty used the same motion, little by little, to receive the young man.

The young man's weight, combined with my nervousness, caused my whole body to break out in cold sweat. After I had passed the young man over and Fatty had him on his shoulder, I said to Fatty, "The path ahead is easier. You go first."

"What about you?" Fatty asked.

I made the "crane spreading its wings" pose and said, "I don't have confidence in this thing. Don't worry about me. The path ahead is easier. Keep going forward, get out first, and don't worry about me. Once you two are through, I'll go."

As I said this, I didn't feel particularly heroic at all; I just felt it was the most cost-effective way.

Fatty patted me, looked at me, but still didn't move. I said to Fatty, "What the hell are you waiting for? A goodbye kiss? Go!" Only then did Fatty turn and leave.

I crouched down and watched Fatty's flashlight beam flicker and dodge ahead. Fatty's skills were really impressive—he didn't trigger anything, and soon disappeared at the distant exit. Fatty paused at the exit and said to me, "We'll keep going straight. Don't hesitate. If you haven't caught up in twenty minutes, I'll burn paper money for you."

"Go to hell!" I had just finished speaking when Fatty's flashlight beam swayed deep into the passage and vanished.

I looked up at the ceiling. Now I was alone, surrounded by silence. The mist was still descending, but it seemed to be slowing down. That was good, but the intense burning pain in my nasal cavity made it nearly impossible to breathe. I clapped my hands and said to myself, "Let's go."

Just as I was about to jump, I suddenly heard a sound from a corner of the cave. I froze. It was a person's moan. I tried shining my flashlight around, but I couldn't see where the person was. This cave was too big, full of silk threads, and the flashlight beam wasn't clear enough to find the edges.

"Great, I'm poisoned. Can this gas cause auditory hallucinations?" I thought to myself. Then I heard another sound. I coughed a few times and noticed spittle mixed with blood. I bent over. Suddenly, another flashlight beam lit up on the cave wall.

I turned and looked carefully. The flashlight there went dim, and a voice called out, "Third Young Master!"

"Panzi!" I was startled, but I couldn't get close enough to see. The other person said, "Third Young Master, hurry and go." His voice was very weak. Then I heard a series of coughs.

"How are you?" I asked. "How did you end up here?" Panzi said from the darkness, "It's a long story. Third Young Master, do you have a cigarette?"

"You want to smoke here? Aren't you afraid your lungs will burn through?" I could tell from Panzi's tone that he was unusually calm, and a terrible premonition arose. "Haha, it doesn't matter anymore," Panzi said. "You can't see what I look like now."

My sense of foreboding grew stronger. I said, "Stop dawdling. Come over here. If you don't come, I'll go over and help you." As I spoke, I shone my flashlight in his direction and could vaguely make out his form. Then I realized why I hadn't been able to see him earlier. Panzi seemed to be stuck in the rock layer. I widened the beam and suddenly saw that his body was fused into the rock, becoming a shadowy figure.

Panzi's coughing came again. I sat down on the ground and asked, "What happened? Where are Xiao Hua and the others?"

"Master Hua should be fine. Everyone else is dead. That thing was too powerful. When I woke up, I was already here," Panzi said.

"Wait for me, I'm coming, I'll smash it open for you."

"Don't come over." Panzi said, "Young Master, you don't know what the part of me in the rock looks like now. Even if you come, you can't save me; it's too dangerous. Young Master, do you have a cigarette? Give me the cigarette first, and I'll tell you a few things."

I couldn't see Panzi, but suddenly I felt all my strength leave me. I realized what kind of atmosphere this was.

I had never experienced such an atmosphere, but I could sense it.

"Young Master, the cigarette!" Panzi called out weakly, "I don't have much time left."

I took out the cigarette and lighter and asked Panzi, "Where are you?"

The flashlight over there lit up. I found a gap with fewer silk threads and threw the cigarette and lighter over. I didn't know if Panzi caught them, but then I heard him yell, "Young Master, can't you be reliable for once? Can't you light the cigarette for me first?"

My mind went blank, and I couldn't say a word. Panzi said, "Young Master, don't light the cigarette. Do you have a gun on your back?"

"Yes!" I said.

"Give me the gun." Panzi said, "Young Master, I have to end this myself. You go. If there were time, I'd like to chat with you a while longer. But you don't have time either. You can't afford to pity me. If you can't get past this later, you'll end up like me. Go quickly. If you can get out, remember to have someone search the entire back mountain. After Master Hua gets out, he'll definitely be in the back mountain."

I tossed the gun over, and heard Panzi's laugh: "Alright, Young Master, good stuff. I never thought I'd get this kind of gun before dying. Even if I shoot myself in the head, it might not kill me."

I stood up, and heard the sound of a gunshot. Then Panzi laughed again: "Young Master, go."

"Don't rush me. The road ahead of me isn't easy either. If I die later, at least we can keep each other company on the Yellow Springs Road."

"Young Master, with me, Panzi, here, how could I let you suffer?" Then I heard the sound of a gun bolt being pulled. "Young Master, I don't have the strength to say anything else. Let me escort you one last time. I'm going to see Third Master now. Be smart, and give a good account to me and Third Master."

"What do you want to do?" I asked him. Panzi said, "You go ahead. Young Master, march forward boldly, go forward, don't look back." As he spoke, he started to sing.

I carefully leaned forward. The bitterness in my heart was indescribable. Just as I took one step, the back of my head touched a silk thread. I was startled, thinking 'death is death'. Instantly, I heard a gunshot. The hexagonal copper bell on the silk thread was shot to pieces.

"March forward boldly!" Panzi laughed. I kept walking forward, and tears suddenly flowed down. I couldn't see the road ahead clearly at all. I walked step by step, hearing gunshots ringing out continuously behind me.

"The great road leading to heaven, nine thousand nine hundred nine thousand nine hundred nine wa.

Little sister, march boldly forward. Go forward, don't look back.

From now on, you raise that red embroidered tower,

Throw that red embroidered ball,

It hits my head, let's drink a pot,

Red sorghum wine, red sorghum wine hey!"

I finally reached the end of the single-plank bridge and entered the passage.

Mist had gradually enveloped the entire cave. I could hardly breathe and had to run forward madly. Suddenly I heard a gunshot from behind, and Panzi's voice disappeared.

My tears wouldn't stop flowing. I ran forward wildly. Ahead, another staircase appeared leading down into the water. I jumped down. When I floated up, I was already in that poison gas cave full of pools. Fatty pulled me up and said, "Well, well, I was already chanting the rebirth mantra for you. Didn't expect you to still be alive."

"Keep chanting," I said to Fatty.

The passage was right beside us. We rushed in all the way and soon returned to that familiar passage. I don't know what drove us, but we felt extremely frightened and scared. I didn't know where the strength came from, but I just kept running wildly. Finally, I saw light ahead, and then we rushed out.