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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 09: Escape from the Death Zone
The road beneath our feet was a simple winding path on Strange Mountain, complete with tunnels and a narrow ribbon-like trail. It was forty kilometers away from the city where I lived. If I hadn’t experienced those events firsthand, I would never have believed that we could end up in this cursed place in just one night, and now find ourselves in a death zone left behind by the earthquake.
I urged Mi to forget everything and leave immediately. Just as we were desperately sprinting forward, a loud crash came from behind us as the ground collapsed, sending my heart racing. The earth shook violently, accompanied by a thunderous rumble of collapse, mixed with chilling cries for help and heart-wrenching screams.
“Help me… it hurts… please help me…”
“Mommy, I want my mommy…”
“Run! There’s an earthquake!”
The terrifying and eerie sounds echoed around us, resembling ghostly wails. Meanwhile, the ground began to sink dramatically, dust swirling everywhere, making it nearly impossible to see the path ahead. The earth rolled like crumpled tin, breaking apart in layers, large chunks collapsing at an alarming speed, as if swept by a gust of wind, quickly reaching our heels.
I felt the ground tremble beneath us as it gave way with one final step. I pushed Mi with all my strength; she clung tightly to a tree root at the fault line while I grabbed her foot. In an instant, the ground beneath us collapsed, and we swung like pendulums, our bodies suspended as we lunged toward the opposite side.
Dust filled our mouths, eyes, faces, and bodies. This wasn’t a movie; it was a firsthand experience of an earthquake. Perhaps it wasn’t just an earthquake but a deadly journey that could claim both our lives. The root Mi was holding onto turned out not to be a root at all—it was a snake!
Oh no!
Mi was afraid of snakes, and so was I.
The cold snake lunged forward with great force; it sensed danger and feared falling into the abyss below. Its body coiled tightly around the tree at the fault line. Upon realizing it was a snake, Mi let out a terrified scream but couldn’t let go.
“Don’t be afraid; the snake won’t have a chance to bite you. Just hold on tightly with both hands and don’t let go.” As I spoke, I grasped the rebar beneath the fault line for leverage. My body clung to the fault like a gecko, relieving some of Mi’s weight. With another strong pull, I managed to bring her closer to safety.
Mi quickly loosened her grip and kept looking at her hands; they felt wet and sticky. I told her to grab some dirt from the collapsing ground so that whatever she held onto wouldn’t slip away again. She followed my advice and clung tightly to my leg as I took a step forward, pulling her along with me.
Boom—clang—creak
The sounds of rocks collapsing mixed with metallic clattering and the rumbling of shifting earth created an orchestra of terror that I had never imagined could be so horrifying. The cries of ghosts, women’s screams, and various eerie noises from the earthquake sent chills down my spine.
My heart raced wildly as I felt an overwhelming tension; I feared that the very spot we were clinging to might also give way at any moment. Damn it! Just as I thought that, there was a deafening crash above where Mi and I were climbing—a heavy object fell onto our position followed by intense vibrations.
We both fell downward simultaneously—
“Ahhh…” Mi let out a scream of fear and despair. As we plummeted, I saw countless faces, covered in mud, pressed against the fracture layer, motionless as they gazed outward. Their muddy faces bore nothing but a deathly aura and pairs of terrified eyes—these were clearly the faces of the dead, visible only to me. Had my Demon Eyes returned?
There was no time to confirm my doubts; the dust swirled around us, and our descent accelerated. I couldn't predict where we would land. Would we be shattered to pieces, buried under heavy mud, or crushed by falling boulders? Various unimaginable death scenarios replayed in my mind like a movie.
Despair, helplessness, and fear gripped me and Mi like an invisible claw carrying the scent of death. I recalled the hand on Lao Luo's heart—wasn't it just like a ghost's claw? That hand belonged to Li Gui, who had used malicious Evil Arts to manifest an invisible figure in the hospital room. Even now, I couldn't comprehend what had happened.
Everything was about to become the past; Mi and I would cease to exist. After being driven away from Ma Wu Funeral Home, we would vanish from this Earth together. I had already envisioned our final moments amidst the swirling dust. I turned to Mi and asked, “Are you scared?”
Mi forced a smile and replied, “I’m not scared as long as I’m with you.”
Just when I thought we were doomed, a hand miraculously reached out toward me. Driven by instinctive survival, I grabbed it without caring whose hand it was, then quickly caught Mi as she fell. The hand that emerged from the dust was strong, reminiscent of a crane's claw; it grasped us and lifted Mi away from danger directly to solid ground.
At that moment, a bizarre scene unfolded. The hand that had saved us dissolved into thin air as swiftly as it had appeared. The feeling of solid ground beneath my feet was wonderful; everything felt so beautiful—there were no earthquakes, just tranquility all around. The crisp sound of birds chirping filled the air, and a bird circling high above—whether it was an eagle or something else—gradually flew away until it became a black dot in the sky.
“Brother Qi, you’re amazing! How did you manage to fly just now?” If it weren't for Mi's dirty appearance, I would have never believed that just seconds ago we had experienced a life-and-death trial.
“No, it’s not that you’re amazing, Brother Qi; someone helped us.” She couldn’t see that hand, but the implication was clear: it wasn’t a human who saved us. Who could it be? Grandpa? Lao Luo? Or perhaps one of the souls lost in this earthquake?
I looked across at the other side.
There was a sign that read Disaster Zone. In front of the sign stood an abandoned tunnel; one end led to a completely collapsed road. If I guessed correctly, Mi and I had just felt the terror and despair brought on by the earthquake on that vanished road.
We were now on a newly constructed section of road where cars occasionally passed by. Observant passersby glanced at our disheveled appearance with curiosity before retreating with indifference.
This is how society is now: Mind Your Own Business. Ninety-nine percent of people would rather be passive observers than stop their cars to lend a helping hand.
I calmly looked across the way. “What’s over there?” Mi asked softly, her arms wrapped tightly around my waist as she pressed her face against my back.
“The Death Zone.”
“Was what just happened real?” Mi trembled slightly in fear; her hands clung tightly to me.
I turned around and gently lifted her chin with my hand, pressing my lips against hers in a tender kiss that could ease the pressure in her heart. Mi slowly pulled away from me and suddenly broke into a wide smile, saying, "Brother Qi, look at you, hahaha..." The empty space echoed with her rare, hearty laughter; she was amused by my comically dirty appearance.
I took off my clothes.
The shirt was missing one sleeve, which Mi had torn off to wipe herself down. Now it was covered in dust on the outside, but the inner layer was quite clean. I handed the shirt to her, saying, "You laugh at me, but you're not any better."
"Oh." She shyly accepted the shirt and carefully wiped her face with it. Looking at me, she asked, "Is it done?"
As the dust cleared away, revealing her delicate features, I nodded in satisfaction. "Much prettier."
"You should wipe your face too." I nodded and took back the wrinkled shirt she handed me. I scrubbed my face vigorously and then shook the shirt out before putting it back on.
Mi gasped, "Brother Qi, look!" I followed the direction of her finger.
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