Chapter Fifteen: The Cliff

“We must be not far ahead. Judging by the dense trees here and the rapid flow of the water, it’s clearly close!” Qu Xiang stopped. Though there was no great surprise, the somewhat dim surroundings made her pause and then turn back to speak.

Perhaps sensing that the environment held some danger, she spoke briefly but with a certain confidence: “If it weren’t for the buzzing noise around us, we should already be able to hear the sound of the waterfall!”

“Hmm.”

Hugging Lan Fang, likely without having eaten, was a torment for me. After all, we were all relying on sheer willpower. Qu Xiang’s words offered little encouragement to me, yet I knew I couldn’t stop.

“Let’s go! As long as we follow the riverbank, it shouldn’t be too far!” I gave a slight shake of my body, forcing myself to keep going.

Occasionally, there were clearings in the rainforest, but the abundance and lushness of the plants made the air feel stiflingly hot. Coupled with severe hunger, I felt my lips cracking.

My legs kept moving, but my head felt dizzy and heavy. I wondered if stopping would cause me to collapse and fall into a deep sleep.

“Ah Jing, how about you put Sister Fang down first? We can rest here a while,” Qu Xiang suggested suddenly, sensing my struggle. Her worried gaze accompanied a sigh I could hear in her voice.

Seeing me gently shake my head and realizing she wasn’t much help, Qu Xiang cast a concerned glance at Lan Fang. She looked listless, as if unaware of our care. “Or, we wait here for you while you go check by the waterfall?”

“Absolutely not. Even if we haven’t encountered any large beasts yet, if something aggressive appears, none of us can handle it. If you get eaten, I won’t be able to make amends!” I replied decisively. Though I meant it partly in jest, Lan Fang’s face instantly darkened.

I knew I wasn’t joking and that my words might have been a bit harsh, so I wisely fell silent.

“Put me down—don’t carry me!” Lan Fang’s expression suggested she might strike me, but perhaps realizing I was helping, she restrained herself.

Her face was cold and frosty, sensitive to my words. Her tone was icy, and her languid demeanor cast a chill over the atmosphere.

“All right, all right, let’s keep moving. No more quarrels. We’re in a dangerous situation and must stay united. Of course, if anyone is too tired, we’ll rest,” Qu Xiang, possessing some tact, spoke to prevent discord.

“I’m not trying to scare you, but here, even some mysterious little snakes or seemingly beautiful flowers and plants can be deadly!” I was somewhat irked by Lan Fang’s reaction, likely spoiled by her boss’s attitude, but I didn’t bother arguing.

After another few hundred meters of grueling walking, the sound of rushing water finally reached us.

It was like a heavenly melody. What delighted us even more was the scenery unfolding before us—through the vegetation by the riverbank, a waterfall appeared.

Though the waterfall was still some distance away, a large pool lay ahead where the river flowed. Standing here, we could feel the coolness radiating from the abundant fresh water.

That coolness seemed to revive my dulled senses. My dry lips and numb arms felt renewed, as if awakening once more.

“We’ve arrived!” Qu Xiang exclaimed with excitement at the sight before us. Though she had seemed a little shaky earlier, she now jumped up with joy, revealing her exhilaration.

I gently set Lan Fang down near the river beside the root of a large Bodhi tree. The broad, relatively flat tree roots resembled a wooden bench, offering her some stability. She showed little immediate reaction but her eyes gleamed with excitement.

Though I felt no joy myself, a sense of relief washed over me. I told Qu Xiang, “Xiang Xiang, I’ll go take a look over there. You stay here and watch over Sister Fang for now.”

Qu Xiang did not refuse. She looked at the pale blue stones along the riverbank, which seemed to merge with those near the waterfall, creating a striking scene. For some reason, as she gazed toward the waterfall, her delicate brow furrowed slightly.

Then I saw her watch me carefully as I gripped my trekking pole and cautiously stepped onto those blue stones, heading toward the waterfall. She seemed faintly tense.

I, of course, was unaware of Qu Xiang’s expression. Wearing sturdy sneakers with excellent soles, I moved steadily along the sharp stones, untroubled by the damp air or slippery rocks.

The waterfall roared thunderously as it plunged from a height of two stories, white and frothy, into the pool below. The sound was immense, and the vast drop rivaled the famous Detian Waterfall Group back home. The wide, unbroken cascade astonished me anew.

If this were before, as an enthusiast of mountain hiking and trekking, I would have taken the time to admire such beauty. But in my current predicament, I had no heart for it.

Below the waterfall was a broad but not very long pool. I scanned the area, searching for what I needed.

As I approached, I estimated the waterfall’s height to exceed two stories. The water crashed into the pool with such force that the spray and waves obscured the clarity of the water beneath.

Looking at the waterfall, a pang of helplessness struck me. If any of us had been swept down from the river above to here, surviving seemed a miracle.

Faced with the scene before me, I found myself at a loss.

From the edge of the pool, dense rainforest stretched on both sides. But the river, cascading as a waterfall, covered ninety percent of the rocks.

To climb up, we would have to scale the two-story-high blue stone platform ahead.

Those smooth blue stones, though irregular and jagged, would make the ascent far from easy.