It was a quiet night.
Inside the wooden cabin at the foot of the mountain,
a group of people gathered around the fireplace, each holding a cup of milk, discussing the upcoming adventure set for tomorrow.
John leaned in a corner, holding a cup of milk, quietly listening to Rebecca, Sarah, and Juno recount their past experiences exploring caves.
Every adventure was like a rebirth.
Sam, Holly, and Beth were still novices; they clung to Rebecca, listening to her tell tales of her past experiences, filled with curiosity and longing.
People are always curious about things they experience for the first time.
It's like many high school students' first exposure to a guided tour or mining.
The only one who felt nothing was probably John; if it weren't for the phantom card, he would have been crazy to enter this underground cave with them.
Similarly, if he hadn't already contained two Deformed Cannibals, he wouldn't have come to explore the cave.
The main reason was that the places other classmates were going were even more terrifying…
In comparison,
the monsters in "The Descent" didn't seem so terrifying; in fact, they could even be called cute, at least they could be seen and killed.
Like the places others went, such as monasteries, deserted islands, mental hospitals… and a few even planned to go to Southeast Asia, places like Thailand.
Putting everything else aside, the sorcerers in Southeast Asia alone made John hesitate.
John stopped thinking and placed his hand on the M16's barrel; Juno was right about one thing: sneaking through a cave with a rifle strapped to one's back was absolutely foolish and could easily get one stuck halfway.
If only he had a storage space.
Then he would trade with an arms dealer and carry an entire armory of equipment, or even tanks…
Only then could he soothe his uneasy emotions and his insecure little heart.
As if sensing John's thoughts, one of the 55 phantom cards flew out of its sequence.
『Ace of Hearts』
『Function: Item Containment』
『Unlock Condition: Contain a Resentful Spirit / Witch / Demon / Evil Ghost /』
『Contain any existence to unlock』
John didn't expect there to be one, but the unlock conditions seemed too harsh; just by the names, he knew they wouldn't be easy to contain.
If ordinary ghosts also counted as one of the unlock conditions, that would be great.
Thinking about it again, he found the idea laughable; wasn't it even dumber to find an ordinary ghost to occupy a card?
Note: The contained items within the phantom cards are not fixed; they can be replaced upon death.
Wait.
John suddenly thought of another method.
He excused himself to go to the restroom and went outside the wooden cabin, releasing the Deformed Cannibal Boss and handing him the M16, having him carry it.
Although the Deformed Cannibal Boss had low intelligence, he could still use weapons.
After the Deformed Cannibal Boss took the weapon, John contained the Deformed Cannibal Boss back into the card and found that it indeed worked.
But there seemed to be a limit and restriction.
Only equipment that the Deformed Cannibal Boss could use himself could be contained together into the Two of Hearts.
If he tried to contain a fighter jet, it would most likely not work.
Expecting a low-intelligence Deformed Cannibal to fly a fighter jet.
It's more likely that pigs will fly.
Hmm, John's mind was very active; he was thinking, if he built a set of heavy armor for the Deformed Cannibal, wouldn't his combat power skyrocket?
After all, as long as heavy armor can be worn, isn't it considered equipment?
The combat power of a Deformed Cannibal wearing heavy armor versus one without armor is not on the same level.
If a heavy-armored Deformed Cannibal Boss, armed with a fully automatic submachine gun, and his second-in-command, with less strength, wore light armor.
With the two monsters guarding John, one in front and one behind, what underground monsters would he have to fear?
Wouldn't that just be a straightforward sweep?
What a pity.
Since they were already here, going back now to craft heavy armor suitable for the Deformed Cannibal would probably mean the vacation would already be over.
...
Back in the wooden cabin.
The group of women were still tirelessly chatting about the adventure.
John re-seated himself in the corner; Sam noticed John, who was alone and not fitting in, and several times she tried to pull him into the conversation and meeting.
However, apart from Beth, the school teacher, the others didn't really get along with John, and John had no intention of integrating with them either.
He found a comfortable spot and fell asleep.
Eleven o'clock.
Sam was sitting next to John; they were still chatting, the plan to go to bed early and get enough rest completely forgotten.
John woke up once, but quickly fell back asleep.
There was nothing to talk about; talking to them was not as good as practicing soccer with Sheriff Old Joe.
...
The next day.
The sky was dimly lit, and mist lingered in the mountains, allowing visibility for only a hundred meters; as the sun rose, the mist gradually dispersed.
However, the nascent sun offered little warmth.
Everyone gradually got up and ate breakfast.
Sam suggested taking a group photo.
John had no interest in being photographed and volunteered to be the cameraman, knowing that in almost all horror films, the cameraman is safe.
Except for found-footage horror films.
In those, the cameraman really does die.
As the six women gathered and posed, John decisively pressed the shutter.
Juno, for once, praised John, as she thought his photography skills were genuinely good.
Ten o'clock.
Juno, as the leader, drove the jeep deep into the mountains and stopped at the foot of the mountain.
The path ahead was blocked by intricate jungles and narrow trails; the car couldn't go any further, so they had to walk.
John, fully equipped, jumped out of the car and surveyed the surroundings, noticing that the trees along the dirt road were significantly taller than those outside, and there was also a small stream beside the narrow path.
In such a desolate, primeval forest-like place, did Rebecca, as a professional explorer, truly not notice anything amiss?
Perhaps she did, but just didn't say anything.
For a seasoned explorer, adhering to conventions and familiar places could no longer provide her with excitement.
Juno, as the leader, and Rebecca walked at the very front, leading Sarah and Holly in the middle.
Beth was a teacher at Round Clam Town School, and John and Sam were her students; as a teacher, she naturally had to look after the two children a bit.
This was Beth's second time participating in an expedition; she taught John and Sam her experiences from the last expedition, just like she would in class, and also told them to stick close to her once they entered the cave.
John couldn't help but mutter,
"It seems the teacher's maternal love is overflowing."
Sam laughed: "What do you mean maternal love overflowing? Teacher Beth has always treated us like her own children, hasn't she?"
The group walked along the mountain path until noon.
In the middle, they even found the carcass of a wild deer, which had died a tragic death, half-eaten, with its antlers still intact.
Wild beasts wouldn't eat only half, nor would poachers leave the antlers behind.
In fact, something was already clearly amiss here.
Juno, the leader, and Rebecca were still excitedly leading everyone to take photos with the wild deer's carcass.
John calmly took pictures of them.
After taking photos, they continued forward.
John also saw the source of the small stream beside the narrow path: a clear river flowing down the mountain, gurgling over moss-covered rocks.
The group walked along the stream for a while longer and finally arrived at "Bolehan Rock Cave."
The rock cave was on a flat area, surrounded by withered solitary trees, forming a stark contrast to the lush green jungle at the foot of the mountain.
The cave entrance was an irregular oval shape, covered in moss.
John stood at the edge and glanced down; the cave dropped vertically and was bottomless, its dark entrance like a man-eating ghost hole waiting for those destined to find it.
Most people truly wouldn't be able to find this eerie place.
Clearly, John and Juno were the fated ones this time.
...