A Figure in the Pool

The sinkhole in Pan'an is not a cave, but a canyon.

Looking up from below, you can see towering cliffs hundreds of meters high.

The cliffs are covered with lush pine and cypress trees, while various vines entwine the steep walls, creating a vibrant and verdant landscape.

The dense humidity of the jungle filled Zhang Xuezhou's nostrils, and he felt inexplicably stuffy.

Looking around, he realized he had recently developed a plant phobia, and everything seemed like a tree spirit or vine monster.

Did we bring fire?

Zhang Xuezhou asked a question, Wang Haoran, who was next to him, took out a lighter.

Zhang Xuezhou simply abandoned this useless flame.

"Setting fire to this place won't help; we'll need to bring a machete and hack our way through to clear away these vines and thorns that are tangling our feet," Zuo Teng replied. "Speaking of which, this is the kind of place we're investigating, and it doesn't look like a habitable place at all."

"It's the uninhabitable places that are troublesome!"

Zhang Xuezhou responded, then took out his visual device, opened a suitcase, and took out four sets of blackout clothing.

"What, Xuezhou, you're already working on the script?"

Seeing Zhang Xuezhou take out four sets of black clothes, Song Fengying felt that the effect of these clothes was amazing.

Aside from the fact that it's too bright to see the effect now, it would be perfect for doing all sorts of things in the dark at night.

"Wearing this kind of clothing can effectively block ultraviolet rays and prevent us from being pricked by thorns," Zhang Xuezhou said.

Zhang Xuezhou set off with two strange beasts in North Rehe, but when he stayed in Changqing City for a day, he asked Wang Haoran fetch several sets of black leather jackets, black leather pants, and leather hats to block out the light.

With just simple sewing, this can be made into a protective suit that resists ultraviolet light.

This protective suit is simple to make, but its drawback is that it is not airtight, and it looks extremely strange because of the large leather sleeve hanging on the head for viewing the video camera.

As soon as Zhang Xuezhou put it on, Zhang Xuezhou Song Fengying assumed he was going to act out a scene from a script.

"My son is so thoughtful! These clothes can be worn during the day and at night, it's fantastic!"

Song Fengying repeatedly praised him, feeling that Zhang Xuezhou was a scriptwriter, and everything he did was refreshing.

"Is that place far from us?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

"This canyon is about six miles long, and the location should be about four miles away from us," Song Fengying replied.

"Then Uncle Wang and I will go take a look first!"

"You wouldn't know how to get around without me leading the way. There are so many twists and turns, and wetlands with mud pits; you could easily get stuck if you're not careful!"

Zhang Xuezhou wanted to volunteer, but considering Song Fengying's perceptive abilities, he had no choice but to let Song Fengying accompany him.

"Teng, let's go!"

"You didn't seem to have made any arrangements for me. Should I... go now too?"

"Go ahead, the cage can be placed here!"

Zhang Xuezhou nodded.

If Song Fengying doesn't go, Zuo Teng naturally doesn't need to either, since Zhang Xuezhou and Wang Haoran are quite strong and have excellent skills in running away.

However, if Song Fengying needed a guide, Zhang Xuezhou felt that Zuo Teng had to go. At least when Song Fengying fled, Zuo Teng could be left behind and become the last one standing.

He briefly agreed, then indicated that there was no need to bring the viper and hyena at the moment.

The group of four changed into protective suits and then proceeded along the rocky canyon path.

"Pan'an City was hit by a meteor a century ago, and the explosion upon impact should have been no less loud than that in North Rehe. This place seems to have formed naturally, without any signs of an explosion!"

As the group moved, they did more than just walk; they observed and surveyed their surroundings.

The closer they got to the location Song Fengying believed to be, the more frequent and meticulous Zhang Xuezhou's search became.

He looked around the canyon and felt that it was a normally formed canyon landscape, not formed by any special external force.

This is different from the situation in North Rehe, and also different from the situation in the Gobala Cave Gallery.

The bright sky allowed Zhang Xuezhou to see every part of the canyon area and confirm that there were no traces of meteor impact or explosion.

"The county annals mention that a fireball streaked across the sky over Pan'an. The flames of that fireball must have been extremely fierce, burning intensely in the atmosphere. The actual impact on the ground was relatively small," Wang Haoran replied.

"That makes sense!"

Zhang Xuezhou nodded.

"If the explosion had covered a wide area, the sinkhole in Pan'an should have been discovered long ago," Zuo Teng added.

"That makes sense!"

Zhang Xuezhou adjusted his hat in agreement, then reminded Zuo Teng to wear a more secure hat.

"This hat is so weird and stuffy! I've never worn a hat with sleeves on top of a hood before!"

"We almost all perished at the imperial tomb. Don't blame me if something happens to you!"

"Thank goodness, you finally let slip a hint. Is that herb really that amazing?"

"We believe there might be another one in the tomb of Emperor Luo Fu. If you're not afraid of death, you can go and try!"

"Don't try!"

Zuo Teng took off his leather hat, which made it difficult for air to pass through, took several deep breaths, and then quickly put it back on.

After walking a few steps with Zhang Xuezhou and the others, Zuo Teng stumbled into a muddy path.

This was a sign that there was a water source, and Zuo Teng couldn't help but raise his long sleeves and look into the distance.

"There's a spring up ahead; you can rinse off the heat if it gets too stuffy," Song Fengying comforted Zuo Teng. "The prop costume Xuezhou found isn't breathable, so it's not really suitable for wearing during the day, but it's a bit chilly and damp here at night, so this leather jacket is perfect!"

"What Auntie said is true," Zuo Teng said, "But this is mainly due to my personal constitution; my body gets a little hot after wearing these clothes for a long time!"

"You must have had a lot of trouble carrying that hyena and viper the whole way. Your body temperature must be much higher than ours, so wearing these clothes must be more uncomfortable for you!"

Song Fengying repeatedly comforted him, Zuo Teng had no choice but to agree.

He couldn't help but look somewhat embarrassed.

Zuo Teng was used to hearing praise, but he rarely heard words of concern.

After Song Fengying's words of comfort, he felt a strange unease in his heart.

After walking nearly a hundred steps, Zuo Teng saw the small pond that Song Fengying had mentioned.

The spring is no bigger than a washbasin, and the water flows out very slowly.

Zuo Teng glanced at Zhang Xuezhou, who was in charge of reconnaissance ahead, and then at Wang Haoran was scanning the left side.

He quickly brushed aside the weeds to the right, then approached the pond.

"It's strange, really. We've explored so far and haven't seen any insects, birds, or beasts, not even near this small water source..."

Zuo Teng reached out and scooped up water from the pool. He could hear Wang Haoran's voice explaining his views, but it became faint and inaudible towards the end.

Just as he was about to turn around, he felt the warm hands cupping the water.

Before he knew it, a face that was both strange and familiar was placed in Zuo Teng's palm.

"Mom?"

It feels familiar because this face belongs to Zuo Teng's mother, yet it feels unfamiliar because Zuo Teng's mother has been gone for eight years.

He looked at his mother's head, which had suddenly appeared in his palm, and then remembered the leather hat he had just taken off. A chill ran through him.

Zuo Teng looked down along the head in his palm; there was no body below his mother's head.

He looked at the face and felt that the face he was holding in his hands brought no warmth, but rather endless coldness.