The solid platform supporting the giant ear was originally constructed of neatly laid bricks, but after a millennium of wind and sand erosion, it had become riddled with pits, naturally forming steps that made the climb significantly easier for the two men. Yet, the two women below frequently reminded them to be careful. Ma Xiong grinned at Lu Zong, saying, “Damn it, once I get out of here, I’m marrying both of these women. They are too gentle.”

Finally, the two reached the top of the platform smoothly. They smiled and waved down to signal their success.

At this point, they were level with the lower portion of the ear. To see more clearly, they needed to continue climbing higher, all the way to the middle, where the ear canal was. Thus, bolstered by the women's praise from below, they gathered their last reserves of strength and kept ascending.

Climbing the ear proved far more difficult than scaling the platform. It wasn't made of brick or stone, but seemed to be constructed from some extremely hard, specialized material, as solid as modern cement—it was both slick and exceedingly steep. They ascended cautiously; one false move wouldn't just be embarrassing, it could cost them their lives.

Although they focused all their energy on climbing, Lu Zong couldn't shake a growing sense of unease. Why had the women, who had been so excitedly encouraging them moments ago, suddenly fallen silent? Feeling unsettled, he had to stop and turn to look down.

Below, it was empty.

If Lu Zong hadn't gripped so tightly with both hands, he would have tumbled off the ancient wall. Where had the three of them vanished in the blink of an eye? Even though the ancient city was vast, most of it lay vacant; a single glance should cover a large portion, yet he couldn't spot any sign of the three. Sweat beaded on his forehead with anxiety.

He looked up, intending to alert Ma Xiong. But looking up, he found that Ma Xiong, too, was gone.

Panic seized him completely; he didn't know what to do. He was now very close to the ear, able to peer into the ear opening with close scrutiny.

To his surprise, the ear canal wasn't blocked as he had expected. It turned out to be a deep passage. In his haste, he scrambled upward, hoping to find Ma Xiong inside the hole.

He climbed upward with all his might, his heart pounding with urgency.

Finally, he reached the entrance to the tunnel.

He examined the passage carefully. It slanted sharply downward into darkness of unknown depth. He strained to find Ma Xiong's silhouette but could see nothing. He had no choice but to shout into the opening. With Ganda, Lu Sha, and Han Chong gone, Ma Xiong was the only person he could rely on now.

"Ma Xiong!" His deep, resonant voice echoed in the tunnel.

"Help me!" A desolate, miserable sound reverberated through the cavern. His nerves immediately tightened, but he was certain the cry for help hadn't come from Ma Xiong, nor from any of the original five. Was someone else down here?

He called out again, but this time received no reply. He grew even more tense. He pulled a lighter from his pocket, lit a cigarette, and held it between his lips, hoping to calm his frantic nerves.

"Ma Xiong," he called out one last time, unwilling to give up. Aside from the echo, no one answered.

It seemed he had no choice but to force his way in.

He made up his mind, then felt along the adjacent stone wall and surprisingly found a torch. He couldn't believe this ancient tunnel even had a torch. He excitedly lit it. Good deeds bring peace; in this life-or-death moment, the torch actually lit. The pitch-black tunnel was suddenly bathed in light. His courage increased substantially.

He slowly walked into the passage, constantly surveying his surroundings. But everywhere was dusty and showed signs of abandonment; he wondered why a torch was even hanging at the entrance. Fear washed over him again. Still, to solve the mystery, he persisted in walking deeper.

Perhaps the cry for help had been a hallucination. He decided to call out once more: "Ma Xiong!"

This time, a sound of wretched, agonizing wails answered him, shaking him to his core, causing the torch to flicker precariously close to extinguishing. His heart hammered wildly. He was certain he had just heard a human howl—a desolation he had never experienced before. Terrified, he stumbled backward, wanting desperately to flee this hellish, terrifying passage.

But the moment he stepped back, a paralyzing numbness swept over his body, his legs cramping painfully as if something had stung the sole of his foot. Ignoring the pain, he continued to retreat.

However, his body seemed to slip out of his control. Though he intended to move backward, his legs wobbled erratically, pointing nowhere specific. Worst of all, his consciousness began to blur; he could no longer discern direction, his head spun, and he lost track of the way out.

His mind was a chaotic mess. He seemed to hear a sound pulsing in his thoughts: Go forward, go forward.

At that moment, he forgot everything, losing all awareness, merely shuffling forward blankly, having no idea what he was doing.

That sound continued to drift in his mind: Go forward, keep going, you will see the truth, you will find release. He couldn't grasp what the words meant, yet he could only walk ahead, moving forward without conscious thought.

The torch had been dropped; everything around him was dark. He moved swiftly forward, navigating every obstacle as easily as if he were an old friend of the cave.

Just as Lu Zong's head felt heavy with drowsiness, a loud, clear sound resonated throughout the entire valley. Lu Zong’s mind snapped back to alertness. He glanced around at the surrounding blackness, a flicker of panic returning. But he knew what he needed most was composure, so he quietly squatted down, pulled the cigarette and lighter from his pocket, and lit a smoke.

That small light was disastrous. An extremely aged face materialized before him, covered in countless wrinkles layered one atop the other. Skin the color of dried blood framed a single blue eye that stared at him meticulously. The being held a short dagger, ready to strike Lu Zong at any moment.

Lu Zong recoiled in terror and bolted, running in no particular direction, wanting only to shake off the ghoul-like thing. In his haste, he hadn't properly seen what it was—man, beast, or ghost—but he knew for certain it meant him no good.

Heavy footsteps and ragged gasps sounded behind him; the very vibration of the footfalls seemed to travel into Lu Zong's heart, and the laboured breathing felt right beside his ear. He felt his nerves were about to shatter.

Thump. He tripped over a stone at his feet and looked wildly behind him.

A gleaming dagger hung suspended above him, poised to strike. He screamed, shutting his eyes tightly in pain.