"Let's split up."
Looking at the two forks ahead, Lu Zhou pondered for a moment before saying, "We'll continue down the passage on the right. You... take someone else with you and explore the path on the left. If it's a dead end, turn back and follow our route. We'll meet up ahead."
"I'm afraid that'll be difficult," Fan Tong said with a troubled expression. "The underground passages are constantly changing on a two-hour cycle. Even if we retrace our steps, we might not be taking exactly the same route as before."
As soon as those words were spoken, the expedition members let out startled cries. Aside from Wang Peng and Lu Zhou, who remained relatively calm, everyone else wore almost identical expressions of shock.
Aubrey could not help but speak up.
"...How is that possible? Can a path we've already walked just change? Is this place haunted or something?"
Professor Furnal's expression was not much better, and his voice was filled with doubt.
"Even with violent tectonic activity... two hours is far too short."
"If we can't return the way we came, then we'll meet up ahead," Lu Zhou said, looking forward. "Since every path ultimately leads to the same place, it makes no difference whether we meet at that opaque wall."
Taking a deep breath, Scholze stepped forward and looked at Lu Zhou.
"I'll go with Professor Furnal. You and I are both coauthors of the ABC Conjecture proof paper. If something happens... someone still has to make it there."
Understanding what Scholze meant, Lu Zhou nodded in agreement.
"Then it's settled. Scholze and Professor Furnal will be Group A. Everyone else will be Group B. We'll meet up ahead."
After giving the two men part of the supplies, the group split up and continued forward through two