Geng Wei, upon hearing Yanzi’s agreement, instantly lit up, rushing over to grab my hand, almost pleadingly saying, “Then Technician Luo, you all quickly figure out a way to open the door. These people shouldn't cause trouble about how.” With that, he tried to rally support, turning to Tang Minghao, “Wouldn’t you agree, nephew Minghao?”

Tang Minghao stared, mouth agape, at the “people” still performing repetitive mechanical motions, completely unable to snap out of it; how could he possibly answer him? Annoyed, he walked over and clapped Tang Minghao on the shoulder, “Minghao, I’m talking to you! I said, don’t you agree?”

Only then did Tang Minghao notice Geng Wei’s presence, looking up at him with a distant gaze. Geng Wei repeated his question, and Tang Minghao slowly lowered his head, then raised it again, lowering it once more in a gesture of assent. Geng Wei muttered, “You play dumb when it matters. Once we see the real gold and silver, I wonder if you’ll still listen to your Uncle Geng.”

It was probably normal for someone to react this way after extreme fright, so I didn't pay much attention to Tang Minghao’s state, turning to ask Old Li whether we should retreat or what to do next.

Yanzi was not frail like an ordinary girl; in just a short time, she had completely regained her composure. Before Old Li could answer me, she countered, “Retreat? Do you think retreating is that simple? Setting aside everything else, setting aside whether these people might suddenly attack us—I’ll just ask you: do you know of a certain highly lethal poison used by the Anduo people [a term for Tibetans in Yunnan, Qinghai, and Northwest Sichuan]? Contact means instant death.”

We exchanged glances, bewildered by Yanzi’s sudden remark. Just then, Tang Minghao interjected, “She means their clothes are poisoned. You don’t even know that?” With that, he clapped his hands together and laughed like a child.

Geng Wei impatiently slapped his hand away. “You’re already in your twenties or thirties, acting like a child—what kind of deportment is that.” However, I suspected Geng Wei was deliberately using that as an excuse to strike Tang Minghao, since Tang Minghao hadn’t shown him support earlier. Tang Minghao chuckled twice, but after Geng Wei hit his hand, he settled down.

Looking at Tang Minghao, recalling his previous lapse, a certain unease settled in my heart that I couldn’t quite name, yet now he seemed perfectly normal. I shook my head, reassuring myself, “Nothing bad will happen.”

Old Li also sensed something was off and walked over, asking Tang Minghao with concern, “Minghao, are you alright?” Tang Minghao looked up, his eyes unfocused, seeming to stare at Old Li or perhaps somewhere else entirely, and slowly said, “I’m fine.” He even forced a smile. Old Li sighed wordlessly, deeply worried.

“So, what is the plan? You mean we should open the stone door and continue treasure hunting, right?” Geng Wei lacked the enthusiastic, forthright, and clever elder demeanor he had on dry land. Ever since entering the water, he had become abnormally fervent about the supposed treasure, acting and speaking entirely according to his own desires, never considering others' feelings—was this what they called being blinded by avarice?

Yanzi’s face was expressionless. “If you think you can return safely from here, then you can take the lead, and we will follow.”

Geng Wei grumbled a few words in a local dialect, which, judging by his expression, sounded like curses. Yanzi’s face tightened, “You have the nerve to curse... then... then you…” Before she could finish what she was going to say next, Old Li quickly intervened as a peacemaker. “It hasn't been easy for any of us to get this far. Let’s not spoil the harmony over trivial matters. For now, what exactly should we do, let’s discuss it calmly.”

Geng Wei snorted twice but remained silent. Yanzi also seemed unwilling to invite more trouble, saying, “Fine, let’s discuss the main issue first.” I suddenly noticed the surprising understanding between Old Li and Yanzi.

Right at this moment when we had a minor disagreement, inexplicably, those people who had been performing repetitive mechanical actions all collapsed onto the floor in large swaths, instantly covering the entire ground so densely that there wasn't even room to stick a needle in.

“This…” I looked at Old Li in shock. “What happened?”

Old Li was equally surprised, turning to look at Yanzi, who also shook her head in confusion. Simultaneously, a distinct smell of fresh lake water drifted through the air. It seemed as if the lake water was just within reach.

I understood: the lake water must be directly above us, and opening that stone door was the way out. Thinking of this, and then looking at the mass of black figures lying on the ground, a chill ran down my spine. I dared not think about gold or jewels anymore; surviving and returning to the surface to breathe the fresh air mixed with the scent of lake water and grass was all that mattered.

After a moment’s thought, I said, “Old Li, come take a look. See if this stone door has any special mechanism, see if it can be opened. I suspect this is the exit. There is no way we can go back the way we came.”

Old Li, looking troubled, felt the stone door with his hands, then stepped back two paces to examine it closely. None of us dared to speak, afraid of disrupting his focus. Unexpectedly, Tang Minghao shouted without considering the gravity of the situation, “They’re getting up again! They’re all getting up!” Everyone focused their attention on Old Li, ignoring what his clamor meant.

Seeing that no one was paying attention, Tang Minghao grabbed Old Li’s arm and pointed at the floor, shrieking, “They’re getting up, look!”

I glanced sideways—damn it! Those “people” who had been lying on the ground had indeed stood back up, and every one of them appeared to wear joyful expressions—although every face was inevitably covered in dried, peeling skin.

In an instant, I was terrified, every hair standing on end, a cold sweat breaking out on my back. Had they grown impatient because we hadn’t moved for so long, and now planned to strike first to eliminate us? Thinking this, large drops of cold sweat streamed down my forehead. Trembling, I disengaged the safety on my pistol. If there was no other way, I’d find a chance to shoot myself—it was certainly better than being captured by those emaciated things, whether human or ghost. However, it wouldn't be so easy for someone like me, Luo, to surrender quietly. With my mind made up, I calmed down. I needed to see what these “people” intended to do.

“Old Li, see if you can figure out a way to open the stone door, quickly,” I urged.

Old Li snapped back to attention and returned to studying the stone door’s mechanism. He groaned, “I forgot my compass…” This was something I couldn’t help with, so I just told him to do his best, not to force it. Truthfully, though I said it easily, I was extremely tense inside. If he couldn't find the mechanism, we would all be doomed.

Strangely, I had been holding the gun with both hands, aimed at a serf who seemed to be moving toward us. But after shakingly standing up with the rest of their “people,” he shouldered his farming tool as if heading home; the Lama who had been studying scriptures slowly tucked his book inside his robes, apparently preparing to preach; the nursing woman even beckoned to the person beside her… the entire scene was one of idyllic peace and harmony.

I was dumbfounded, completely unable to grasp their meaning.

Still dazed, Tang Minghao came over and begged me, “Let’s go back, okay?” I looked at him strangely; why was a grown man speaking in such a tone? It didn’t sound like the courageous man who had served in the army.

“We’ve come this far; the treasure might be right behind the door. We have to open it and look, what’s the use of going back!” Geng Wei boomed roughly. “A little scare, and you’re frightened? Are you even Tang Minghao?” Apparently, this gentleman still thought the large number of assembled “people” had only offered a “small scare.” His courage was truly extraordinary.

Xu Zhiwu walked over and quietly pulled me aside; I could feel his hand trembling incessantly. “Little Luo, maybe we should listen to Tang Minghao... and go back...” He hesitated, then added, “I don’t think these ‘people’ mean us any harm right now... Look, they all seem to be smiling.”

“But they are densely blocking the path. Earlier, it was said their clothes were poisoned. This... this is tricky, isn't it?” As I spoke, I warily watched the group of people, in case they suddenly attacked.

Xu Zhiwu pondered, looking worried. “That’s true, what if their clothes really are poisonous... History has recorded such things.”

Old Li hadn't replied, only pacing a few steps here and there, presumably tracing the Bagua layout. But I was growing anxious inside—why hadn't the stone door opened yet! I also cursed myself for not learning more about traditional Chinese culture; at least then I wouldn’t be this helpless… The more I thought, the more frustrated I became.

Impatiently, I was about to ask Old Li if he’d found any clues when Yanzi immediately made a gesture for silence. I had to swallow my words and glare resentfully at the group of damned bastards on the floor.

Wait, the movements of those “people” seemed even slower than slow motion, and the faces that had clearly shown joy moments ago now seemed to be slowly turning sinister...

I shivered, quickly checking the safety on my gun again and feeling for the dagger strapped to my calf, which offered slight reassurance. But my heart was already pounding wildly.

“Brother Zhiwu, look at their faces—have they changed? I feel like they are all glaring at us malevolently?” I asked.

Xu Zhiwu craned his neck forward, saying uncertainly, “It seems... it seems like they have…”

At this point, Tang Minghao chimed in again, “Let’s go back quickly, I’m scared... I’m scared, there are so many monsters.”

Tang Minghao’s tone was entirely that of a frightened child, timid and cowardly, as he edged closer to Yanzi. Yanzi glared at him with distaste and shifted closer to Old Li. Unexpectedly, Tang Minghao shamelessly pressed closer again.

“What are you doing?!” Yanzi and Geng Wei shouted almost simultaneously. Tang Minghao mumbled vaguely, “Scared... I’m scared.” Geng Wei stepped forward and slapped him across the face without hesitation, barking fiercely, “Have you no shame?!”

The slap seemed to wake Tang Minghao up. He looked at Geng Wei in confusion, “Uncle Geng? What are you doing?”

“Something bad is about to happen,” I thought to myself upon seeing this.