Corpse Retriever

Li Zhuiyuan was about to open his mouth to remind them, but before he could shout out, a detector suddenly flew into the air.

Everyone was shocked and looked up. Many flashlights were also directed upwards. In the panic, they only saw a sturdy body standing high and swinging constantly.

This scene made the scene collapse directly.

The body that was raised up fell rapidly, and the pair of eyes like lanterns drew two red light shadows in the night sky, and then rushed straight towards the cave.

Everything happened too fast and too urgent. Some of the detectors outside were stunned and stood there, while some fell down and pulled their hands but their knees were weak and they couldn't get up. There were also many screams and shouts purely from instinct.

If they encountered other sudden unexpected situations, this group of detectors who worked outside all year round and had a certain degree of organization would not be so panicked, but the problem was that facing such a thing that suddenly appeared in the darkness of the night, being scared silly was the normal reaction of people.

In comparison, Li Zhuiyuan and his four companions, who had experienced many strange events, were more resilient. When the others were still at a loss, Runsheng had already reached out and grabbed Li Zhuiyuan's arm to carry the boy on his back. Xue Liangliang and Tan Wenbin supported each other and stood up.

From a purely rational point of view, they should have more opportunities to dodge and move than others, but the "two big lanterns" ignored the others on the river beach and rushed straight towards them.

This is its cave, and now it wants to go home.

The four people in the cave suddenly had no way out, and if they continued to stand there, they would either be swallowed by the thing or crushed to death in this cave.

Runsheng carried Li Zhuiyuan on his back and turned to run into the cave. Tan Wenbin and Xue Liangliang followed closely behind. The four came to the cave in front of the cave and jumped down collectively without hesitation.

At the moment of jumping down, Runsheng pulled Li Zhuiyuan in front of him, protected him with his arms, and used his body as a meat pad.

Perhaps because that thing often goes in and out of here, the rocks on the tunnel wall are polished very flat, even smooth. After the four people jumped down, they slid down diagonally like a slide.

And behind them, the harsh friction sound of truck tires sliding on the smooth road kept coming, and the tunnel began to tremble violently.

Because Li Zhuiyuan was protected by Runsheng, he could look behind him. The pair of huge red lanterns were following closely behind him. He could vaguely see the two legs shaking under the red lanterns. It was the explorer who was bitten at the beginning.

At this time, Li Zhuiyuan heard a sound below in his ears, like a huge wind.

This means that the tunnel is almost at the end, and the bottom should be empty. The four people are likely to fall to their deaths!

But at this time, there is no other feasible measures at all. Not to mention that it can't be done, even if it can be done, trying to stabilize the body and slow down at this moment will result in being swallowed by the thing behind.

Second, if I had to choose an ending for myself, it seemed that it would be better to fall to death than to be eaten by that thing.

Soon, the feeling of weightlessness appeared, and the four people slid out of the tunnel, and then fell quickly.

Even when falling, Li Zhuiyuan still looked up, that is, where the four of them slid out. The pair of red lanterns stopped at the exit of the tunnel and did not follow.

In this way, the red lanterns became smaller and more blurred in his vision.

"Plop! Plop! Plop!"

Continuous sound of falling into the water.

Li Zhuiyuan felt the stinging pain when the water surface hit his back, but at the same time he breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. He knew that the lives of the big guys were temporarily saved because there were two people in the team who were very good at swimming.

Without moving around, just cooperating, Runsheng quickly grabbed himself and swam to one side. The undercurrent was deep, but not wide. Soon, the two of them reached the shore.

"Xiaoyuan, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, brother Runsheng, how about you?"

"I'm thick-skinned."

Li Zhuiyuan took out his flashlight, knocked it, and turned it on again.

Each member of the exploration team had a waterproof flashlight like this, which was hung on their bodies and would never be lost unless there was a special situation. The only problem was that this thing was a bit stupid and rough, and it often had poor contact, but the method of repairing it was also very simple, just find a stone to knock it.

"Snap! Snap! Snap!"

Li Zhuiyuan kept turning the flashlight on and off.

After a while, the same response came from the opposite side.

The underground river was very noisy and the echo was serious, so long-distance shouting could not be transmitted at all.

The boy pressed the light twice with a long interval, meaning that there were two people here, and the other side soon did the same operation. It seemed that Xue Liangliang and Tan Wenbin came ashore from that side.

Li Zhuiyuan raised the flashlight and shook the light column, indicating that there was no rush to meet up, and each of them checked the situation on their own shore to see which one was more suitable.

Xue Liangliang also shook the light column, meaning that he knew.

This is not the language of lights. The basis of communication is the understanding ability of both parties.

Next, Li Zhuiyuan began to observe his surroundings with the help of a flashlight. In order to save electricity, Runsheng's flashlight was temporarily unused. The same was true on the other side, with only one light.

The coast on his side was not narrow, but rather spacious. The distance between the rock wall and the undercurrent was generally more than ten meters.

But the problem was that the rock wall was a little too smooth, like a whole big mirror. Runsheng tried to climb it with his bare hands, but finally had to give up because he couldn't get up at all.

Li Zhuiyuan was not disappointed. After all, that thing was at the top. Even if he could climb up like this, he might still encounter it.

At this time, the other side of the river started to speak with lights, first with rapid and high-frequency flashes, and then with vertical shaking.

"Brother Runsheng, Brother Liangliang has found something over there, let's go over there."

"Okay."

But just as Li Zhuiyuan was about to hang the flashlight back on himself, the light of the flashlight swept across a figure.

At first, the boy thought he was dazzled, because in the dark environment, he trusted his ears more.

The flashlight was shone back, and the man appeared again. He stood there, holding the rock wall with his right hand, his right leg stretched out, revealing half of his face, as if he was peeping.

Runsheng immediately took two steps forward and came to the front of the boy. Obviously, he also saw it.

"Xiaoyuan, do you want to go and have a look?"

Runsheng knew that the boy would always choose to be steady when in danger, but this time, the boy's answer was:

"Brother Runsheng, let's go forward."

"Okay."

For the sake of caution, Li Zhuiyuan had only explored the surroundings after landing. He had not been to the front position, but looking at the figure and posture of the man, it was obvious that there was a sunken area on the left side of the man.

Either there was a raised corner there, or there was a new hole inside.

He roughly calculated the time it took for the four of them to slide down the tunnel and the time it took to free fall out of the tunnel, and barely calculated a vertical drop. Under this drop, blindly following the flow of the underground river, the most likely thing waiting for him would not be the sunlight after walking out of the water curtain cave, but further down.

The best way to leave here is to find a path to go up.

The flashlight kept falling on the "peeping" figure, and the man not only did not dodge, but remained motionless.

Could it be that it was not a person?

When the distance was close enough and the flashlight's delicate luster reflected the texture of stone, Li Zhuiyuan felt relieved. It was indeed not a person, but a stone sculpture.

However, the shape of this stone sculpture was too weird.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't know whether the stone sculpture was originally painted. Anyway, it was not visible at all now. Judging from the shape and posture of the stone sculpture, it should be a woman.

She was not peeping... She was observing.

The two words are very similar, but the voices they represent are completely different. The former focuses on himself and Runsheng, while the latter focuses on the stone sculpture.

Li Zhuiyuan shone the flashlight to the left and rear of the stone sculpture, revealing a cave with stairs inside.

Then, Li Zhuiyuan shone the flashlight on the stone sculpture again, this time from the back.

Now you can clearly see the female features, and even the design of the skirt. Thanks to admiring A-li's outfit every day, Li Zhuiyuan can now restore the skirt style of this stone sculpture in his mind based on the existing patterns.

She was not carved and placed here, she was carved directly on this angled rock wall, and many parts of the front half of her body were integrated with the rock wall.

Li Zhuiyuan took several steps back in the direction he was going, and Runsheng also stepped back, and the two returned to the state of facing the stone sculpture head-on.

"Xiaoyuan, it's a bit scary..."

What can scare Runsheng is never the real thing, but the atmosphere.

And what Li Zhuiyuan wants to find again is this atmosphere.

When he approached step by step before, he felt a sense of familiarity. Now, this feeling is back, and he also thought of where it came from.

The main location of many ancient tombs, that is, the location on the wall above the coffin of the tomb owner, will be painted... "Woman Opening the Door".

There are many speculations in the academic community about this, and Li Lan agrees that it means that after the tomb owner dies, he will be led by another underworld world.

Of course, the netherworld here does not refer to Yama Hell, but it will have different directions due to different periods, different regions and different religious beliefs. Some are to lead oneself to immortality, and some are simply to take oneself back to another house that is not inferior to the world of the living, where one can indulge in pleasure as in life.

In short, it is not a place where living people can go.

Think of the stone stairs in the cave behind...

This is not the location of the main tomb, nor is it the location of the normal tomb passage. So who is the stone sculpture here to lead?

Li Zhuiyuan turned sideways and looked at the surging underground river.

When rational thinking doesn't work, you have to change your thinking.

The underground river can be compared to the Yellow Spring Yin River. So the stairs and the stone statue of the woman opening the door are here to welcome the ghosts in the Yellow Spring to come in as guests?

If this is really a tomb, how hospitable must the tomb owner be when he was alive, and how to welcome ghosts from all directions after death?

Li Zhuiyuan looked at the other side of the river. After greeting, the light on the other side has been on, and occasionally it will lightly swing to show that it is still alive.

The boy began to signal them to come to his side.

Both sides had made discoveries, and where to gather specifically depended on who had the best say in the team.

Soon, the other side responded and they went into the water.

Runsheng went to the shore to wait, and soon, the two wet people were lifted up by Runsheng.

"Hu... Hu..." Tan Wenbin knelt on the ground and took a slow breath.

Xue Liangliang just spit a few times and walked towards Li Zhuiyuan: "Xiaoyuan, we found a ship there, but it is a stone ship, carved together with the rocks on the shore."

"Then take a look at our side."

Xue Liangliang held up a flashlight, first looked at the stone carving, and then looked at the stone stairs in the cave inside.

Li Zhuiyuan introduced the meaning of "Woman Opening the Door" and his own views to Xue Liangliang. After listening, Xue Liangliang immediately agreed: "Then the ship we found on the other side, isn't it the Huangquan ferry?"

Li Zhuiyuan nodded: "It seems that it can be solved."

Xue Liangliang asked: "Xiaoyuan, should we go up the stairs or..."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Wait for rescue."

At this time, Tan Wenbin shouted: "The water is rising!"

Li Zhuiyuan and Xue Liangliang went to check immediately, and the water level of the river did rise.

There was a drop when we went ashore before, but now the drop has not only been smoothed, but the water in the river has also begun to flood the shore.

Li Zhuiyuan raised the flashlight and shone it on the wall above again: "No wonder the stone wall above is so smooth, it turns out that the water level will rise and wash it up."

Xue Liangliang: "This is the magic of nature."

"Brother Liangliang, now doesn't seem to be the time to sigh."

"It doesn't matter, because we only have one choice left."

"Let's go." Li Zhuiyuan made a decision, "We can only go up."

Runsheng walked in front, Li Zhuiyuan and Xue Liangliang walked side by side, and Tan Wenbin was at the end. There was no special rehearsal, but everyone seemed to know their own position naturally.

The stone stairs were very smooth and there were no handrails. Everyone could only bend over and walk up carefully. From time to time, they had to press the stairs with their hands to maintain balance.

Tan Wenbin joked: "It would be nice if there was an elevator like in the hotel."

Xue Liangliang responded: "Then do you still want to wait until you get up, and there will be a room with a bed for you to lie down and rest?"

"Of course, it's better to make a pot of tea."

After walking for a long time, the flashlight finally shone to the top.

The top was dark red, with doors and windows, and the door was still open.

Li Zhuiyuan felt that the stone sculpture at the bottom of the stairs should be carved here.

Tan Wenbin: "I really said it, there is actually a room."

Runsheng: "Xiaoyuan?"

"Go in, brother Runsheng."

"Yeah."

There is no turning back. In fact, the hope of waiting for rescue was not great at the beginning, because the rescue team had to solve the big thing above first. Now, coupled with the characteristics of the underground river that will rise, it is meaningless to put hope on rescue.

Runsheng entered the door, and the next one was Xue Liangliang. Li Zhuiyuan checked the window next to him before entering the door and found that it was made of stone like the door, but the color was still bright, just a little dark.

No mistakes, one post, one content, one 6, one 9, one book, one bar!

This means that no matter how much the underground river rises, it will not flood here.

These two doors are fixed and cannot be pushed, so they can only remain open.

After walking in, the furnishings in the house are all stone carvings, two rows of benches, a bed, and a coffee table with tea sets on it.

The teapot has no lid, and you can see white liquid when you shine the flashlight down. When you look up, you find that the top is not flat, but there are many stone edges extending down. The tip of the largest and thickest one is just facing the open teapot.

Xue Liangliang pointed at the teapot: "Binbin, your tea."

Tan Wenbin asked curiously: "What is this? I seem to have seen similar photos in magazines."

Xue Liangliang: "Stalactite."

Tan Wenbin: "It sounds expensive, can I drink it?"

Xue Liangliang: "Calcium carbonate precipitate."

Tan Wenbin sighed: "Once this scientific name comes out, it suddenly loses its sense of luxury."

Li Zhuiyuan looked around and said: "There is no way out."

This stone house is not big, just the size of a normal residential hall, but the only door is the one for entering, and the other three sides are all rock walls.

Tan Wenbin said speechlessly: "No, it took so much effort to build such a long stone staircase just to put this?"

"Everyone look again to see if there is a hidden passage." After Li Zhuiyuan finished speaking, he walked towards the bed, reached out and touched it, then climbed up, took a flashlight to check the gap in the bed, and then found that there was no gap in the bed.

Xue Liangliang was concentrating on studying the tea set, touching and twisting here and there: "Everything here is fixed stone. See if there is anything that is not fixed. Maybe there is a mechanism."

"Okay!" Runsheng squatted down to check the chairs.

"Okay, find the mechanism." Tan Wenbin responded while yawning and walked to the east wall. He stretched out his hand and rubbed his eyes. He was not slacking off, but really sleepy. After all, he was busy all day and looking for people in the first half of the night. Now it should be the second half of the night.

A few days ago, he should be competing with Runsheng in the tent to see who snored louder.

Subconsciously leaning his hand against the wall, Tan Wenbin blinked hard, trying to dispel the sleepiness.

After squeezing out a little more energy, he planned to continue to help find, and then looked at his left hand in surprise, and was shocked to find that his left hand had actually sunk into the wall.

"Fuck!"

Tan Wenbin instinctively wanted to pull his hand out, but the more he exerted force, the stronger the suction came from the other side.

When the other three heard his cry and turned to look at him, they saw Tan Wenbin stuck to the wall. Runsheng reacted quickly and tried to pull him, but before his hand touched Tan Wenbin, Tan Wenbin completely sank into the wall and disappeared.

As he entered, the wall began to soften and shake.

"Brother Binbin seems to have found the entrance."

Li Zhuiyuan said, and stretched out his hand. His fingertips penetrated naturally, and after stretching a little deeper, he felt the suction coming from the inside.

The boy did not resist, but took the initiative to move forward. The next moment, he felt that he was pulled into a piece of colloid, but this state did not last long. He was soon thrown out and ran forward for several steps before he maintained his balance.

Except that his whole body was soaked again, he did not feel any other discomfort.

Li Zhuiyuan looked forward and saw Tan Wenbin sitting there with his back to him. When he raised the flashlight, his pupils suddenly shrank, and a huge snake head was hanging in front of him.

"Ahhhhhhh!"

Tan Wenbin screamed.

Li Zhuiyuan stepped forward and patted his arm: "Fake, this is a stone sculpture."

"Ahhhhh..." Tan Wenbin continued to scream while looking at Li Zhuiyuan, and then the sound gradually subsided, and his hand began to grope on the ground, "Hey, where is my flashlight."

Apparently, when he just came in here, he shone the flashlight and came face to face with the stone snake head, and he was shocked.

Li Zhuiyuan raised his flashlight to help him search, but found that he could not see anything in front.

"Brother Binbin, stop."

Tan Wenbin stopped, he also saw it, and stretched his hand forward to explore: "Xiaoyuan, there is a cliff in front, my flashlight fell down."

"It's okay, as long as the people are okay." Li Zhuiyuan walked to the edge and continued to search, but it was too deep and too dark below, and he could not see anything.

At this time, Runsheng and Xue Liangliang also came in, both of them were covered in water.

Tan Wenbin immediately reminded: "There is a stone snake head in front, be careful not to be scared."

But even with the reminder, when they really shone the flashlight over, their bodies also stagnated for a while.

Li Zhuiyuan has come to the bottom of the snake head to check. At first, he thought it was just a single snake head stone sculpture. Facts proved that he was wrong. Only the snake head extended to the platform where he and others were now. Its body was intact, but it was just standing up.

The snake has dense scales carved on its body, which is easy to get started and put down.

Li Zhuiyuan pointed upward and said, "Let's climb up."

There was nothing to hesitate about, because there was no choice at the moment. If they wanted to leave here, they could only go all the way. The most important thing was that the snake's body was upward, which was in line with the direction of survival.

The four climbed up the snake's head, like climbing a ladder, step by step.

Just like when they climbed the stairs before, they shone the flashlight upward while climbing up.

Suddenly, the flashlight shone on the tail of the snake above, and there was a figure standing.

Is it a stone sculpture again?

This was Li Zhuiyuan's first thought, but soon, the facts overturned his cognitive habits. The figure retreated and was moving!

The four people who were climbing the snake obviously saw this scene, after all, everyone was looking up when climbing up.

Because of this change, the four people stopped their actions at the same time, not knowing whether they should continue to climb up.

"Xiaoyuan?"

"Brother Runsheng..."

Li Zhuiyuan had just started to speak when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his brain. He couldn't help but put his forehead against the scales, using the coldness on top to wake himself up.

At this moment, the snake body he was holding seemed to come back to life and began to twist.

But when Li Zhuiyuan raised his head again, the twisting feeling disappeared again.

Hallucination?

"Xiaoyuan?" Runsheng asked again.

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head vigorously and forced himself to calm down: "Brother Runsheng, go up!"

"Okay!"

Runsheng climbed up faster and came to the top.

When Li Zhuiyuan climbed up, he found that there was another platform in front of him. Looking forward along Runsheng's flashlight, it was still a huge snake head.

"No, it's not right..."

Li Zhuiyuan gritted his teeth, he felt something was wrong.

At this time, Tan Wenbin and Xue Liangliang also climbed up, and the two began to pant.

Runsheng asked, "Xiaoyuan, do you want to keep climbing?"

Li Zhuiyuan raised his hand and motioned Runsheng to wait for a moment, so that he could think about what was wrong.

He began to recall all the details since he went up the stairs and the various conversations between the four people. The feeling of something wrong became stronger and stronger, and he began to wonder why he had only noticed it now?

Who knew that at this moment, his voice rang out:

"Brother Runsheng, keep climbing up. This is the ladder. As long as we keep climbing up, we will definitely get out!"

Li Zhuiyuan's eyes widened. Who was imitating his voice?

But just when the boy wanted to speak to remind them, he was horrified to find that he couldn't make a sound.

He pinched his neck with both hands, forcing himself to speak to remind them, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't do it.

He wanted to rush over and grab Runsheng, but his legs were like lead and couldn't move.

"Brother Binbin, Brother Liangliang, hurry up, grit your teeth and hold on. Once you get up, you'll be out and you won't be tired anymore."

"Yeah, hold on!"

"I'm fine, Xiaoyuan."

Tan Wenbin and Xue Liangliang continued to move forward, and at this time, Runsheng had already taken the lead and climbed up the snake head.

You guys quickly noticed that I didn't move, you guys quickly noticed that I wasn't there!

But with a sweep of the flashlight in Xue Liangliang's hand, Li Zhuiyuan was surprised to see that Runsheng, who had already climbed up the snake head, turned around and bent down to pick up a little boy.

After the little boy was picked up, he turned his head and looked at himself.

The corner of his mouth, with a sarcastic smile.

What on earth are you?

No, it's here, what on earth is it!

Li Zhuiyuan closed his eyes and began to try to walk in the underworld. Generally, when encountering such special situations, walking in the underworld can often see things that are invisible in reality.

However, he failed and did not succeed in walking in the underworld.

This was the first time he failed in his attempt since he learned to walk in the underworld.

Of course, there is another possibility, that is...

He is actually in a dream now!

Li Zhuiyuan looked up and began to imagine himself floating up, up, up in the sea water in the same way as before...

He woke up, opened his eyes, and found that he was standing in the water, and the water level had already reached his neck, and it was very close to submerging his mouth and nose.

Turning his head to look to the side, he found that all four people were standing neatly under the stone stairs, and they had not even climbed the first step.

Runsheng, Tan Wenbin, and Xue Liangliang still had their eyes closed and were unaware.

Inexplicably, Li Zhuiyuan realized that there seemed to be a pair of eyes looking at him from behind, and he immediately turned around in the water and looked behind him.

The stone sculpture of a woman opening the door, which was supposed to have her back to the stone stairs, now faces the stairs.

At first, she showed her right hand, right leg, and right half of her face, while the other half was completely integrated with the stone wall.

Now, she showed her left hand, left leg, and left half of her face.

On this side of her face, the corner of her mouth was raised, with a sarcastic smile.