Volume Two: The Secret Burial of the Cliff Valley - Chapter 130: If We Die, We Die Together

I felt a surge of anxiety and lunged forward, hastily scattering the remaining sulfur powder from the bottle along the circle of fire once more.

The flames roared back to life, successfully repelling another offensive from the sand wolf-worms. But we all knew this was no long-term solution. Ma Su’s wishful thinking had clearly failed; these creatures were not merely passing through—they were targeting us.

The firelight cast long shadows across our faces. Everyone looked grave; as disaster loomed, our spirits had plummeted to their lowest point.

Just as the sand wolf-worms pulled back slightly, a howling sound erupted from the distance. Upon hearing it, the creatures seemed energized by a stimulant, throwing themselves at us with renewed, frenzied aggression. This charge was more violent than the first, and the charred carcasses of their kin were devoured by the incoming swarm in the blink of an eye.

"It's bad! There’s a breach!" Ma Su shouted, pointing in one direction.

We turned to look. Sure enough, a section of the fire ring near Liang Yue had been broken. As we watched, five or six sand wolf-worms surged through the gap.

*Swish… swish…* Once inside the fire circle, those half-dozen creatures sprang from the ground, launching themselves directly at Liang Yue, who was closest.

"Ah! Watch out!" I couldn’t help but cry out, warning her at the top of my lungs.

But it happened too fast; we were too far away to help. Liang Yue gripped her gleaming short blade, took half a step back, and kept her eyes locked on the worms hurtling toward her through the air.

My heart was in my throat, but just as the worms entered her range, she swung her blade. A flurry of strikes followed, and the five or six worms were sliced in two, falling to the ground where they continued to writhe. It all happened in a flash—I didn't even have time to blink before she had finished them off.

"Liang Yue, beautiful work!" I praised her sincerely.

However, as more and more worms hurled themselves into the flames, more gaps began to appear. Countless others launched themselves from the ground, slamming into us. We were forced back step by step until we were all pressed against the tree. Ma Su, being older, began to slow down after knocking away a few worms with his wooden staff. Liang Yue moved closer to him, her blade flashing as she helped him clear the encroaching swarm.

"Thanks, girl," Ma Su panted.

"What time do you think this is for pleasantries?" Liang Yue snapped. "We need to think of a way out; this can't go on."

We all knew that if we stayed, we would eventually be bitten to death, but what other choice did we have? I gripped my peach-wood sword, preparing for a desperate final stand. My third uncle had given me this blade; although it was wood, it had been specially treated and honed, making it surprisingly tough and sharp. Usually, I carried it as an artifact to ward off evil, but in a pinch, it served well enough as a standard weapon.

As I stood my ground, braced for the next wave, I noticed something strange: the worms that breached the fire circle and reached me didn't attack. Instead, they veered off toward Liang Yue and Ma Su.

This was completely unexpected. Was there something on me that they feared? I looked down and immediately noticed the red robe I was wearing. Old Tan had told me to wear it—it was the standard gear for bone-collecting expeditions. Old Tan frequently visited Mount Niuyang and this village of Nanliu, so he must have encountered these worms often. If he had remained unscathed, he must have had some form of protection. Could this robe be it?

The realization filled me with hope. If I was right, this might save our lives. I tore the robe off and began swinging it like a flail at the worms. Everywhere the fabric touched, the creatures scattered.

I was ecstatic. I whipped the robe around, forcing the worms away from Liang Yue and Ma Su. The ground was already littered with the segments of those Liang Yue had cut down.

"This robe keeps them at bay! Let’s break out!" I shouted, waving the garment incessantly.

By now, the fire in the shallow trench was dying out, and more worms were gathering. My suggestion was a desperate gamble, like clutching at a straw while drowning. We relied on the robe to push through the encirclement, hoping to flee Nanliu Village as quickly as possible.

But after only a few steps, we realized the robe couldn't cover all three of us. Though their vision had degenerated, these worms were incredibly sensitive to their surroundings; every time a gap appeared, they seized the opportunity to strike.

Having removed the robe, I lost my own protective barrier. As I swung it with my right hand, my left arm was bitten by two worms. I shrieked, grabbed the creatures, and flung them off. Their skin looked slick, but it felt incredibly coarse to the touch.

Liang Yue rushed over to defend me with her blade, but in doing so, she left herself exposed, and a worm bit her on the shoulder. Ma Su knocked that one away, screaming hysterically, "This won't work! We’re all going to die here. Forget about me! Take the robe, protect yourselves, and get out of here!"

"No!" I shouted back. "I’ve already been bitten. I’m not going; you two go first!"

"Who are you looking down on?" Liang Yue yelled. "You go, I’ll stay!"

While we wasted time arguing, the path we had just cleared was immediately swallowed up by the swarm. We were forced to retreat back to the base of the withered tree.

I offered a bitter smile. "Well, that’s great. Now none of us are going anywhere."

Liang Yue curled her lip. "So what? If we can't leave, we die together."

Ma Su let out a short laugh. "Liang, girl, what spirit."

"Spirit my foot," I snapped. "Isn't that just tempting fate?"

By now, our arms were growing stiff. The spots where I had been bitten were losing sensation. Old Ma had said these worms were venomous; it seemed that if I wasn't bitten to death, I would die of the poison anyway.

After struggling for so long, Liang Yue and Ma Su were exhausted, and more worms had attached themselves to our bodies. Our situation couldn't have been worse. It seemed Liang Yue was right—we were truly going to die here together.