The scene was becoming more and more familiar; I recognized the person from the video.
After passing through the winding underground corridor, the iron gates were wide open, and the dim light seemed like a bloodthirsty monster with its jaws wide open, grinning as it waited for their arrival.
As he got closer to his mother, Pei Nansheng's heart was pounding in his chest. He stopped in front of the iron gate, took a few deep breaths, and tried to calm himself down.
Warm memories of being with my mother flashed before my eyes, and slowly, my breathing became steady, and my mood calmed down a little.
Rotten, damp, sour... all sorts of strange smells rushed in, and Zuo Ling covered her nose uncomfortably.
Pei Nansheng seemed oblivious to the smell and walked straight to the end of the dungeon.
The low cell door irritated Pei Nansheng's nerves. He reached out and gripped it tightly, snapping the lock off with a crack.
He gently pushed open the cell door, afraid that any loud noise would startle the people inside.
A figure lay curled up in the corner, with his back to them.
The small house, measuring only 1.5 meters in length, width, and height, contained a chamber pot. It was so cramped that one couldn't stand up or lie down properly. Despite such conditions, my mother stayed in this place for ten years.
Tears welled up in her eyes, and Pei Nansheng reached out to pull her back, but Zuo Ling stopped him, saying, "Be careful, it might be a trap."
Pei Nansheng shuddered, regaining some of his senses.
He called softly, "Mom, it's me, Nansheng. Your Nansheng has come to pick you up."
The person inside remained motionless.
Pei Nansheng continued, "Mom, don't you remember me? When I was little, you often called me Sheng'er. I loved your rice cakes and sweet fermented rice balls. I really want to eat your rice cakes and sweet fermented rice balls..."
"To give birth to...to have a child."
The figure moved slightly, and the voice was hoarse and unclear, as if it hadn't spoken for a long time.
She slowly turned her head, and Pei Nansheng's tears streamed down her face, uncontrollable.
"mom……"
Although his mother's voice had become stern, Pei Nansheng recognized her immediately; it was indeed his mother.
Pei Nansheng carefully dragged and carried his mother out of the cell.
The mother's eyes were unfocused, her clothes were tattered and smelled foul.
He muttered to himself, "Where is my... my son? Where is he?"
"Here I am, feel it, your baby is here."
Pei Nansheng took his mother's hand and touched his cheek.
The woman was lost in her own world, oblivious to everything around her, muttering to herself, "My...my child is gone, gone..."
Tears soaked his mother's clothes. Pei Nansheng hugged her tightly, hoping to give her some warmth and comfort.
However, the mother's body was as stiff as a stone, without any response. Only when she heard the words "give birth" would a glimmer of light appear in her eyes, but it would disappear in an instant.
It's obvious that Mom has mental health issues.
Pei Nansheng felt as if a thousand sharp blades had pierced his heart at the same time, the pain was so intense that he could not breathe. He was at a loss, not knowing what to do to help his mother regain consciousness.
She called her mother's name softly, but received completely different responses such as "Sheng'er is missing, where did Sheng'er go?"
Even though her newborn son was right in front of her, she couldn't recognize this son she once loved so deeply.
Zuo Ling looked at the monitor above her head. Every minute they left earlier meant a little more safety, but she didn't urge them. They were already in the trap, and the reclusive elders wouldn't let them leave so easily.
Pei Nansheng held his mother's hand. Her hands were dry and thin. He felt as if he were holding not a hand, but a fragile bone.
He possessed fire-based abilities, giving him a body temperature higher than average. However, the body in his arms was unusually cold, lacking the warmth a living being should have, and it took him half a day to warm it up.
She cried so hard that snot was running down her face, pleading, "Help...help me."
Zuo Ling, having a weak bond with her mother, couldn't understand the kind of mother-son affection Pei Nansheng had. Seeing him so distressed, she couldn't help but tear up.
As I crouched down to examine Pei Nansheng's mother, a loud crash came from behind, and a special iron gate split the corridor in two.
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