My consciousness seemed to be shrouded in a thick fog and began to become gradually blurred.

Every minute and every second is a torture for me. I can clearly feel that my strength is being drained out of my body bit by bit. Even the last bit of persistence and belief deep in my heart is now collapsing and disintegrating rapidly like a broken dam.

Just when I was feeling extremely desperate and thought I could no longer hold on, suddenly, a melodious and mysterious voice came into my ears like the sound of nature.

The moment I heard that voice, my already hopeless heart plummeted into an abyss. I thought to myself:

"Perhaps, I will really die here? And this sound, as beautiful as heavenly music, must be the messenger coming to lead me to another world..."

However, as time went on, the sound that originally sounded a little vague and unreal became clearer and clearer.

When I finally forced myself to concentrate and listen carefully, I was surprised to find that it was not the so-called Sanskrit sound at all, but the sound of lamas chanting piously from afar!

The sound of the chanting seemed to have some kind of magical power. As it continued to flow into the cave, the cries of the evil spirits that were originally baring their fangs and howling miserably began to slowly weaken.

However, despite this, these terrible sounds did not completely disappear. They still sounded around from time to time, as if they were cautiously testing something, while also racking their brains to find an opportunity to break through the current predicament.

And just at this moment, a burst of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the cave, which was originally unusually quiet.

The footsteps were extremely heavy, and each step made a dull sound on the ground like a heavy hammer hitting a drum, which made people feel fear.

Accompanied by these chilling footsteps, it felt as if an unknown, terrifying presence was approaching us step by step.

Qin Wan's chest heaved violently, and every breath seemed particularly heavy and rapid, as if an invisible big hand was strangling her throat.

Her beautiful eyes were now wide open, fixed on Lu Yu, her heart filled with fear and anxiety about the unknown danger. Lu Yu held her tightly, allowing her violently beating heart and increasingly rapid breathing to slowly return to normal.

Lu Yu felt that Qin Wan had calmed down, and continued:

“At the critical moment, a figure suddenly appeared at the entrance of the cave.

He was a kind-faced lama wearing a red cassock. In his right hand, he held a string of crystal-clear Buddhist beads. As he gently waved his arm, the beads sparkled with dazzling light, like stars in the night sky.

The light was like a sharp sword, piercing straight into the endless darkness, instantly forcing the peepers hiding there to retreat.

The lama spoke slowly, his voice deep and powerful:

"This is an ominous place. These resentful souls are trapped by an ancient curse, unable to escape reincarnation and find rest.

They wander here all day long, weaving all kinds of strange dreams for fun. Once someone falls into one of them, they will be intoxicated and unable to wake up until their soul sinks forever.

If I hadn't happened to pass by here today, the fifteen of you would have all turned into fifteen lonely souls, never to be reborn!"

When Qin Wan heard this, he couldn't help but gasp, his face full of disbelief.

She looked at the man in front of her, and an inexplicable pity and care welled up in her heart. She couldn't bear to let him continue to tell her about this horrific experience.

"Stop talking, Yu."

Qin Wan's voice was trembling, mixed with a hint of almost collapsed pleading. She really couldn't bear to continue listening. Because the details described by Lu Yu were simply horrifying to the extreme.

However, Lu Yu seemed to have not heard anything and was completely immersed in his own memories.

At this moment, his thoughts drifted to that distant scene filled with endless fear and despair. That scene was like purgatory, burning his soul fiercely.

"Do you know, Qin Wan, what a thrilling scene that was? It was not only physically devastating, but also a cruel test of the soul!"

Lu Yu's voice was as deep as thunder and as hoarse as if it had been scorched by a raging fire. Every word seemed to be squeezed out from the darkest corner of his heart.

"Although each of us has different experiences and circumstances, the fear and despair deeply rooted in our bones are so similar.

Compared to others, perhaps what I endured was relatively mild. If I had deliberately concealed it and kept it from others, they might not have been able to tell that I had experienced such a nightmarish thing.

However, not everyone can escape as luckily as I did.

After completing this arduous task, those more than ten comrades will probably face tremendous psychological trauma.

In all likelihood, after completing their mission, they will need professional psychological counseling to gradually move on from this shadow and rediscover their former strong and fearless selves.

Qin Wan sat there quietly, like a beautiful and calm statue.

Her bright eyes were now staring intently at Lu Yu, filled with deep understanding and endless sympathy.

She knew very well that what Lu Yu had experienced was not ordinary.

It wasn't just a simple setback or predicament, but a war without the smoke of gunpowder, yet equally brutal. This war might seem insignificant to others, but for Lu Yu, who experienced it firsthand, the pain it brought was probably far beyond people's imagination.

Moreover, these traumas are very likely to be like stubborn scars, deeply imprinted in the hearts of those who have experienced them, and difficult to heal for a long time.

"Yu, you have always been so strong." Qin Wan's gentle words were like a spring breeze, slowly floating into Lu Yu's ears.

Although her voice was not loud, it contained a strength and belief that could not be ignored. She believed that no matter what difficulties and obstacles he faced, Lu Yu never gave up easily. This time was no exception.

She firmly believed that Lu Yu would be able to successfully overcome the shadow before him and find the bright sunshine that belonged only to him.

Hearing Qin Wan's words of encouragement, Lu Yu slowly raised his head.

His eyes met Qin Wan's in the air, as if two lightning bolts collided in an instant to produce dazzling sparks.

At this moment, Lu Yu felt as if he had glimpsed through Qin Wan's eyes the faint but ever-present light hidden in the deepest part of his heart.

So he took a deep breath, trying to use it to calm the emotions surging in his body.