This was no time for speculation; the most pressing matter was clearing the centipedes surrounding them.

Ma Xiong and Lu Zong exchanged a look for a few seconds, then nodded with a slight smile. A moment later, Ma Xiong shouted "One, two, three," and the two bolted across the swarm of centipedes. A crunching sound followed beneath their feet—the sound of squashed insects. Though they moved with incredible speed, many centipedes still managed to crawl onto them. Reaching a clear corner, they collapsed onto the ground, rolling desperately to crush the creatures clinging to their bodies.

Just as they were writhing on the floor, a loud boom erupted from the centipede mass. Instantly, insect corpses flew everywhere, momentarily illuminating the dark cavern with a brilliant flash. Both men cried out as their eyes were instantly burned, rendering them unable to open them for a long time.

It turned out Lu Zong had quickly placed a bundle of explosives on the ground before they fled—no wonder they had run so fast.

By now, the centipedes on their bodies were mostly cleared, leaving only a sticky, milky-white slurry clinging to their skin, looking utterly repulsive. Lu Zong ripped off his jacket, threw it to the ground, spat on the discarded fabric, and growled, "Damn it, even little centipedes dare to mess with me."

Still, he was puzzled: "Why are there so many bugs down here?"

He had intended to ask Ma Xiong, but seeing his friend’s deeply furrowed brow, he guessed Ma Xiong likely knew the answer too, so he clamped his mouth shut, content to ponder the mystery inwardly.

Yet, something felt strangely familiar about the pain from the first sting of those creatures. Only upon deeper reflection did he recall a similar sharp prickling sensation under his foot just as they entered the cave. Now, he realized he must have been bitten by a centipede upon entry. Back then, however, he had quickly descended into confusion. If his suspicion was correct, they would both soon lose consciousness, losing all control.

He frantically relayed his concerns to Ma Xiong, who managed a hazy nod. Lu Zong noticed Ma Xiong’s head drooping heavily, as if he couldn't even hear what was being said.

"Bad news, Ma Xiong must be sedated," Lu Zong thought, pushing him, but Ma Xiong seemed unresponsive to the touch.

Lu Zong grew desperate. He, too, was starting to feel a fog creeping into his mind, a dizzying fuzziness. But he grasped the gravity of their situation: if he succumbed to unconsciousness, their fates would be entirely in the hands of their enemies, ripe for manipulation. The thought galvanized him slightly, and he continued shaking Ma Xiong.

Ma Xiong remained utterly unresponsive, seemingly drifting into deep sleep.

Anxiety tightened Lu Zong’s chest. He feared Ma Xiong falling completely under the control of the Shaman, which would leave him unable to subdue the perverse Ma Xiong. The immediate priority was waking him from his stupor. He rummaged through Ma Xiong's multi-tool kit, pulled out a Swiss Army knife, and with a quick shick, sliced a shallow gash into Ma Xiong’s leg. Though the wound wasn't deep, a significant amount of blood welled up. The pain jolted Ma Xiong; his entire body convulsed once, and then, under Lu Zong’s insistent urging, he awoke.

The first thing he did upon regaining focus was touch his leg, realizing Lu Zong had cruelly opened a wound there. He looked at Lu Zong with an expression of accusation.

Lu Zong met his gaze with apology, quickly explaining, “Don’t misunderstand. I was afraid you’d pass out and be controlled by those Shamans; the situation would become dire. For the greater good, and to protect your life, I had no other choice.”

Ma Xiong took the Swiss Army knife from Lu Zong, wiped it, and sighed regretfully, “A shame. I intended to use this for slicing meat during outdoor barbecues, not as a murder weapon. But it will have to do for now. At least the other three don't know about this yet.”

After three minutes of silence, an unsettling atmosphere began to creep back into the cavern.

Ma Xiong then explained, “Lu Zong, while I was drifting off, I had a very real sensation. I felt like I saw dozens of Japanese soldiers walking around, all dressed in World War II uniforms, carrying crates of—I don't know what. I figured they held weapons. Curious, I grabbed one to ask a question. The man immediately swung a sword at me, and that's when I got this cut from you.”

Lu Zong shook his head. “It was an illusion, Ma Xiong, just your hallucination. I didn’t see anyone walking around. Look at me; my mind is perfectly clear. I feel no dizziness. What I experienced was real.”

Hearing this, Ma Xiong fell silent, staring down at the ground as if deep in thought.

It was Lu Zong who broke the quiet next, saying thoughtfully, “If the illusion you saw was actually real, what would that imply?”

Ma Xiong answered bluntly, “It would imply this place is a Japanese Imperial Army armory from WWII, where they stored weapons back then.”

Lu Zong nodded. “My thoughts align with yours. The massive swarm of highly venomous centipedes suggests buried chemical or biological weapons. And the interference with the walkie-talkies earlier? That was likely nuclear radiation from something deep inside. Am I right?”

Ma Xiong pondered for a moment, then offered tentatively, “But what I saw might not be real. Maybe it’s just my mind replaying too many memories of past wartime scenes?”

Lu Zong shook his head firmly. “Impossible. You never participated in the Sino-Japanese War, and you certainly never saw an Imperial Japanese weapons depot. I suspect the Shaman used sorcery to manipulate your mind, generating all those phantom images?”

Ma Xiong managed a wry smile. “What are you talking about? You’re a scientist; you shouldn't be believing in such superstitions!”

Lu Zong countered, “Not necessarily. Not all religions are superstition. Religion is just a gathering based on a certain belief structure. Their power is immense, and miracles exist in this world. When the two intersect, perhaps they generate a massive energy, resulting in effects caused by unnatural forces. Perhaps the Shaman truly possesses this power beyond the natural?”

Ma Xiong listened, looking half-convinced, half-skeptical. He sighed helplessly. “Whatever it is, as long as our people are safe, that’s what matters. Now, what do we do?”

Lu Zong was silent for a moment before replying, “I think we were perhaps too hasty in our approach.”

Ma Xiong offered no rebuttal.

Lu Zong continued, “We have no choice but to keep moving forward. Look behind you.”

Ma Xiong quickly turned back, only to find the passage they had used was now blocked by debris from the explosion. He let out a mournful sigh; there was no way back.

Lu Zong concluded, “We’ll take it one step at a time. If we try to guess the right path, we’ll surely get lost. Trust our instincts; that’s the most effective way humans solve things when faced with the unknown.”

Ma Xiong realized he had no better option and reluctantly followed Lu Zong’s lead. The two pressed on.

Lu Zong estimated the area spanned at least the size of a football field. Countless small openings pocked the cavern complex; one could only guess what lived within. They were currently walking down a perfectly straight corridor. The walls were smooth, bearing clear signs of artificial carving. Their earlier assumptions seemed accurate. Innumerable side passages branched off, leading into the unknown.

They moved cautiously down the wide corridor, casting curious glances left and right, desperate to uncover the secrets hidden within. However, based on Ma Xiong’s years of experience, such a critical weapons depot would surely have explosives planted at the entrance of every passage to deter thieves. Neither man dared to enter any of the side rooms.

The vast underground chamber was silent, save for the echoing sound of their footsteps in the long hallway—a truly terrifying soundscape. They held their breath, afraid to even draw a full breath, lest they disturb the spectral inhabitants.

Suddenly, Ma Xiong’s head snapped down sharply, as if dodging something. Unexpectedly, his body leaned backward so violently that, according to the laws of physics, he should have tumbled over when leaning back a full thirty degrees. Instead, he somehow remained perfectly upright, leaving Lu Zong utterly dumbfounded.

Lu Zong stared at the frozen Ma Xiong, asking with thrilled surprise, “Ma Xiong, how did you do that?”

Ma Xiong covered his head, disoriented, before slowly looking up, his voice laced with fear. “I saw a Japanese officer raising his saber to strike me directly, so I ducked. But the extreme backward lean almost made me fall. Then, someone caught me from behind! When I turned, all I saw was a shadow—I swear to you, Lu Zong, it was a human silhouette—and it whooshed right into that first passage ahead of us, right there…”

Lu Zong followed Ma Xiong’s pointing finger and was equally shocked, his mouth hanging open as he stared fixedly at the small opening.

At the entrance of that passage stood a figure. Their hearts hammered against their ribs. They couldn't tell if the person was alive or dead, as the dim light made their night vision scopes insufficient for a clear view. However, they were certain the figure wore a Japanese military uniform and stood with rigid solemnity. If the person was alive, it was strange enough; but if it was a corpse standing guard, that would surely push the limits of human terror.

The two exchanged a look, finally resolving to approach together and ascertain the identity of the figure.

They pulled a bottle of liquor from their packs, each taking a hasty swig. A sudden warmth spread through their bodies, bolstering their courage. Supporting each other, they advanced toward the motionless figure.

What stood before them was, undeniably, a lifelike dead man.