On the way here, Hu Ming hadn't spoken to anyone unless they approached him first. Aside from Hu Bayi and Fatty, the only person he'd talked to was the annoying Sa Dipeng.
Hu Ming was a man of few words. He'd noticed Yang Xueli trying to strike up a conversation with him, but he knew she was just fishing for information and trying to recruit the three brothers to help her find a way to break the Ghost Eye Curse.
"Miss Yang, Mingzi, time to go," Hu Bayi called.
Whoosh~
Amid the howling wind and driving snow, the group made their way across the vast glacier. Every step left a footprint in the snow, and the marks of their crampons were clearly visible. They wore spiked boots, essential equipment for glaciers and snowy mountains.
"There's no path ahead. We'll have to look out for one another," Hu Bayi shouted from the front of the group.
"The route we took before was explored by our predecessors at the cost of their lives, so we can find a way through, too," Gawa said confidently from within the group.
"Gawa, can you just say things like that?"
The tall man glared at Gawa. That kid blurted out anything that came to mind. Hadn't he noticed the American was here? He glanced pointedly at Shirley Yang. Although she was a Chinese American, her grandmother had been a genuine white American.
That made her mixed-race, and she was still an American citizen.
At his words, Yang Xueli blinked, then glanced at the tall man. Realizing the soldier was worried she might hear their secrets, she simply walked on ahead.
"You, too. Don't say things like that again," the tall man continued to scold Gawa.
Gawa gave an unhappy snort. "It's not a secret anymore. Why can't I talk about it? Besides, Professor Chen and the others won't tell anyone."
Professor Chen smiled. "You're a good comrade, Gawa."
The group continued onward. As he walked, Wang Yang kept an eye on everyone. Shirley Yang moved quickly and nimbly. She seemed to have adapted to the altitude; her face was neither flushed nor did she seem out of breath. She even looked after the weakest member of the group, Ye Yixin, practically supporting her as they walked.
She must have trained a lot. Even Gawa and the other soldiers couldn't match her stamina.
Hu Ming had practiced Baji Quan for twenty years, and with the bloodline of a beginner-level Five-Clawed Golden Dragon, he was the fittest person there. He'd even helped Professor Chen carry fifty or sixty pounds of supplies, yet he looked completely at ease.
Fatty had less stamina. He panted heavily as he walked, looking utterly exhausted. Hu Bayi, on the other hand, was in good shape. After all, he'd spent ten years in the army, often covering dozens of kilometers during field marches. When he'd gone to war, he sometimes had to cross dozens of mountain ridges in a single day. How else could he defeat the enemy?
Yang Xueli was also watching the three men. Hu Ming's stamina seemed almost inhuman. She quietly drew in a breath. As expected, this Hu Ming was no ordinary man.
Snow whirled across the Kunlun Ice Mountain, and the snow on the ground grew deeper the farther east they went. The group struggled along, unable to move quickly.
After more than an hour, with Hu Bayi leading the way and everyone supporting one another, they finally reached the edge of the crevasse and stopped.
Hu Ming surveyed the area. At a spot that looked solid, he took some tools from his pack and secured the other end of the pulley rope to the ice.
He hammered the anchor spike deep into the ice, fixing it firmly in place.
Soon, Hu Ming had secured the pulley rope at several more points and tied the ropes in place.
"All set, Old Hu. Go tell everyone to get ready. Remember, we need to travel light."
"Got it." Hu Bayi immediately ran over to alert Professor Chen and the others. They temporarily left some of their heavier packs and other supplies near the crevasse.
Hu Ming looked over the crevasse. It showed no signs of collapse and seemed fairly safe.
But the bottom of the crevasse was a full hundred meters below the glacier's surface. It would be quite a challenge for Professor Chen and Ye Yixin—and for Fatty, who was afraid of heights.
Soon, following the instructions of the cousins Hu Bayi and Hu Ming, everyone began sliding down bit by bit, using the ropes and the slope of the ice.
They gradually drew closer to the bottom.
As time passed, Hu Ming and the others, along with Yang Xueli's group, finally reached the bottom. At the far end of the crevasse, they saw the cave entrance.
Hu Bayi went over for a look. The cave at the bottom of the glacier led underground, winding deep into the earth.
"Good thing the entrance is still intact after all these years. It hasn't collapsed, either." The collapse Hu Bayi had worried about hadn't happened.
"Let's go. Everyone, follow me and be careful," Hu Bayi said as he led the way.
"Also, don't make too much noise, or we might cause trouble we don't need." At Hu Ming's warning, everyone nodded and began moving with great care.
They'd all heard about Hu Bayi's past experiences. This was no place to take lightly, and danger lurked everywhere.
As they approached, Hu Ming suddenly spotted a corpse around a bend in the cave. Judging by its clothes and appearance, he guessed who it was.
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