The interior of the cave was dark and damp, with only the skylight filtering through the entrance barely outlining the rough contours of the rock walls.
The air was thick with a cold scent of mixed earth and stone, and the path beneath their feet was rugged and strewn with rubble.
Sandile followed closely behind Jiang Han, its dark red pupils flashing with alertness in the gloom, its thick tail swaying slightly, ready to respond to any sudden situation.
"Drip... drip..."
Water droplets seeping from the rock walls dripped onto the ground, creating a crisp echo—the only sound in this deathly silent cave.
After walking about a dozen meters, the view suddenly opened up.
An underground stream, about two meters wide, meandered out from the darkness of the cave's depths, flowing quietly before finally merging into the vibrant oasis outside.
Jiang Han's footsteps came to a sudden halt, his gaze freezing.
In the stream, it wasn't the water itself that was glowing, but tiny specks of yellow light floating slowly through the clear current, providing the only source of light for this pitch-black underground space.
These specks of light were faint yet clear, rising and falling with the ripples of the water.
"What is this?"
Could the water in this stream be unusual?
Glowing water? He had never heard of it.
But the Pokémon world is full of unknowns; this might be a new resource, and he might even be its first discoverer.
For a moment, various conjectures surfaced in Jiang Han's mind.
Jiang Han took an empty transparent water bottle from his backpack, unscrewed the cap, and carefully reached into the stream to scoop up half a bottle of water.
He held the bottle up to his eyes, observing carefully by the faint light of the floating specks.
The water in the bottle was crystal clear, without any impurities, and lacked even a trace of light.
"Heh."
Jiang Han gave a low chuckle, his gaze becoming increasingly sharp.
The source of the light was not in the water.
Then, was it beneath the ground where the stream flowed?
"Sandile, Dig."
Sandile gave a low growl and unhesitatingly thrust its thick front claws into the ground beside the stream.
The hard rocky ground was easily dug up by its sharp claws as if it were tofu.
"Crack! Crack!"
Rubble flew everywhere, and a half-meter-deep pit soon appeared before them.
Sandile poked its head inside, sniffed carefully, then raised its head and shook it at Jiang Han, a hint of confusion in its eyes.
Below, there was nothing but harder rock layers.
Jiang Han's brow furrowed slightly, his doubts deepening.
Since it wasn't underground, what exactly were these eerie specks of light?
He stood up and cast his gaze deeper into the cave.
The darkness there was like thick ink, bottomless, but the golden specks of light in the stream seemed denser and brighter than near the entrance.
The treasure must be inside.
"Come on, let's go take a look inside."
Jiang Han patted Sandile's back, lowered his body, and continued deeper into the cave.
The further they went, the more stifling the air became.
An invisible pressure squeezed in from all sides, and his temples began to throb as if someone were pricking his nerves with invisible needles.
Jiang Han's breathing became heavy, and he felt a slight dizziness.
He stopped and looked at Sandile beside him.
Sandile's condition was even worse than his; its once steady steps had become somewhat staggered, its body swayed slightly, and it let out uneasy low growls from its throat.
"You feel it too?" Jiang Han asked in a low voice.
Sandile nodded and irritably scratched at the ground with its claws.
Eerie, sinister.
This was Jiang Han's most direct assessment of the cave.
He was one hundred percent certain that an incredible treasure was hidden in the depths of this cave.
Otherwise, there was no explanation for why this was the only place on the entire deserted island where an oasis could form, nor could the eerie glowing stream and the uncomfortable energy field be explained.
But risk and reward always coexist.
If they went any deeper, they couldn't even guarantee their own safety; even if they found the treasure, they might not live to take it.
"No, this cave is too sinister. Sandile, let's retreat."
Jiang Han made a split-second decision without any hesitation.
As long as the green hills remain, one need not worry about firewood.
It wouldn't be too late to come back after figuring out the situation and making full preparations.
He pulled Sandile and abruptly turned around, preparing to return the way they came.
At the very moment he turned, his pupils suddenly constricted.
Those golden specks of light, which had been floating slowly downstream with the current, actually came to a simultaneous halt the moment they turned!
No, it wasn't a halt!
They reversed direction and began to move upstream!
One by one, the specks of light gathered into a thin golden line, moving toward them unhurriedly like a living organism with its own consciousness.
It's following us!
Jiang Han's scalp tingled.
From the moment they entered the cave, the "living thing" in this stream had already set its sights on them!
The specks of light in this stream weren't some untapped resource, but a living creature!
Jiang Han frantically recalled all the pokémon knowledge he had learned in the Training Camp, but he couldn't find any clues.
"What on earth is this thing?"
Jiang Han thought to himself.
His retreating steps did not stop; the enemy was in the dark while he was in the light.
Furthermore, not knowing the opponent's strength, the risk of acting rashly was too great!
Since the other party hadn't made a move against him yet, Jiang Han decided to retreat first and then make a plan!
Finally, Jiang Han and Sandile successfully walked out of the cave.
Breathing the outside air, Jiang Han felt physically and mentally refreshed.
Looking back at the eerie cave, Jiang Han's heart hardened.
"Playing tricks, are you?"
"I will definitely find you!"
Ãdvåñçé çhàptêr àvàilàble óñ pàtreøn luffy1898