C78 Buried Alive

During the day, the sun blazed down mercilessly, the heat so intense I felt like I was about to combust. Throughout this time, the girl and I hadn't exchanged a single word. I didn't even know her name, let alone why she was involved in thievery and tomb raiding. I was completely in the dark about her.

Our silence was a means of conserving the precious moisture in our bodies. We tried to remain as still as possible to preserve our energy.

As evening approached, the once clear sky filled with dark clouds, and a light rain began to fall. I was secretly relieved, grateful for the water to drink and the break from the oppressive heat.

But the girl's complexion grew increasingly troubled. Out of curiosity, I asked, "What's the matter?"

She let out a sigh and said, "Once this rain stops, the soil on top of us will harden."

"And... what does that mean?" I asked, still confused.

"You've obviously never been buried alive. The worst part isn't the hunger or thirst; it's the suffocation, the lack of oxygen. We need our lungs to breathe. If the soil buries us chest-deep, it's dangerous. Initially, the soil was loose, not too pressing on the chest, but now..." Her voice trailed off in fear as she watched the rainwater slowly soak into the ground.

"What do we do now? Boss Wu wouldn't really want to end our lives, would he? He's just enforcing a punishment, right? He should be coming to find us," I said, trying to reassure myself.

"I doubt he's that benevolent. What did you do to get caught by him?" Xiaodieh asked. Finally, the two of us, companions in adversity, got to know each other and shared our stories.

It turned out Xiaodieh was an orphan too, never having had a real name, and her identification was, of course, a forgery.

Her harrowing childhood experiences left me stunned, exposing yet another glimpse into the dark corners of human nature.

Originally, she had been taken in by a tomb raider. As she grew older, her adoptive father's intentions turned sinister as he noticed her blossoming beauty.

One fateful night, he committed an unspeakable act, violating Xiaodieh. From then on, she was confined like a caged animal, subjected to being her adoptive father's object of release.

For a year, this life persisted until one day, Xiaodieh seized her chance. While her adoptive father was in a drunken stupor, she escaped through a tunnel she had dug long before.

She could have killed her adoptive father, but a lingering sense of gratitude prevented her from following through.

Now free from her captor's grasp, Xiaodieh became a liberated butterfly. Yet, without an identity, she was forced to constantly evade detection, resorting to unique methods to carve out a living.

After Xiaodieh shared her experiences, my anger subsided. I no longer resented her; instead, I felt profound sympathy.

The rain had ceased by nightfall, and I found myself needing to relieve myself, likely due to drinking too much rainwater.

In such a predicament, my only option was to wet my pants. The aftermath was incredibly awkward; the rain was cold, my body was cold, but my groin was uncomfortably warm...

The pressure of the earth around me grew, my chest felt increasingly constricted, and breathing became laborious.

I glanced at Xiaodieh, who was faring better than I was. Having come from a family of tomb raiders, she was adept at the Bone Shrinkage Technique.

"Xiaodieh, why hasn't Boss Wu arrived yet?" I inquired, fraught with anxiety.

"Don't hold out hope for him. Try to get some sleep now; conserving our strength is vital," Xiaodieh advised with her eyes closed.

I exhaled a sigh and fell silent, but sleep eluded me. It was the height of summer, and insects were rampant in the wild.

I watched a myriad of insects scuttle and flutter by, their rustling sounds filling the air, leaving me to wonder if they were snakes or mice...

Time wore on, and exhaustion took its toll, lulling me into a heavy slumber.

After what felt like an eternity, I sensed a drop in temperature. Chilling gusts of wind nipped at my neck, raising goosebumps all over my skin.

Blearily, I opened my eyes to find the moon obscured by clouds, casting darkness and silence all around, the cicadas' chorus abruptly silenced.

Suddenly, an eerie feeling washed over me. I sensed a powerful, sinister presence creeping up behind me...

Unfortunately, I was unable to turn back. Other than speaking, I was completely helpless.

As time ticked by, the sinister chill grew increasingly intense. Just then, I felt a piercing cold on my shoulder, as if someone was breathing down the back of my neck...

Glancing down, terror struck me to the core. There, resting on my shoulder, was a ghastly pale hand!