Chapter 74: The Shadow in the Cave (Part 1)

Chapter 74: The Shadow in the Cave

Zhang Mancheng stepped back three paces, forming seals with his hands as he chanted quietly, “Draw the ground, open the heavenly gate, enter the earthly door, close the golden portal... Today, with Yu’s step, may the stars above respond and the misfortune below be dispelled, may all spirits bow, and may nothing bring harm wherever I go...”

In the darkness, faint glimmers slowly appeared on his body, at first like fireflies, but soon brighter than the flame of a torch. In the shifting light, indistinct shadows emerged behind Zhang Mancheng, bearing an aura that seemed foreign to this world. His arms began to move, every gesture effortless yet heavy with immeasurable power, the floating shadows splitting and multiplying, as if he had grown several extra arms.

“Open!” With a low shout, Zhang Mancheng slammed his palm against the stone wall. At his command, the illusory figures of the Six Ding and Six Jia spirits struck the wall together, their blows echoing through the cave.

Moments later, the cracks in the stone began to tremble, emitting a deep rumbling. The fissures widened before their eyes, spreading across the surface like a spider’s web. Stones and dust tumbled down.

When the dust settled, a deep cave entrance was revealed before Zhang Mancheng. The mouth was pitch-black, as though it led to another world.

Zhang Sanlu still held his small hoe, stunned for a while.

Zhang Zhi Dao had already raised his torch, shining it into the cave. Beyond the stone wall, the cave extended further, and even at the limit of the torchlight, nothing but darkness could be seen—it was impossible to make out the bottom.

With a flick of his wrist, Zhang Zhi Dao ignited a talisman which burned without flame, then tossed it into the cave. The talisman floated through the passage, never touching the ground, drifting for dozens of meters and illuminating the entire region ahead.

The three of them saw what lay within: the ground was littered with black segmented limbs, fragments of bodies resembling centipedes, covering not just the floor but even the walls. The air was chilling, and Zhang Sanlu felt the sweat on his skin tighten, his pores shrinking, goosebumps rising all over him.

At the deepest part of the cave, neither the torch nor the talisman could reach; it was estimated to stretch over a hundred meters into the mountain, the depth alone sending shivers through them.

“Senior brother, you stand guard outside. Sanlu and I will go in,” Zhang Mancheng said.

Zhang Sanlu grumbled inwardly, Why can’t I stand outside? I could guard too.

But thinking it over, the arrangement made sense—like playing an RPG, you need the melee fighters at the front to take the hits; you couldn’t send the ranged attackers to absorb the damage. It really did feel like going into a dungeon, only missing a healer.

His mind wandered with these thoughts as he crouched and entered the cave. The inner passage was even narrower than the outside, forcing them to stoop low to get through.

Zhang Mancheng led with the torch, stepping on the dark segmented limbs, which creaked and cracked underfoot, making everyone’s teeth ache.

“This damned place, so many damned bugs... Disgusting. Maybe I should soak in the river when we’re done,” Zhang Sanlu muttered behind.

He continued, “There must have been a huge number of these centipedes here once, but the entrance was blocked so they got trapped. Why didn’t they leave through the other side? Why did they all die here at the sealed entrance?”

“What’s so strange? Either the other side is blocked too, or... there’s something on that side that scared them!”

“You’re joking, Mancheng,” Zhang Sanlu said, shivering, forcing himself to stop imagining things. Good things never happen, bad things always do—whatever he thinks, it comes to pass, and now he was genuinely frightened.

“I’m not joking. The ‘Mad Mountain God’ you mentioned last night isn’t just a story. Whatever’s in here, it’s the source of the madness.”

Zhang Sanlu was stunned. “There’s really a mountain god?!”

“Heh... There’s definitely something in the mountain. God or not, who knows!”

They crouched and walked a long way before Zhang Mancheng suddenly stopped.

Zhang Sanlu, following closely, bumped right into him, annoyed that he hadn’t given a warning, and punched him lightly.

“Hold on, the passage gets even narrower here—can’t get through with the torch!”

Zhang Sanlu peered ahead; indeed, the torchlight revealed a doorway barely half a man’s height.

“Can you summon those six arms again and open up a bigger hole?” he asked.

“Open what? If the cave collapses, we’ll end up buried together decades ahead of schedule,” Zhang Mancheng replied, annoyed. Though they’d only just met, the two had quickly hit it off, speaking casually.

“Who’s getting buried with you? What do we do now?”

“I’ll go in first. You hold the torch,” Zhang Mancheng said.

“I’ve only got one hand—how am I supposed to crawl with a torch?” Zhang Sanlu retorted.

“I said I’ll go in first. Wait here, and come in when I call,” Zhang Mancheng said, handing over the torch without hesitation and stooping to squeeze into the pitch-black passage.

Zhang Sanlu held the torch, glancing at the darkness behind and the unknown depths ahead. The only sound was the faint scratching of unseen things crawling, sending chills down his spine.

After a while, even the faint scratching disappeared. Zhang Sanlu couldn’t help but crouch and shout into the passage, “Zhang Mancheng? Is it deep in there—?”

Only darkness and silence answered. Anxiety crept in—what if he got stuck? Or if there was a pit inside and he fell straight down? No, no, don’t think such things.

“Zhang Mancheng? Can you hear me?” Zhang Sanlu called again, hoping for an echo. “Can you hear me, you damned beggar—”

Suddenly, a faint voice echoed from deep within the cave, “You bastard!!!”

Though he was being cursed, Zhang Sanlu felt much better. He shouted again, “How’s it look in there? Should I come in now?”

“Crawl—through—it’s easy—” came the broken, intermittent reply.

“Easy, my ass! I’ve only got one hand, don’t you know?” Zhang Sanlu shouted back angrily.

“Hold on—there’s—something—strange—in—here,” Zhang Mancheng’s voice came through the darkness.

From the fragmented sentences, Zhang Sanlu realized his companion had found something unknown.

“What did you find?” he shouted.

Silence. Then, after a pause, Zhang Mancheng’s voice returned, “Don’t know—feels—hard—many—hands—” Suddenly, the sound of metal striking echoed from within.

“Feels hard? Many hands?” Zhang Sanlu’s curiosity was piqued; all sorts of strange images flashed through his mind—many hands?!