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“This... this is simply too dangerous!” Xiao Zhuzi gasped, her face flushed from the heat, sweat dripping from her forehead. “How can we possibly get through a place like this?”
Xi Xi scanned the surroundings warily, her expression serious as she said, “It’s not just the high temperature; there could be toxic gases in the air as well!”
Xiao Zhuzi pulled Xi Xi and Fei Bao back to the previous bend in the path. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she tried to remain calm. “If this is the only way to Lonely Cloud Peak, we must find a safe way to get through.”
Fei Bao spread his wings, fanning the group as he spoke. “The temperature here is too high; it’s affecting my stamina. It might be difficult to carry you all one by one. But I noticed something earlier: on one side of Lava Lake, there’s a narrow edge made of rocks and volcanic ash. It’s tight, but we should be able to walk across one at a time. Plus, it’s high above the lake surface, so we won’t be exposed to that suffocating heat up close.”
“That’s definitely good news, but we still need to figure out how to deal with the toxic gases,” Xiao Zhuzi said, her brow furrowed. “We can’t just hold our breath while passing through there…”
The three friends fell into a brief silence, each contemplating possible solutions. Suddenly, Xi Xi’s eyes lit up. She slapped her forehead and exclaimed, “I’ve got it! Moss!” Seeing the puzzled looks from her companions, she quickly explained, “There was wet moss all over the rock wall we passed earlier. We can use it to cover our mouths and noses; moss can help filter out most of the toxic gases.”
“Great idea, Xi Xi!” Xiao Zhuzi added another suggestion. “And remember those water bottles we filled by the Underground River? We can sprinkle water on ourselves while crossing to keep cool!”
Fei Bao’s eyes sparkled with admiration as he exclaimed, “That’s amazing! You two are so clever!”
The three little adventurers immediately sprang into action. They returned to gather enough wet moss and decided to collect extra for replacements during their crossing for safety. Additionally, they found some sturdy vines to securely tie the wet moss over their faces, freeing their hands to grip the rock wall.
When they returned to the edge of Lava Lake, even with their moss masks on, they could still feel the searing heat in the air. Fortunately, the acrid smell had significantly lessened. The three friends stood on the narrow rocky edge, looking down at the rolling lava below—a terrifying scene of fiery hell!
Xiao Zhuzi turned to her companions and asked in a trembling voice, “Are you ready?”
“Ready! Let’s go!” Xi Xi and Fei Bao replied in unison.
Taking a deep breath, Xiao Zhuzi steeled herself and climbed onto the narrow rock path first. The path was only wide enough for one person and was uneven; every step required careful attention. After just a few steps, Xiao Zhuzi felt dizzy; her vision blurred and the ground seemed to sway beneath her. She quickly grabbed onto a protruding rock to steady herself.
“Are you okay?” Xi Xi called out anxiously from behind.
“I’m fine,” Xiao Zhuzi gritted her teeth and replied. “Keep going.”
Fei Bao flew ahead to scout the path and called out loudly, “Be careful! There are some gaps ahead that you’ll need to jump over! Watch your step!”
As Xiao Zhuzi approached, she indeed saw a crack in the rocky path. Although it wasn’t very wide, below lay boiling lava—terrifyingly dangerous. She closed her eyes to steady her nerves and then leaped forward with all her might. Upon landing, she pressed herself against the rock wall, her heart racing and palms sweaty.
Xi Xi followed closely behind and gasped when she saw the crack. Summoning her courage, she jumped over as well; however, as she landed, a small stone rolled from beneath her foot and fell directly into the lava with a hissing sound as it melted away.
Xi Xi stared at this scene in horror and murmured, “That’s terrifying!” Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead only to evaporate quickly in the scorching air.
As they continued forward, similar situations kept arising—sometimes needing to leap over cracks or navigate loose rocks; other times facing sudden bursts of hot air—each step was fraught with danger where one misstep could lead them into an abyss of despair. Fei Bao occasionally swooped down to fan them with his wings in an effort to alleviate some of the heat. Xiao Zhuzi and Xi Xi often splashed water on themselves for relief; however, in such extreme heat conditions, these efforts were barely effective. The heat from the lava rose beneath them, scorching their feet as they felt increasingly fatigued from both tension and intense temperatures.
“Hang in there!” Fei Bao shouted breathlessly. “We’ve made it more than halfway!”
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