“TOUR,” Da Guoguo said, steadying himself, “stands for the French expedition team. This team has always maintained ties with China. I even collaborated with them a few years back. They must be here for an archaeological dig.”

Saying this, he flipped through another bag and indeed found the archaeological certification issued by China for them.

Young Master Liu asked, “Why would these three foreigners, unfamiliar with the area, come here to dig without hiring a Chinese guide?”

Before Young Master Liu could finish, Cai Qingchong suddenly hissed, “Listen, there’s a sound.”

Young Master Liu was long accustomed to Cai Qingchong’s sudden halting of conversation. But every time he startlingly silenced everyone, some strange entity would appear. Young Master Liu quickly pulled out his pistol and observed carefully. Fan DeBiao, Da Guoguo, and the others around him grew instantly cautious, and even the inexperienced Su Yougui gripped his entrenching shovel.

The surroundings immediately fell silent. At that moment, Young Master Liu heard a rustling sound coming from the river channel where the many bronze statues were placed. It sounded like an infestation surging, but this noise had a distinct, solid quality.

Young Master Liu thought, This is bad; we might be running into something terrifying. He rapidly pointed his flashlight toward the river channel, followed closely by Da Guoguo and Fan DeBiao, who aimed their lights as well.

The bronze on the faces of the statues was flaking off in pieces. As the bronze sheeting fell away, they realized the statues were hollow. A dark hole now gaped in the face of the statue, and from within the opening, a reddish substance intermittently dripped into the water. The distance made it impossible to discern exactly what the falling material was.

Then came a dull thud. The bronze plates on the face of the statue next to Young Master Liu fell away. Soon after, a reddish object crawled out from the cavity. Focusing their gaze, they saw the red thing was an insect.

This insect was about the size of a child’s fist, entirely blood-red, resembling a common beetle, yet its carapace was completely sealed. Its head looked very much like the head of a Chu, and beneath the red shell lay a pair of razor-sharp claws that looked by no means inferior to those of the Chu.

Seeing this insect, Cai Qingchong’s face immediately contorted in terror. Having already encountered several formidable entities, Young Master Liu didn't feel much fear initially. However, seeing Cai Qingchong turn deathly pale, he dared not let his guard down and immediately aimed his pistol squarely at the red creature, readying himself.

Da Guoguo, witnessing Cai Qingchong’s visible fear, quickly asked, “What is this thing? Why was it hidden inside this bronze statue?”

Hearing Da Guoguo’s question, Young Master Liu thought to himself, If even Da Guoguo doesn’t know what this is, could it be an insect from the primordial era?

Cai Qingchong stated, “This thing is called an ‘Zhi-Bing.’ It survives by consuming flesh. Whether human or animal, anyone who encounters them will be reduced to a pile of white bones.”

As Cai Qingchong finished speaking, Young Master Liu realized that the two TOUR expedition members had likely met their end courtesy of the Zhi-Bing. The thought sent a jolt through him. “This is bad! Everyone, we need to leave here quickly, or we’ll all be destroyed by the Zhi-Bing!”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a massive swarm of Zhi-Bing rushed toward them, instantly turning the stretch of the river channel ahead blood-red.

Da Guoguo was quick on his feet. Before Young Master Liu could fully react, Da Guoguo jammed the steel pole of the boat into the water. The boat shuddered once, then quickly drifted forward. Young Master Liu and Fan DeBiao didn't dare delay; they seized their entrenching shovels and began paddling furiously, one on the left and one on the right.

Young Master Liu and Fan DeBiao swung their shovels with force, while Da Guoguo used the steel pole to steer. The small boat darted rapidly through the winding channel.

But no matter how fast they went, they couldn't outrun the Zhi-Bing. In the water, these creatures swam faster than fish, catching up in moments. Several even managed to leap onto the bow of the boat.

Illuminated by the boat’s spotlight, the Zhi-Bing glowed a terrifying red. Young Master Liu gasped, his hands starting to tremble uncontrollably.

It was Fan DeBiao who showed more grit. Seeing the Zhi-Bing on the bow, he swung his entrenching shovel down with all his might. In just a few swings, the creatures at the front were smashed flat like pancakes.

Fan DeBiao had no time to savor his small victory. A dozen more Zhi-Bing leaped onto the boat. Fan DeBiao raised his shovel to strike again, but just as he lifted it, one of the insects lunged at him. Startled by the sudden attack, Fan DeBiao lurched backward, stumbling hard.

Sensing trouble, Young Master Liu drew the Celestial Master Sword and thrust it forward, skewering the Zhi-Bing onto the blade.

Fan DeBiao’s fall sent him crashing to the stern, causing the bow to lift sharply. Young Master Liu immediately leaped to the front, driving his peach-wood sword into the bow, pinning the impaled Zhi-Bing firmly to the wood, which instantly rebalanced the boat.

Young Master Liu then knelt on one knee at the bow, pressing down on the peach-wood sword with one hand. With the other, he formed a sword zhi (finger gesture) and drew the edge of the blade across his middle finger, immediately drawing a line of crimson blood. He pressed the fingertip to his brow and began mumbling something—it sounded like an incantation.

Moments later, the Zhi-Bing on the bow recoiled as if seeing a ghost, leaping back into the water. Those in the water swiftly retreated to a distance of about a meter from the boat.

Seeing their chance, Su Yougui and Fan DeBiao quickly grabbed their entrenching shovels and began paddling frantically.

The Zhi-Bing dared not approach the boat, but they maintained pursuit. Suddenly, the creatures resumed their attack, constantly leaping onto the vessel.

Young Master Liu flinched at the sight, his face a mask of disbelief. He closed his eyes and collapsed onto the deck. Immediately, two Zhi-Bing jumped onto him. Just as they extended their claws to strike, Young Master Liu shot out his hands, using his middle and index fingers to clamp down on one insect in each hand. With a sharp squeeze, both Zhi-Bing were crushed. After dispatching them, he slumped back down.

Da Guoguo roared, “Pull him over here!”

As soon as Da Guoguo spoke, Su Yougui and Fan DeBiao grabbed Young Master Liu by the shoulders and yanked him to their side. His face was deathly pale; he must have fainted from blood loss.

Seeing Young Master Liu safely pulled over, Da Guoguo jumped to the center of the boat. He raised the portable flamethrower and squeezed the valve. A massive torrent of fire erupted from the nozzle. It was then that Fan DeBiao remembered the two flamethrowers in the bag. He spun around, grabbed one, instructed Su Yougui to attend to Young Master Liu’s bleeding, and positioned himself next to Da Guoguo, fiercely depressing the valve.

The flamethrower’s output was incredibly potent, blasting the Zhi-Bing backward. Cai Qingchong seized the opportunity, using the steel pole to push off the banks.

Before long, the group escaped the relentless pursuit of the Zhi-Bing. Da Guoguo examined the flamethrower closely and realized it used a high-oxygen mixture, explaining its ferocious heat.

Fan DeBiao set his flamethrower aside. After that savage fight, and with so little food consumed beforehand, he felt utterly drained of energy. He thought about how close they had come to death; if it hadn't been for the flamethrowers left by the expedition members, they might have all perished here. He felt a surge of gratitude toward the absent explorers.

Fan DeBiao’s gaze shifted to the peach-wood sword embedded in the bow. Both blasts of fire had hit it directly, yet the blade showed no apparent damage. Curious, he stepped forward to pull it out and inspect it.

Just then, Young Master Liu stirred from his unconsciousness, murmuring, “Don’t pull it out. If you do, the boat will capsize.”

Hearing this, Fan DeBiao paused. He realized that if the sword hadn't been there, the boat would have already flipped due to his own weight. After a moment’s thought, he decided it was best not to touch it.

The wooden boat navigated slowly through the cavern. Fan DeBiao poked aimlessly into the water with the steel pole, occasionally peering down as if searching for something. Young Master Liu was completely incapacitated by hunger and blood loss, lying flat in the boat, counting ‘stars.’ Da Guoguo sat alone at the stern, lighting a cigarette but not smoking, appearing lost in thought. Seeing him so absorbed, Young Master Liu decided not to disturb him.

Su Yougui and Cai Qingchong had fallen asleep. Cai Qingchong was muttering in his sleep. Young Master Liu couldn't make out most of it, but the accent sounded like Shanghainese. He could vaguely catch a few words—ghosts, monsters—while cold sweat beaded on his forehead, suggesting a terrible nightmare.

Young Master Liu didn’t want to bother with any of it right now; he just wanted to rest. As soon as he closed his eyes, a throbbing pain shot up his right arm. He remembered all the climbing and wading they had done. His wound might have reopened or become inflamed. His first thought was that he needed to treat it immediately, or his right arm would be useless.

Young Master Liu retrieved his backpack and found the medical kit. Luckily, it was waterproof, so the contents were still usable. He took a painkiller, removed the bandage from his arm, and found the wound wasn't too severe. He applied some anti-inflammatory ointment and rewrapped it.

Just as Young Master Liu was preparing to rest in peace, Fan DeBiao suddenly shrieked, “Fish! There are fish in this water! Now we won’t starve!”

Hearing the word ‘fish,’ Young Master Liu instantly became energized, all drowsiness gone. He rushed over to Fan DeBiao. “Where? Where the hell are the fish!”

Fan DeBiao pointed his flashlight at the surface. “Look here.”

Young Master Liu followed the beam and saw several crucian carp, about the size of a hand, swimming beneath the surface. Young Master Liu frowned. Aren’t these carp a specialty of the Yangtze River? How did they get here? Could this channel connect to the Yangtze?

But now wasn't the time for speculation. The priority was catching a couple of fish—they could eat them raw just to fill their stomachs.

Young Master Liu slapped Fan DeBiao on the shoulder. “Biaozi, this is a matter of life and death. These few fish are our lifeline. We must sacrifice the small self for the greater good. Think of a way to get them!”

Fan DeBiao shot back, “Isn’t that obvious?” Then he reached out to grab a fish.

As his hand touched the water, the fish darted away. Fan DeBiao cursed under his breath in frustration, then reached again. Just like the first time, the fish vanished as soon as his hand disturbed the surface. Annoyed, Fan DeBiao raised his pistol, aiming at the carp, ready to shoot.

Young Master Liu grabbed Fan DeBiao’s hand, stopping him. “Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut? Watch my technique.”

Saying that, he swung his entrenching shovel down hard into the water. Two or three palm-sized carp immediately sprang out of the water. Seeing the fish airborne, Fan DeBiao also grabbed an entrenching shovel and hacked down. This move was ironically perfect for the fish. The three carp slammed against the cavern wall, stunned, and fell back into the water, belly-up. Young Master Liu was surprised by Fan DeBiao’s unexpected agility. Seeing that the fish offered no resistance, Fan DeBiao quickly scooped them up with his shovel.

This method of catching fish was something Young Master Liu had learned from his grandfather as a child; he never expected it to prove so useful now.

Fan DeBiao picked up a carp, scraped off the scales with his dagger, and immediately shoved it into his mouth. Young Master Liu grimaced. “Fan DeBiao, you actually eat it raw? We have fire, don’t we? We should at least cook it first!”

Fan DeBiao replied, “Damn it, I’m starving, I wasn’t thinking straight. Thanks for the reminder.” He then adjusted the portable flamethrower to its lowest setting and squeezed the valve onto the fish.

In moments, the three carp were roasted to a golden brown. Fan DeBiao seized one and took a huge bite. His face immediately contorted in pain. Young Master Liu asked, “What’s wrong? Is it bitter?”

Fan DeBiao spat out a mouthful of saliva. “Damn it, I ate too fast and bit into the gall bladder.”

Hearing this, Young Master Liu couldn't help but stifle a laugh at Fan DeBiao’s predicament.

Young Master Liu split another fish in half, giving one portion to Da Guoguo and keeping the other. He tasted his half—it was quite good—and began devouring it without restraint, finishing half the fish in one go.

He woke up Su Yougui, Hu Beikang, and Cai Qingchong, giving each half a fish. Cai Qingchong seemed mostly recovered, basically out of the critical stage.

Young Master Liu remembered Cai Qingchong’s mutterings and asked him what he had been saying in his sleep.

Cai Qingchong answered, “It was Zhang Jiao. Both the Chu and the Zhi-Bing are his creations. Zhang Jiao was the most legendary sorcerer of the Three Kingdoms period, and this tomb must be his.”

Upon hearing this, Da Guoguo slapped the side of the boat. “Zhang Jiao! The Great Teacher of Universal Peace who single-handedly defeated the forty thousand elite Han troops of Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun?”