After what felt like an age, they heard a booming roar from within, shaking the entire cavern until it vibrated, forcing Lu Zong and Ma Xiong to clamp their hands over their ears. Immediately following the roar came a dead silence, which soon gave way to the sound of the Fatty's bellowing mixed with the muffled pursuit of the Shamans.

The Fatty's voice grew closer, and Ma Xiong and Lu Zong quickly concealed themselves. Before long, the Fatty bolted past them, the light behind him certainly no more than ten meters away; both men held their breath for him.

Once the sounds had faded away, the Fatty and Lu Zong swiftly dropped down from their perch and headed toward their makeshift dwelling. There, they saw two figures bound to a sacrificial pillar. Despite the harsh torment of the preceding days, their faces were etched with fatigue and sorrow, yet this only made their appearance all the more captivating.

At that moment, Han Chong and Lusha also spotted the two men, just about to cry out, when Lu Zong suddenly rushed forward, clamping his hands over their mouths and making a sharp shushing gesture to silence them. He immediately began untying the ropes binding them.

Lu Zong embraced Han Chong, while Ma Xiong pulled Lusha close. The two young women, terrified by their ordeal, were pale with shock. Now that salvation had finally arrived, they were overcome with gratitude, unable to contain themselves any longer, and burst into loud sobs.

Lu Zong held Han Chong tightly, afraid that if the Shamans returned and found them, the situation would become infinitely worse. He asked Han Chong, "Han Chong, did you notice if there was another exit around here?"

Han Chong pointed above her head. "There’s a culvert below, leading to a reservoir where they store fresh water and food. We should be able to escape that way."

Lu Zong quickly pulled Ma Xiong and Lusha along, guiding Han Chong toward the subterranean waterway.

The reservoir spanned over thirty meters long, appearing more like a natural hollow. Lu Zong arranged for the two girls and Ma Xiong to stay below while he went up to look for the Fatty.

He looked at the two beautiful, pale faces and said, "You two wait here for a moment. Ma Xiong will protect you. I'm going to find a friend."

Naturally, in Han Chong’s and Lusha’s minds, that friend was Ganda, not the Fatty who had joined them later. So, they simply nodded. Han Chong looked at Lu Zong with concern and said, "Lu Zong, hurry back if you can't find him. We finally managed to get back together; we absolutely cannot be separated again."

Lu Zong gently stroked Han Chong's cheek, then departed.

He hadn't taken more than a few steps when he heard heavy, ragged gasping ahead of him. Judging by the vibrations, it had to be the Fatty returning. The moment the Fatty’s ashen face appeared, Lu Zong urgently called out, "Fatty, damn it, hurry up! Everyone is waiting for you!"

The Fatty, his face white with terror, cursed back, "Oh my god, that nearly killed me! Those Shamans are complete idiots; they just knelt there quietly, letting that giant seal eat them whole. The sight was so gruesome, it splattered blood all over me! Look..."

Lu Zong grabbed the Fatty, interrupting him, "Stop talking! Escaping is what matters right now." With that, he shoved the Fatty down into the pit. "Let's go, quickly! Don't let those damned Shamans discover us."

Han Chong looked at the Fatty curiously and asked, "Why did Ganda get so fat when he ate, while we all got thinner?"

Lu Zong quickly explained, "Ganda had a bit of trouble, and the Fatty only joined us later. It's a long story; we'll discuss it another day. Right now, we need to escape."

It became clear this was not actually a reservoir. Ma Xiong plucked a single strand of hair and placed it on the water's surface, noticing it flowed toward the outside of the cavern. He observed, "If we head east now, we might end up further underground. In my opinion, this is likely an underground river."