The Dark and Damp Cave · A Claustrophobe's Paradise

After testing the oxygen levels in the sinkhole.

Juno took out the safety rope from her backpack, secured it in place, and then attached the carabiner.

"Get your gear ready to go down."

"Juno, I'll go down with you."

Rebecca had just put down her backpack and said this when she saw Juno preparing to descend.

Juno shook her head, "NO. Since I'm the leader and I brought you all here, I should be the first one down."

While the two were talking.

The others also finished their preparations.

Li Dan, with a small pack on his back, stretched a bit, ready to travel light.

Everyone watched as Juno slowly slid down the safety rope, disappearing into the dark opening.

Not long after, a voice came from below.

"Safe!"

Only then did everyone else clip onto the safety rope and begin their descent one by one.

Li Dan and Sam were the last to go down. He took one last look around, tutting that it was a good place to bury a body.

"Hey, Li, hurry up and come down."

Sam called out, and Li Dan finally followed the safety rope, sliding down the rock face to the cave floor.

As they descended, their vision expanded.

The underground of this cave was clearly a world of its own, at least five times larger than the entrance.

Li Dan, the last to reach the bottom, unclipped his safety rope and looked up. Sunlight streamed in from the cave entrance, creating a spectacular sight.

There was no light above, but there was light below.

Juno looked at the sunlight from the cave entrance and believed it was a sign from God, assuring her that this expedition would be safe and sound.

The group each surveyed the cave.

Sarah looked around and was suddenly drawn to a rock, or more accurately, to a bloody handprint on the rock face.

This was a dangerous sign.

Perhaps afraid of ruining everyone's mood, Sarah didn't mention it.

Just as Sarah was about to step forward for a closer look, a swarm of bats suddenly flew out, heading for the cave entrance in a dense mass.

Sarah, already on edge, was startled and let out a loud scream.

Juno rushed forward to comfort her.

Holly, holding a camera, watched the spectacle with amusement, counting the bats. She was truly an annoying woman.

Li Dan glanced down, and a Ghost Card appeared in his hand. He wasn't sure what kind of monster was underground, but he didn't think it would be too strong, right?

"Detected traces of containment subject: Wendigo."

Wendigo?

Li Dan was somewhat familiar with the creature. He had spent some time researching various horror legends, and this creature was among them.

The Wendigo was a legendary man-eating monster, with origins in the legends of the Algonquian peoples of the United States and Canada.

It was widely believed to be a human gradually possessed by an evil spirit, a monstrous, cannibalistic creature. They would resort to cannibalism when facing danger.

Legend had it that after consuming a certain amount, they would transform into the bloodthirsty, cannibalistic demon—the embodiment of the Wendigo.

However, based on depictions in movies and TV, they seemed a bit weak.

Perhaps they hadn't fully evolved.

But regardless, their origin story seemed more intimidating than that of a Mutated Ogre.

Especially in such a confined and dark environment.

Fear would be amplified infinitely.

Even Li Dan, calm and brave, felt a twinge of fear, mixed with excitement. After all, the more evil and terrifying a creature was, the more secure he felt once it became his containment.

After Sarah calmed down.

Juno led the group to a cave opening hidden within a rock crevice. It was the only way further down and could only accommodate one and a half people.

Juno turned on the light on her helmet and went down first to scout.

Li Dan was still the last to descend. He looked at the bloody handprint on the rock face and then at the dark opening.

This place was practically a paradise for people with claustrophobia.

Li Dan didn't hesitate and followed them into the dark passage. Because he had paid to upgrade his equipment, the large light bulb on his head was very bright, allowing him to see the path ahead clearly.

The passage was just wide enough for his arms to stretch out.

Li Dan moved down with the team, and after ten minutes, the space in front of them finally opened up.

If the original had been somewhat bright due to the cave entrance being close at hand, the passage leading deep into the rock crevice and the subsequent messy cave were completely pitch black.

Seeing that everyone had followed, Juno took a burning stick from her backpack and threw it.

The red burning stick fell from overhead, briefly illuminating the pitch-black cave, revealing a massive rock cavern before everyone's eyes.

For a moment, everyone was excited.

This was what exploring was all about!

The group began to split up and investigate.

With a single burning stick, it was difficult for the human eye to make out the surrounding environment.

Li Dan, thanks to his enhanced vision, could see clearly. The cave was not only damp and dark, but the rocks seemed to be coated with some kind of unknown secretion.

It was similar to the stalactites that dripped from stalagmites, only more disgusting.

"Li Dan, look, there's another water pool here!" Sam was curious about everything; this was her first exploration, and everything was new and fascinating to her.

Sam even wanted to reach out and touch the pool of water nestled in the rock.

Li Dan grabbed Sam's hand and said, "Stay behind Teacher Beth and don't run around or touch things."

Sam pouted, "Oh, okay."

Beth found the scene amusing. She had initially thought Li Dan would be like a child, but it seemed he was much more mature than Sam.

Juno and Rebecca argued over a cave entrance for a while. It seemed Juno won and led the group into the narrow, dark cave within a cave.

Just as Juno was about to go, Holly, acting quickly, slipped into the cave ahead of Juno.

"Holly, can you please change your competitive nature?" Juno said helplessly.

"Juno, if you're scared, I can lead the way."

Holly's voice came from inside the cave.

Juno had no choice but to follow with the others.

This time, Li Dan was in fourth position.

This cave was even narrower. Even Sam, small as she was, had a bit of trouble squeezing through, let alone Li Dan, a grown man. He practically scraped through the entrance.

As he crawled, he suddenly found himself stuck.

Without hesitation, Li Dan fused with the Ghost Card of the Deformed Person leader. The increase in strength allowed him to break free instantly and crawl forward rapidly, emerging to reunite with Juno and the other two.

The unfortunate part was that someone else got stuck behind him, precisely Sarah, who was at the very end. Beth, who had already crawled out, crawled back along the cave entrance.

Perhaps it was due to Li Dan's violent struggle earlier, but the cave suddenly began to shake, looking as if it were about to collapse.

Juno and Sam grew anxious.

Li Dan, however, calmly took out the folding shovel from his backpack. Grasping the shovel with both hands, he narrowly managed to prop up the falling boulder, allowing Beth and Sarah to crawl out safely at the last moment.

Teacher Beth is a good person. He's human, not an animal, so it's good to help when you can. Besides, the more people there are, the safer it is in this hellhole.

Still the same old saying: if there's a real life-threatening danger, he doesn't need to outrun the monsters, just his teammates.

The moment Beth crawled out, she hugged Li Dan, pressing his head into her ample bosom.

"Good boy, good boy, thank you."

Li Dan: ⊙_⊙

He felt like he was suffocating.