msmithbooks Chapter 21 Escape
Chapter 21 Escape
"Fields, get ready, we're entering passage number forty-one in five minutes."
"No problem, Brother Cheng."
After walking along the underground passage for more than an hour, they entered an exceptionally spacious underground cave.
Cheng Xu estimated that this underground cave probably covers an area of more than 100,000 square meters, which is roughly equivalent to the area of more than ten football fields in his previous life.
The two immediately searched the cave and found many traces of Crystal Rock Clan activity.
For example, the huge footprints left on the crystalline rock strata, and the chisel marks that are clearly not naturally formed.
Long ago, this place was most likely one of the ancient settlements of the Crystal Rock Clan, but as Fields said, the cave has been abandoned for far too long.
There are numerous passageways scattered around the cave, roughly estimated to be at least a hundred. The passage the two had previously traversed was just one of the many connecting to the cave.
Two days have passed since Cheng Xu and Fields fell into the ground through the crack.
They have explored all forty passageways in succession, but still have not found an exit to the surface.
Cheng Xu even risked returning to the passage they had come from, only to find that the end of the passage was completely blocked by cooled lava.
After a brief period of alternating sleep and rest, they will soon enter a new passage for exploration.
The compressed capsules stored in the combat suits were enough to keep the two of them alive underground for a month without starving or dying of thirst, but the psychological pressure of being in a confined space for a long time was enormous.
Fortunately, Cheng Xu had received specialized training when he joined the company, and Fields was an optimist with a lot of adventure experience, so the two could chat from time to time.
Otherwise, if an ordinary person were in this environment, they would probably be on the verge of depression after two days.
After checking their equipment again and making sure they were fully prepared, they arrived at the cave marked number forty-one.
The entrance was no different from the previous ones, and the two of them easily increased the output power of the lighting equipment and stepped inside.
The initial novelty towards these man-made tunnels had worn off due to aesthetic fatigue. Cheng Xu inspected the tunnel walls as he went, while Fields set up miniature beacons along the way.
This passage seemed longer than the previous one; the two had been walking for more than twenty minutes and still hadn't reached the end.
"Sigh, Brother Cheng, I guess this route is also blocked..."
Fields let out a pessimistic sigh.
Perhaps because he hadn't slept well, Fields looked a little listless and muttered to himself:
"We've been stuck here for so long, we don't even know what the surface is like. Uncle Theodore and the others must be really worried about me..."
Cheng Xu was also worried about the condition of the ground.
Is Director Hu organizing a search and rescue operation for himself with his colleagues at the Administration Bureau?
How far has the mutation process of the Crystal Tomb progressed?
What is the progress of the Bureau's research? Have they solved the root cause of this unusual anomaly?
Have those terrifying stone giants reappeared?
Suddenly, a fresh breeze blew in from the front, dispelling the metallic rust smell that lingered around his nose and clearing away the chaotic thoughts in his mind.
His previously numb spirits lifted, and Cheng Xu suddenly turned around:
"Fields!"
"Hmm? What's wrong, Brother Cheng?"
Fields, who was a few steps behind him, was taken aback and quickly stepped forward, staring wide-eyed at Cheng Xu.
A faint but fresh airflow blew in, quite different from the smell in the original crystal caves and mineral vein passages.
Cheng Xu and Fields exchanged a glance, realizing from each other's eyes that this was not an illusion.
"Walk!"
The two quickened their pace, searching for the source of this new breeze.
The further they went, the more obvious the change in the air became, and Fields' face showed an undisguised joy.
Three minutes later, they stopped and looked up.
In the center of the stacked crystalline rocks, there appeared an opening about the width of a person, and the fresh air that the two felt came from this opening into the passage.
"I'll go up and check first. You stay down here and be ready to provide backup."
Cheng Xu wasn't blinded by the surprise. The area beyond the cave entrance was unknown, and no one could guarantee there wouldn't be danger.
With barbs extending from the wrists, knees, and toes of his combat uniform to aid in climbing, Cheng Xu nimbly scaled the rock face, using both hands and feet to quickly approach the cave entrance.
Beyond the cave entrance was a long, narrow, vertical passage, flanked by jagged crystalline rocks. Cheng Xu guessed that this passage was likely naturally formed, a crack torn open by geological activity.
After climbing up about 700 meters, the crack widened laterally to both sides, forming an air chamber space of about five square meters.
Cheng Xu crawled out of the crack, moved his hands and feet a few times, looked around, and found another crack above the side of the air chamber space surrounded by crystal rocks.
Standing below and observing, a gentle breeze is blowing out of the new crack, which is most likely a passage connecting to the surface.
After a moment's thought, Cheng Xu decided to return through the previous rift, bring Fields up, and then the two of them would enter the new rift in the air chamber space together.
Fields was very careful as he climbed up the first vertical crack.
He knew that if he lost his grip and fell, he would have to experience the same intense pain he felt when he first hit the ground.
Twenty minutes later, Cheng Xu and Fields successfully reached the air chamber space and entered the second rift.
This crack extends diagonally, with a slope of about thirty degrees, making it much easier to climb than before.
But Cheng Xu keenly noticed that as he climbed the slope, the surrounding temperature was also rising.
"Brother Cheng, why is it getting hotter and hotter?"
Fields, behind them, was already panting heavily. The intense heat, which his combat suit couldn't completely shield him from, was also accelerating his physical exhaustion.
"Hang in there a little longer. If it really doesn't work, we'll go back."
Cheng Xu was also enveloped in heat. He also noticed that, at some point, the radiation detection and protection device built into his combat suit had been triggered.
As the indicator light representing the level of radiation darkened, Cheng Xu began to have thoughts of backing out.
At this rate, they might not even make it to the surface before being roasted alive by the intense heat.
Returning to the original cave, there might still be paths connecting the remaining entrances to the surface.
But just seconds after the thought crossed his mind, a faint light shone into his eyes.
After a moment of stunned silence, Cheng Xu felt a huge weight lifted from his heart.
"Fields, we're almost out!"
Seeing a glimmer of hope, their weary bodies burst forth with boundless strength, and they climbed upwards with incredible speed. The faint light, tinged with a pale red, grew brighter and closer.
Finally, Cheng Xu saw the circular opening through which the light was streaming in, and he dashed out. Fields followed closely behind.
But when they saw the scene before them, they froze in place.
Seeing the familiar sky again is certainly a joy, but what if it's a sky reflecting a red glow?