CHAPTER 4: UNA'S PROPHECY

The group continued discussing the pattern without noticing the changes behind them. Accompanied by rustling sounds, a strong and pungent smell hit them. Jia Yang was the first to sense something amiss and instinctively turned back to take a look. He immediately trembled and shouted at the other two, "Stop talking! Look behind us!"

Wang Haiyun and Li Ming turned back and saw a massive shadow cast over them. Then, a gigantic snake head loomed from above, its two red eyes blazing like fire, staring at them.

"That egg you stepped on earlier might belong to it," Wang Haiyun whispered to Li Ming.

"Do you really need to tell me that?" Li Ming replied with a voice full of panic.

In their hearts, Wang Haiyun and Li Ming silently prayed that the snake wouldn't attack them. However, the snake slowly opened its mouth, revealing its sharp venomous fangs.

"Run!" Jia Yang suddenly shouted, raising the iron rod in his hand and fiercely swinging it towards the snake's head. The snake was pushed back a few steps by the blow but then angrily recoiled.

They hugged the cave wall tightly as they retreated towards the cave entrance. However, it seemed the giant snake had anticipated their move. Its body swiftly coiled, blocking their path.

"We have to go forward!" Li Ming yelled. He wielded the iron rod, attempting to fend off the python's attacks. Without hesitation, Jia Yang followed closely behind Li Ming, and the three of them fought back while advancing deeper into the cave.

As they progressed, the giant snake chased them from behind, and tension filled the air. They had to be cautious, avoiding crushing any more snake eggs and dodging the snake's attacks.

When they were about to exhaust their strength and saw no way out ahead, Jia Yang suddenly noticed a small crevice on the cave wall. He shouted, "There's a way here!" and quickly climbed up the narrow crevice.

Li Ming and Wang Haiyun promptly followed. They squeezed into the tight crevice, which was narrow and slippery, requiring them to climb carefully to avoid slipping.

Behind them, the giant snake continued to search inside the cave, but it couldn't enter due to the narrow crevice. Just in the nick of time, Li Ming threw the insect repellent bag towards the snake, but to their surprise, the snake swallowed the bag whole. Within about ten seconds, the snake seemed to emit a low growl, writhing in agony within the cave. In less than ten minutes, the snake collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

"Hey, this repellent worked! It's even more effective than rat poison," Li Ming exclaimed with excitement.

"Enough, it was too dangerous. Let's quickly look for clues in case there are more snakes around," urged Wang Haiyun. "I've never seen a snake this big on the mountain before. Today, we've really had a close call," Jia Yang said, his face showing fear.

They continued along the crevice, eventually arriving at a spacious cavern. The cave was large and high, and they hung their large flashlight on the wall, illuminating their faces. They breathed a sigh of relief, took off their backpacks, and sat on the ground.

"Who would have thought there would be so many unknown secrets in this place?" Li Ming sighed.

Wang Haiyun didn't reply; his attention was drawn to a sculpture inside the cave. It looked like a disc with a spiral pattern in the center, almost like a 3D cross-section of the Jinsha logo.

"Look at this," Wang Haiyun pointed to the sculpture and said to Li Ming and Jia Yang, "This design is almost identical to the Jinsha civilization logo. From the top, it's like a flat picture with the center symbolizing the sun, surrounded by a circle of divine birds. When we look at it from the side, we can see its inner structure, and it seems like there's a handle we can turn." As he said this, Wang Haiyun tried to move the handle, but it seemed stuck and wouldn't budge.

They carefully examined the sculpture, attempting to unravel its secrets. Li Ming was the first to notice several small indentations on the sculpture, like something could be inserted into them. He pointed and said, "These look like some kind of coded locks. Maybe we can find objects to insert into these indentations and see if we can unlock the secret."

The other two agreed, and they began searching the cave for objects that might be related to the sculpture. They carefully checked every corner of the cave, and finally, in a corner, they found some small stones that perfectly matched the indentations on the sculpture.

They carefully inserted the stones into the indentations, and when the last stone was in place, Wang Haiyun tried to move the handle. It moved effortlessly, and the entire sculpture began to rotate like a galaxy, with the divine birds circling the central sun. They watched with anticipation, but nothing seemed to happen. Just when they were at a loss, Wang Haiyun noticed something peculiar - each rotation of the handle seemed to raise the sculpture slightly, and the base became narrower, forming a funnel-like shape.

Wang Haiyun continued to turn the handle clockwise, and as the sculpture kept rising and the base got thinner, suddenly, with a loud bang, the entire sculpture snapped off due to the fragile base. It fell to the ground and broke into several pieces. From inside, a small bronze box slid out. The box looked old and crude, but sturdy, and it was hard to determine its era. Wang Haiyun easily opened the box, and inside, there was an ancient scroll, well-preserved even in the damp environment, with no signs of damage. They carefully unrolled the scroll, revealing various peculiar symbols and patterns, along with some pictographs resembling topographical maps.

"Let's keep looking for anything else here. We can study this map later once we get out," Wang Haiyun suggested. With that, they began to search the entire area meticulously.

Li Ming took out his camera and started to record every detail of the sculpture, while Wang Haiyun and Jia Yang stood guard. The air in the cave was filled with a tense silence, as if in the dark abyss, unknown dangers were quietly approaching.

"We need to remember this symbol," Wang Haiyun said, his voice echoing in the cave. "We'll have to make a trip to Chengdu Jinsha and Sanxingdui."

Li Ming nodded and carefully filmed the broken symbol.

After completing the task, they prepared to return the same way, passing by the corpse of the snake. They felt disgusted by the filth that the snake had expelled from its mouth. Unfortunately, Li Ming accidentally dropped the camera on the ground.

In this tense and silent moment, a loud roar suddenly came from deep inside the cave. They tensed up and immediately took out their iron rods, preparing for potential danger.

"What was that sound?" Li Ming nervously asked.

Wang Haiyun shook his head. "I don't know. Stay alert."

As the roaring sound got closer, it seemed that something was rapidly approaching them from the depths of the cave. Their hearts pounded, and they tightly gripped their weapons, ready to face the potential threat.

Suddenly, a black shadow rushed out from the depths of the cave towards them. They jumped in panic, Li Ming raised his iron rod, and Jia Yang pointed his flashlight at the shadow.

In the flashlight's beam, they saw the true identity of the shadow - it was a wild boar. Its eyes were bloodshot, and its body covered in mud and stones, giving it a fierce appearance. It seemed to have been attracted by the scent of the snake's corpse.

Li Ming and Jia Yang were in a state of panic and immediately turned and ran towards the cave's entrance, with the wild boar hot on their heels, emitting violent roars as it chased them.

After running a few steps, Li Ming signaled to Wang Haiyun that the camera was still on the ground. Wang Haiyun yelled, "Li Ming, Jia Yang, distract it. I'll go get the camera!"

Li Ming and Jia Yang understood and immediately changed direction, trying to divert the boar's attention. Meanwhile, Wang Haiyun took a risk and returned to the snake's side. He quickly grabbed the camera and rushed back to the cave entrance.

At that moment, the wild boar noticed Wang Haiyun and immediately changed direction, charging towards him. Wang Haiyun's heart tightened, and he swiftly turned in the other direction and ran. He circled around the boar in the open area and then turned back.

A chase unfolded within the cave, with the wild boar roaring and chasing them, upturning rocks and mud as it went, creating a mess.

Just as they were about to be caught by the boar, Jia Yang suddenly noticed a staircase in the cave. He shouted, "This way!" They followed Jia Yang and rushed up the stairs, finally making it out of the cave.

They had finally escaped from the wild boar's pursuit. Looking down, they saw that the boar had damaged the wooden staircase. They looked at each other in amazement. But they didn't let their guard down and quickly ran towards the banana forest outside until they felt safe.

Breathing heavily, Li Ming asked, "Are you both okay?"

"We're fine, just a bit tired," Jia Yang said, catching his breath.

Wang Haiyun checked the camera and found it was still intact. He felt relieved and said, "Thank goodness the camera is okay. We need to hurry back, report our findings about the symbol to the vice president, and then go find Aunt Una."

Li Ming and Jia Yang nodded, and then they slowly walked toward the exit of the banana forest. They both felt a sense of heaviness because they understood that they might have stumbled upon the ancient Sanxingdui civilization's secrets.

Behind them, the mysterious cave lay silently in the darkness, as if guarding a hidden secret.

When they arrived at Una's house, it was already evening. The three of them recounted everything they had discovered today, and Una was amazed by their adventure.

"By the way, Aunt Una, I want to know more about that priest," Wang Haiyun asked Una.

"His name is Liu Mingxing, not a local. He came to town with the fanatics after the earthquake. He and his twin brother Liu Mingyue are like Taoist priests for funerals, and I'm not sure which organization they belong to. They often perform some miracles and rituals in town, and gradually, many people have joined their organization," Una replied.

"He's quite formidable, even has a sonic weapon, invincible mode," Li Ming said helplessly.

"Speaking of which, Aunt Una, can you interpret this map and these symbols?" Wang Haiyun gestured to Una, indicating she should ask her.

Una carefully looked at the symbols and slowly said, "Many of these symbols appeared in that ancient book. You're right, this circular symbol indeed resembles the Sanxingdui symbol. I remember when I was young, my elders told me that our ancient tribal civilization used to live in the area around Qing Shi Town. Later, as it grew, some people moved out and merged with other tribes to form new ones. I used to think they went to faraway places, but now I recall that transportation was inconvenient in those times, and large-scale migrations wouldn't go too far. I suspect that the Sanxingdui civilization might have been established by them as a new settlement after leaving. And initially, even our original tribe didn't live here; they migrated from the west. I don't know the specific origins or have any written records."

Wang Haiyun's mind quickly connected various clues and combined them with Una's explanation. The group fell into silence.

At this moment, someone knocked on the door loudly, shouting, "Una, is Una home?"

The person outside was Long Zhu, Una opened the door and welcomed him in. He saw Wang Haiyun and the others sitting inside, and at first, he looked surprised but gradually regained his composure and sat down as well.

"Long Zhu, Wang Haiyun and his team have found a clue, that symbol is related to the Sanxingdui civilization," Una said, breaking the silence.

"Really? I've considered that before, but it seemed quite different. Did you find any evidence?" Long Zhu asked.

Wang Haiyun and Li Ming recounted everything again. "It's not easy. These people are getting stranger and crazier. Little brother, I hope you don't blame me for my attitude towards you before. I always thought you were with the Falcon Spirit or the Pure Essence Organization. I hope you don't mind," Long Zhu continued, not waiting for Wang Haiyun's response, and then turned to Una, saying, "Una, today the police from the county came to inquire about Pengzi's case again. I came to tell you quickly."

Una's face began to look grim. "Pengzi?" Li Ming asked softly, but no one answered him.

Outside, it started to rain with the accompaniment of thunder. The people inside the house remained silent, sipping their tea slowly. After a few minutes, Una spoke slowly, "It was bound to happen. Since it's come to this, let me tell you all. Pengzi is my adopted son. Many years ago, I found him at my doorstep when he was just a few months old. I have no idea who his biological parents are. I have never been married nor had any children, and I always felt that he might be a gift from the ancient spirits, so I raised him myself. He was exceptionally intelligent, diligent, and eager to learn. He could easily grasp the rules, rituals, and records of various tribes and even spoke multiple ethnic languages fluently. Everyone praised me for having such a smart son, and naturally, I was very pleased too. However, since he experienced the earthquake, his temperament changed drastically. He started talking about impending disasters and claimed to be the incarnation of ancient spirits, spreading these ideas everywhere and drawing strange symbols around town. I worried about his well-being and didn't want him to go astray, so I kept him locked in the basement. At first, he would spend his days drawing on paper, and I didn't pay too much attention. But a week later, when I went down to clean up his used dishes, I accidentally saw what he drew. It was the same symbols that my elders used to discuss and draw when I was young, accompanied by writings that were like teachings. I was extremely shocked and asked him where he saw these things. I was afraid he might have ventured into some cave to find something. He kept saying that the ancient spirits told him. I was so scared that I intended to take him to the county hospital for diagnosis of some mental illness. But on the way there, we had a flat tire, and during the process of waiting for rescue, he suddenly ran away. I had no news of him until I found out he had become the leader of the Falcon Spirit organization."

Una choked on her words as she spoke.

"What is a high priest?" Wang Haiyun asked cautiously. "He should be one of the top leaders of the organization and the initiator of the faith. Since this organization is based on religion, his position is highly revered," Long Zhu helped answer.

"One day, I came home and found a piece of paper stuck in the door crack. It said not to worry about disasters, as the ancient spirits would save humanity. I knew it was from him, and every time I think about it, my heart aches," Una said.

Everyone offered comforting words to Una, and she took a sip of tea before continuing, "In fact, there has been a prophecy circulating within our group for a long time, saying that when the 'Zhi Hei' appears, the ancient spirits will protect us. For centuries, our people have never understood what 'Zhi Hei' means. In Pengzi's teachings, 'Zhi Hei' is the apocalypse, a force that can engulf all living things. He believes he is the incarnation of the ancient spirits and will save the world. I know he has gone too far now, and the police have been looking for him for years."

"'Zhi Hei,'" Wang Haiyun mumbled, thinking about the meaning of the term.

During the conversation, Wang Haiyun took out the spirit stones from his bag and returned them to Una and Long Zhu, expressing his intention to go to Sanxingdui to find more clues.

Una appreciated their efforts during this time and was deeply concerned about their safety, especially since they had already discovered many clues that the Falcon Spirit organization was also seeking. She instructed Long Zhu and Jia Yang to take them to the county town early the next morning.

Back at their lodging, Wang Haiyun couldn't stop pondering the meaning of 'Zhi Hei.' Suddenly, Li Ming spoke up, "Yun'er, since Pengzi has become an immortal and the incarnation of the ancient spirits, why does he still bother with these symbols and spirit stones? He could just fly off directly."

"Could it be that the spirit stone has some kind of mechanism?" Wang Haiyun asked in return.

"I've examined it carefully every day. It's just a blue stone, but the color is nice. I thought of cutting it and making some bracelets or wristbands; they must be worth a lot," Li Ming replied.

"I'll upload the data to the internal working group so that everyone can help us find connections between these symbols. I'll also send back the data on the radiation levels of the spirit stones and, oh, the video. I'm not saying this to criticize, but your video recordings are all over the place, messy," Wang Haiyun said, staring at Li Ming.

Before Li Ming could retort, the loud sound outside rang out again, this time at an even higher volume, as if it wasn't coming from the valley but from beneath the earth.

In an instant, the earth began to sway slightly, and various objects inside the house started making collision noises. They immediately realized it was an earthquake and hurriedly put on their clothes to run outside. In the hallway, they encountered a man who was still heading upstairs. "Uncle, it's an earthquake, run!" Li Ming shouted. The man, reeking of alcohol, remained calm and said, "No need to panic, we're in Sichuan. We don't carry anything with this magnitude." He continued to walk upstairs with swagger amid the shaking.

"Wow, Sichuan people are really tough," Li Qiang admired the man.

Wang Haiyun called Li Ming, "Quick, let's go back."

"Aren't you scared either?" Li Ming asked.

"Look at who's going upstairs," Wang Haiyun pointed downward.

"Damn it, it's the priest."

Both of them ran upstairs quickly.