Jia Zhuangyuan chuckled and said, “Now this requires us to use our brains a bit. Think back—how did this creature chase me and Caiqingchong underwater? We’ll need to lure it again, this time drawing it toward the lakeshore, trapping it there, and then shooting it down.”
As Jia finished speaking, Liu Dashao shook his head and said, “This creature moves too fast underwater. Who would dare go in again to bait it? Besides, even if it does come near the shore, how can we possibly trap it? The moment we fire, it’ll just dive back underwater—and as Fan Debiao said, it might never surface again.”
Jia nodded and replied, “That’s true, so we must make sure this plan is foolproof. I do have an idea, though it’s a bit risky. Let me explain and see what you think.” He smiled mysteriously at the group.
Eager to hear more, everyone pressed him to continue.
Jia continued, “I’ll still be the bait. But this time, I’ll need you all to protect me. Once I lure it to the lakeshore, Liu Dashao, you’ll need to use your Taoist techniques to trap it. As a descendant of the Celestial Master, you should be able to hold it in place for a while with your spells. Then we can use our guns and eliminate it for good.”
With that, he winked slyly at Liu Dashao, and everyone turned to look at him with excitement.
Liu Dashao frowned and said, “I can use Taoist magic to trap the creature for a while, yes. But how will you stay safe underwater? You’re the expert we need to guide us into the Wujimozang. If you get eaten by the creature before you even lure it out, we’re all doomed.”
Jia jumped down from the rock and laughed, “Tsk tsk tsk! Don’t jinx me, kid. I’m not that unlucky.”
Liu Dashao asked, “Then tell us how you plan to lure it out.”
Jia smiled and explained, “I’ll go in tied to a rope. As I swim, the rope on land will be pulled into the water. Once I encounter the long-necked serpent, I’ll start swimming back. At that point, the rope will stop moving into the water, and everyone can pull me back immediately.”
He gave a weak smile and added, “I know it’s risky, but someone has to do it. We can’t just stay stuck here. There might be other ways to find the entrance to Wujimozang without going through the main gate. Those five might already be using high-tech equipment to break in.”
This news startled everyone. If those people had already entered Wujimozang, it would be a real problem. Anxiety spread among the group.
Seeing their expressions, Jia waved his hands and said, “Don’t panic. From what I’ve observed, this place holds the most mysterious and exquisite burial methods in ancient China. Its anti-theft mechanisms are rare and unparalleled. Those people won’t understand the subtleties of ancient Chinese civilization. The safest and quickest way into the dragon tomb is still through the real entrance. If they try to force their way in with modern equipment, they’ll pay a heavy price. Moreover, the builders of this place might not even be from this planet. To them, our technology is like children’s building blocks.”
His words eased the group’s worries a bit. Liu Dashao stepped forward and said, “Alright, Jia Master. We’ll follow your plan to lure and kill the serpent. But please be extremely careful.”
Jia looked up and chuckled, “Kid, I’ve survived countless near-death situations in my decades of tomb raiding. Don’t worry about me!”
Liu Dashao nodded and signaled Fan Debiao to bring the rope. After Jia and Caiqingchong tied the rope securely around Jia’s waist, he nodded to the group and said, “Alright, everyone. I’m off. Keep your eyes on the rope. As soon as it stops going into the water, pull with all your might. My life is in your hands!”
Everyone urged him to be careful as he slowly made his way to the lakeshore and carefully slid into the water.
With Jia in the water, everyone’s hearts were in their throats. Liu Dashao stood behind Fan Debiao and Yang Weidong, watching the lake closely.
The rope was stretched taut, with everyone except Liu Dashao holding it tightly. The remaining coils on the ground slowly disappeared into the water as Jia swam.
Liu Dashao moved to the lakeshore, ready to cast his spell the moment the serpent appeared. Yang Weidong wondered, *What kind of Taoist magic can this young man use to control the serpent? Is Chinese mysticism really that powerful?*
Time passed, and the lake remained calm. The rope was almost gone, and anxiety crept into everyone’s minds. Still, the rope continued to move slowly into the water, meaning Jia was likely still safe.
Suddenly, Liu Dashao gasped. The lake surface rippled slightly, and the rope abruptly stopped moving.
Fan Debiao shouted, “Damn it! Pull the rope!”
Everyone tightened their grip and started pulling.
The rope snapped taut, and a straight line of water rushed from the lake’s center toward the shore. The lake began to churn, and a massive whirlpool formed on the surface. Everyone’s hearts pounded—this was it.
At that moment, the taut rope suddenly yanked backward, and Jia burst out of the water, being pulled rapidly toward the shore. The whirlpool followed closely behind, nearly on his heels.
Everyone pulled frantically, and Jia was almost at the shore when the whirlpool erupted with a deafening roar. The furious serpent burst from the water, its long neck extending, its tooth-filled mouth snapping violently toward Jia. Everyone froze in terror, pulling the rope with all their might.
With a thunderous splash, the serpent’s head slammed into the water, and Jia vanished from sight. A wave of panic surged through the group—had it happened?
But no one stopped pulling.
After the splash, Jia reappeared, and the serpent roared behind him, chasing him toward the shore. As both neared, Liu Dashao suddenly let out a sharp cry. His sleeves flared without wind, and he formed the True Warrior Seal with his hands. Pointing at the serpent, he shouted, “Seal it!”
The enraged serpent suddenly seemed disoriented. It shook its head and began spinning in place, roaring in confusion. Jia quickly gained distance, and the group exhaled in relief, pulling him ashore.
The others dropped the rope and rushed toward the shore, ready to shoot the serpent.
The serpent, sensing something was wrong, shook its body, trying to dive underwater. At that moment, Liu Dashao suddenly leaped into the lake. The others, startled, shouted in alarm, not understanding his sudden move.
Jia, now on the shore, shouted, “He’s going underwater to set up a barrier! Shoot now—kill the serpent!”
Though confused by the word “barrier,” the group obeyed. Fan Debiao and Yang Weidong aimed their guns and opened fire. Bullets tore into the serpent’s body, leaving gaping wounds. It roared in pain, twisting violently, trying desperately to dive—but something invisible held it in place. Liu Dashao’s barrier was working.
As the bullets kept flying, the serpent’s roars weakened, and its movements slowed. Finally, its long neck lowered, and it tilted sideways, collapsing onto the lake surface. Blood poured from its wounds, staining the water a horrifying red.
With a splash, Liu Dashao emerged from the water, drenched but calm. Facing the serpent’s corpse, he muttered a few solemn words, and the body slowly sank beneath the surface.
Jia walked over to the group, frowning. “You kids didn’t eat enough during the break? Pulling the rope was like pulling noodles. I almost lost my ass to that serpent!”
With the threat gone, the group relaxed. Liu Dashao, wringing out his shirt, chuckled, “Master Fei, your ass is still attached, isn’t it? We all pulled our hardest. No one held back.”
Fan Debiao chimed in, “Yeah, yeah! No one slacked off!”
Jia huffed and glanced at them, then said, “Guess what I found underwater this time?”
Everyone leaned in eagerly, waiting for him to continue.
Jia said, “When I first went down, I touched that strange, demon-like carving. As I was trying to move it, I noticed a large pattern on a black square rock to its right. I swam over to check it out, but before I could get a good look, that damned serpent came out. I had no choice but to flee.”
Everyone chuckled at his last line.
Liu Dashao asked, “Did you manage to see what the pattern was?”
Jia nodded. “I got a general look. It seemed to depict a place—like a temple or monastery. There was a prominent statue of a monk riding a strange beast. The rest of the pattern seemed to revolve around this monk.”
“A monk?” Liu Dashao murmured thoughtfully.
Jia continued, “I believe that carving represents Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, and the place depicted is likely the Temple of Ten Thousand Ghosts.”
Everyone looked puzzled. Fan Debiao asked, “Who’s Ksitigarbha? Some kind of vegetable?”
Jia laughed and said, “Don’t be disrespectful. Ksitigarbha is a famous guardian of the Buddhist faith—one of the five great Bodhisattvas. He’s highly revered, though he rarely appears publicly like Manjushri, Samantabhadra, or Avalokiteshvara. After the Buddha’s passing and before the arrival of the future Buddha Maitreya, Ksitigarbha was entrusted with guiding all sentient beings in this world.”
“He works mainly in the harshest place—hell. His merit is boundless, and he could have become a Buddha long ago. But he vowed, ‘Only when all beings are saved will I attain enlightenment; only when hell is empty will I become a Buddha.’ So he remains in the world, appearing in various forms to teach and save beings.”
Jia Zhuangyuan chuckled and said, “This requires us to use our brains. Think about it, how did that thing chase me and Caicai in the water? We need to lure it into the water, bring it to the lakeside, trap it there, and then shoot it.”
As soon as Jia Zhuangyuan finished speaking, Liu Dashao shook his head and said, “That thing is too fast in the water. Who dares to go in and lure it? Besides, even if it comes to the lakeside, we can’t trap it. Once the gun fires, it will sink back into the water, and as Fan Debiao said, it will never surface again.” Jia Zhuangyuan nodded and continued, “You’re right, so our plan must be foolproof. I have an idea, but it’s quite risky. Let me share it, and see if you all think it’s feasible.” With that, he smiled at us, as if teasing.
Everyone urged him to speak quickly.
Jia Zhuangyuan said, “The task of luring it will still fall on me, but I need you all to ensure my safety. Once I lure it to the lakeside, it will be up to you, young Liu, to figure out how to trap it. You’re a master of Taoist arts, the heir of the Celestial Master, so using your magic to trap it for a while shouldn’t be a problem. Then, your guns can come into play, and we can eliminate this menace.”
After speaking, he glanced slyly at Liu Dashao. Everyone, upon hearing this, looked at Liu Dashao with great excitement.
At this moment, Liu Dashao furrowed his brow and said, “I can use Taoist arts to trap the water monster for a while. But how will you ensure your safety once you’re in the water? Once we enter the Wuji Demon’s Lair, we’ll need an expert like you to guide us. What if the water monster eats you before you can lure it out? That would be a disaster.”
Jia Zhuangyuan jumped down from the rock and laughed, “Bah, bah, bah! Don’t curse me, kid! My surname is Jia, and I’m not that short-lived.”
Liu Dashao said, “Then how do you plan to lure it out? Tell us.”
Jia Zhuangyuan smiled and said, “I can tie a rope around my waist and go into the water. As long as I move in the water, the rope on the shore will follow. If I encounter the plesiosaur, I’ll quickly retreat, and the rope on the shore will stop moving. Then, you all will pull me back immediately.”
He forced a smile and continued, “I know this is risky, but someone has to take the risk. We can’t just stay here, can we? There might be many ways to enter the Wuji Demon’s Lair, not necessarily through the real entrance. Those five people might have already found the entrance with precise instruments and forced their way in.”
Hearing this, everyone was shocked. If those guys had already entered the Wuji Demon’s Lair, it would be troublesome. Everyone began to feel worried and anxious.
Seeing everyone’s expressions, Jia Zhuangyuan quickly waved his hand and said, “Don’t worry. From what I’ve observed along the way, this place has the most mysterious and exquisite burial methods, with anti-theft facilities that are unparalleled in the world. Those guys won’t understand the intricacies of ancient Chinese civilization. In fact, the safest and quickest way to enter the Dragon Tomb is through the real entrance. If they rely on so-called modern instruments to force open the tomb, they will surely pay a high price. Moreover, the person who built this place might not even be from our planet. Our technology would be like a child’s toy in his eyes.”
With this, everyone felt somewhat reassured. Liu Dashao then walked over to Jia Zhuangyuan and said, “Senior Jia, let’s proceed with your plan to lure and kill the plesiosaur. But you must be extremely careful.”
Jia Zhuangyuan looked up at him and chuckled, “Kid, I’ve faced death countless times over the past few decades. Don’t worry!”
Liu Dashao nodded and signaled Fan Debiao to bring the rope and tie it around Jia Zhuangyuan.
After Jia Zhuangyuan and Caicai tied the rope, he nodded to everyone and said, “Alright, I’m off. Keep your eyes open. If the rope stops moving, pull me back with all your might. My life is in your hands.”
Everyone assured him and reminded him to be careful once he was in the water.
Jia Zhuangyuan, with the rope tied around him, slowly walked to the lakeside and carefully slipped into the water. As he entered the water, everyone’s hearts were in their throats. Liu Dashao stood behind Fan Debiao and Yang Weidong, watching the water closely.
One end of the rope had already been pulled out by everyone. Except for Liu Dashao, everyone else held the rope, and the coiled part on the ground continued to enter the water as Jia Zhuangyuan moved.
Liu Dashao slowly walked to the lakeside, ready to cast a spell to trap the plesiosaur once it appeared. Yang Weidong, however, was thinking: What kind of spell will this young man use to control the plesiosaur? Is Chinese Taoist magic really that miraculous?
Time passed slowly, and the azure lake remained calm. The rope was almost gone, and everyone began to feel anxious. But seeing the rope still slowly entering the water, they believed Jia Zhuangyuan was still safe.
Suddenly, Liu Dashao let out a low cry, and everyone saw the lake water ripple slightly. The rope stopped moving, and Fan Debiao shouted, “Damn it, pull the rope!” Everyone tightly gripped the rope and began to pull quickly.
The rope in the water became taut, and a water line quickly moved from the center of the lake toward the shore. The lake water suddenly surged, and a huge whirlpool rose from the surface. Everyone’s hearts tightened—it seemed the plesiosaur was about to emerge.
At that moment, Jia Zhuangyuan, at the end of the taut rope, suddenly surfaced with a splash and quickly moved toward the shore with everyone’s pulling. The huge whirlpool followed closely behind him, almost right on his tail.
Everyone desperately pulled the rope. Just as Jia Zhuangyuan was about to reach the shore, the huge whirlpool let out a deafening roar, and the furious plesiosaur emerged from the water, extending its long neck and opening its jagged mouth, roaring and biting fiercely at Jia Zhuangyuan. Everyone was horrified, and the only thing they could do was to pull the rope with all their might.
The plesiosaur’s head hit the water with a loud bang, and Jia Zhuangyuan disappeared from everyone’s sight, only a splash of water visible. Everyone’s hearts sank—could it be…
Fortunately, everyone kept pulling the rope.
After the splash, Jia Zhuangyuan’s figure finally appeared in everyone’s sight, with the plesiosaur roaring closely behind him. As Jia Zhuangyuan and the plesiosaur got closer to the shore, Liu Dashao, who had been standing by the lakeside, let out a clear cry. His sleeves fluttered without wind, and he formed a seal with his hands, shouting, “Bind!”
The furious plesiosaur suddenly seemed to lose its sense of direction, shaking its head and spinning in place. This created a distance between Jia Zhuangyuan and the plesiosaur. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and quickly pulled Jia Zhuangyuan ashore.
Several people let go of the rope and ran to the shore, ready to shoot the plesiosaur.
At this moment, the plesiosaur seemed to sense something was wrong and shook its head, trying to dive back into the water. Suddenly, Liu Dashao leaped into the water. Everyone, who was running toward the shore, was startled by his sudden action and didn’t understand his intention.
Jia Zhuangyuan stood up on the shore and shouted to everyone, “This kid has gone into the water to set up a barrier. Now, quickly shoot and kill the plesiosaur.”
Upon hearing this, everyone was confused—what barrier? But they didn’t care and aimed their guns at the plesiosaur, firing wildly. Bullet holes appeared on the monster’s body, and blood gushed out. It screamed in pain, twisting its massive body and trying to dive into the water, but for some reason, it couldn’t. It seemed the so-called “barrier” Jia Zhuangyuan mentioned had worked, creating an invisible wall around and above the plesiosaur, trapping it.
As everyone continued to shoot, the plesiosaur’s cries gradually weakened, and its twisting slowed. Finally, it slowly lowered its long neck, tilted its body, and fell into the water. Due to the “barrier,” it didn’t sink but lay quietly on the lake’s surface, surrounded by water stained a shocking red with its blood.
At this moment, with a splash, Liu Dashao emerged from the water and landed wet on the shore. He then faced the plesiosaur’s corpse and solemnly chanted a few words. Everyone watched as the plesiosaur’s body slowly sank to the bottom.
Jia Zhuangyuan walked from the lakeside to the group and said with dissatisfaction, “You kids, didn’t you eat enough during the break? When pulling the rope, you were all so weak. My butt almost became a snack for that plesiosaur.”
With the water monster eliminated, everyone’s mood improved. Hearing Jia Zhuangyuan’s complaint, Liu Dashao, wringing out his shirt, smiled and said, “Senior Jia, your butt is still firmly attached, isn’t it? We all used every ounce of strength we had. No one held back, so don’t complain.”
Fan Debiao also smiled and chimed in, “Yes, yes, Senior Jia, no one dared to slack off.”
Jia Zhuangyuan snorted and glanced at everyone, then said, “Guess what else I found underwater?”
Everyone quickly gathered around, urging Jia Zhuangyuan to share what he had discovered.
Jia Zhuangyuan said, “At the spot where I first entered the water, I touched something resembling a demonic creature. Just as I was about to move it to see what would happen, I noticed a large area of colorful patterns on a black square rock to the right. I quickly swam over. Just as I landed on the rock and was about to examine it closely, that damn plesiosaur appeared. I had to make a quick escape.”
Everyone was engrossed in his story but couldn’t help but chuckle at his last remark.
Liu Dashao asked, “Senior Jia, did you see what the patterns on the rock were?”
Jia Zhuangyuan nodded, “I took a quick look. It seemed to depict a place, like a temple or monastery, with a very prominent statue of a monk sitting on a strange beast. The surrounding patterns seemed to revolve around this monk.”
“A monk?” Liu Dashao muttered, frowning.
Jia Zhuangyuan continued, “If I’m not mistaken, the patterns on the underwater rock depict Ksitigarbha. And the place depicted should be the Temple of Ten Thousand Ghosts.”
Everyone was puzzled. Fan Debiao was the first to ask, “Senior Jia, who is this Ksitigarbha?”
Jia Zhuangyuan laughed heartily, “Don’t be so disrespectful. Ksitigarbha is a famous protector in Buddhism. You just don’t know. Fine, I’ll tell you the legend of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.”
Fan Debiao eagerly said, “Senior Jia, please tell us. I love hearing legends.”
Jia Zhuangyuan smiled and said, “Alright, I’ll tell you. Ksitigarbha is one of the five great Bodhisattvas in Buddhism, and his status is very high. However, unlike Manjushri, Samantabhadra, and Guanyin, he doesn’t often appear, so people don’t know much about him. You see, after Sakyamuni’s nirvana, before the future Buddha Maitreya descends, who will be responsible for guiding the beings of the Saha world (our current world) during this transitional period? Sakyamuni entrusted this task to Ksitigarbha. This shows how high his status is.”
“Ksitigarbha’s main place of work is in the most difficult place—hell. Ksitigarbha’s merits are immeasurable, and he has long reached the sea of Buddha’s wisdom, with complete and perfect merits. He should have become a Buddha long ago, but he made a vow: ‘I will not attain Buddhahood until all beings are saved, and hell is emptied.’ Thus, he hides his true merits and, with his vow power and free supernatural abilities, appears everywhere to teach and save beings. Legend has it that in countless past kalpas, Ksitigarbha was a filial daughter named Guangmu. Her mother loved eating fish roe and committed grave sins of killing. Guangmu knew her mother would fall into the evil realms after death, so she asked an Arhat to enter meditation and observe. Indeed, her mother was suffering greatly in hell. Guangmu wholeheartedly chanted the Buddha’s name, made offerings, and with the power of her filial piety, saved her mother from hell. Later, she vowed to save all beings with heavy sins and went to hell to save them.”
“In Chinese Buddhist temples, Ksitigarbha’s image is quite distinctive. Generally, Bodhisattvas appear with crowns, heavenly robes, and adorned with jewels. But Ksitigarbha often appears as a bald monk or with a Vairocana crown, wearing monastic robes. He holds a staff in one hand and a lotus in the other, or sometimes a banner or a jewel. It was through these details that I recognized the statue.”
As Jia Zhuangyuan spoke, everyone fell into deep thought. Fan Debiao softly said, “Senior Jia, I didn’t know a monk had so much history.”
Jia Zhuangyuan smiled, “Now you know. The pattern underwater is a statue of a Buddha, and coincidentally, it’s Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, who suppresses hell. This further confirms my belief that the entrance to the Wuji Demon’s Lair is at the bottom of the lake. Now, as long as we dive down and explore carefully, we will surely find the entrance.”
Liu Dashao then said, “Then we shouldn’t delay. Senior Jia, how do you suggest we proceed?”
Jia Zhuangyuan said, “Caicai and I will dive down again to find the exact entrance to the Wuji Demon’s Lair. Then, we’ll all go in together.”
Liu Dashao nodded, “Alright, we’ll follow your plan.”
Jia Zhuangyuan stood up, stretched, and said, “I didn’t expect to have to dive three times to find the entrance to the Wuji Demon’s Lair. Damn, that plesiosaur really gave me a hard time. Caicai, accompany this old man for another dive.” With that, he walked back to the lakeside.
Caicai agreed and followed Jia Zhuangyuan to the shore. The two slowly entered the water again.
Watching the two disappear into the water, Fan Debiao suddenly blurted out, “Do you think there are other water monsters in there?”
Everyone was stunned, then couldn’t help but laugh. Fan Debiao glanced at everyone angrily and continued, “I’m just worried about Senior Jia and Caicai. Besides water monsters, who knows what other traps or beasts might be guarding the entrance to the Wuji Demon’s Lair?”
Everyone was stunned again, thinking it was a valid point. The entrance to the Wuji Demon’s Lair was so well hidden, and they had even placed a plesiosaur, extinct for 40 million years, as a guard. No one could say what other anti-theft measures or mechanisms might be in place.
Thinking this, everyone became worried again. Liu Dashao then spoke up, “Who is Senior Jia? What kind of tomb hasn’t he entered? Although the Wuji Demon’s Lair is extraordinary, Senior Jia will surely be cautious. There’s no need to worry. If he can’t get in, then we certainly can’t.”
Hearing this, everyone felt somewhat reassured. Jia Zhuangyuan was a top-tier tomb raider, highly knowledgeable about tombs and mechanisms. He should be fine.
Waiting is a long process. Although everyone believed in Jia Zhuangyuan’s abilities, as time passed, they began to worry. More than ten minutes had gone by, and the lake remained calm.
Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the lakeside, hoping to see Jia Zhuangyuan and Caicai suddenly surface with good news. Fan Debiao even walked to the lakeside, crouched down, and stared at the water.
Several more minutes passed, reaching the twenty-minute limit Jia Zhuangyuan had mentioned for holding his breath. The water’s surface remained still, and everyone began to truly worry. Even Liu Dashao stood up, unexpectedly showing signs of anxiety.
Yang Weidong walked over to Fan Debiao and said, “Brother, I think I’ll dive in and take a look. I grew up near the Yellow River. Although my swimming skills aren’t as good as Senior Jia and Caicai’s, I can hold my breath for about ten minutes.”
“In Chinese temples, Ksitigarbha is usually depicted as a monk, bald or wearing a crown, holding a staff and a lotus, or sometimes a banner and a jewel. That’s how I recognized the statue underwater.”
As Jia spoke, the group fell into deep thought. Fan Debiao murmured, “So even a monk has such a deep history.”
Jia smiled and said, “Now you understand. The carving underwater is of Ksitigarbha, the guardian of hell. This confirms my belief that the entrance to Wujimozang is at the bottom of the lake. If we dive down and search carefully, we’ll find it.”
Liu Dashao said, “Then let’s not waste time. How should we proceed?”
Jia replied, “I and Caiqingchong will dive again to locate the exact entrance, then we’ll all go together.”
Liu Dashao nodded, “Agreed.”
Jia stretched and muttered, “Three dives for the entrance of Wujimozang—damn that serpent! Caiqingchong, let’s go again.”
With that, he walked toward the lake again. Caiqingchong followed, and the two slowly disappeared into the water.
As they vanished, Fan Debiao suddenly said, “You think there might be more creatures down there?”
Everyone froze, then laughed. Fan Debiao glared and said, “I’m serious! I’m worried about Master Jia and Caiqingchong. Besides the serpent, who knows what other traps or monsters might guard the entrance?”
This made everyone uneasy again. After all, the entrance was hidden so well that even a prehistoric creature was guarding the lake. Who knew what other defenses lay ahead?
Liu Dashao finally said, “Master Jia is no ordinary man. He’s explored countless tombs. Though Wujimozang is unusual, he’ll be cautious. If even he can’t get in, none of us can.”
This eased their worries a bit. Jia was a top-tier tomb raider, an expert in ancient tombs and mechanisms. He’d be fine.
But waiting was still hard. Though they trusted Jia, time dragged on. Minutes passed. The lake remained still.
Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the water, hoping to see Jia and Caiqingchong surface with good news. Fan Debiao even crouched at the lakeshore, staring into the depths.
More minutes passed. It had been twenty minutes—the limit Jia had set for holding his breath. Still no sign of them.
Liu Dashao stood up, his face showing rare concern.
Yang Weidong approached Fan Debiao and said, “Bro, maybe I should go in. I grew up near the Yellow River. My diving skills aren’t as good as Master Jia’s or Caiqingchong’s, but I can manage ten minutes.”
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