Chapter 0008: Underground Adventures
Uncertain of how much time had passed, with a whoosh, the hovercraft shot out like an arrow released from a bow
Hoo, hoo, hoo
"Fine, I won't argue with you." Li Yuan propped himself up, flipping into the airboat from the water, and said with a smile, "Who says all the girls from Sha family are tough? They can be as strong as men. If you ask me, some of the girls from Sha family are like foxes, extremely cunning, capable of exhausting a person to death."
At that moment, Li Yuan felt a pair of warm arms embracing him from behind, along with the warmth on his chest
"Fool, you brought so many things. Just now, the launch almost failed to enter this cave." Sasha stuck out her little tongue in a playful manner, patting her chest in relief, and pointed ahead: "Look, the captain is quite impressive, right? We temporarily scanned a shortcut for infiltration. Even though we launched to such a high place, we can utilize the height difference to create a momentum, entering the underground river through the crevices in the rocks, and then drift downstream."
The hovercraft was secured with equipment, which was not light, so it could not drift far. Using the light to scan the surroundings, I discovered that this was a very spacious underground cavern, seemingly untouched by human presence, with a stifling atmosphere and complete darkness.
Li Yuan determined that the problem lay with Shasha's old injuries, which continuously diminished her physical condition, and the blow to her head against the rock became the last straw that broke the camel's back
"After all is said and done, I am still just a laborer," Li Yuan said with a grimace, expressing his "understanding" of Shasha's theory, suffering alone.
Regardless of everything else, Li Yuan hurriedly began the rescue, and artificial respiration was certainly indispensable. However, they had already become like clay figures, and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation could not yield any flavor; instead, it only filled their mouths with mud
Li Yuan quickly got to work, unwrapping the hovercraft and starting to produce inert gas for stamping. Seeing that the operation was nearly complete, he looked up at Shasha and asked, "Shasha, why do you have so few belongings? Is it allowed in the team to put things into the mecha? That seems quite inconvenient, doesn't it?"
The medical kit is quite good, emitting a purplish light, using ultraviolet rays for rapid disinfection, and fresh air is also released. Li Yuan cut all of Shasha's clothes open, making it easier to check for any other injuries.
Li Yuan and Sha Sha rode the hovercraft downstream. Fortunately, neither of them had a robust physique; if they had the build of a bald uncle, they would only be able to fit themselves and the supplies inside, certainly leaving no room for a second person
Sasha held Li Yuan just like a stuffed doll, soft, fluffy, and weightless
"Is everything alright?" In the midst of his busy schedule, Li Yuan turned around to ask, displaying remarkable kindness. However, upon seeing the situation, he nearly became infuriated.
Be careful, something is not right. Shasha suddenly crouched down and turned off the cluster spotlight
What the heck! How are we in the air? Weren't we supposed to enter the underground river? Li Yuan was completely at a loss; he wanted to summon the mech by pressing on his forehead, but the immense downward force left him no opportunity.
Looking at the several intersecting old scars on the girl's body, along with her mechanical prosthetic limb, Li Yuan couldn't help but furrow his brow. He could hardly bear to imagine the suffering the girl must have endured. The scars evidently contained a special toxin, preventing complete recovery, and it was likely that she had to endure pain every moment; otherwise, with the medical conditions of the Sha family, it wouldn't have come to this.
The speed is too fast, as if a primordial beast is wildly sucking up underground water. Could it be that the earlier roar has destroyed the riverbed? Has it caused the underground river to become misaligned?
"If you say you are foolish, then you are indeed foolish. Everyone's situation is different; being as bulky as you are is quite detrimental to movement. Therefore, try to stow away anything that can be put away. Many people in the team and the library carry tactical belts with additional storage space to hold some of their equipment. And what about me, Sister Shasha? I have decided to act alongside you. As for clumsy things like air-cushion boats, we can naturally discard them along the way." Shasha smiled.
The cave leads directly to a rock crevice, and it is hard to tell how many years of geological changes have passed, as it has almost widened into a sloping passage. The flowing water has polished the ground to an extremely smooth finish, resembling a slide.
Height difference? Underground river? Going downstream? This was Li Yuan's first mission. Although he felt that the last-minute change of route did not quite adhere to the regulations outlined in the academy's handbook, who could blame him for being a novice? His voice held almost no weight.
At that moment, the water surged forward with a roar
"Cut it out, this is just the beginning? Little brother, I have plenty of tricks up my sleeve!" Shasha suddenly spoke in a mature tone, casting a mischievous glance at the boy's lower body, and then burst into a fit of giggles
"Hehe, your mental fortitude is lacking, Xingye asked me to teach you more." Shasha floated down lightly, her belongings were few, most of which had already been sent into the mech.
The gliding speed increased rapidly, and Li Yuan had no idea how high the elevation difference was. All he could hear was the sound of the wind howling in his ears, and the passage ahead seemed endless
I am truly a wretched child, unable to keep even a single piece of the four blocks of Lantian stone. Only this item can help Sasha temporarily alleviate her injuries. Li Yuan hurriedly turned around and took out the Lantian ore from his package, but unexpectedly heard a "whoosh" sound, as something happened and launched an attack on him
There is no way; the slope is too steep. One can only grasp the handrail of the hovercraft and exert all efforts to stabilize the center of gravity, thereby stabilizing the vessel in this manner
The howling sound tests Li Yuan's psychological endurance; this is not a thrilling ride at an amusement park, but a matter of life and death. A single misstep could lead to the destruction of the ship and loss of life. The four silver star missions at hetushu.com began with such peril; what lies ahead?
What happened? There is blood on my head. Could it be that I hit a rock when I fell?" Li Yuan picked up the girl and raised the searchlight to examine her repeatedly, and the more he looked, the worse her complexion became
Pah, pah, pah, so much mud! What bad luck! What on earth happened to the team? Why do they seem like they've just set off firecrackers? Could there be casualties?" Li Yuan thought to himself while inhaling oxygen, as he picked up Shasha and crawled towards the hovercraft.
His lungs finally felt a bit better. Once he caught his breath, he hurriedly crawled through the mud to see Sasha
Sasha embraced Li Yuan and whispered, "Do you know? You have a scent of sunshine about you, very warm. And when you are serious, there is a unique aura! It's like? It's like my father, is that a kind of dominance?"
After finally securing the air-cushion vehicle, I hurried to retrieve the equipment and food. Fortunately, the waterproof measures were well implemented, resulting in minimal loss
Sigh, it seems that I have fallen into the hands of the enemy, subjected to severe torture. To survive is truly a miracle. Li Yuan reached out to touch the scar, took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and began a thorough examination.
As the hovercraft plunged into the water, Li Yuan felt his body sinking along with it. The immense impact caused him excruciating pain, and he struggled to kick and paddle his way to the surface, nearly drowning in the process
"Let's go! Don't stand in the wind, it's easy to catch a cold." Sasha pulled Li Yuan along, installing a miniature cluster spotlight on her shoulder, stepping into the darkness, which was truly dark, with stalactites jutting out.
Huff, puff, huff...
The hovercraft glides through the air for a distance, tracing a perfect parabola, before rapidly descending.
Everywhere is mud, but fortunately the water is not too deep with the books, only reaching my waist, so standing firm is not a problem
"Hehe, girls should pay attention to skincare; with you, everything is sufficient." With this remark from Sasha, Li Yuan choked on more than one mouthful of water.
Sasha sat leisurely on the hovercraft, while Li Yuan's skin was splashed red and purple by the water's surface. Someone embraced him from behind, using him to absorb the impact of entering the water, thus becoming a cushion.
What happened? What is wrong? Li Yuan also lowered his body to observe the turbulent water surface and the banks of the underground river
Unexpected events often occur during operations, and Li Yuan was well aware of this. However, to find himself in such a predicament before officially executing the task is quite unfortunate. The probability of this happening is so low that it is likely rare even in the entire Sha family
Li Yuan gasped for breath a few times, feeling that the air underground was so polluted it could poison him. He hurriedly reached for his waist, took out a delicate liquid oxygen bottle, and hung it by his mouth
Like a thousand horses galloping, like a waterfall cascading across the sky, the small hovercraft is completely devoid of freedom, swept away by the torrent, racing madly towards an unknown destination
Thud ... ...
Chaos, chaotic sounds, chaotic thoughts
"Sasha, how long do you want to hang on me?" Li Yuan glanced down; the two of them had been shot into a cave, with only half a meter of clearance from the cave floor. It was quite a feat for him to hold onto the stalactite for two minutes, with a heavy load hanging on his chest.
Little girl, what scheme are you concocting again? Sunshine, momentum, how come I have never felt it? At this moment, Li Yuan also sensed something was amiss; it was not that Sha Sha was acting strangely, but rather that the direction of the underground river had suddenly changed, and he could faintly hear a rumbling sound
The two individuals boarded the hovercraft, and as it glided slowly to the stone platform, it suddenly plummeted downwards, generating a powerful impact.
Recalling the embarrassing situation from the morning, Li Yuan's face instantly turned the color of pig liver. He still could not comprehend how many insights the several female Tyrannosaurus rex had gained from admiring a towering pillar, nor how long they had been watching. He could only lament inwardly: "I was careless; from now on, I must sleep with one eye open."
Sasha is a Level 4 Mech Soldier. Theoretically, she possesses exceptional physical qualities, as she must adapt to the immense impact and various loads caused by the rapid movements of the mech. Each time the mech is upgraded, she must enter the modulation nest for calibration. Therefore, even if she collides with a rock, she will not lose consciousness
Li Yuan wanted to try to contact the other members of the team, but the sudden rush of water submerged the hovercraft. He and Shasha found themselves floating in increasingly murky river water, completely unable to move
It is unclear how much time has passed, but the hovercraft has already surged out of the river channel. Alternatively, it can no longer be referred to as a river channel; it is merely a breach created by the flood, with mud everywhere and some underground fungal plants.
"Little brat, hold me tight. You haven't felt the difference; that's because your brain is dull." Just a moment ago, she was like a delicate bird, and suddenly she seemed to be transforming into a mother Tyrannosaurus, which made Li Yuan feel somewhat uncomfortable, wondering if Sha Xingye had possessed her. It was truly bizarre!
After considerable effort, we finally got Shasha onto the hovercraft and carefully took out the emergency medical kit to begin operating it.
"Hurry up, hovercraft, it's right here. We can slide down all the way and avoid a lot of unnecessary detours." Sasha pointed ahead, crossing the stone platform. The slope suddenly steepened, and there were already numerous sliding marks, indicating that many had come down this way. It was indeed a shortcut.
Li Yuan landed on the ground, glanced at Shasha who was lightly equipped, and then looked at himself, bulky like a bear. He thought to himself: "Is everyone like this? No wonder they ran ahead of me. However, using the mecha, not to mention the waste of energy, is also quite inconvenient!"
The wind howled fiercely, and Li Yuan exhaled a breath of turbid air