Xiao Zhuzi leaned forward with all her might and finally grasped Xi Xi's hand. Fei Bao swooped down just in time, using his body to support Xi Xi. With the combined effort of the two companions, Xi Xi stumbled into the safety zone.
"That was... too dangerous!" Xi Xi collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath, her legs trembling uncontrollably.
The three friends had just reached the opposite shore of Lava Lake when a deafening roar erupted behind them, as if the gates of hell had been opened. The sound was even more terrifying than before. They turned in horror to see Lava Lake erupting violently, with scorching lava shooting into the sky like fireworks, tracing dazzling lines of fire through the air.
The surrounding rock walls began to tremble violently, as if the entire underground world was shaking. Large boulders fell from above, crashing to the ground with a dull thud.
"Run!" Fei Bao shouted loudly. "This place is going to collapse!"
Xiao Zhuzi and Xi Xi didn’t have time to rest; they immediately turned and sprinted toward the exit.
"Watch out!" Xiao Zhuzi screamed as a massive rock grazed her shoulder and crashed to the ground, nearly causing her to lose her balance. Debris flew everywhere, leaving small scratches on her face.
Xi Xi grabbed Xiao Zhuzi's hand, her voice breaking as they ran, "Hang on! We're... almost there!"
The three friends ran desperately, the sounds of crumbling rocks echoing behind them. The scorching air mixed with dust nearly suffocated them. Every step felt like a battle between life and death, every second filled with endless peril. Just as they were about to reach the exit, a loud crash shook the ground beneath them. The rock wall above the exit began to collapse on a large scale, boulders raining down like hail.
"Jump!" Fei Bao shouted hoarsely. "Jump now! Otherwise it’ll be too late!"
Xiao Zhuzi and Xi Xi exchanged glances, summoning their last bit of courage before leaping together. They soared through the air as rocks cascaded down behind them like a waterfall, nearly brushing against their heels.
Thud! They landed heavily on the ground outside the exit, pain shooting through their bodies as Fei Bao followed closely behind. Just as they stood up, the entire exit of Lava Lake collapsed with a thunderous roar, countless boulders sealing off the passage completely. The dust kicked up forced them to close their eyes and cover their mouths.
Gasping for breath, the three friends stared in shock at what lay before them. The passage they had just traversed had transformed into an insurmountable wall of rock. Silence fell suddenly, broken only by their rapid breathing.
"We... we almost..." Xi Xi trembled, unable to finish her sentence as she seemed still shaken from their narrow escape.
"Yeah, we almost... got buried in there," Fei Bao said with lingering fear.
Xiao Zhuzi's face was covered in dust, sweat mixing into small rivers of mud on her skin; her clothes had several small holes burned by sparks from Lava Lake. She looked at the sealed exit and softly said, "This means we can’t go back the way we came."
"What?!" Fei Bao and Xi Xi exchanged worried glances; their only remaining escape route had vanished entirely. They could very well be trapped forever in this unknown underground world!
"What do we do now?" Fei Bao asked urgently, panic creeping into his voice.
Xiao Zhuzi remained silent for a long time before wearily saying, "Let’s rest for a bit first; I need to think."
So the three friends found a relatively flat rock not far from the sealed entrance and sat down exhaustedly. A few large protruding rocks nearby provided some shelter if needed. Having just experienced a harrowing escape from death, each of their hearts was still racing.
Xi Xi took out some rations and water from her backpack and shared them with Xiao Zhuzi and Fei Bao. They silently passed around the water bottle and food; after drinking some water, Xiao Zhuzi took a hearty bite of dried fruit, feeling that her scattered spirit was slowly returning.
She looked up at her companions’ faces and choked out, "Fei Bao, Xi Xi, if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have gone through so much danger and might not be trapped here forever. I'm sorry..." As she spoke those last words, Xiao Zhuzi could no longer control her emotions; tears streamed down her face onto the dried fruit in her hands.
Seeing this, Xi Xi quickly moved closer. She hugged Xiao Zhuzi tightly and gently patted her back while softly saying, "Xiao Zhuzi, you are our best friend. If we could choose again, I would still choose to accompany you on this journey with Fei Bao!" Then she pretended to be angry and continued, "Our friendship can withstand any danger! You mustn't say such things again or cry over it! Otherwise I will really get mad!"
Fei Bao fluttered over and gently tapped Xiao Zhuzi's shoulder with his wings, grinning as he said, "Exactly! We are the best of friends in the whole world! Xiao Zhuzi, you're being too formal!"
Xiao Zhuzi looked at her two good friends with gratitude, blinking rapidly to hold back her tears. She sniffled and said, "Thank you both. I think we really have no choice now but to keep moving forward. Once we find Lonely Cloud Peak and Moonlit Sky Herb, we can figure out how to look for other exits and leave this underground world."
"That's right!" Xi Xi and Fei Bao nodded in agreement. Then Xi Xi added, "First, we need to rest well. I'll go nearby to see if I can find some fresh water, and then we can set off again!"
In this unfamiliar underground world, the three friends huddled closely together, their friendship serving as their strongest fortress.
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