Geisterkonserven

Kapitel 3

Liang Yingwu pressed a button on his watch, and the backlight turned on.

“It’s 3:45 now. I’m giving you 10 minutes. We’ll be back in 10 minutes. I hope you’ll hurry if you don’t want to walk in the dark for too long tonight. Of course, you can also ask to go back now.”

After the initial fear subsided, almost all the boys wanted to show off their courage and boldness as men in front of the girls, so they all asked to stay a little longer. It was obvious that a few were just putting on a brave face. I chuckled inwardly. This kind of display of courage only showed that they weren't fully mature. Most women weren't interested in this kind of courage at all; they thought it was just men being silly and reckless, completely failing to understand their feelings.

All the girls huddled at the cave entrance, none of them willing to step among the skeletons. The boys, on the other hand, shone their flashlights around cautiously as they moved about.

I stood beside Liang Yingwu. We were both people with basic common sense about adventure, and our actions were exactly the same. Two beams of flashlight started from the left side of the cave entrance, sweeping down the cave wall from top to bottom, and gradually moving to the right. By the time we reached the right side of the entrance, we had a clear view of the cave's interior. In this unfamiliar environment, to take any action, the prerequisite was to first understand the surroundings as much as possible.

The cave is very large, more than twice the size of the previous cave, covering an area of four or five hundred square meters. In the center of the cave is a small pool of water. This is the dark interior of the mountain, and the surroundings are quite different from those of a typical cave. They are very dry. Although there is a stream at the foot of the mountain, the presence of a pool of water here is quite unusual. If it weren't for the bones scattered all over the place, it would be a nice tourist destination.

Just like the previous ones, there were no signs of life in this cave—no bats, no lichen. Based on the villagers' taboo surrounding this cave, although I hadn't initially believed it, seeing the skeletons scattered everywhere made me worry that something sinister was going on inside. However, after careful observation, I found nothing. Only a strange sense of unease lingered in my heart. I often possess extraordinary intuition, which makes it easy for me to intervene in unusual events and often allows me to make correct judgments when in danger. But now I'm unsure whether my desire to leave this place as soon as possible stems from the skeletons or some other reason. Anyway, Liang Yingwu said he'd only stay for 10 minutes.

A passageway leading to the grave (3)

I carefully avoided the bones on the ground and walked to the pool in the center of the cave. The pool was only two or three square meters in size, and the ground near it was slightly damp, but there was still no moss or other aquatic plants. I shone my flashlight directly into the pool, and the surface was very calm, without any ripples. The water was very clear, and I couldn't see the bottom, so I guessed there probably weren't any fish, shrimp, or other aquatic life there.

As I examined the human bones on the ground with the help of my flashlight, my brow furrowed. How did these people die? There were fragments of pots and bowls, and a bronze incense burner not far away, giving the impression that these people had lived here for some time. But the pile of bones, numbering in the hundreds, even the bare bones, seemed to be "piled up." Despite the nearly 500 square meters of space, it was impossible for so many people to have lived here.

Among the skeletons, some were extremely small, presumably those of children. Why would so many people come to such a place? Was the barely visible mountain path we saw earlier made by these people years ago? Why did the children also enter the cave, and why didn't they come out? Did they starve to death, or was there some other cause of death? I noticed that a considerable number of bones were incomplete, with isolated arm bones, leg bones, and even ribs scattered everywhere. Thinking of the bloody scene of severed limbs, even I felt a lump in my throat.

The events that occurred here must have been extraordinary. Just like the origins of ancient myths, some events, due to their profound impact or lasting significance, have become distorted through word of mouth among those unaware of the truth. The tragedy that occurred in this cave must have also spread to nearby villages. Although the truth remains unknown, there must have been some unusual and dangerous information that led to this place being designated as a forbidden zone.

The deeper I thought about it, the more chills ran down my spine. So many years had passed since these people died, yet the events were so bizarre that standing here now, I felt as if I were in grave danger. I glanced back at Liang Yingwu; the last rays of my flashlight illuminated his face, and his expression was just as grave as mine.

"Gather together, we're getting ready to leave the cave." It hadn't even been 10 minutes, but as soon as Liang Yingwu shouted this, all the boys, including He Yunkai, obediently and quickly returned to the cave entrance. However, back in Shanghai, they would surely boast about their performance among the skeletons. The girls, on the other hand, had been waiting for this sentence for a very long time. For them, a minute here felt like an eternity.

Liang Yingwu dared not be careless. He counted the number of people and confirmed that there were 14 in total. Then he turned around and entered the passageway first. After taking a step, he suddenly turned back and said, "Everyone hold the hand of the person in front of you. If anyone falls behind, the person in front should report it immediately."

A thought struck me: So, he also felt that this place was more than just a pile of bones; he probably sensed something unusual, just like I did.

Such an order, if given normally, would have been met with ridicule from the boys, but now no one objected. Everyone stretched out both hands, maintaining close contact with the person in front of and behind them. This time, I didn't walk at the back of the line as I had before, but behind Liang Yingwu. Behind me was Jiang Wei, her small, cold hands slippery and sweaty, clearly quite frightened.

"After you leave, will you report this place?" I asked Liang Yingwu softly. He naturally understood that by "reporting," I didn't mean reporting it to the school.

“Let the local government send an investigation team first, and we’ll see what they find,” Liang Yingwu replied in a low voice.

After rounding the first bend, everyone quickened their pace. Unlike the adventurous spirit they had when they arrived, everyone now wanted to escape the darkness of the cave and return to the sunlight outside as quickly as possible. Although it was already late, and the sun would soon be setting.

"ah!"

A sharp scream came from behind. Liang Yingwu stopped abruptly, and in that instant, my heart pounded wildly.

A dozen flashlight beams shone towards the source of the sound. Liu Wenying's face turned deathly pale, while He Yunkai, standing beside her, looked utterly embarrassed. I noticed he was holding a white, gleaming object in his hand—it was an arm bone.

"Are you out of your mind? Are you trying to kill me?" Liu Wenying yelled.

This is a trick that boys love to use to scare girls, but it's very inappropriate at this time and place.

"Don't joke like that, throw the things away." Liang Yingwu said sternly.

He Yunkai said "Oh" and reluctantly threw away the bone.

After turning the second bend, you'll soon see the light of day again.

Yes, seeing the light of day again, that's what I really thought then, and I believe everyone thought that way. That kind of darkness was just too unbearable.

Suddenly, I felt Liang Yingwu tighten his grip on my hand and his pace slow down noticeably.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"How many turns did we make when we came in?" Liang Yingwu asked.

“Two,” I said, though I was puzzled. It was impossible for Liang Yingwu not to remember that.

"How many turns?" Liang Yingwu suddenly stopped and asked again. This time, he was addressing Jiang Wei, who was behind me. His voice was urgent, and I, a friend who knew him very well, could detect a hint of fear in it.

"Two turns? Didn't I already say we've already turned two turns? Let's hurry up, we can talk outside." Jiang Wei was eager to get out of there as soon as possible.

"What's wrong? What did you find?" I asked Liang Yingwu in a low voice. If I wasn't mistaken, he must have discovered something very bad. But he was walking in front of me, as if nothing had happened.

Liang Yingwu did not answer, but slowly turned his head back to look ahead.

Look towards the exit of the passageway.

"My God, how is this possible..." Yuan Qiuhong exclaimed in disbelief.

I didn't need to listen to what she was going to say next; the moment she uttered "Heaven," I already knew something was wrong.

A passageway leading to the grave (4)

Light.

There is no light.

We've already turned two corners, and the exit of the tunnel should be just ahead. It's around four o'clock now, and there should still be plenty of sunlight outside, so the outside of the tunnel is quite bright, and there should also be some light inside.

But there was nothing there. Apart from the beam of a flashlight, it was pitch black ahead.

"Everyone, turn off your flashlights," Liang Yingwu ordered.

The beams of the 14 flashlights went out within three seconds, and then everyone was plunged into darkness.

Absolute darkness. Not a single ray of light.

Liang Yingwu let out a heavy sigh and turned on the flashlight again.

“I remember the road was uneven when I came in, maybe that’s why it blocked the light?” Yuan Qiuhong said.

This time, without Liang Yingwu needing to answer, I already knew that things were likely to turn badly. I said, "You remember correctly, but after turning the last corner, we've already walked nearly twenty meters. Do you think this road is still as uneven as before?"

My voice trembled slightly as I said those words. If my intuition is correct, this is no longer the way we came in.

It was pitch black ahead. Where did it lead?

"Maybe it'll suddenly rain outside. The weather in Shennongjia changes in an instant. If it rains, there won't be any light," Zhu Zili's reasoning was probably our last hope. But the road was clearly different now. Did this reasoning make sense?

The silence was eerie; all the students were utterly bewildered. If the earlier sight of the skeletons had planted a seed of fear in everyone's hearts, then now that seed had sprouted, tightly binding their hearts. I knew how those who had grown up in a scientific environment, who believed they could understand and control everything, would react when faced with an inexplicable predicament for the first time. I had been through it myself, and these students, after all, were still children. Even Liang Yingwu and I were momentarily at a loss; how much more so were they?

Infinite loop (1)

"Should we move forward or go back?" I asked Liang Yingwu.

"Let's go back first," Liang Yingwu said after thinking for a moment.

"Retreat?" I hesitated.

“Everyone, turn around and go back first. Walk slowly and carefully shine your flashlights on both sides of the cave walls. We might have taken a wrong turn.” As soon as Liang Yingwu said this, all the students breathed a sigh of relief. A wrong turn—that was the only explanation. I think they all agreed with Liang Yingwu’s guess. They must have unknowingly taken the wrong turn. Perhaps there was a fork in the road that was hard to distinguish, or perhaps there were actually two entrances to the White Bone Cave, and they had simply taken the wrong one without noticing.

A fork in the road—that explanation sounds reasonable, but is it even possible?

Based on my understanding of Liang Yingwu, I know he is an absolutely rational person. Despite having been with the X Organization for several years and encountering even more supernatural or unimaginable events than I have, he has always treated them with a scientific and rational attitude. I believe this is also the attitude of the entire X Organization towards such events. With this attitude, no matter the situation, rigorous analysis and logical deduction are essential, leaving no detail overlooked. That's why Liang Yingwu is now suggesting going back to see if we've gone astray. However, I believe that despite saying this, the hope he truly holds for his words is no more than one in ten thousand.

If there were forks in the passageway, how come we didn't notice them when we came in, and we didn't notice them when we went back? Were all 14 of us going the wrong way? If there are two passageways in the Bone Cave, that's even more impossible. Not only did none of us notice there were two passageways, but the girls didn't even move from the entrance of the passageway they came in from. With such clear coordinates, how could they have gotten it wrong?

I'm 99% sure we're in trouble.

On the way back, everyone slowed down, as if by unspoken agreement. One bend, then another, the pace decreasing with each turn. Fourteen flashlights meticulously searched the surrounding stone walls, but ultimately they returned to the original Bone Cave.

Although all of this was within my expectations, it still left me feeling extremely dejected. When the students had practically circled the 500-square-meter hole with their hands and finally returned to the tunnel entrance, several boys could no longer contain their fear and began to curse loudly:

"It seems the only option is to move forward. Even if we don't know where it leads, it's better than staying here." Liang Yingwu immediately made his next decision. Experience told him that since the way they came had inexplicably vanished, there was undoubtedly danger lurking on the other side of that unknown darkness. Liang Yingwu was certainly aware of this, but it seemed there was no better choice than this.

The students continued to carefully illuminate the stone walls on both sides with their flashlights, futilely trying to find a non-existent fork in the road and end this nightmare. Liang Yingwu and I, on the other hand, focused our attention on the darkness ahead. Our flashlights cast two constantly intersecting beams of light in the darkness. I kept my eyes fixed on that spot, the place where danger was most likely to occur.

They had rounded the second bend. All the students began to pray, praying that this was the way they had come in, and that the exit lay at the other end of the road, only that the rain had prevented sunlight from entering the cave.

I walked forward step by step, the path beneath my feet still flat. I knew clearly in my heart that this was definitely not the way I had come in.

I could vaguely see the exit, and I believed Liang Yingwu saw it too, because he had slowed his already slow pace even further, taking each step cautiously and paying attention to the reactions of the cave walls on both sides. In this unknown and mysterious environment, anything that seemed fine under normal circumstances could suddenly turn into a problem.

As I got closer to the cave entrance, my brow furrowed. A bad feeling began to form in my mind. Could it be that strange?

The moment I stepped out of the cave, I felt dizzy. My damned intuition always kicks in at the worst times. Even Liang Yingwu, seeing the situation before him, seemed to lose the ability to speak, standing there blankly, not knowing what to say to the students surging up from behind.

There's nothing more to say, because no one can explain what exactly happened. They actually returned to the cave. Starting from the Bone Cave, they walked for over a hundred meters, made two large turns, and then, like drawing a triangle, finally returned to the Bone Cave.

Yes, it's like drawing a triangle on paper with a pen; the pen tip will eventually return to the original point. But here, in this real cave, we keep moving forward. There are no forks in the road, no second cave. How could we possibly end up back where we started?

The cave was completely silent; everyone could hear their own heartbeat, and the only other sound was the heavy breathing of their companions.

"We're trapped in a ghostly maze," Fei Qing said, trembling as she nestled in Bian Xiao'ou's arms.

He Yunkai's breathing grew heavier and heavier. He muttered to himself, "Impossible, how could it be? Two identical caves. No, I have to go through it again." He suddenly turned around and ran into the tunnel alone.

"He Yunkai, come back, don't go alone." Liang Yingwu hurriedly called out, but at this moment, how could He Yunkai listen to his words?

Liang Yingwu hurriedly ran into the cave, and I followed him in. Behind me, all the students ran after him.

The two turns were quickly over, and when we ran out of the tunnel again, all we saw with the flashlight was a pile of bones. It was still the Cave of Bones. He Yunkai was squatting not far from the entrance, his hands covering his head, his fingers clutching his hair.

My eyes slowly swept over the skeletons in front of me, and the thought involuntarily popped into my head: Could these people have been trapped and died here? Back then, they also came in, only to find that they could never get out?

"Human Cave"—is this name perhaps because it's a cave where once someone enters, they can never come out again? It's a man-eating cave!

"Everyone, stay calm and don't panic. Although we've encountered a very special situation, if we panic, things will only get worse." Liang Yingwu's words had little effect; panic had inevitably spread among these young people.

Infinite loop (2)

“Listen to me, everyone, we still have hope. You must know that Na Duo is no ordinary reporter. He has experienced even stranger and more dangerous things before and is very experienced in these kinds of incidents. With him here, we will definitely be able to find a way out.”

I have truly witnessed Liang Yingwu's methods firsthand. He will use any trick to achieve his goals. He couldn't expose the identity of his X organization, so in order to appease the students, he betrayed me first.

However, under such circumstances, finding someone to rely on is obviously very important. Liang Yingwu's words undoubtedly placed the hopes of everyone in our department on his shoulders, making it a heavy burden for one person to bear.

As soon as I said that, all the students looked at me, their eyes filled with hope in the light of the flashlight.

Having no other choice, I had to bite the bullet and continue Liang Yingwu's words: "Yes, I do have some experience with this kind of thing. The most important thing is that no matter what happens, you have to stay calm, analyze it rationally, and try every possible way to solve the problem."

Although my words contained nothing substantial, the students calmed down somewhat.

"Everyone, clear a space, check your belongings, and then take out your water and food and pile them together." Seeing that everyone was listening to him, Liang Yingwu immediately issued a concrete instruction.