I let go of the open button, and the elevator doors closed slowly. We stood in the center, exchanging glances, taking deep breaths.
The elevator ascended slowly. Seconds felt like a century.
"Ding." It stopped at the 22nd floor.
The metal doors opened. My memory flashed to Brother Peng, who said his journey to the underworld began with an elevator ride to hell.
Outside was pitch black, a void where nothing was visible.
The darkness was tangible, like an abyss leading to another world.
"Move it, what're you waiting for?" Li Yang flicked on his wolf-eye flashlight, its beam cutting through the dark, illuminating about ten meters ahead.
We huddled together—Li Yang in front, Tong Suo at the rear, me in the middle—and shuffled out.
As we exited, the elevator doors closed, its faint light vanishing as it descended.
I slapped my forehead. "Crap, how do we get back?"
"With me here, what're you scared of?" Tong Suo scoffed.
Li Yang exhaled. "Damn, it's freezing."
Cold air swirled around us, the space vast and empty. Within our flashlight's range, there was nothing. It felt like stepping into a boundless dark cave.
We moved forward slowly, flashlights sweeping.
After what felt like ages, still nothing. Endless darkness surrounded us, disorienting me completely.
Tong Suo suddenly said, "Anyone remember the way back?"
"I'm directionally challenged, don't count on me," I said.
"No worries, we've been walking straight. To return, we reverse, and it's a straight shot," Li Yang said confidently.
"How do you know we're straight?" Tong Suo challenged. "In a place like this, a slight deviation could throw us way off."
"Because I've got this." Li Yang showed his wristwatch. "It's got a compass. I've been following it."
"A building floor can't be that big. We've walked half an hour and haven't hit a wall?" Tong Suo gave a wry smile. "Maybe your compass is off, and we're circling."
"How could a compass be off?" Li Yang frowned.
"Lots of reasons. Magnetic interference is common. If this is really an underworld entrance, connecting two realms, the energy would be massive, creating a magnetic field. Your cheap Taobao compass could glitch near a phone, let alone here," Tong Suo said.
"It's a Taobao premium, not cheap. Stop yapping. If we're not walking straight, what are we doing?"
Tong Suo gasped. "Maybe… we're hitting a ghost wall."
A chill hit me, and I shivered. "Don't scare us with that ghost wall crap."
Tong Suo sighed weakly. "Fine, pretend I'm full of shit."
We kept walking through endless darkness, seeing nothing.
Li Yang rubbed his face. "This isn't working."
"Then what?" I asked.
"Get the rope out. We tie it around our waists, form a line, and walk together. It's a carpet search—covers more ground."
Smart idea. The nylon climbing rope was tough, unbreakable. We tied it around our waists, and I tugged it, feeling secure.
I stood still as Li Yang and Tong Suo spread out, soon swallowed by the dark.
Looking around, I was alone in this eerie place. My heart pounded, tension choking me.
The walkie-talkie crackled with Li Yang's voice. "Still clear?"
"Clear," I said.
"Clear," Tong Suo's voice came through.
"Good. On three, we walk. Don't stop till I say or we see something," Li Yang said.
"See what?" Tong Suo asked.
"Anything! Even a pile of shit, report it," Li Yang snapped.
"One, two, three, go!"
I felt the ropes tremble—they were moving. I hurried to keep up.
For safety, we stayed close, each rope about ten meters, covering a thirty-meter diameter.
We moved slowly, like walking a tightrope, afraid to rush.
It was draining, nerves taut, expecting something to leap from the dark.
I scanned around, the walkie-talkie silent. If not for the ropes, I'd think they'd vanished.
"Hold up!" Tong Suo's voice crackled. "What the hell is that?!"
His voice cut off, leaving static.
"Don't move! We're coming!" Li Yang shouted.
I froze, legs shaking, unsure what to do.
Soon, a figure ran up—Li Yang, panting. "Did you hear Tong Suo?"
I nodded, throat tight, unable to speak.
"Follow me!"
We ran toward Tong Suo's rope. In the flickering light, we saw him standing still.
Up close, he looked like a statue, face pale under the flashlight, like a paper mannequin.
Seeing him, I was furious, ready to kick him. Li Yang grabbed me. "Don't touch him."
"Why?"
"He's in shock, soul-shaken, like sleepwalking. One wrong move, he could end up an idiot."
Li Yang clapped near Tong Suo's ear, calling, "Old Tong, Old Tong…"
After a while, Tong Suo's face twitched, eyes moving, regaining some awareness.
Li Yang slapped his face, increasing force. "Old Tong!"
Tong Suo groaned, features shifting, struggling to wake. Li Yang seized the moment, delivering a hard slap, spinning him around, loosening his teeth.
"Ow! Who hit me?" Tong Suo yelled.
I sighed in relief—he was back.
Rubbing his cheek, he ignored the pain, pointing behind Li Yang, teeth chattering. "Y-you… behind…"
His fear infected me, scalp tingling. I peeked behind Li Yang—nothing but darkness.
I wanted to shine my flashlight but feared seeing something ominous, my hand frozen.
Li Yang, spooked, spun around, saw nothing, and boldly shone his light.
In the flickering beam, a massive, colorful shape emerged from the dark, like a giant poisonous mushroom.
We jumped back, startled.
Li Yang lowered his light, trembling. "What the hell is that?"
My mouth was bitter with fear. "How should I know?"
"Let's look again," he said.
Tong Suo whispered, "No, I've got a bad feeling. It looks dead—don't shine on it and wake it up."