Hearing that, Han Xiao stopped as well.
All three held their flashlights and began another careful search of the cramped space.
This time, however, Song Ning kept her flashlight beam close to the shaft, spending a long time examining it both above and below.
"Have you noticed? The structure around this shaft seems very solid! The openings are blocked by rubble that collapsed from above, but the shaft walls are intact! They've barely suffered any damage!"
Neither Han Xiao nor Xiong Gang quite understood.
Han Xiao said, "The shaft was used to transport workers up and down. Of course they'd have sunk it where the ground was firm, so it wouldn't be easily damaged!"
Xiong Gang added, "Even if the earthquake didn't damage the shaft, it's still blocked. We can't get through in either direction!"
Song Ning stared for a while at the lift cage wedged halfway across the shaft opening.
"What I mean is... the geological structure around the shaft is relatively stable. Even the earthquake didn't affect it much. The structural debris and rocks blocking our way collapsed from the surrounding areas."
The two men beside her still didn't understand and raised their hands in unison to scratch their heads.
Song Ning pointed at the cage. "Can you get this cage down?"
"Get it down?"
"Yes! Just get it unstuck from here!"
Song Ning said, "Something keeps bothering me. This shaft extends hundreds of meters above and below us, yet the cage got stuck on this particular level. That's strange!"
Xiong Gang understood.
"Easy enough! Leave it to me!"
He reached out and patted the wall around the shaft opening. It was solid.
Gripping the edge of the wall with one hand, he swung his leg up and kicked the rust-covered cage.
With a clang, the cage gave