The following time was spent in anxiety and anticipation. All the engineering troops were mobilized to conduct a carpet search. We suggested that we could help with the search, but our proposal was firmly rejected by the colonel, who did not give us any reason. At that time, we did not think deeply about the implication behind the rejection, and naively believed it was a protective measure. As grassroots experts with our identity, we were indeed spoiled locally, and we could only continue to discuss and wait for news from the jungle.
The victory of materialism happened twelve days later. It was said that a squad of engineering troops discovered an abandoned road on a mountain five kilometers away. They followed the road and found their way another three kilometers to a large crack-shaped cavity in a mountain hollow. The cave was wide enough for thirty meters and covered with camouflaged canvas and fallen leaves. It was not immediately noticeable until someone accidentally stepped on it.
"The entrance to the cave is quite large, measuring 20 to 30 meters deep. The initial section is a vertical shaft, and the engineering troops did not venture further due to lack of appropriate equipment. However, it is highly likely to be the entrance."
"Around noon, the colonel sent out a notice saying it was almost certain that we would be going there the day after tomorrow, so we should prepare ourselves."
Most people were excited to the extreme, while some began to feel nervous. The cave was the fifth deepest in the world, and geological exploration often required entering it. We knew the dangers involved. Everyone immediately got to work, each doing their own thing and there was no nonsense. The entire campsite had an organized and orderly atmosphere.
Looking at the old cat with a sullen expression, I have become increasingly impressed with him in the past few days. Despite such excitement, there was no change in his face. He remained the same, with a smile that seemed to imply he didn't care about anything. While others were getting worked up and excited, he remained still, just standing on the steps watching us.
"I looked at his appearance and felt a little curious. I always felt like this person knew something that I didn't know. The way he looked at us was not a good look."
In fact, every era has a typical type of person, and Lao Mao is the unique type of person for that era. They are very intelligent and have seen many things they shouldn't have during the struggles of the early liberation period. Therefore, they know a lot about the underlying truth, but also know that they are powerless to change it. These people are sensitive and cunning, and enjoy the feeling of being sober while everyone else is drunk, but they also have a sense of superiority and won't wake others up.
"This is certainly a summary I made when looking back over the past few years. At that time, I was curious about people like him, just like how children nowadays feel when they see those independent and unique youth idols, always wanting to approach this person and become one of their kind."
Therefore, during dinner that day, I took a few opportunities to approach him and asked if he had any thoughts.
"At first, he just smiled at me without saying anything. Later, I passed him a few cigarettes and he finally opened up. After a few puffs, he told me that he felt something was wrong about the whole situation."
"First of all, that hole must have been discovered before we arrived. Otherwise, it would be impossible for so many people to come here with such ease. They have been searching within a five-kilometer radius for a long time. Would they only discover it now?"
Secondly, there must be a branch cave underneath that hole, otherwise, there is no need for so many people.
"He didn't know what those people from 723 were up to with their antics. The fact that they didn't directly tell us meant that there was something more to it. In any case, many things were very strange, especially that airplane incident which was too far-fetched. He had a bad feeling about it all."
"After he finished speaking, he patted me and said, 'From now on, you must be extremely careful.'"
"I have no comment on what Old Cat said. My impression of him has slightly fallen, feeling that he overthinks things. This matter is indeed not simple, otherwise, there wouldn't be such a big commotion. And even if there really are issues, I believe others definitely have reasons for concealment."
At that time, I did not have the mind to think too much. I did not take his last words to heart. We prepared our equipment that day, rested for a day, and even fired our guns. On the third day, we set out towards that mountain valley with an engineer battalion.
As there were no livestock, we all walked, carrying a lot of things on our backs and bringing a dog with us. We expected to walk for a full day.
However, I was surprised that I didn't see Old Cat in the itinerary that day. When I asked, I found out that this old thief had a high fever in the morning and couldn't go.
"I understand in my heart that the old cat and what he said to me was not a joke. He intentionally avoided me, and thinking about this, I felt extremely uneasy."
On foot, the feeling of the environment is more direct than in a car. Everyone here carries a gun. Wang Sichuan told me that carrying a gun is necessary on the China-Mongolia border because it is dangerous to carry a gun on the China-Soviet border. Soviet people sometimes fire at you with cold guns, so generally, people do not arm themselves. However, there are many Mongolian bandits that require firepower for self-defense.
But because we were walking exclusively in the valley, unable to see the overall geological landscape, it was very difficult to infer where we were. Moreover, walking consumed all energy, making it impossible to speak. Eventually, all I could see was the back of the person in front of me, and I didn't even have the strength to lift my head and look elsewhere.
Like this, walking with our heads down, we actually trekked through the jungle for a day and a half. By noon the next day, we finally arrived at the mountain valley where we discovered the cave, which was half a day later than planned.
"It's not that we are walking too slowly, it's just that the road is too difficult to walk on. We have never been so deep in the mountains before when we walked on mountain paths. The thickness of the fallen leaves under our feet is really scary, with each step causing a squishy sound like walking in a swamp. With so many people, there are always some who fall behind, causing us to slow down."
Upon reaching the destination, I immediately realized that Lao Mao was right - this cave had definitely been discovered earlier than two days ago. Several tents were already set up nearby, and bundles of ropes were scattered everywhere. It would have taken more than ten days to transport all of these items up here.
But most people didn't notice the problem. Those of us who are familiar with Daxie Mountains are used to dealing with this kind of thing and we basically can't be fooled. If it weren't for Old Cat telling me, I wouldn't have noticed either.
The trees here are very stout, with their canopies blocking out the sun. There are bushes on the ground, and the entrance of the cave facing upwards is behind a huge, fallen dead tree. Many roots that seemingly came from nowhere have grown out, covering one side of the vertical cave wall.
This is a typical geological structure cave (formed by geological structural movement such as earthquakes), not a cave in the general sense. In fact, it is a huge crack on the mountain rock shell. It should be more than 30 meters wide. Standing on the edge and looking down, there is a cliff, pitch dark, and blowing wind up, the depth is unknown.
The area where sunlight can reach on the cave wall is covered with ferns and moss, indicating that it is a horn-shaped cave with a larger space below the entrance. The engineers have already set up a net at the entrance of the cave, using a traction device and a diesel motor to lower baskets of items wrapped in military green canvas. It is obvious that someone is already down below the cave.
"The Colonel told us that the engineering team has completed the initial survey and found that the vertical section of the cave is 214 meters deep and there is running water at the bottom, which is an underground river. We need to take a raft to navigate. Additionally, four branching tunnels were discovered about 60 meters downstream from the bottom of the cave, so our group needs to split up."
"My brain started sweating when I heard this. The Old Cat's words hit me spot on and I felt them tugging at my heartstrings."