Red Sister and Chen Jiansheng, both in their thirties or forties, would squabble at the drop of a hat. Outsiders witnessing their quarrels would surely comment on their lack of grace.

I beg to differ.

Both are members of the Thieves' Guild, inhabitants of the Martial Arts World, a milieu of all social stripes, and they carry with them an air of ruffianism from the lower echelons of society—a trait not easily shed.

After several explanations, Red Sister finally caught on.

"Hmph..." Red Sister scoffed with mocking laughter, "Now I get it. No wonder he mimics others when speaking. He's just a 'Two Hundred and Fifty'—a fool. Let it be, I won't stoop to the level of this Southern Sect Fool."

"That's more like it," I said, then gesturing towards the riverbank, I asked, "Red Sister, how do you propose we get across?"

"Oh?" She frowned, "Cross over for what? Do you actually believe this fool's words?"

After a moment's thought, I nodded, "Haven't you noticed, Red Sister? Where did all that firewood come from? I think there might be some truth to what he's saying. There could be other secrets hidden here."

Chen Jiansheng was still acting foolishly, still imitating our speech.

A Mole glanced back at him, gritted his teeth, and said, "Fine, Cloud Peak, if you believe him, I believe you. Let's swim across and see if there's indeed a Celestial Cave hidden within."

"Cloud Peak, you're not good with water, are you?" she asked me.

"Umm... it's not that I'm bad, I just can't even dog paddle," I admitted with a grimace.

She sighed in exasperation, "I'm not trying to be harsh, Cloud Peak, but if we find the others and get out, you'd better learn to swim. In our line of work, not knowing how can cost you dearly."

"Just hold on tight to me from behind, I'll take you across."

I quickly nodded in agreement.

The Underground River wasn't wide, but it was deep, and the water was chillingly cold this time of year. Red Sister was a strong swimmer, but even she didn't dare to be overconfident.

"Keep your hands lower, where are you touching?"

"Oh, oh, sorry Red Sister," I hastily moved my hands down.

Before entering the water, I looked back at the delirious Chen Jiansheng and asked, "What about this guy, Red Sister? Do we leave him here?"

"Eat your radishes and mind your own business," she said coldly, "If that Southern Sect's Earthworker dies, he dies. We don't need to bother with him."

"Oh..." I didn't dare to talk back.

Taking one last deep look at the man, I took a deep breath.

With a splash, I clutched Red Sister and together we leapt into the Underground River.

The river was colder than I had anticipated, and within mere seconds, my limbs began to numb with the icy grip of the water.

"Focus, don't let go, it'll be alright once we get across," Red Sister instructed, carrying me on her back as we slowly made our way to the riverbank.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

We were fortunate; no mishaps occurred, and in less than ten minutes, we safely reached the shore.

After wringing out our clothes, we approached the crevice.

It towered over us, some dozen meters high, appearing profoundly deep from the outside, and narrow enough to only allow one person through at a time.

I checked the flashlight's battery—it still worked, though the light it cast was scattered and weak.

Red Sister and I exchanged a glance.

I nodded and took the lead, squeezing sideways into the fissure.

As I inched through the gap, I held my breath, mindful of the jagged rocks protruding from the walls that scraped against me painfully on several occasions.

After covering about three hundred meters, a glimmer of light appeared up ahead.

My heart leapt with joy, and I quickened my pace.

Once out, I stood dumbstruck by the sight before me...

I had thought that beyond this crevice might lie another subterranean cavern.

But... I was mistaken.

Back in middle school, I had learned about a text called "The Peach Blossom Spring," written by someone named Tao—I'd forgotten his full name. The story described a hidden world inhabited by secluded people.

Yet, before my eyes, there was no one, not a soul. As far as I could see, there were only plants—countless, verdant plants.

Trees towered over twenty meters tall, wild grasses and flowers bloomed, green vines and withered vines intertwined. This place, isolated from the world for over three thousand years, had become a realm unto itself, a lush and vibrant sanctuary.

At that time of year, Shunde had already welcomed spring, but let me tell you, the growth of the grass on Moth Mountain couldn't hold a candle to the verdure here. Many of the trees and flowers were unlike any I had seen before, their names beyond my knowledge.

No wonder Chen Jiansheng from the Southern Sect had said that this was the Tomb Owner's garden.

But this garden... it was far too vast, stretching beyond sight, as if it had hollowed out the entire subterranean space of Moth Mountain.

Both A Mole and I were astonished, at a loss for words, able only to marvel at nature's divine craftsmanship.

Chen Jiansheng's survival here for half a year, I surmised, was largely due to this earthly paradise.

I asked, "Red Sister... what is all this?"

She bent down to pluck a wild herb, examining it before surveying our surroundings, and spoke gravely, "To me, it seems the ancients regarded death as they did life. Emperor Qin Shihuang constructed the Hundred Thousand Terracotta Warriors, created lakes and seas of mercury, and used pearls to simulate the stars. We have underestimated the grandeur of the ancient people's vision..."

At that moment, applause suddenly erupted from behind us.

"Clap, clap."

"Indeed, thinking too small," came the voice of Chen Jiansheng from the Southern Sect, in agreement.

Drenched, his face was inscrutable, betraying no clear emotion.

"Chen... Chen the Earthworker, you're alright?" I asked, feeling somewhat guilty. After all, it was he who had informed Red Sister and me about this place, yet we had abandoned him earlier.

"Hmph," A Mole snorted, his expression far from friendly.

"Hey, kid from the north, what happened just now? How come the moment I was distracted, you two ran off and left me behind?"

I thought to myself that Big Brother should keep quiet; his mental state seemed to be in need of attention.

"Ahem," I coughed deliberately to mask my discomfort and then said, "It's nothing, just a minor incident earlier. It's all good now. The three of us are together again. Let's cooperate for the time being and figure out how to get out of here—that's what matters."

Hearing this, Chen Jiansheng looked at A Mole and said, "You're Logistics Chen Hong from the Northern Faction, right? This young man is correct. I've been here for several months and know a bit more than you do. Our ultimate goal is to get out. As for the grudges in the Martial Arts World, we can settle those back in the Martial Arts World. Do you agree?"

Red Sister, rubbing her temples wearily, replied, "That's fine, but... I'm worried that certain individuals might suddenly become a liability, dragging down me and Cloud Peak."

"A liability? Who's ill? What kind of illness? Are there others here?" Chen Jiansheng looked around, puzzled.

I quickly stepped in, "No, no one's ill, we're all fine. Chen the Earthworker, since you know your way around this vast place, why don't you tell us, where do we go next?"

"Alright, follow me. I've found several suspicious spots before. An extra mind could provide additional options. I'll take you to see them and you can help with the strategy."

As he led the way, he briefed us, "This place is not small; I've walked it several times, it must cover three to four kilometers. There's a dead end at the far side, no way through. Also, let me warn you, there are certain things you must not touch."

"Otherwise, be prepared to suffer." (To be continued)

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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free]: https://www.readgates.com/article/7b136c