“At first, it was so narrow one could barely pass. After a few dozen steps, it suddenly opened up.” Su Mo muttered to himself.
It wasn’t that he’d suddenly developed a compulsion to recite classical Chinese prose—it was just that the scene before him demanded a display of literary appreciation.
Much like the description in Peach Blossom Spring, Su Mo had wandered into an extremely narrow passage.
The difference was, at the end of this gorge lay a cave, and the river had turned into an underground stream. The path ahead mirrored the text: narrow at first, then suddenly opening into brightness.
The cave was pitch-black, so dark he couldn’t see his own hand. Su Mo pulled out a high-powered flashlight, revealing a swarm of bats clinging to the ceiling, poised for action.
These bats were massive, each with a wingspan of about a meter, their long fangs giving them the appearance of vampires lurking in the shadows.
Now that they’d been spotted, they saw no reason to hide. They circled above him, their shrill zhi-zhi-zhi cries filling the air.
Su Mo didn’t back down. He was convinced that pushing forward would lead him out of the gorge—and even if it didn’t, what if some fortuitous encounter awaited him inside the cave?
That’s how it always went in the stories…
He tried using fire to scare them off, but the bats seemed unfazed. If anything, they grew bolder, diving at him in attack.
“Why won’t you follow the usual script?!” Su Mo cursed, summoning his bronze armor.
He had to admit—the armor he’d looted from the revenant back then had proven incredibly useful, saving him in multiple battles.
He’d technically turned it over to the organization as required, but with Yang Jie’s permission, he’d kept “one” set for himself.
The bats, unable to resist the temptation of fresh prey, finally lunged. But no matter how sharp their fangs were, they couldn’t pierce the bronze armor. The clink-clink of their failed strikes carried a hint of frustration.
Su Mo smirked. Dark cyan flames erupted from his body, reducing the swarm to ashes in an instant.
“You guys are so weak~” He delivered the final blow—both literally and psychologically.
The same scene repeated itself as he pressed forward, until eventually, the bats stopped attacking altogether. Su Mo grinned triumphantly. “Thought I couldn’t handle you, huh…”
With a dramatic flick of his “sleeves,” he marched on.
After nearly two hours in the dark, a glimmer of light finally appeared ahead. Su Mo’s heart leapt, and he quickened his pace.
Having spent so long in darkness, the sunlight outside was blinding. It took him a while to adjust before he could fully open his eyes.
The view beyond the cave was breathtaking.
The suffocating gorge gave way to an endless grassland, stretching as far as the eye could see.
The sudden vastness lifted his spirits, releasing the pent-up negativity that had weighed on him for days.
But before he could fully savor the moment, a familiar sound ruined his mood.
“Not this again…” Once bitten, twice shy—Su Mo instinctively raised his hands to cover his ears.
“Huh? No red-eye effect this time?” He paused, turning toward the source of the sound. A pack of gray-furred wolves was charging across the plains.
A few of the largest wolves lagged at the rear, glancing back repeatedly as if something were chasing them.
Then—a small figure shot into the air, landing right beside the trailing wolf and keeping pace effortlessly. “Puppy, you’re so fast! I almost couldn’t catch up!”
“Awoo?! (ﾟ⊿ﾟ)ﾂ” The wolf let out a strangled yelp, stumbling mid-stride.
“Puppy, your smile is so ugly…”
From a distance, Su Mo recognized the figure instantly. His face lit up as he waved enthusiastically. “Qingqing!”
Xia Qingqing, currently preoccupied with teasing the wolves, froze at the familiar voice. Her expression brightened. “Oh! My bestie’s here! Let me introduce you guys!”
The wolf pack: !!!∑(°Д°ノ)ノ
Without hesitation, they veered sharply away from Su Mo’s direction.
The wolves: One monster was bad enough. Two might actually kill us.
“Hey, you’re going the wrong way!” Xia Qingqing called out, genuinely concerned.
Su Mo, thrilled to see her, sprinted toward her at full speed.
Maybe it was the open plains, but running here felt liberating—like his soul had been set free.
He was fast. Faster than Xia Qingqing. His movements were fluid, like a sleek cheetah cutting through the wind.
“Why were you chasing them?” Su Mo asked once he caught up, baffled. “Look how scared they are.”
Xia Qingqing blinked. “They were running nonstop, so I figured there must be some treasure ahead. I wanted to see!”
“Hah?!” Su Mo skidded to a halt.
Xia Qingqing, though confused, mirrored his sudden stop.
“Don’t pause now! What if they get away?” Her cheeks were flushed, her panting oddly endearing.
“Did you fight them?”
“No, they just kept running. Never gave me a chance.”
Su Mo’s expression stiffened. “How long have you been chasing them?”
Xia Qingqing tilted her head. “About two hours?”
Her face twisted in frustration as she took a few deep breaths. “These puppies are cute, but they have way too much stamina. I got tired, but they wouldn’t even take a break!”
Su Mo gave her a strange look, then nodded toward the wolves. “And what are they doing now?”
Xia Qingqing turned. The pack had formed a tight circle, finally resting—though the moment she looked over, several of the weaker wolves yelped and collapsed in terror. The ones still standing weren’t faring much better, their legs trembling uncontrollably.
“Why did they only stop when you showed up…?”
Su Mo couldn’t help but laugh. “Let me spell it out for you. Is it possible—just maybe—that they were running because they were terrified of you?”
Xia Qingqing stared blankly for a few seconds, her big, sparkling eyes blinking in confusion. Then, with a guilty pout, she mumbled:
“But I’m obviously so cute… What’s there to be afraid of?”
Su Mo lost it, doubling over with laughter. “Imagine you’re running, and suddenly some creature way stronger than you starts chasing you. It doesn’t attack, doesn’t yell—just grins and follows, occasionally mocking you. How would you feel?”
“I’d… ask why it’s chasing me.”
“And if it didn’t understand, just kept grinning and chasing because it thought you were funny?”
“I—” Her face turned redder. After a long pause, she pressed her lips together and looked away, feigning innocence.
Su Mo chuckled, turning his attention back to the wolves. He noticed their rest was highly organized—some kept watch while others slept, taking shifts.
The alpha wolf even made rounds, comforting the weaker members.
It reminded him of a book he’d once read, analyzing how humans could learn from wolves’ social structures and survival strategies.
Animals really do have a lot to teach us, he mused.
Just then, Xia Qingqing—quiet until now—spoke up again.
“Qingyi… What if they actually do know where treasure is? Otherwise, why wouldn’t they fight back after being chased for so long?”
Su Mo studied her expression—three parts earnest, three parts clueless, three parts serious, and one part utterly adorable—and suddenly wondered if she might be onto something.
What if there really is treasure ahead?
Maybe… I should join her?