Alice in the Land of Steam

The group moved forward in the narrow and cramped underground passage.

The air was damp and heavy, carrying a strong earthy smell and the metallic scent of minerals. The rock face clung to their shoulders, rough and cold, covered with slippery moss and traces of condensed water droplets. Underfoot was an uneven natural stone path, sometimes requiring them to squeeze sideways, sometimes to bend over and duck to avoid the cold, slippery roots or stalagmites hanging down from above. Light was almost completely blocked out, except for the steady, warm glow of the lantern in Auvila's hand, which dispelled the thick darkness within reach, but also highlighted the all-consuming, chilling depths further away.

Silence reigns supreme here. Aside from suppressed breathing, the rustling of clothes against the rock face, and the occasional soft kick of loose stone, there is no other sound. Yet, the silence is all the more unsettling, as if something unseen lurks in the shadows, waiting to prey on its prey. Does that malevolent gaze belong to a wild beast, or some other intelligent being? No one dares to say for sure; all that remains is vigilance, not daring to show even the slightest lapse in alertness.

Lin Ge walked at the front of the group, with only Countess Neville ahead of him. Thanks to her vampire night vision and demigod-level combat prowess, she rightfully became the leader, leading the way to scout and eliminate any potential dangers. The long passage of time had imbued her with an air of composure; walking through the dark underground was as if she were strolling through her own garden, relaxed and at ease. She even had the leisure to remind Leticia or Ovira to watch their step on the rocks or the hanging pillars overhead.

The werewolf girl, Selena, walked at the very back. Suddenly, she stopped, the sound of her pause sounding somewhat abrupt in the narrow passage. Her furry ears twitched warily, and then she carefully took out the simple map drawn by Kalia and Edwin from her bosom. By the light of the lantern, she frowned and carefully examined it.

“Hmm… According to the map, there should be a fork in the road ahead that leads to the left…” She pointed at the map with her fingernail, her face filled with the sense of responsibility of a guide. Ever since entering this tunnel leading underground, she had been in this state, taking out the map every now and then to check their location, fearing that if they took a few more steps, the group would lose their way.

She had always been a very responsible girl, and this trait didn't diminish when she was alone; in fact, it became even more pronounced. Perhaps it was the earnest advice and high expectations from Arnor and the others before their departure that made her feel the pressure, but also gave her a sense of independence? Naturally, Leticia wasn't going to be outdone, and she was equally determined to prove to her grandmother and everyone that she was no longer the Leticia she used to be!

However, the direction in which she strives always seems a bit ambiguous.

"You've got it backwards! It's clearly a fork in the road to the right!"

She leaned closer and pointed at Selena's map: "Look, it's all marked very clearly, it's to the right! You can't tell left from right, can you?"

"Uh, well..." Selena looked at Leticia squatting opposite her and gave an awkward smile: "It seems like Leticia saw it backwards?"

"...How...how is this possible!" Leticia looked as if she had been struck by lightning.

The countess, who was walking at the front, heard the conversation between the two and couldn't help but rub her forehead. Although it was just a simple gesture, everyone could see the helplessness and sadness in her heart.

This brief interlude briefly dispelled the suffocating silence and oppressive atmosphere. Afterward, the group continued onward for a while, but the passage seemed to become even more difficult, with slopes that varied in steepness and gentleness, sometimes requiring the use of both hands and feet. They walked for an unknown amount of time—perhaps several hours, perhaps half a day—and in this darkness where even the sense of time seemed to be stripped away, exhaustion quietly crept in.

"Take a break," Lin Ge said, his voice unusually clear in the silence.

No one objected, so they found a relatively open and flat space in the passageway to rest for the time being.

Ovira gently placed the lantern on the ground. Its warm glow acted like an invisible barrier, carving out a solitary island of light in the boundless abyss of darkness. Light and shadow danced on the slightly weary faces, outlining silhouettes of light and shadow. Around the lantern, some leaned, some sat, silently taking out their water pouches and provisions. No one spoke; they simply savored this brief moment of safety and tranquility.

Ovira sat quietly by the lamp, her arms wrapped around her knees, her gaze fixed on the flickering flames, lost in thought.

"How are you feeling, Ovira?" Linger sat down next to the girl and asked softly, "If you feel unwell, just say so. You don't have to force yourself."

"Hmm." Ovira nodded gently, then shook her head slightly, a faint smile appearing on her face. "I'm fine, I was just thinking about something..."

Princess Beman didn't say what she was thinking, and Linge naturally didn't ask. After a brief conversation, the two fell silent again.

Selena crouched on a slightly higher rock, volunteering to keep watch for everyone. At this moment, she completely forgot her mission and instead observed the interaction between Ling and Ovira with great interest, looking at the young man for a moment and then at the girl for a moment. Finally, she blurted out, "Mr. Ling is very concerned about Miss Ovira."

This statement contained no hint of sarcasm or mockery, indicating that she was simply saying whatever came to mind. The young man replied calmly, "It's only natural for companions to care for each other."

“That makes sense.” The werewolf girl nodded approvingly.

Leticia was somewhat indignant. She knew that Ling's concern for Ovira wasn't just based on camaraderie; there was probably also a sense of responsibility involved. After all, he was the one who rescued Princess Beman from that perpetually dark castle, and naturally, he had to take responsibility for her. Although Ovira's curse had improved considerably compared to the past, no one could guarantee it wouldn't relapse, especially in this dark environment.

She opened her mouth, wanting to explain, but her grandmother tapped her forehead and warned, "Behave yourself and don't talk too much."

What did I say that was too much? I was just trying to say something nice about Ling Ge.

But it's strange, why am I saying nice things about Ling Ge?
The little bat covered its forehead, feeling both aggrieved and confused.

After resting for about half an hour, the group set off again. The journey ahead seemed endless; the concepts of day and night completely disappeared, with only physical exhaustion and the depletion of lamp oil reminding them of the passage of time. They passed the banks of a roaring underground river, the only sound to break the silence in days; they also traversed caves filled with enormous, silent fungi, their caps displaying eerie colors under the lamplight, like slumbering living things. Selena and Leticia still occasionally bickered over details on the map, but more often, the group simply moved forward in silence, conserving their energy and battling the mental pressure from the environment. In the latter half, even their bickering ceased, because the map drawn by Kalia and Edwin had long since reached its end, and the road ahead was unfamiliar territory for them and for Ling's group.

After countless rests and starts, just as even Ling began to doubt whether the passage truly had an exit, an unusual aura seemed to emanate from ahead—the flow of air. Selena, walking at the very front, suddenly stopped, sniffing the air intently, her ears perked up.

"We found the exit!"

Her voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement.

Everyone's spirits lifted, and they quickened their pace in unison. The passageway began to slope upwards, and the darkness ahead was no longer a solid, heavy barrier, but rather tinged with a hazy, unnatural light. When they finally emerged from the narrow passageway and stepped into an unprecedented space, everyone was so stunned by the sight before them that they stopped in their tracks, speechless for a moment.

At the end of the passage lay an unimaginably vast underground cavern. Its expanse seemed to have hollowed out the entire depths of the Dark Cloud Abyss. Looking up, the dome stretched out into the distance, obscuring the rock walls, revealing only a deep, dark expanse, like a night sky, dotted with countless soft, luminous specks. These were luminescent moss or crystals embedded in the dome's rock, like an inverted galaxy, casting a hazy, dreamlike glow that replaced natural light as the sole source of light in this subterranean world.

Beneath their feet stretched a vast, undulating expanse. Enormous mushroom forests, radiating a deep blue or pale green glow, stood like silent woods; some caps were as large as plazas, while others were as tiny as models. A winding underground river shimmered with a phosphorescent light, flowing like mercury through this strange land. Countless tiny specks of light floated in the air, like spores or some kind of peculiar plankton, moving slowly and adorning the entire space like a dream. In the distance, strangely shaped rocks rose, some like lurking beasts, others like ancient castles, casting distorted and enormous shadows in the eerie light.

The air was thick with the scent of life, a blend of the fragrance of fungi, the smell of damp earth, and a certain indescribable mineral aroma. The silence remained, but it was no longer the deathly stillness of the passageways; instead, it pulsed vibrantly, like the heartbeat of a slumbering beast, conveying a sense of overwhelming grandeur and majesty.

“Incredible…exquisite…[A world unknown to man, reaching the darkness and brilliance of the heart]…” Ovira murmured to herself, quoting words from the book after a long absence, as if the words she could muster at this moment could not express her feelings. The light of the lantern seemed to dim in the face of this grand scene, but she still held it tightly in her hand, as if it were her last connection with the familiar world.

Leticia's blood-red eyes gleamed with astonishment and excitement. She looked around, unconsciously clenching her fists, seemingly overwhelmed by the unimaginable sight, which also stirred her innate desire for challenge. Serena, on the other hand, gaped, her wolf ears trembling slightly with excitement. She looked at the incredible world before her, then looked down at the map in her hand, which had already fulfilled its purpose, and suddenly felt that it still seemed to have room for improvement.

The Countess was equally astonished by the sight, but her thoughts were more practical: "This area is much larger than I imagined. I suspect it's not limited to the Dark Cloud Abyss region. Finding traces of the Gray Fungus people in such a vast area seems rather difficult."

"If Xia were here..." Leticia muttered. If she had Xia's thread of destiny, she could easily find the right path and wouldn't have this trouble at all.

The countess secretly glared at her granddaughter. What she said was true, but the problem was that it shouldn't have been said at this time, especially not in front of Ling. Leticia knew she was in the wrong, so she shrank back and didn't dare say anything more.

But Linger didn't seem to take those words to heart, maintaining his calm expression as he turned to look at Ovira.

Last night, upon learning that Ling and his group planned to stay and continue their exploration, Rorona returned to Cloud Whale Sky Island overnight and worked overtime in her alchemy workshop to craft some items that might be helpful for the expedition. Ovira happened to return to Cloud Whale Sky Island this morning to retrieve her lantern, so Ling asked her to bring these items over.

Princess Beman silently took out a prop from her sleeve.

It looks familiar.

It was a golden ball of yarn.

"It's a tool that Rorona created inspired by Xia Xia's abilities. The method of use is the same, but the effect may not be as precise; it can only guide you in a general direction," she explained softly.

As she spoke, she raised the golden ball of thread, about to throw it, when she suddenly remembered something, stopped what she was doing, turned around and handed it to the young man beside her, saying, "I think it's more suitable for you to use it, Lin Ge."

"They're all the same, right?" Lin Ge said, but still reached out and took the golden ball of thread. His movements were fluid and natural, as if they had become an instinct for his body.

“It’s different.” Ovira shook her head. “It was always you, Ling, who used it before, and it will be the same now. It won’t…”

It won't change because of anyone's departure.

She didn't say it aloud, but everyone understood her unspoken meaning.

Leticia crossed her arms and nodded seriously, while Neville also looked on with agreement. Only Selena didn't understand what they were talking about, looking left and right with a blank expression.

Ling fell silent, saying nothing more, his gaze lowered, making it difficult to discern anything in his eyes—was it reminiscence or sadness? Perhaps it was just a vague feeling or emotion. Under the watchful eyes of his companions, the young man gently tossed the golden ball of thread in his hand, his voice as usual: "Lead us to the location of the Gray Fungus."

The ball of thread landed, a golden line, winding and meandering, leading into the depths of this mysterious and magnificent underground world.

It's as if fate, which has never left, is still guiding us. (End of Chapter)