Saving System: Calm Down, My Fleeing Host!

Chapter 459 - 450: Into the Underground River (Happy Spring Festival)

Cheng Xiaoxiao’s face was filled with confusion, and everyone noticed it.

They couldn’t help but ponder the peculiarity of the situation.

"If Immortal Condensing Grass were so easy to find, the sect wouldn’t have had only one person who luckily brought back one in hundreds of years."

"True!"

"Let’s search again carefully. Perhaps there’s some hidden mystery."

Zhong Yong encouraged everyone.

"Maybe there’s an array inside the cave. Junior Brother Xiao, you managed to break the Mist Array earlier; it shouldn’t be too hard to see if there’s a hint of another array here!"

Hopeful words brought a glimmer of hope to everyone’s eyes.

Cheng Xiaoxiao shook her head helplessly: "I stumbled into here accidentally, and didn’t see any trace of an array. Of course, it can’t be absolute—maybe the array is too profound, and my understanding of arrays is limited, not seeing the key, or maybe there is a mechanism that changed the original path."

For a moment, everyone fell silent, only the sound of flowing water echoed around them.

"First, rule out if there’s a mechanism here before making other arrangements."

Mo Shang said in a deep voice.

"Alright!"

Once again, everyone got busy.

They turned the dark cave inside out, not missing a single stone, yet they still found nothing.

"How can there be nothing? It shouldn’t be!" Zhong Yong muttered to himself.

"Maybe our search method is wrong."

This statement seemed to flip a switch, leading to someone hacking with a knife, chopping with an axe, kicking with flying legs, wreaking havoc on suspicious places.

Bang-bang sounds erupted in the cave instantly, rocks splintered, leaving a mess.

Everyone was dusty and disheveled, looking like miners underground.

"Nothing!"

"Still nothing!"

"Could it really be an array?"

There was no other explanation but this singular one.

"In our team, only Junior Brother Xiao understands even a bit, the rest of us don’t. What should we do?"

Rhino swung the hammer, venting his frustration on the cave wall, with a boom, the wall became dented, and stone pieces fell off.

The situation became deadlocked, leaving everyone helpless in the face of the unknown field.

Looking around blankly...

"Perhaps there’s one place we haven’t searched."

Everyone’s gaze focused in unison.

Mo Shang remained calm, looking at the serene pool of water.

The shallow pool trickled slowly, not deeper than the knee, with small stones and traces of moss faintly visible at the bottom.

The creek flowed towards a dark cave wall, at the intersection a large rock lay quietly green, the water surface was barely fifty centimeters from the top of the cave wall, revealing faint small whirlpools intertwining and swirling, waves of water and foam rippling and wandering.

This suggested there might be an underground river below, hence the foam and whirlpools rising.

Perhaps it’s the correct exit.

Now everyone gathered in front of the cave wall, Mo Shang drew his long sword, cut a piece of cloth from his coat, and shot it into the water.

The stream carried the cloth slowly to the cave wall, swirling into the whirlpool circle after circle, finally disappearing at the center.

"Is there really an underground river?"

"Is this really the exit?"

Two voices spoke simultaneously.

Then sounds of surprise, sighs, or astonishment followed continuously.

The surprise was seeing hope at last, the sigh because the creek and cliff junction was too narrow.

It’s difficult to enter...

Everyone’s gaze refocused on Cheng Xiaoxiao.

Among the twenty or so people, she was the smallest in stature.

Cheng Xiaoxiao: "..."

Being small is a sin?

She represented many women in discriminating against these big guys.

Can’t they show some respect?

Despite her internal grumbling, under everyone’s expectant gaze, there’s no way she couldn’t step forward.

Just as she took half a step forward...

Mo Shang’s command came timely.

"Erjiu, you go investigate."

The boy called Erjiu was tall and slender.

Though taller than Cheng Xiaoxiao by half a head, he was indeed slender.

The other brothers suddenly remembered that Erjiu was good with water and relatively slim, making him an excellent candidate.

Without hesitation, he took off his robe and boots.

"Be careful, if it doesn’t work, come back immediately."

"Don’t worry, Senior Brother, it’s just getting into some water, no big deal."

He waded barefoot into the stream, slowly heading towards the cave wall.

Crouching down, stretching out his right foot, probing beneath the cliff wall.

Feeling it out carefully.

"It’s indeed deep in there."

But the entrance was narrow, he flipped over, tested a bit, and slanted his entire body into the pool of water.

"There’s still space underwater."

He looked up at everyone, "With Senior Brother Five’s and Senior Brother Sixteen’s size, they might not make it, but the rest should be okay."

Rhino was upset, "Even my good physique is an issue."

"Well, you look like a bull, eating so much, yet your strength is just like that."

Zhong Yong clicked his tongue twice, looking down on the others completely.

His mocking was as cutting as it could be, and he didn’t forget to boast afterward.

"Unlike Senior Brother here, with a standard physique, muscles showing when undressed, and looking slender when dressed, able to secure the nation with martial prowess, compose poetry with a pen, haha!"

Rhino was irritated and glared angrily.

"Fourth Senior Brother is really thick-skinned!"

Someone whispered softly in the crowd.

This space was cramped, even such a small voice was heard by everyone.

"Who, who’s talking?"

Everyone struggled to suppress their laughter, no one responded.

"Xiao Shi..."

Caught the warning gaze from the eldest senior brother.

Zhong Yong pursed his lips.

"I’m just trying to lighten everyone’s tense mood."

Everyone refocused their gaze on Erjiu.

Mo Shang: "Ten minutes!"

"Alright!"

After taking a deep breath, the head quickly disappeared underwater.

No need for extra words.

If Senior Brother Erjiu doesn’t return in ten minutes, it means he’s encountered danger.

Then they’ll have to replan the diving strategy.

The waiting period always felt long.

Cheng Xiaoxiao took the opportunity to go upstream, took out a waterskin she carried, and filled it up.

Being with this group always brought many inconveniences.

Eating badly, sleeping badly, and having to pretend.

Time ticked away second by second.

Eight minutes passed in a flash.

Everyone’s expressions became grave and worried, watching anxiously with bated breath.

By the ten-minute mark, Senior Brother Erjiu hadn’t returned as planned.

"Senior Brother, is everything okay?"

Someone muttered under their breath.

"It’ll be fine. Kind people have their protection, he’ll come back, just wait."

Some are unwavering in belief.

All these expressed anxiety.

Mo Shang’s brows, shaped like the character ’川’, furrowed deeper, lips pressed tight, silent.

"What should we do?"

"How about I go down and have a look?" Zhong Yong suggested.

Mo Shang tightened his grip on the sword.

"Wait a quarter more!"

Compared to earlier, the atmosphere now is more solemn and subdued.

Each held their breath, praying silently in their hearts, dozens of eyes all focused on the whirlpool.

At this point, they hoped time would slow down, making a quarter of an hour longer, thus increasing hope.

But in the end, it’s just self-deception.

The time arrived.

There’s still no movement underwater.

"Junior Brother Xiao, how’s your swimming?" Zhong Yong asked Cheng Xiaoxiao.

"Just average, perhaps the underground river is deep, so Senior Brother hasn’t returned on time."

Her consolation was far-fetched, yet it was indeed a possibility.