Zhang Enpu held a compass in his hand and led the way. Following the stream, the group walked dozens of meters, winding through several gullies, until they discovered that all the water from the dam disappeared into a cave. Because the cave entrance wasn’t very wide, the water had become extremely swift by the time it reached there, forming a whirlpool that occasionally made a “gurgling” sound, as if it were the gaping mouth of a giant beast greedily devouring food.
Zhang Enpu declared that the mystery lay within this cave and insisted that to eliminate the danger completely, they had to go inside. Although Liu Dashao and Tian Guoqiang had grown up swimming in rivers catching fish and shrimp, and were both excellent swimmers, they had serious doubts about whether they could safely pass through the whirlpool. Moreover, the length of the cave was unknown—if it stretched for dozens of meters, they might end up as food for fish and shrimp themselves. Everyone exchanged uneasy glances, staring at the whirlpool for a long time. Finally, Liu Dashao steeled himself—there was no guarantee of survival if they went in, but staying meant certain failure. He and Tian Guoqiang returned to fetch two hunting rifles and two German-made flashlights, wrapping them tightly in waterproof cloth. When they returned to the cave entrance, Liu Dashao had tucked his shirt into his pants and placed his dagger within easy reach.
Seeing Liu Dashao preparing to dive in, Tian Guoqiang quickly readied himself too. The two shared an unspoken understanding and didn’t need to exchange words. After finishing their preparations, they exchanged one last glance, counted “one, two, three,” and with a loud “splash,” they leapt together into the whirlpool. Zhang Enpu and Bai Erleizi followed closely behind. They had intended to swim along with the current, but the whirlpool, though not large, had a strong suction force. As soon as the four jumped in, they were immediately pulled under before they could even begin to swim.
The current was swift, and in no time, Liu Dashao and the others were carried far downstream. The pressure in his chest felt unbearable, as if it might burst, but when the current finally eased slightly, he struggled to surface. Moments later, he broke through the water, gasping for air. Tian Guoqiang and the others surfaced shortly after, and the group joyfully embraced and shouted in relief.
Though the cave entrance appeared small from outside, the interior was surprisingly spacious. Just a few meters inside, the water current had already calmed significantly, and there was at least half a person’s height of clearance between the water surface and the cave ceiling.
The four swam along with the current, conserving their energy. Liu Dashao floated on his back, letting the current carry him, while Tian Guoqiang alternated between floating and dog-paddling, clearly enjoying himself. He knew in his heart that the end of this underground river should be an exit. As long as they weren’t swept into the Yangtze or Yellow River, they were confident they could survive. After all, they were all capable swimmers.
Suddenly, the sound of rushing water ahead grew louder. Tian Guoqiang glanced forward and cried out in alarm, “Oh my god, what is that thing?” Liu Dashao quickly turned around and saw a thick, bluish creature ahead, its arm-sized tail thrashing violently against the water. Its long, coiling body was at least ten zhang in length, its skin smooth like blue silk, without scales. Its head wasn’t particularly large, but still nearly the size of a large basket, with three thick whiskers on each side of its mouth. Its eyes, the size of fists, glowed with a dark, predatory gleam fixed directly on the four men.
Liu Dashao couldn’t help shouting, “Damn it! Isn’t that an eel? How the hell can it grow this big? Swim back, quick!” Hearing this, Tian Guoqiang and Bai Erleizi immediately turned and swam desperately in the opposite direction. But swimming downstream was easy—going against the current was another matter entirely. Every few meters they managed to swim back were quickly undone by the force of the water pushing them forward again.
As Liu Dashao struggled to swim back, suddenly a sharp tightening gripped his ankle—he had been wrapped tightly by the eel’s tail. He had expected the creature to attack, but not so quickly, nor had he anticipated how silently it moved underwater. He hadn’t even heard a sound before being ambushed. As soon as the eel coiled around Liu Dashao’s leg, it pulled hard, dragging his body backward through the water with a splash. Seeing this, Zhang Enpu and Tian Guoqiang immediately turned to chase after him. Liu Dashao, caught off guard, swallowed several mouthfuls of water. Knowing his life was in serious danger, he quickly drew his knife, gripping it tightly, ready to fight like a cornered beast.
Within moments, he was pulled directly in front of the eel. Its tail lifted him high into the air, its eyes gleaming with hunger as it examined its prey. Liu Dashao tightly gripped his dagger, using his waist muscles to arch his body upward, trying to keep his head above water. In his mind, he thought, “Just open your mouth and bite me, and I’ll give you a present you won’t forget.”
The eel shook its basket-sized head and, as expected, opened its mouth wide, aiming straight for Liu Dashao’s head. Though it had no teeth, its intent was clear—it meant to swallow him whole. Liu Dashao swung his dagger and drove it deep into the eel’s gills. Blood spurted out in a powerful jet. The eel, in pain, released Liu Dashao and began thrashing wildly. Liu Dashao had intended to strike again, but the eel suddenly flung him into the water. Unprepared, he swallowed even more water before managing to surface again.
Zhang Enpu, holding a compass, led the way as the group followed the stream for several dozen meters, navigating around several ravines. They discovered that the water from the dam was funneling into a cave entrance. The cave mouth wasn’t particularly wide, and the water flow had become quite rapid, forming a swirling vortex that occasionally made a “gulping” sound, resembling a massive beast devouring its prey.
Zhang Enpu declared that the mystery lay within the cave, and to eliminate the threat once and for all, they had to venture inside. Although Liu Dashao and Tian Guoqiang had grown up swimming in rivers and were excellent swimmers, they were uncertain if they could safely pass through the vortex. Moreover, the length of the cave was unknown, and if it extended for dozens of meters, they might end up as fish food. The group exchanged uneasy glances, staring at the vortex for a long while. Liu Dashao steeled his resolve, thinking that while going in might not guarantee success, staying out certainly wouldn’t. He and Tian Guoqiang returned to fetch two hunting rifles and two German flashlights, tightly wrapped in waterproof cloth. By the time they returned to the cave entrance, Liu Dashao had tucked his clothes into his pants and placed his dagger in the most accessible spot.
Seeing Liu Dashao preparing to enter the water, Tian Guoqiang also got ready. The two, already in sync, didn’t need to exchange words. After a final glance at each other, they counted to three and jumped into the vortex with a splash. Zhang Enpu and Bai Erlai had no choice but to follow. They had intended to swim with the current, but the vortex, though not large, had a strong suction force. The moment they jumped in, they were pulled under without a chance to swim. The current was swift, and within moments, Liu Dashao and the others were swept far away. Liu Dashao felt as if his chest was about to burst from the pressure. As the current slowed slightly, he struggled to surface. Moments later, he broke through the water, gasping for air. Tian Guoqiang and the others also surfaced, and the group hugged and cheered in relief.
It turned out that while the cave entrance was narrow, the interior was surprisingly spacious. After the water poured into the cave, it calmed down a few meters in, and the water level was at least half a person’s height below the cave ceiling.
The four of them swam with the current, which made their journey less strenuous. Liu Dashao floated on his back, letting the water carry him, while Tian Guoqiang alternated between floating and dog-paddling, clearly enjoying himself. He knew that the end of this underground river should be the exit. As long as they weren’t swept into the Yangtze or Yellow River, they could make it to shore. After all, they were skilled swimmers and had confidence in their abilities.
Suddenly, the sound of rushing water grew louder ahead. Tian Guoqiang exclaimed, “What the hell is that?” Liu Dashao turned to look and saw a massive, bucket-thick, green creature thrashing its tail, which was as thick as an arm, against the water. Its coiled body was at least several meters long, with smooth, green satin-like skin. Its head wasn’t large, but it was still the size of a basket, with three finger-thick whiskers on each side of its mouth. Its fist-sized eyes glowed with a dark, ominous light, fixed intently on the four of them.
Liu Dashao blurted out, “Holy crap, is that a giant eel? How did it get so big? Swim back!” Tian Guoqiang and Bai Erlai immediately turned and swam frantically back, but swimming against the current was no easy task. They struggled to make progress, only to be pushed back by the waves.
As Liu Dashao desperately swam back, he felt his ankle tighten—it had been caught by the eel’s tail. He had expected the eel to attack them, but not so quickly, and he hadn’t anticipated how silently it moved in the water. The eel yanked him back with force, and Liu Dashao was dragged through the water, creating a splash. Zhang Enpu and Tian Guoqiang, seeing him being pulled back, immediately turned to chase after him. Liu Dashao, panicking, swallowed several mouthfuls of water. Knowing things were dire, he quickly drew his dagger, preparing for a desperate fight.
In moments, he was pulled face-to-face with the eel. The eel’s tail held him aloft as its eyes gleamed with greed, inspecting its prey. Liu Dashao gripped his dagger tightly, bending his waist to keep his head above water. He thought to himself, “If you try to bite me, I’ll give you a taste of this first.”
The eel shook its basket-sized head and opened its mouth to bite down on Liu Dashao. Though it had no teeth, it seemed intent on swallowing him whole. Liu Dashao swung his dagger, stabbing it into the eel’s gill. Blood gushed out, and the eel, in pain, released Liu Dashao and thrashed wildly. Liu Dashao intended to strike again, but the eel suddenly threw him into the water. Caught off guard, he swallowed more water before resurfacing.
Liu Dashao flailed his dagger, trying to strike the eel again, but the water was too deep, and he couldn’t muster enough force. The eel’s slippery skin made it difficult to land a solid blow. Tian Guoqiang swam over, but the rifles were wrapped in waterproof cloth and would be ruined if opened. He could only watch helplessly. Zhang Enpu, however, was skilled with cold weapons. He grabbed his Tian Shi sword and slashed at the eel without hesitation. The eel, unaware of the sword’s sharpness, was cut open, leaving a ten-centimeter wound that instantly turned the surrounding water red.
Though the eel had been injured twice, it only grew more ferocious. It swung its arm-thick tail at the group. Zhang Enpu and the others, slowed by the water, couldn’t dodge. They took a deep breath and pulled Liu Dashao underwater. Just as they submerged, the eel’s tail slammed into the water above them, sending up a spray. Though the water absorbed most of the impact, they were still dazed. The eel thrashed several more times, and Liu Dashao felt dizzy and disoriented. The murky water made it hard to see, and he couldn’t hold his breath much longer. He was growing desperate.
Bai Erlai, unable to hold his breath any longer, broke free from Tian Guoqiang’s grip and surfaced. The moment he emerged, the eel’s tail struck him, knocking him unconscious. He sank like a lump of meat. Tian Guoqiang swam over to catch Bai Erlai, but he was already struggling from holding his breath for so long. The added weight of Bai Erlai’s 180-pound body made it even harder. In the chaos, Tian Guoqiang was struck by the eel’s tail and involuntarily swallowed several mouthfuls of water. He had always avoided drinking the murky water, but now he had no choice.
Bai Erlai was unconscious and would surely drown if left in the water. The others were also running out of breath. They had only one thought: they had to kill this monster. Liu Dashao slowly swam over, grabbed Bai Erlai by the collar, and kicked hard to surface. As soon as he emerged, he dragged Bai Erlao out of the water, but before he could call out, the eel’s mouth was already descending on his head. The eel had been waiting at the surface, ready to strike.
Just as the eel was about to bite Liu Dashao, he remembered the giant cleaver in Bai Erlai’s hand. He reached for it, but Bai Erlai, though unconscious, still held it tightly. Liu Dashao yanked twice but couldn’t free the cleaver, so he swung Bai Erlai’s arm along with it. The blade struck the eel’s neck. The eel’s head froze, its gaping mouth just inches from Liu Dashao’s head. A second later, and he would have been swallowed whole.
The light in the eel’s eyes slowly faded. A red circle appeared around its neck, and then blood sprayed out in a fountain. The basket-sized head fell into the water with a splash, and a torrent of blood gushed from its neck, drenching Liu Dashao. He hadn’t expected the cleaver to sever the eel’s head. As the water turned red with blood, he stared in shock. Liu Dashao was close enough to see the white flesh of the eel’s neck twitching, and he felt a wave of nausea, nearly vomiting.
Having swallowed a lot of water and now covered in eel blood, Liu Dashao was exhausted and hungry. He had been running on sheer willpower, but with the eel dead, he felt his strength ebbing away. He wanted nothing more than to close his eyes and sleep. But he knew that if he did, he might never see the sun again—or his father, or Ma Xiaoyan.
Liu Dashao held onto Bai Erlai, keeping his head above water. He was too weak to swim, but fortunately, Zhang Enpu and Tian Guoqiang came over and supported them. Liu Dashao felt an overwhelming urge to sleep, but he fought it. They drifted for what felt like an eternity, and Liu Dashao swallowed more water. Just when it seemed hopeless, they rounded a bend in the underground river and found a set of stone steps. Tian Guoqiang pulled them up and laid them on the steps. Zhang Enpu pounded on Bai Erlai’s chest, though each movement felt like lifting a thousand pounds. After a few strikes, Bai Erlai coughed up water and slowly opened his eyes.
Liu Dashao suddenly noticed the eel’s body floating nearby. He weakly said to Tian Guoqiang, “Cut a piece of that eel. I’m out of strength.” His voice was so faint it surprised even himself. Tian Guoqiang understood and swam over, cutting a large chunk of eel meat. Liu Dashao also drew his dagger, trying to cut a piece, but he was too weak. Tian Guoqiang sliced off a piece and handed it to him. Liu Dashao ate several slices. The meat was tender and not too fishy, and he slowly regained some strength, eventually able to cut the meat himself. Tian Guoqiang had already devoured a large piece. With their escape route still uncertain, Zhang Enpu reluctantly chewed on some eel meat as well. The four of them quickly finished the first chunk, and Tian Guoqiang went back to cut another. This time, they ate less, as their stomachs were somewhat filled, and the eel meat didn’t taste as good as before.
Though it wasn’t delicious, Liu Dashao forced down a few more slices until he couldn’t eat anymore. He leaned back to rest, feeling much better with food in his stomach. His strength was gradually returning. After resting for over half an hour, he stood up and stomped his foot, sending dust flying. The others quickly covered their noses and mouths. As the dust settled, they looked around and realized they were in a secluded cave. The space wasn’t large, with a small, dark door on the left. Against the right wall lay a skeletal corpse.
Liu Dashao was startled. The skeleton’s clothes were tattered, and it wore a Taoist crown. The flesh on its face had long been eaten away by insects. Scattered on the ground were ancient, yellowed talismans, seemingly very old. In the flickering light, it appeared that words were carved into the wall beside the skeleton.
Though the eel had suffered two injuries, its ferocity only increased. It raised its thick tail and swung it down violently toward the group. Underwater, Zhang Enpu and the others were sluggish and unable to dodge. With no choice, they took a deep breath and dove underwater, pulling Liu Dashao with them. Just as they submerged, the eel’s tail slammed down hard on the surface above them, sending water spraying several feet high. Though the force of the blow was greatly reduced by the water, they still felt dazed from the impact. The eel continued to thrash violently, striking the water repeatedly. Liu Dashao felt dizzy and disoriented, his vision blurred underwater. With no way to breathe and his lungs burning, he grew increasingly desperate.
Meanwhile, Bai Erleizi, unable to hold his breath any longer, suddenly broke free from Tian Guoqiang’s grip and swam upward. As soon as he surfaced, before he could even take a breath, the eel’s tail struck him hard, knocking him unconscious. Like a lifeless meatball, he sank back down. Tian Guoqiang quickly swam over to catch him. Already struggling from lack of oxygen, the added weight of Bai Erleizi’s 170 or so pounds made it even harder. In the chaos, the eel’s tail struck him again in the chest, and he could no longer hold his breath. He swallowed several mouthfuls of water—water he had previously refused to drink due to its murkiness, but now he drank his fill.
Bai Erleizi was already unconscious. If they stayed underwater much longer, he would suffocate. Everyone’s lungs were burning. Without thinking of danger, they had only one thought: they had to kill this monster. Liu Dashao slowly swam over, grabbed Bai Erleizi by the collar, and kicked hard, propelling them both upward. As soon as he surfaced, he dragged Bai Erleizi’s head above water. Before he could even shout, the eel’s gaping mouth came down straight at his head. It had been waiting for him at the surface all along, ready to swallow him whole.
As the eel’s mouth closed in, Liu Dashao suddenly remembered the giant kitchen knife Bai Erleizi had been carrying. Desperately, he reached for it. Bai Erleizi was unconscious, but his grip on the knife remained firm. Liu Dashao tugged twice without success and finally swung both the knife and Bai Erleizi’s arm together. The blade struck the eel’s neck with a powerful slash.
The eel’s head froze mid-air, its wide-open mouth just inches from Liu Dashao’s head—no more than a second or two away from swallowing him whole. Then, slowly, the eel’s eyes dimmed, a red ring appeared around its neck, and with a “plop,” a jet of blood spurted out. Its massive head plunged into the water with a loud splash, gushing blood from its severed neck, drenching Liu Dashao’s face and hair. He hadn’t expected the knife to sever the eel’s head so cleanly. Staring at the blood rapidly turning the water red, he stood frozen in shock. Close up, he could clearly see the white flesh of the eel’s neck twitching, and his stomach churned violently, nearly making him vomit.
After swallowing so much water and being covered in eel blood, exhausted and hungry, Liu Dashao had only managed to keep going by sheer willpower. Now that the eel was dead, the tension lifted, and he immediately felt dizzy and weak, desperate to close his eyes and sleep forever. But he knew that if he closed his eyes now, he might never see the sun again—or see Ma Xiaoyan or his father.
Liu Dashao tightened his grip on Bai Erleizi, lifting his head above water. He had no strength left to swim. Fortunately, Zhang Enpu and Tian Guoqiang swam over and pulled the two of them onto a ledge. Liu Dashao felt himself slipping into sleep, overwhelmed by fatigue. He didn’t know how far they had drifted, but he had swallowed even more water. Just when it seemed hopeless, they reached a bend in the underground river where there were actually a few stone steps. Tian Guoqiang struggled to pull both men onto the steps and laid them down. Zhang Enpu began pounding Bai Erleizi’s chest with all his might, though every movement felt like lifting a thousand pounds. After several compressions, Bai Erleizi coughed once and spat out a mouthful of water, slowly opening his eyes.
Liu Dashao suddenly noticed the eel’s corpse floating nearby, bobbing up and down in the water. He weakly called out to Tian Guoqiang, “Qiangzi, go cut a piece of the eel meat. I can’t move.” His voice was so weak it startled even himself. Understanding, Tian Guoqiang quickly swam over with his dagger and cut off a large piece of eel meat, bringing it back. Liu Dashao tried to cut a piece himself but lacked the strength. Tian Guoqiang sliced off a piece and handed it to him. Liu Dashao ate several slices. The meat was tender and not overly fishy. Slowly, he regained some strength and was able to cut more meat on his own. Tian Guoqiang had already devoured a large portion. Since their escape route was still uncertain, Zhang Enpu reluctantly chewed a few bites. The four quickly finished the first piece of eel meat. Tian Guoqiang swam back again and cut off another large piece, but this time everyone ate less, their stomachs already somewhat full. The eel meat didn’t taste quite as good this time.
Still, Liu Dashao forced himself to eat a few more slices until he couldn’t eat anymore. He leaned back to rest, feeling much better with food in his stomach, his strength slowly returning. After resting for about half an hour, he stood up and stamped his foot. Dust swirled into the air. Everyone quickly covered their mouths and noses. After a while, the dust settled. Looking around, they realized this seemed like a secluded cave dwelling. To the left was a dark small door, and leaning against the wall on the right was a skeleton, its tattered clothes barely hanging on, a Daoist cap still on its head. The flesh had long been eaten away by insects. Scattered on the ground were some old talismans, yellowed with age. In the flickering firelight, words appeared to be carved into the wall beside the skeleton.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage