"Who?" Li Bai stared at the nearby clay figures, momentarily dazed.
Zhang Yuanchao looked at Li Bai with concern. "Girl, what's wrong?"
Li Bai whipped around to face Zhang Yuanchao, looking tense. "You didn't hear that? Someone... someone just called my name."
"No, I didn't hear a thing." Zhang Yuanchao grew nervous too.
Li Bai didn't dare delay any longer. She steeled herself and headed for the well. If the clues pointed to water, then perhaps this well was important too.
She had a suspicion: perhaps the real exit was hidden inside the well.
But after the two of them carefully inspected it, they realized it was just an ordinary underground well. Li Bai stretched the lantern as far down the opening as she could. The bare walls offered no footholds, and far below, the water gleamed black.
"Girl, this well's deep. Be careful you don't fall in," Zhang Yuanchao warned.
Li Bai untied the remaining length of rope from the wooden winch. It was much longer than she'd expected. She tied one end around her waist and securely fastened the other to the winch. "I'm going down to take a look. Keep hold of the rope."
Zhang Yuanchao froze for a moment, then immediately tried to stop her. "You can't do that, girl! How could I stand by and watch you go down? If anyone's going, it's me!"
He wasn't just saying it. Zhang Yuanchao seemed to trust Li Bai instinctively. He pulled the rope from her waist and tied it tightly around himself, then tucked the lantern pole into his belt. Once he was ready, he spat into his palms twice and grabbed the rope, about to climb down. But just as he was about to disappear into the well, he suddenly stopped and looked at Li Bai