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Zhu!" you shout, slamming hard into the fallen rocks. They now form an impenetrable wall, separating you from the chamber's only exit.

There is no response. Even Jian Zhu can't survive having a mountain dropped on top of him. No time to worry about Zhu now. Your only exit has been blocked by fallen rubble. Time to look for another way out.

You turn back and survey the chamber. There are a couple of possibilities.

Part of the wall has fallen in high above you, to the right of the tunnel exit, and daylight is streaming through the opening. If you are athletic enough, you might be able to climb up and escape.

Alternatively, a long, narrow crack has opened up farther along the wall, and a light breeze is wafting through. The fit would be tight, but you might be able to squeeze past.

If you had help, you might be able to shift the rubble at the top of the cave-in and break through into the access tunnel.

There is no shortage of handholds and footholds, but the violent shaking of the ground and walls makes climbing difficult. You clamber up as far as you can, but just a few feet short of the opening, you are shaken loose.

You land hard on your back, and a heavy chunk of rock comes down with you, crashing into your torso. The impact and the rock squeeze the wind out of you, raking your body with pain.

With no better alternative, you get to your feet and try again. This time, you succeed. Taking your time, trying to ignore the rocks falling around you and the incessant shaking of the mountain, you inch up the wall, grab the lip of the opening, and drag yourself through.

The cold air chills you to the bone, but you have no time for shock. The mountain is shaking alarmingly below you, and you can hear the rumble and crash of falling rocks deep underground.

Scrambling to your feet, you power down the steep slope into the pass below. You keep running when you hit the valley floor, the violent tremors of the mountain propelling you.

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