5 Lost In Darkness

Pubang's book "The Night of Hunting Games" is on sale at Amazon and Kobo

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Without a doubt, these men in black were like leeches, latching on and not letting go until they were full of blood. Mo Wen and the fox were trapped here now, and whether fate would continue to favor them was uncertain.

Mo Wen attempted to find some makeshift weapons, fully aware it was like using a mantis to stop a chariot, but he wasn't ready to surrender. Just then, the white fox struggled and jumped to the ground, making soft whining sounds as it led Mo Wen to the underground laundry room. The fox clawed at a corner piled high with giant white ants, sending dust flying. Angered by the disturbance, the ants swarmed the fox, biting into its skin. The white fox shook its body in pain, trying to rid itself off the ants.

Although Mo Wen didn't understand what the fox was doing, he trusted the animal's intelligence and grabbed a wooden board to help. Soon, with a loud "thud," his board struck something hard below. Mo Wen continued to clear the ground with the board, his hands and arms being bitten by the ants, red welts appearing in rows.

Underneath the anthill, they discovered a heavily eroded, nearly broken thick wooden board, with dark holes revealing emptiness below. A breeze blew up from the openings.

Excitedly, Mo Wen kicked the board apart, exposing a hidden entrance to a cave. The dark, deep hole seemed to lead to an unknown place. The fox continued to whine, urging him to descend. Mo Wen hesitated briefly before jumping down. What looked shallow was nearly three meters deep, and he landed hard, pain shooting through his ankle.

Looking up, he hoped to see the white fox, but instead, clumps of dirt fell on him. Mo Wen quickly lowered his head as his eyes stung. It seemed the fox was digging above him. Was it trying to bury him alive?

"What are you doing? Come down here!" he shouted.

More dirt rained down in response. With no other choice, Mo Wen lowered his head and groped around. He discovered that the tunnel extended further, sloping downward. He took a few cautious steps into the horizontal passage.

"Last call! Come down and go with me!" he yelled upwards.

In return, he heard the clang of metal. A bucket fell, followed by several metal pipes, and finally a loud crash that seemed to block the entrance, sending dust swirling around him.

At that moment, he heard the chaotic sounds of footsteps and low shouts from within the villa. The men in black had clearly entered. Upstairs, the floorboards creaked with rapid footsteps, mingled with occasional roars and the sounds of struggle, filling the air with tension and pressure. Mo Wen heard objects being overturned, the sharp crack of breaking glass, as if the entire villa was being turned upside down.

Mo Wen realized that the highly intelligent white fox was urging him to escape through the tunnel. Without further delay, he activated the flashlight on his multitool and proceeded into the darkness. He walked hunched over for about ten meters as the passage narrowed, forcing him to crawl through the tightest spots. Thankfully, the air inside was not as stifling as expected; a gentle breeze blew through.

The tunnel branched in many directions, resembling a natural cave system. After each narrow section, it opened into a spacious chamber. Soon, he heard distant sounds from the entrance, likely from the pursuers discovering it. Mo Wen quickened his pace, navigating the dark, twisting paths for about half an hour. His head was bumped several times, his arms covered in scratches. When the flashlight began to dim, panic set in. After more than half an hour, he was hopelessly lost, moving forward through the seemingly endless cave.

The last glimmer of light from his phone faded, plunging him into complete darkness. Mo Wen sighed, feeling his way forward with hands that couldn't even see his own fingers.

Suddenly, he tripped and fell into a larger space.

It felt like he had fallen into the abyss of the universe, surrounded by darkness and silence. Closing his eyes, he let himself adjust to the blackness. When he opened them again, he was greeted by a sky full of brilliant stars. The stars glittered like jewels, making the scene feel surreal.

He found himself in a vast cave, filled with stalactites, stalagmites, and faintly glowing stone platforms. The dim light made the surroundings appear clearer and more luminous.

Mo Wen sat down quietly, closing his eyes to take it all in. The ancient and mysterious atmosphere filled him with awe and curiosity. His gaze gradually fell upon the deeper part of the cave, where he saw abandoned wooden tables and chairs. These ancient pieces, likely made of sturdy rosewood and inlaid with pearls and shells, had been left untouched for centuries. He also noticed older ceramic vessels, damaged fabrics, and ornaments, relics from several centuries past.

Suddenly, he spotted some unusual objects that didn't fit with the ancient surroundings.