In the dead of night, muffled thunder rumbled across the sky, and soon a torrential downpour began.
Raindrops the size of beans splashed at the mouth of the cave, bringing wisps of cool, damp air.
It was already autumn in the Otherworld.
Chen Shouyi opened his eyes and watched the cave flicker between light and shadow.
This was the first time he had ventured so deep into the Otherworld. He was already three or four thousand kilometers from the passage, and he would keep going. Listening to the rain outside, he felt a sense of loneliness welling up inside him before he knew it.
He realized that this was only his first day here, yet he was already beginning to miss home.
Shell Girl opened her sleepy eyes and glanced at Chen Shouyi, then gently closed them again. She snuggled into the crook of his arm and soon drifted peacefully back to sleep.
The rain grew heavier and heavier.
A landslide even occurred not far away.
Fortunately, the cave Chen Shouyi had chosen sat high on the slope, so the landslide had no effect on it. Several groups of Otherworld Creatures passed by and tried to come in for shelter, but the aura he faintly exuded frightened them off. In the end, none dared enter.
The next day, before dawn, Chen Shouyi was already up.
The rain had stopped, and the skies had cleared.
He tore off his damp clothes and changed into dry ones, then woke Shell Girl and walked out of the cave. It was still pitch-dark outside. The ground was covered in mushrooms and fungi of every color, making it look like a fairy-tale world.
The previous night's thunderstorm had not flooded the area. The forest's thick layer of humus had soaked up the downpour like a