As I wandered down an endless corridor made of flat stone walls, I found myself getting used to the darkness, allowing the outlines of objects to gradually become visible.
Whoosh! A distant wind howled, ruffling the fine fuzz on my face.
“Something creepy feels like it’s about to jump out at me.”
I tiptoed, minimizing my footsteps while sharpening all my senses. The place looked abandoned for ages, and it was unlikely that anyone who created it was still lurking around.
But if there was an entrance letting the wind pass through, it wasn’t impossible that some wild beasts, much like me, could be nesting here.
With a ceiling and walls shielding from the rain, this could very well serve as a prime hideout for beasts. Honestly, I even thought about claiming a spot here if getting safe was guaranteed.
“Of course, that’s assuming safety is guaranteed!”
Based on this eerie atmosphere, it wouldn’t be strange if mummies wrapped in bandages or dried-up corpses strolled out.
In a world with magical beasts, three-eyed wolves, slimes, and imps so vibrantly alive, it was entirely possible that some bizarre creature I couldn’t even imagine was making itself cozy in the shadows.
Scary thoughts trailed after one another.
“Should I just turn back?”
I halted and glanced back. Far in the distance, a feeble light shone through a broken ceiling. Soon, when the sun set, even that little glimmer would vanish.
“No, no. I’m not waiting for a rescue party; I have no way to climb back to safety.”
I shook off my weak thoughts and resolved to move forward. I absolutely didn’t want to become just another dried-up corpse in this ruin.
With a deep breath, I braced myself against the wall and pushed deeper into the endless darkness. After a little while, a dark shadow appeared ahead. It was about ten meters away.
I froze and crouched down low, keenly scanning the shadow’s identity.
“How long have I been staring at this thing? It’s not moving at all!”
My heart raced with tension as I cautiously stepped closer to the shadow on the ground, revealing its head and feet.
“It’s a statue!”
With a body reminiscent of a salamander or lizard, its animal-like head bore horns and fangs. The detailed scales covering its body were truly impressive.
It gave off vibes much like those lion statues you see outside temples or palaces.
It seemed the folks who crafted this place might not have been great at painting murals but were undoubtedly skilled at carving stone.
After all, if they could quarry flat stones and construct such a grand underground structure in the jungle, making a statue wouldn’t be far-fetched.
I examined the statue from various angles. Hoping to uncover helpful information, I concluded that aside from being well-made, it was just an ordinary rock pile.
Vaulting over the sprawled statue, I set my sights on the end of the long corridor.
“I can see something ahead!”
In the distance, a faint and gentle light appeared. Could it be that ancient vent or maybe an exit?
Yet, as I edged closer, I realized this light was far from a door or vent.
“A gemstone?”
This was no bigger than my fist—a radiant gem that sparkled a deep blue, its shimmer seemingly never-ending. I didn’t quite understand how it emitted light, but it was a treasure in my eyes.
“Maybe something ancient people used as a flashlight?”
I picked it up, expecting a warm glow, but to my surprise, the crystal radiated a cold energy like a chilled beverage.
Waving the blue gem around, it illuminated the surroundings like a lantern’s bright glow.
“Huh?”
As the crystal light brightened the corridor, I noticed statues scattered around, lying in disarray.
They ranged from a four-legged creature whose species I couldn’t identify to a human wielding a short sword. There were at least a dozen of them altogether.
What on earth could have led to such a collection of space and statues underground? The tomb of Qin Shi Huang and the Terracotta Army flashed into my mind.
It wouldn’t be odd if these statues replaced servants and wives buried with a deceased high-ranking individual, following a burial custom.
I shone the crystal light on the walls and statues, and then I discovered something astonishing.
Though initially thought to be mere stone carvings, the sword and armor held by the statues were real iron and steel!
“That’s quite the lavish hobby—giving a statue a genuine sword!”
I reached to snatch the sword from the statue’s grasp. As I pulled and tugged, the human-shaped statue collapsed to the ground with a thud.
The clattering stones echoed down the desolate corridor.
“I didn’t mean to break it!”
I felt a little flustered. But since no one was around to complain about property damage, I thought, ‘Well, at least it’s all good!’
Bending down, I grasped the fallen sword.
Just then, the hairs on my neck stood on end.
—
From somewhere, the sound of branches rubbing together echoed in the wind. I thought, ‘Is there a forest underground?’ for just a moment.
I spotted a dark mass rapidly approaching from a distance, red eyes gleaming as they dashed towards me.
It was a swarm of scorpions and spiders crawling over the ground and walls.
The multitude of tiny creatures clicking their legs together sounded eerily reminiscent of the rustling trees swaying in the wind.
“What in the world is that supposed to be?!”
I let out a loud gasp.
The dark wave surging towards me felt like a pour of black ink—an ocean of shadow resembled a tangible form of d*ath.
—Zzzzzz.
—Zzzz.
Their eerie sounds echoed around me, red eyes blinking from every direction.
I pivoted and sprinted away with all my might.
If I was going to d*e, it was better to perish at the hands of a wolf rather than becoming a meal for these creepy crawlies!
—Zzzzzz.
Those behind me were steadily closing in. Turns out jumping on two legs wasn’t ideal.
I tossed the sword away and, contemplating dropping the crystal too, decided against it; I clutched it tightly between my teeth instead.
Taking off on all fours, my speed picked up significantly. It seemed I could potentially outrun these critters.
I dashed back down the path I came, eventually reaching the ceiling where there’d been a breach. But it seemed climbing back up was not in the cards.
Three walls blocked my way. In the distance, I could see the angry mob of spiders and scorpions racing towards me. Was this truly a dire situation?
I gulped as I stared at the hole in the ceiling.
I might just have to give it a shot.
Clawing up the wall, I drove my claws into the wedged inscriptions carved into the stone, managing to ascend somewhat. But the inverted ceiling was the challenge.
I wasn’t an insect or spider capable of hanging upside down.
Stationed against the wall, I peered up at the hole, inhaling deeply. The army I’d seen would surely reach me in seconds.
Brainstorming a plan to break through the ceiling hole, leaping off the wall and elongating my reach towards it felt like the best shot.
“Whatever it is, I have to give it a go!”
Picturing the simulation in my head, I pumped my back legs with all my might, muscles taut like a pulled rubber band, and propelled off the wall.
My body soared into the air. Just as I reached out for the ceiling, I began to slowly descend.
Of course, I wouldn’t make it. Gravity was relentless as I fell to the ground.
My rear and back stung, but who cares about that now? Disturbing, grotesque creatures were gathering all around me!
—Zzzzzz.
—Zzzz.
Just before they reached me, I squeezed my eyes shut. The sound of their legs thumping against the stone walls echoed ceaselessly.
“…Huh?”
I suddenly realized something was off and cracked my eyes open. The countless spiders and scorpions swarmed past me, as if avoiding me.
It felt like Moses parting the sea; those wretched bugs split to the sides, flanking me, as if I were an uncrossable barrier in the middle of a raging river.
“Are they avoiding this light?”
Shaking, I lifted the crystal to my mouth. Upon closer inspection, the creatures were scattering around the bright core where the light was strongest.
—Zzzz.
Even without the light, it didn’t seem they had any interest in me at all.
Like water draining through pipes, they were squeezing through the hole in the ceiling.
After some time, the black wave vanished without a trace. Stunned, my eyes blinked rapidly as I processed the unexpected turn of events.
“What just happened? What the heck was that?”
Glancing around, there wasn’t a spider or scorpion in sight. The silence was deafening; not even a whisper of wind rustled through the depths of the corridor.
“I figured they were swarming because of the noise from me smashing the statue.”
So what reason could there possibly be for them to flee through the ceiling hole?
Did they appear so avidly hungry for a meal, only to not consider me worth their while?
“What on Earth was that?”
I went back and forth between the hole where the spiders vanished and the crystal firmly in my grasp. I didn’t get it, but one thing was clear: they hated this light.
“I thought it was just a lantern, but it seems much more impressive than that!”
I stood up, shaking off the remnants of fear. As my heart gradually relaxed, color returned to my cheeks.
Anyway, I was just glad to be alive!
*
I made my way towards the spot where the spiders and scorpions had relentlessly converged. After such a massive migration, I assumed nothing would be left inside.
—Zzzzzz.
Occasionally, a stray spider or scorpion emerged, likely separated from the swarm.
I aimed the crystal light at those raising their front legs in a threatening stance, and they scuttled away in panic, retreating into holes along the walls.
“Now that’s effective!”
I marched forward with the crystal, feeling like a real explorer or adventurer delving into an ancient ruin.
Eventually, the long corridor opened up into a wide hall, or whatever you might call it.
No matter where I pointed the crystal, the walls stretched into the distance, practically limitless. I was blown away that such a space existed underground.
“What on Earth is this place?”
Answering my curious thoughts was a faint inscription that materialized before my eyes.
【Tomb of Queen El-Gasa.】
My eyebrows lifted slightly as I read the words.
A tomb, huh? It seemed this entire stone structure, this vast underground, served as a kind of mausoleum.
Since it mentioned a queen, she must have been a high-ranking individual, allowing me to finally wrap my head around the magnitude of this underground construction.
“Like the pyramids of Egypt, the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, or North Korea’s Sun Palace, right?”
While I was thrilled with my tiny home back then, it seemed that in every world, high-ranking individuals lived on in grand palaces posthumously.
—Wooosh!
The sound of a great wind howled, clearly hinting at an exit somewhere.
I tightened my grip on the crystal and sword, moving toward where the wind was coming from. Soon enough, I was struck with awe at what lay ahead.
There, coiled in one corner, was a colossal gem-scaled serpent. It was so enormous that it could swallow me whole without batting an eyelash. Its scales were rough like boulders, and bizarrely curled horns adorned its head like eyebrows.
It felt more like a mythical creature or a “dragon” rather than just a snake. It was thick enough that I couldn’t embrace it entirely.
—Wooosh!
A gust of wind flowed from its nostrils. I suddenly realized how terribly misguided my thinking had been.
The horde of spiders and scorpions had come running towards me, not out of interest in me, but to flee from this very creature.
“Let’s just keep it asleep and avoid waking it up.”
Holding the crystal tightly in my mouth, I cautiously prowled forward. As relief washed over me for my muted footfalls, I spotted a small passage behind the serpent.
A faint light shimmered from a staircase that surely led upward. The wind was not just from the beast’s breath.
“That’s definitely the exit!”
