What an unexpected turn of events! I never imagined running into anyone else here. I thought once we entered this realm, Xiao Shu and I would be completely alone, forced to rely solely on ourselves for everything. Yet, someone extended a hand to help me in a moment of crisis.

Once free from the entanglement of the water weeds, I kicked out with renewed vigor and started swimming upwards. Having been submerged for so long, I desperately needed to replenish my oxygen; reaching the Reflection Villa in a single stretch was impossible.

This underwater landscape appeared shallow, but it was deceptively deep. I swam until my limbs ached, my hands and feet growing heavy as if filled with lead, but still, I couldn't break the surface. I thought, what kind of luck is this today? A terrible start, nothing is going right. First the weeds, now the lack of air—I might just end up sinking to the bottom today.

Just as I pushed myself harder, unable to combat my rapidly failing limbs, that same young man shot out from behind me like a swordfish. He snagged my collar with one hand, paddling furiously while towing me toward the top. With external assistance, my limbs became marginally more responsive, and within moments, both of us breached the surface.

I sucked in a deep breath, greedily savoring the blessed sensation of oxygen! I flashed a thumbs-up to the young man beside me and managed, "Thanks! You really saved me!"

"You're welcome. I'm Ah Mang!" He lowered his head bashfully and offered a slight, awkward smile.

Ah Mang? The name suddenly struck me as deeply familiar, as if I had heard it somewhere before. Looking closer at his face, I realized it seemed strikingly recognizable, about seven or eight parts familiar. I felt certain I had seen him previously, yet the exact context eluded me.

"Have... have we met before?" I asked tentatively, unwilling to presume.

"We have!" Ah Mang nodded at me with certainty.

At that moment, two splashes erupted near us, followed by two figures emerging from the water. "Ah, I thought I was going to suffocate!" A woman's voice, slightly breathless, reached my ears first. I looked over and saw the woman, her bangs plastered to her forehead, blinking her large, watery eyes rapidly. She hadn't noticed me yet, and I took a thorough look—it was Hua Gu!

What a truly unexpected reunion; Hua Gu had somehow followed us. Just as I was about to speak to her, the other head that had broken the surface snatched the words from my mouth.

"How did you two get in here?"

I turned to see that the speaker was none other than Xiao Shu. He looked at Hua Gu with utter astonishment, a flicker of displeasure—not quite anger—in his eyes.

"There's a game called 'Follow the Leader'!" Hua Gu playfully stuck her tongue out at him, sporting a triumphant look.

"Fine," Xiao Shu mumbled, wiping the water from his face and blinking several times. He glanced at Ah Mang beside me and continued his questioning: "How did you bring Ah Mang along? And how did you both manage to get into the room?"

"I have my own magic treasures; no door can stop me!" Hua Gu declared, shaking her head and pouting. She then nudged Ah Mang with her chin. "Ah Mang volunteered to come with me. If you two try to bully me, he's my bodyguard."

Xiao Shu shook his head, drew a deep breath to himself, and dove back underwater.

Suddenly, I recalled the first time I met Ah Mang, back in the cave in Miao Village. At that time, Old He, Xiao Shu, and Ah Mang were the only three young men who had made it into the cave; the rest of the villagers hiding inside were all elderly, weak, or women and children. When leading everyone out, Ah Mang walked alongside Old He and Xiao Shu. That explained why Xiao Shu had instantly called out Ah Mang's name—they had crossed paths before; they were acquainted.