Yet, despite the Fatty’s terror, he eventually managed to pull himself across. After all, in the face of absolute desperation, human potential for survival is boundless.

The Fatty crouched on the ground, gasping for breath, glaring at the vine as thick as a wrist. He grumbled, “How can this thing be so biased? Both of you managed to swing across, but Fatty can’t even get a pull? What kind of world is this?”

Ma Xiong and Lu Zong exchanged a knowing smile and told the Fatty, “It’s good you’re safe. Let’s move on quickly.”

The Fatty pointed to Ganda, dangling from the cavern ceiling, and exclaimed, “You call this safe? Look how miserably Ganda died. His whole body is riddled with holes; the plants have made a home out of him. After soaking up so many years of nourishment, only to have it snatched away by these unfeeling, dead plants in the end.”

Lu Zong looked up at Ganda’s corpse hanging from the ceiling. It was no longer recognizable as a body, but rather like shredded meat, haphazardly draped across the vines.

At this moment, only Ma Xiong remained rational. He clapped Lu Zong on the shoulder and said, “The dead cannot return to life. We cannot let the death of one man affect the lives of the living. We must leave this place quickly; there might be more dangers waiting for us below.”

Only then did Lu Zong turn back, looking at the Fatty squatting on the ground, and commanded, “Fatty, get up now! We need to keep going down and see if we can find a way out of this massive cavern. Ganda is gone, and that’s that. He won't suffer alongside us anymore, so you don't need to mourn.”

The Fatty finally rose, staring at Lu Zong with a look of utter bewilderment.

Lu Zong asked, “Fatty, what is it? What’s wrong?”

The Fatty looked confused. “Something feels off, Lu Zong. I sense a slight wrongness about me.”

Ma Xiong also tensed up. “What is it, Fatty? What feels wrong?”

The Fatty said gravely, “Why aren’t I sad at all that Ganda is dead?”

Ma Xiong and Lu Zong both cursed him as heartless. The three of them continued forward, uncertain what lay ahead. They were now inside the cavern shaped like a giant ear; it was pitch black inside, and only with the night-vision goggles could they vaguely make out the surrounding walls or jutting stones. They had no idea where they truly were.

Ma Xiong suggested, “Lu Zong, let’s look around for something flammable. We should build a fire here; I’m about to freeze stiff.”

The Fatty’s voice trembled from the cold, “Yeah, Lu Zong, I think we should rest here for a bit. If it gets colder the deeper we go, we won’t be able to conserve our strength.”

Lu Zong shivered too. Indeed, the further in they walked, the colder it became. He couldn't explain why, but a profound, inexpressible emotion was churning in his gut, a feeling that had been latent within him for who knew how long.

He conceded, “Fine. Let’s squat here and rest for a while. Find some wood to burn, light a fire, and we’ll have a little campfire gathering. Fatty, you can sing for us later.”

The Fatty let out a dopey chuckle. “Fatty only knows how to sing dirges and funeral songs. Just make sure your eardrums can survive it.”

While they were talking, the three had already gathered a significant pile of dry kindling. They couldn't fathom why there was so much wood in this cave, but they didn't dwell on it; they focused only on starting a fire, eating some rations, and then pressing onward.

Right now, they had no guiding sense of direction; only that faint, desperate yearning for survival directed their actions.

Hiss. The light from the match illuminated the entire cavern. Once the match fully caught fire, they would finally be able to see the cave’s full scope.

The cavern was clearly shaped like a giant ear, and it continued onward indefinitely. The surrounding walls bore markings of carving, evidently added by human hands. Furthermore, this tunnel stretched for miles, the end nowhere in sight, leaving them to wonder just how long it truly was.

Ma Xiong asked, “Lu Zong, we have no idea how long this tunnel is. Just walking isn't a solution. Our rations and water are running low.”

The Fatty countered, “We don’t need to worry about water so much; the key is these rations. Because, as I observed, the humidity here is quite heavy—there must be an underground river below, and that will solve the water issue. The critical problem is food. We don't have much left.”

Lu Zong looked at the ration bag, then at his nearly empty canteen. “We just need to push harder; I refuse to believe we can’t walk out. Come on, eat up. Who knows when we’ll eat next.”

Ma Xiong and the Fatty swallowed their food without hesitation. The compressed biscuits and dried beef tasted hardly palatable, but what they truly needed was moisture. The reality was that there wasn't a drop of water to be found; they could only manage to moisten their lips slightly.

They quickly finished their meal, rested briefly, and then continued their journey. They dared not linger in one spot for too long, lest they attract the attention of beasts lurking nearby, making escape difficult later on.

The further they progressed into the cave, the wider it became, continuing to expand. The surroundings also began to take on a sense of order: the surfaces were smooth and flat, and most strikingly, they were etched with intricate patterns. The delicate, beautiful designs were nothing short of peerless craftsmanship. It was a shame they couldn't carry them out, as they would surely cause an uproar in the outside world.

The Fatty, walking at the very front, suddenly stopped. He hissed and motioned for the others to hold their breath and listen carefully to what sound lay ahead.

Lu Zong and Ma Xiong immediately halted their steps, leaning forward and straining their ears to listen intently. They heard the faint but distinct sound of trickling water.

The three exchanged glances, relief washing over their faces. “Water flowing! We’re saved!” With that, the Fatty took the lead and sprinted forward, dashing ahead to locate the source of the sound.

Finally, after running some distance, they saw a glint of light ahead, the source of the sound emanating from that spot. The Fatty roared, “Who—water, water! We’ve finally found water!” He then charged forward like a madman, and when he reached the edge of the stream, he suddenly dropped to his knees, plunging both hands into the water, preparing to scoop up a mouthful.

But just as the Fatty knelt down, before he could lift the water to his lips, he suddenly pitched forward, plunging headfirst into the river. Immediately followed by the Fatty’s cries for help and the sounds of him thrashing violently in the water.

Ma Xiong and Lu Zong watched him, thinking it was a joke. They laughed, “Fatty, what are you doing? Trying to sleep with the Water Nymph? No need to be so affectionate!”

But the Fatty shrieked, “Quick! Save me! There are Corpse Worms here! Hurry and save me!”

The two then realized the gravity of the situation and rushed forward to see what had befallen the Fatty.

This sight terrified them both, their faces instantly draining of color, because they saw an upper-torso-only corpse tightly locked around the Fatty’s bulky body. Despite the Fatty’s desperate struggling, he could not break free easily, a testament to the strength of this half-corpse creature.