The predecessors planted the trees; the later generations enjoyed the shade.
The predecessors stumbled; the later generations slipped.
Ten sturdy men went ahead to clear the way, while Lu Bei and Snake Aunt simply enjoyed the ride. On the eastern side, they found a cave violently blasted open and successfully entered the pyramid-shaped ruins.
In the jargon of the trade, this was called a Thief's Tunnel.
The ruins' roads were complicated, stretching in all directions above and below. Snake Aunt followed with the help of her keen sense of smell, and since Luminous Pearls illuminated the passages, she wasn't left behind by the sturdy men.
Until...
The long, narrow stone passage ran straight ahead. The Luminous Pearls on either side glowed dimly. Snake Aunt raised a hand to signal a stop and frowned. "The smells are a little muddled. Your friend's friend probably triggered a mechanism. Be careful. Don't follow in his footsteps."
"Do you smell blood?" Lu Bei tried sniffing, but couldn't smell anything.
"No."
Snake Aunt's expression turned solemn. Without waiting for Lu Bei to say anything, she instinctively felt along the walls on either side. Only after failing to find any hidden doors or passages did she press herself against the wall and cautiously scout ahead.
With a teammate like this, how could great things fail to flourish?
Lu Bei silently gave her a thumbs-up and followed close behind. The two of them walked a hundred meters. Thanks to Snake Aunt's vigilance and her rich experience from years of underground work, they avoided several concealed trigger mechanisms.
The road ahead was almost within reach, yet Snake Aunt's expression grew even graver. Just as the darkness before dawn was the darkest, the dangers before success were also the deadliest. She slowed her pace and released two green snakes