Two hours had passed in the blink of an eye.
The descent was slow, repetitive, and physically exhausting.
But at no point did the tension ease.
Jiang Chen and Debi remained cautious, every movement precise, every grip firm.
It had taken them two hours to descend just over 100 meters.
Jiang Chen checked the map. "According to the latest survey by Ukrainian explorer Alexander Klimchouk, we're about to reach a small foothold. From there, there's a shortcut—an angled trail formed by a concave rock surface and a small waterfall."
He glanced at Debi. "The advantage? It'll save us time. The downside? Once we enter, there's no more sunlight. From here on, it's total darkness. Should we take it?"
Debi clenched her jaw. "Let's go. Sunlight or not, we'll be in darkness soon enough."
Minutes later, they reached the first foothold—a small ledge just large enough for them to stand.
Scattered around were signs of previous explorers: old pitons drilled into the walls, faded markings scratched onto the rock, and remnants of burned-out torches.
Jiang Chen could keep going, but he knew Debi needed a moment to rest.
Ten minutes later, they resumed their search for the path Klimchouk had mentioned.
And sure enough—on the opposite side of the ledge—they found it.
A narrow crack in the rock, just wide enough for one person at a time.
It wasn't for the claustrophobic.
But for an explorer, it was something else entirely.
Jiang Chen ran his fingers over the entrance. "These paths are known as 'dream roads' among cave explorers. They're shortcuts to the deeper levels—the pathways that lead to the unknown. And every explorer's dream is to go deeper than anyone has before."
With that, he secured the rope and slipped into the passage.
Debi followed, squeezing through the narrow space behind him.
This was where the work of previous explorers became invaluable.
Countless adventurers had come before them, marking paths, mapping routes, and securing ropes.
The walls bore clear signs of past journeys—scratched arrows pointing the way, faint etchings indicating direction, and remnants of old carabiners left behind as silent guideposts.
It made navigation easier, and their descent quickened.
But the deeper they went, the fewer traces they found.
Until, eventually—
They were on their own.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the narrow passage opened up into another massive cavern.
But this time—
There was no sunlight.
No golden glow.
No awe-inspiring beauty.
Only darkness.
Jiang Chen checked the map. "We should be about 300 meters underground now."
Debi scanned the area, her eyes falling on faint black marks along the cave walls. "There are burn traces here. I remember explorers sometimes use them as markers."
The live chat, which had been following silently, suddenly reignited.
[Wait, burn marks? That means someone was here before, right?]
[Or maybe… they never left?]
[Don't start with the horror movie nonsense, bro.]
Jiang Chen smirked slightly. "There's a reason for these markings."
He continued downward as he explained.
"Scientists have found fascinating life forms around this depth—cave scorpions, parasitic organisms, and even transparent fish. Some of these species have evolved in total darkness for thousands of years. Their existence challenges everything we know about survival."
Debi nodded, her curiosity piqued. "So this is a major discovery zone?"
"Exactly," Jiang Chen confirmed.
Meanwhile, the chat had turned into chaos.
[Every time I watch this stream, I feel like I'm in a National Geographic documentary.]
[Same here, except I actually stay awake for this one.]
[Yeah, I don't dare fall asleep watching Jiang Chen's streams. You wake up, and boom—he's fighting something insane.]
[Bro, the last comment… are you a prophet?]
Jiang Chen let out a quiet chuckle.
As Jiang Chen and Debi continued their descent, the darkness felt heavier, pressing against them like a living force.
"The next foothold is at 700 meters," Jiang Chen said. "We'll rest there before moving forward."
Debi looked at him in surprise. "You know exactly where the footholds are?"
Jiang Chen chuckled. "It's all documented. Back in 2005, an expedition led by Alexander Klimchuk mapped out key camp locations at 700 meters, 1215 meters, 1410 meters, and 1640 meters. They were chosen as the best possible resting points. Instead of wasting time looking for safe spots, we just follow in their footsteps."
Debi nodded, impressed. "That makes things easier."
And so, they pressed on.
It took them five days to reach the final camp at 1640 meters.
Jiang Chen's live stream had now set a new industry record—the longest continuous live broadcast in history.
Even more shocking?
Despite the pitch-black surroundings, with nothing visible for long stretches of time, millions of people were still watching.
The viewership numbers were staggering.
The anticipation was electric.
And Jiang Chen and Debi did not disappoint.
—
On the tenth day, they neared 2,000 meters.
Below them, a vast underground lake stretched out, its still, black waters swallowing all light.
This was it.
The deepest known point of Veryovkina Cave.
Jiang Chen and Debi found a relatively flat ledge to stop and prepare their diving equipment. The plan was to explore the lake—believed to be the final barrier to further descent.
But just as Debi adjusted her footing—
CRACK.
The rock beneath her shifted.
BOOM!
In an instant, an entire section of the rock wall gave way.
The ground trembled violently. A deafening crash echoed through the cave as tons of stone collapsed downward.
Debi barely had time to react.
Her foot slipped—
She was falling.
"Jiang!"
Jiang Chen moved instantly. His reflexes were sharper than a blade.
His hand shot out, grabbing Debi's wrist just before she plummeted into the abyss.
Her face was pale, bloodless from fear.
She gasped for breath, her fingers trembling.
"This damn cave," she whispered. "I swear it wants to kill me. Jiang, pull me up. Please."
But Jiang Chen wasn't answering.
His gaze was locked onto the collapsed rock wall below.
Because in the rubble—
Something had been revealed.
A path.
Not just any path—
A passageway that led deeper.
The tunnel wound around the underground lake, stretching downward into the unknown.
Jiang Chen's heart pounded.
Could it be…?
He activated his Terrain Scanning Locator.
The results were shocking.
The passage extended far beyond what was believed to be the cave's final depth.
Which meant—
The lake wasn't the bottom of Veryovkina Cave.
It wasn't even close.
The world had been wrong.
The true depth of the cave remained undiscovered.
The lake was nothing more than a barrier—an illusion that had deceived every explorer before them.
And now, they had found the real way down.
Jiang Chen pulled Debi up and turned to the camera.
"This," he said, his voice steady, "changes everything."
The live chat exploded.
[WAIT. WHAT?!]
[DID HE JUST SAY THE CAVE IS DEEPER THAN WE THOUGHT?!]
[Bro… they just found an entirely new section of the cave???]
[This isn't just an expedition anymore. This is HISTORY.]
The scientific community, the world of exploration—everyone was in shock.
Jiang Chen and Debi had rewritten the map of the deepest cave on Earth.
And now—
They would be the first humans to venture into uncharted territory.
A place no one had ever seen before.
What lay beyond the darkness?
No one knew.
But Jiang Chen and Debi were about to find out.