Chapter 25: The Enormous Sinkhole

Chen Chunsheng had arranged four rooms for them, and now Shen Xin and his companions gathered together. Shen Xin looked at Old Mo and asked, “Uncle Mo, do you think Chen Chunsheng was telling the truth?” Old Mo sneered, “Who cares? Our only task is to ensure the safety of the exploration team. I’ll focus on protecting Chen Chunsheng, and the rest of you should each choose a target to guard. Let’s make sure there are no casualties. Whether they find any rare minerals in the end is none of our concern.”

“Yes, Uncle Mo is right. It’s still early—do you want to go out for a walk?” Old Mo shook his head. He was getting on in years and no longer interested in much. Shen Xin and Tang Ziran nodded; after all, they had come to Snake City, and it was only four in the afternoon, three hours before the curfew. It was uncomfortable to stay cooped up in the room.

The three of them left the hotel, wandering aimlessly through the streets, occasionally buying local snacks and specialties. Shen Xin bought Tang Ziran several sets of summer shorts and tops, as well as some hair accessories.

It didn’t cost much, but Tang Ziran was overjoyed.

After wandering for a while, Shen Xin spotted a pharmacy, slapped his forehead, and said, “Look at my memory—I forgot to buy medicine for snake bites.”

He hurried inside and explained what he needed. As expected, the clerk introduced him to a variety of snake medicines.

Tang Ziran interjected, puzzled, “Xin, why don’t you buy something to ward off snakes, like realgar or cinnabar?”

“Oh, you’re right!” Shen Xin bought a bag of realgar, and the clerk enthusiastically recommended some sachets to repel snakes. Shen Xin bought ten of them, just to be safe.

When the time was about right, the three hurried back to the hotel.

The next morning, after breakfast, a large group set out from the hotel.

Chen Chunsheng’s team consisted of five people, including four burly bodyguards. They took a business van, leading the way.

Following them was the nine-member exploration team, both men and women, led by an elder with graying hair in his fifties, who boarded a minibus.

Finally, Chen Jiawang drove an off-road vehicle.

The three vehicles quickly left Snake City and drove through the wilderness for about an hour before stopping.

Shen Xin glanced at the navigation: they had arrived at Xiaowang Village, a small settlement under Snake City.

As soon as the vehicles stopped, several people were already waiting. Judging by their attire, they were locals of Xiaowang Village.

Chen Chunsheng got out and exchanged pleasantries with them, then instructed people to unload the cargo.

The villagers each brought a tractor, eagerly helping to move the supplies—three full loads, with the exploration team’s equipment making up the bulk.

The remaining empty tractors were used to transport people.

Shen Xin and his companions hopped onto a tractor, following the convoy deep into the endless mountains.

Though Snake City was by the sea, the terrain was far from flat—there were many mountains, and locals had a saying: “nine mountains, one plot of farmland.”

The mountain roads were rough and narrow, barely wide enough for the tractors, while even small cars couldn’t pass.

Chen Jiawang sat on a tractor, constantly complaining, but his words were broken and uneven, shaken by the potholes in the road.

After about half an hour, the tractors finally stopped, surrounded by mountains.

Shen Xin jumped down, stretched his limbs, and was immediately stunned by the sight before him.

Not far away, a massive sinkhole gaped in the earth.

The pit below was lush and verdant, but the edges were sheer cliffs, towering at least a hundred meters.

It was as if some magnificent force had abruptly carved the land downward a hundred meters.

The sinkhole was enormous, spanning over ten thousand square meters.

The locals led them to the edge of the cliff, pointing out a ladder hewn from the rock, explaining that it was the path down to the sinkhole.

Shen Xin leaned over to look, feeling dizzy.

Chen Chunsheng pulled out a wad of cash, paid the locals for unloading the cargo, and settled their wages. The villagers happily unloaded the goods, singing as they drove their tractors back down the mountain.

Then Chen Chunsheng had his bodyguards set up rope ladders, and the first group descended into the sinkhole.

Shen Xin and his companions followed closely, with the nine members of the exploration team coming down last.

Once everyone was down, Chen Chunsheng pointed in a direction and led the group onward.

Shen Xin felt curious; judging from Chen Chunsheng’s demeanor, it was clear he had been here before.

Old Mo and the others didn’t pay much attention, sticking close to Chen Chunsheng—after all, their task was to protect him.

Inside the sinkhole, aside from the lush vegetation, snakes were abundant. Shen Xin’s skin crawled at the sight, but thankfully, they were draped with snake-repelling sachets and medicines, so the mass of snakes scattered as they approached.

Shen Xin kept his eyes firmly on Chen Chunsheng, lest he be frightened by the snakes.

Before long, they arrived at the mouth of a cave.

Chen Chunsheng halted and called for a rest.

The exploration team took the opportunity to set up a small signal tower to prevent losing contact with the outside due to poor reception.

Others drank water, nibbled on dry rations, and replenished their strength.

Among the eighteen people, the most excited was the leader of the exploration team, the elderly professor in his fifties. He kept filming videos, occasionally exclaiming in wonder.

From his conversations, Shen Xin learned that many plants in the sinkhole had disappeared from the outside world.

Old Mo couldn’t help but remark, “He’s truly a scholar—so knowledgeable.”

Shen Xin retorted, “There might be rare species in other places too, just not discovered yet.”

Old Mo glared at him. “Professor Huang is a genuine university professor. You ought to address him respectfully as ‘teacher,’ instead of being sarcastic.”

Shen Xin turned away, biting into his dry bread. In his eyes, professors were nothing special; some even courted female students, divorced and remarried them. To him, professors weren’t some noble breed.

Seeing Shen Xin’s defiant expression, Old Mo said nothing more, but kept an extra watchful eye on Professor Huang, ready to act if the professor faced any danger.

After resting by the cave for ten minutes, the group entered the cave under Chen Chunsheng’s lead.

The entrance was narrow, but as they walked deeper, the space grew larger. The cave was shaped like an inverted “V,” with water about ten centimeters deep on the floor.

Everyone had headlamps, so even inside the cave, it was brightly lit.

Following the winding passage for over twenty minutes, they suddenly emerged into a spacious hall.

Shen Xin looked around, estimating it was four or five hundred square meters, five or six meters high. Most of it was dry, with only a small area damp from water dripping off stalactites overhead.

To their surprise, the cave contained an earthen stove with a large, rusted pot sitting atop it.