Chapter 113 - Ran for His Life

As Mafan entered the dark passage, he used all his senses to know the way. He was scared, but he had no choice since it was now or never. He remembered what the diary said.

"Meters ahead from the entrance, there should be a small passage to the left. It should lead to a cavern full of white stones illuminating an inner room." He recited this over and over and thought to himself if he could just get to that part of the cave, it'll all be fine. 

He pointed his stick to the ground to frighten snakes, rats, or other critters away. It would also help him from stumbling down on big rocks. As he moved, he heard the stick hit steel rails and some metallic and cracking objects on the ground. He wondered what they were but focused his mind to his destination.

The passage was damp and cold but he began sweating bullets because of nervousness. The thought of stumbling into something he hadn't faced before was nerve-racking. The absence of light as well made him go nuts. His palm groping the wall became muddy. 

Mafan had memorized the map by heart, but going through the cave without good vision was something he had not prepared himself with. 

"If only they hadn't meddled," he cussed between breaths. He cursed the workers for being slow. However, he didn't expect Ming and company would arrive soon because he never left a trace nor any clues to where he was. Because of them he wasn't able to bring what he needed.  

As he got deeper into the cave, the atmosphere was getting chilly and the aura of the place was getting eerie. It was these times he regretted taking actions without thinking things through. The air suddenly dropped to zero and there was a fog that surrounded Mafan. He couldn't see this but he could feel something was coming and an unpleasant one as well. 

He heard a low howl just a short distance from him, making his hair stood on end. His mind scanned the area, trying to connect to the mind of what's advancing, whether it was a human or a creature that lived there. But the results only made him more scared, he sensed nothing. 

Mafan felt the presence but his power went through an unending emptiness. He stopped in his tracks. For sure, he had encountered nothing like this before. 

Suddenly, he jumped in fright as a man-like figure appeared before him out of nowhere, but his sight passed through it. "A ghost," he gasped in fear. It had eyes but dark, skin emitting blue light, and the way it moved wasn't humanely at all. However, what scared him more was not its countenance alone but the powerful vibration his body sensed from it.

He wanted to run away but breathed deeply to calm himself. But he prepared himself for any possible happenings. "Who are you?" 

The apparition looked at him, floating silently and tilted its head up and made a deafening scream. Mafan squinted as he covered his ears, afraid his eardrums would burst. Then it stopped. Slowly, its hand raised, pointing at Mafan. 

Suddenly, the hall lit up. Mafan thought he had reached his destination, but what he saw next made him want to die that instant. There were not only one but many of those things that emerged from the walls and ground. Each shrieked, "How dare you enter this sacred place?" 

"By the god's name." Mafan stepped back but fell back as his knees gave way. The apparitions went closer to him with their deathly stares. He moved back with his butt mopping the ground and touched something weird. His eyes went to the thing and saw bones scattered on the ground. Some were intact skeletons leaning on the wall and lying on the dirt floor.

"Ahh!" The sight made him sprung up and ran for his life but stopped short to see more apparitions guarding the way to the entrance. He looked around and saw a gap between the ghosts. He dashed toward it, heading further inside. 

'Think, think!' He reminded himself and looked back to only find them chasing him. He tried to recall what General Lei Ming wrote. For sure the man said something about this. He scanned his memories real quick and… his eyes glistened. "Yes, that's it."

This time, he smirked, thankful to the ghosts for lighting his path. He looked back at them again and hope came as he saw something.

---- o ----

General Lofey furiously paced back and forth outside the cave. Irritated by the thought that Ming hadn't allowed them to go in yet. He was so sure that the traitor was inside and yet Ming wouldn't let them. 

"You should calm yourself, General." Xinyi tried to console the old man. She didn't want to see anyone seem too panicky since it also made her uneasy. The General looked at her and only grunted. 

This did not please Ming at all. He knew that they wasted time by staying outside when they should be inside the cave by now, hunting for the person who maliciously sought the stones. But he could not afford to risk his men. 

God knows what that stone was, but knowing the place was closed for a good reason made him hesitant to let anyone go in. Also, he had learned his lesson back in the Cave of Truth. He feared that they might encounter something worse than that bad spirit. 

"I apologize for my superior's actions towards you, my lady. He hadn't had a good rest and would never rest until he catches this man." Tyriece politely smiled to Xinyi. 

"It's fine, I understand." She smiled back. 

Ming was busy thinking but saw the two talking. Although he couldn't hear their conversation, he noticed Tyriece was too friendly with Xinyi. His ears turned red, didn't like this at all. 

What are you thinking, Ming? This is no time for this. 

He shook his head and tried to focus on making a better plan fast or else they might be too late. Suddenly, they heard a loud pain-filled mourn coming from inside.

This time General Lofey walked up to Ming. "We're going in," he shouted and walked straight to the entrance. That hair raising scream was a sign that someone was meddling inside. 

Xinyi and Nianshi looked at Ming. They thought of sprinting in but waited for the signal. The Hutyuns were also ready for Xinyi's commands. 

Ming watched the angry general's back and to the passage Though that scream was utterly disturbing, he knew protecting the stones comes first. 

"Everyone, we'll go in but be alert. Follow the general's lead," commanded Ming.  

With no hesitation, General Lofey created a large ball of fire in his hand and walked in. The soldiers followed. Ming left some of his men outside while the rest went in. He, Xinyi, and Nianshi were the last. They were confident but didn't know this was a walk that would change their life forever.