Sora seemed to know the cave environment like the back of her hand, and it was obvious she didn't like using torches. As a result, Mo Wen and Little Hong, stumbling through the pitch-dark surroundings, found themselves in a rather pitiful state, constantly worried about bumping into things or getting lost.
If someone were to suddenly light a torch at this moment, they would see two terrified men, wide-eyed, clutching each other's hands tightly as they followed a light-footed young woman moving gracefully ahead.
"Why not just use a torch to light the way?" Mo Wen couldn't hold back his question any longer. But the girl's voice came from ahead, calm and composed:"Hang in there, we'll have some light very soon."
Both men clearly felt the darkness around them growing deeper and deeper. The faint light from behind them was eventually swallowed completely by the blackness.
"Alright, be careful—step forward and jump down now," Sora's voice instructed.
"Jump?" Mo Wen froze in his tracks, now even more hesitant to move."How far do we have to jump in the dark?" But before he could finish his question, Little Hong's impulsiveness got the better of him. Dragging Mo Wen along, he took the leap. It turned out the drop was only about 20 centimeters, but in the suffocating darkness, their fears had been amplified to an absurd degree. Both men ended up sitting on the ground, hearts pounding.
"All right, close your eyes!" Sora's voice came again. Neither of them understood the purpose of this peculiar order, but they complied. Mo Wen fumbled around, feeling the cold, damp stone beneath him until his hand brushed against Little Hong's trembling, searching fingers.
"Okay, open your eyes!" Sora said.
As they opened their eyes, the world before them was transformed. The cave around them began to glow with a gentle, otherworldly light. Mo Wen finally noticed the scene by his side: a crystal-clear underground lake with water so transparent it seemed unreal, the bottom glowing faintly from mineral phosphorescence. The cave walls and ceiling shimmered softly, as if the entire space were bathed in starlight.
They could even see white fish swimming freely, as though suspended in the air. The fish's movements were so graceful and unrestrained that they seemed more like creatures of a dream than of water.
Sora, Mo Wen, and Little Hong stood immersed in the breathtaking beauty around them. None of them spoke, as if even the faintest sound might shatter the almost heavenly atmosphere. It was a full half-hour before anyone broke the silence.
"This is incredible!" Mo Wen exclaimed, his voice filled with wonder."I could stay here forever!"
"Isn't it?" Sora replied with a faint smile."You're lucky—this beautiful scene can only be seen a few months out of the year. This is your first time here, and it happens to be the right season."
"Why? Does the view run away or something?" Little Hong asked, his confusion plain.
"Not exactly," Sora answered, her tone tinged with a hint of regret."But this is the last time this year we can come here to gather herbs. Over the next few months, the cave will be completely flooded."
As they ventured deeper into the cave, their amazement continued to grow. They encountered not only bizarrely shaped rock formations but also naturally formed tunnels winding through the mountain, stretching into unfathomable depths, as if hiding untold secrets.
But as they pressed on, Mo Wen's initial curiosity gradually gave way to unease. He noticed the temperature inside the cave was steadily dropping, and the dampness in the air was growing heavier. Suddenly, a faint dripping sound caught his attention. It seemed to echo from above, as though something was dripping from the cave ceiling onto their heads and shoulders.
Looking up, Mo Wen was stunned to find the ceiling covered with countless stalactites. They dripped water steadily, forming a natural forest of stone. From the ceiling also hung countless threads, each strung with clusters of pearl-like glowworms, their luminescent bodies casting a soft glow. The stunning sight nearly made him forget the purpose of their journey.
In another pitch-black corner of the cave, Sora came to a stop, waving her hand to beckon them closer. She pointed to a small water basin not far away, its surface emitting a faint bluish-green glow. The basin was no larger than a washbowl, its surface as still as a mirror, glowing softly in the dark.
"Come here. Put your face into the water and take a look below," Sora said, her voice carrying an air of mystery. The flickering firelight illuminated her face, revealing a faint, enigmatic smile at the corner of her lips.
"Put my face… in there?" Little Hong hesitated, his eyebrows raised high in disbelief. The words"What kind of trick is this?" seemed to be written all over his face. But his curiosity soon got the better of him. He crouched down, leaned forward, and brought his face close to the water's surface. A chill wafted up from the basin, and after a brief moment of hesitation, he held his breath and plunged his face into the water.
Seconds later, Little Hong shot up, his wet hair plastered against his forehead and water dripping down his face. His eyes were wide with astonishment."Wow! That's amazing! You've got to try it!" he exclaimed, his voice loud and excited. Without waiting for a reply, he dove back in, like a playful fish.
Mo Wen couldn't help but laugh and patted Little Hong on the shoulder."Aren't you worried you'll choke?" he said with a mix of amusement and exasperation. But Little Hong didn't respond—he was too lost in his excitement. Ever since leaving his hometown, this was the first time Little Hong had so completely reverted to the carefree nature of a young boy.
After what felt like too long, Mo Wen had to physically pull Little Hong out of the basin. Little Hong came up gasping for air, but the grin on his face said he couldn't be happier. Mo Wen sighed, shaking his head."You're going to knock yourself out in there, you know," he muttered. But even he couldn't resist the temptation any longer. He crouched down, hesitated briefly, then dipped his own face into the glowing water.
The world below the water's surface was beyond anything Mo Wen could have imagined. The small basin was merely the opening to a massive, gourd-shaped subterranean pool. The upper portion was narrow and smooth, but the lower section expanded into an enormous, cavernous space. The walls were coated in phosphorescent minerals, casting a gentle light that illuminated the entire pool. To Mo Wen, it looked like a natural starry sky.
Above the water, tiny fish and shrimp darted about freely, their silver-white bodies glowing faintly in the light. On the walls of the pool, a few small clams inched along slowly, leaving behind barely perceptible trails.
But the underwater world was even more astonishing. In the depths of the pool, strange fish of various shapes swam languidly. Some had broad, flat heads resembling sharks but with the tentacle-like bodies of octopuses, gliding effortlessly through the water. Others were entirely translucent, their organs faintly glowing red inside. Further still were massive, shadowy figures that hovered motionlessly, like ghosts haunting the depths of the cavern.
The most unsettling sight, however, lay in the murky silt at the bottom of the pool. At first glance, the silt seemed lifeless, an undisturbed layer of fine sediment. But as Mo Wen watched, something strange happened. A large stone crab scuttled across the silt, and the ground beneath it stirred faintly. Suddenly, a silt-covered mass shifted slightly. The next moment, the "mud" cracked open, revealing a single fist-sized eye. It resembled a murky glass orb, with yellowish-brown veins radiating from its black, weighty pupil. The eye rolled slowly, scanning its surroundings with a cold, calculating gaze.
Mo Wen froze, his breath caught in his throat. Sweat began to bead on his forehead, even in the cold, damp air. Just as he thought the eye might reveal something even more terrifying, the mud seemed to snap shut like a trap, swallowing the eye once more. Within moments, the silt returned to its lifeless state, as though nothing had ever happened.
"What… what was that?" Mo Wen pulled his face out of the water, his voice hoarse and unsteady. Water dripped from his face as he turned to look at Sora, his expression a mix of shock and disbelief.
Sora stood calmly beside the basin, her arms crossed and her face unreadable."What did you see?" she asked, her voice light and unhurried, as if she already knew the answer.
After a brief pause, Mo Wen finally spoke, his voice still shaky."That mud… there's something alive down there. It moved. And it had an eye. A huge eye."
Sora nodded faintly, a small, enigmatic smile playing at her lips."Now you know. This beautiful world is not as safe as it looks. Those fish and shrimp might seem carefree, but they're living in constant danger. Everything here has its place—and its predators."
Little Hong's curiosity got the better of him."You mean… that thing eats fish?"
Sora gave him a sidelong glance, her tone casual but her words chilling."Fish? Sure, it eats fish. But it wouldn't hesitate to eat you too, if you were unlucky enough to fall into its territory."
Her words sent a shiver down both men's spines. Mo Wen's gaze returned to the glowing water. For the first time, the beauty of this underground world seemed tinged with an undercurrent of dread. Yet amidst the unease, he couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement. It was as though he had glimpsed a secret hidden in the depths of the earth, a feeling akin to the wonder of gazing at a flowing galaxy through a child's first telescope—both humbling and exhilarating.