The Three Pure Ones' Secret: Expressing Spirit

Old Fan and I, flashlights in hand, moved back and forth among rows of large machines, carefully searching for hidden passages and corners. Along the way, all we could see were rusty equipment, thick layers of dust, and dense spider webs entangled in the corners and steel frames. Nothing else seemed out of the ordinary.

The entire underground server room was eerily quiet; even the sound of the wind was barely audible. Even when we deliberately lowered our voices to talk, our words echoed clearly and distinctly in the empty space. I could even hear my own heart pounding in my chest, one beat after another, exceptionally clear.

At first, I felt relatively at ease, assuming this was just an abandoned old machine room, at most dark and damp, and nothing bad would happen. But as the beam of my flashlight casually swept behind a large winch, my gaze suddenly froze.

A face suddenly appeared from the dark, mechanical shadows.

His appearance was shifty and rat-like, with distorted and ugly features. His face was unusually wide, appearing and disappearing in the dim light, half-hidden in the shadows, exuding an indescribable eeriness and fright.

The change came so suddenly that my heart tightened, and the hairs on my body stood on end instantly. I instinctively let out a soft gasp.

The scream was particularly abrupt in the quiet server room.

Caught off guard, Fan Biao, walking beside me, froze in fright. He stopped, turned to look at me, his previous composure completely gone. He rolled his eyes dramatically, his tone a mix of anger and amusement, and muttered under his breath, "Holy crap, what are you doing? Did you see a ghost? You gave me a real fright!"

As he spoke, he quickly raised his phone flashlight, pointing the beam directly at the spot where he had seen the strange face, and his expression became wary again.

My face flushed, and I awkwardly scratched the back of my head. I quickly pointed in the direction of the machine we had just seen and explained to Fan Biao, "Uh, I really didn't mean to. There was a strange face behind that machine, hiding in the shadows and secretly watching us."

As soon as he finished speaking, Fan Biao's teasing expression vanished, and his eyes suddenly sharpened. He gripped his phone, steadily projecting the beam of his flashlight into the shadows behind the machinery, and subconsciously took two steps forward.

Two beams of light swept across the gaps in the machine and the blind spots of the steel frame, carefully examining every inch. The heavy rust, the tangled cobwebs, and the accumulated dust were clearly visible, but there wasn't a single human face in sight. The huge shadowy area was empty, so quiet that only the sound of our breathing could be heard.

I frowned, moved closer, and stared intently at the spot where I had just caught a glimpse of the figure. I was puzzled: "This can't be right. I saw it clearly. That face had shifty eyes and was quite big. I'm definitely not seeing things."

Fan Biao glanced at me sideways, raised an eyebrow, and said in a low voice, "This place is winding and full of machinery and obstacles. Maybe that rat spirit came back from somewhere else. There might be another passage here. He's been in this godforsaken place for years, so he must know how to get in from another place."

The surrounding air grew increasingly cold, the stench of engine oil mixed with the putrid smell lingering in the air. I gripped the white jade staff tightly, my palm clenching slightly. That fleeting face was far too eerie, and combined with the strangeness of this entire abandoned power station, no one could be sure how many unknown things still lurked in the shadows.

"Since it dared to peek out, it means it hasn't left this area." I lowered my voice, my tone becoming more wary. "Then let's be careful and search slowly."

Fan Biao nodded slightly, said nothing more, and continued to probe the way with his flashlight. The beam of light moved slowly through the dimly lit machine room, every shadowy spot becoming a corner to be wary of. The once lifeless underground space, because of that fleeting glimpse, had instantly become fraught with danger.

We had just suppressed our initial shock and doubt, and gripped our flashlights tightly again, ready to continue our search. The entire underground machine room remained eerily quiet. Dust drifted slowly in the flashlight beams, cobwebs clung to the steel frames and gaps in the machinery, and the air was thick with the suffocating smell of machine oil, rust, and a faint fishy odor, making it so oppressive that we unconsciously held our breath.

Just then, a dull, heavy metallic clang suddenly erupted from the front of the server room.

The sound echoed through the empty, enclosed underground space, like a thunderclap exploding in my ears, making my eardrums buzz and my head spin. It took me a long time to recover, and the tinnitus lingered. I subconsciously frowned, my heart clenched, and all the nerves in my body tensed to the limit.

Fan Biao's previously relaxed expression suddenly hardened, his eyes flashed with a sharp light, and his lips twitched involuntarily as he exclaimed in a low voice, "Damn! There really is something else hidden here! Don't let it get away, hurry and chase after it!"

I thought to myself, "This old guy usually seems so calm and collected, but when he encounters these evil spirits and monsters, he becomes like a dog that's smelled shit, incredibly excited. I don't know where he gets that energy from."

Before he could finish speaking, he didn't even wait for me. He pushed off the ground with his foot, his figure as swift as an arrow, and rushed straight towards the direction from which the sound came.

Seeing this, I didn't dare to delay. I gripped the white jade staff in my hand and quickly followed. The two of us, one in front of the other, dodged several large, rusty machines. We had only run a dozen meters when a cold, thick stone wall suddenly appeared in front of us, blocking our way.

There was no way forward, and not a trace could be seen in the surroundings, but the thing that had made the sound was nowhere to be found.

I stopped in my tracks, my chest heaving slightly as I looked around, panting, my face full of confusion. Turning to look at Fan Biao, I saw him standing beside the mechanical base, leaning slightly forward, his gaze fixed intently on the ground, his expression focused, almost lost in thought.

I walked up to him, my tone tinged with exasperation: "You ran off so fast without even waiting for me, damn it! What's so strange about that?"

Upon hearing this, Fan Biao straightened up, a playful smile playing on his lips. He pouted his chicken-butt-like mouth, gesturing for me to look down.

I looked in the direction he indicated and saw a huge cast iron manhole cover embedded in the ground. I didn't understand what it meant and stood there stunned for a long time.

Seeing my blank expression, Fan Biao's smile faded, his expression turned serious, and he lowered his voice to explain slowly, "The loud thud of the metal hitting the ground just now must have been from this manhole cover. There must be another passage underneath; that thing most likely escaped through here."

I quickly bent down and leaned closer, examining the area carefully by the light of my phone's flashlight.

The manhole cover was about a meter in diameter, its thick iron surface covered with layers of red rust. Its edges rose five or six centimeters above the ground, weighing heavily on the opening of the passage. Just by looking at its weight, I knew it was no ordinary object. I secretly calculated that even two or three strong men working together might not be able to lift or move this solid cast iron manhole cover smoothly.

Fan Biao's gaze darkened, and he continued, "You saw it too, this cover is big and heavy. Whatever peeked out just now was definitely not an ordinary ghost, otherwise it wouldn't have been able to lift the manhole cover and crawl down in an instant, and then turn around and put the cover back in place tightly."

My fingertips lightly brushed against the rough, rusted iron surface, a cool sensation traveling through them. My unease grew. This abandoned hydroelectric power station was far more complex than we had imagined. Besides that elusive rat spirit, now an unknown creature had appeared—not only incredibly strong, but also incredibly fast! What were they doing lurking beneath this power station?

The entire underground server room fell silent once again, with only two beams of flashlight flickering slightly in the darkness.

Fan Biao casually handed me his backpack and phone, raising an eyebrow and saying, "Hold these for me for a bit."

I reached out and took it, and it suddenly felt heavy in my arms. My eyes followed his movements closely, filled with curiosity. I watched as he strode to the cast iron manhole cover, gripped the rusty edge of the cover firmly with his five fingers, gathered his strength slightly, and then suddenly exerted force upwards.

To my astonishment, he effortlessly flipped over the heavy manhole cover, which looked to weigh at least several hundred pounds.

Bang!

A deafening metallic crash echoed again in the confined underground space, the sound lingering for a long time. My eardrums tingled, my head buzzed, and I couldn't help but frown, rubbing my ears as I leaned closer to him, my voice full of exasperation and complaint: "Couldn't you be a little quieter? Two consecutive bangs, my ears are almost deafened."

Fan Biao's lips twitched, completely ignoring my words, his expression remaining calm. He bent down to retrieve the items from my hands, his gaze falling on the dark vertical shaft at the wellhead. His expression suddenly turned serious, and he lowered his voice to instruct, "Stay close to me for a while, don't wander around. I'll go down and scout ahead first."

I quickly nodded in agreement and stood sideways beside the entrance to the shaft. I watched him bend his knees, lean out, and steadily descend along the shaft wall into the passage below.

Once his figure had completely disappeared into the darkness, I raised my phone's flashlight, the beam slowly sweeping across the machine room behind me. Rows of rusty, large machines stood silently, their steel frames and winches distorting in the interplay of light and shadow. My gaze extended outward, only to be quickly swallowed by the thick darkness. The surroundings were eerily quiet, a chilling atmosphere constantly emanating from them. A strange sense of dread crept into my heart, sending shivers down my spine.

I dared not linger any longer. I took a deep breath and used both my hands and feet to climb down the inner wall of the shaft.

The shaft was only three or four meters deep, and in no time, my feet were on solid ground.

Looking up, I saw a small, detached room. All four walls were made of solid, poured concrete, a stark contrast to the dilapidated and cluttered machine room above. A beam of flashlight swept across a corner, revealing various wrenches, crowbars, pipe wrenches, and other repair tools neatly arranged and categorized.

The dry environment of this sealed room, coupled with the fact that the tools are covered with machine oil all year round, has prevented moisture from corroding them. Most of the ironware is shiny and intact, covered with only a thin layer of dust, and there are almost no traces of rust or damage.

Fan Biao and I exchanged a glance, both of us looking astonished. He narrowed his eyes slightly, slowly walked around the room, his brows furrowed tightly. "This is getting stranger and stranger," Fan Biao said in a low voice, his tone full of confusion. "The entire power station has long been abandoned and turned into a dangerous building. The above-ground buildings are dilapidated, but underground there is such a well-preserved secret room, with a complete set of maintenance tools."

My friend and I nodded blankly, looking around at the solid concrete walls, our hearts filled with mixed emotions. The old power station, abandoned for many years, had a labyrinth of underground passages.

As I looked around the cement-enclosed room, marveling at how absurd this underground space was, I suddenly noticed a hidden passage deep within the room.

It was a low, semi-circular tunnel with an extremely low arch, probably only about 1.2 or 1.3 meters high. An adult couldn't stand up straight and had to bend over the entire way to pass through. The entrance was dark, deep, and quiet, like the open mouth of a giant beast, its destination unknown.

Fan Biao and I exchanged a glance, then bent over and crawled into the tunnel.

The passageway was narrow and cramped, with cold cement walls on both sides pressing against your shoulders, making you feel oppressed. The walls overhead were covered with old, thick cables, hanging down and swaying, and there were also a few rusty old-fashioned incandescent light bulbs embedded in them, their shades covered with thick dust, long since unusable.

As I walked further, the clearer things became to me. The surrounding area consisted entirely of thick, solid concrete dams, creating a cramped and oppressive atmosphere, layer upon layer of rammed earth construction—it was nothing like a typical computer room layout.

I was secretly amazed. We were actually walking inside the wall of the Zitongjiang Dam! The entire dam was thick and heavy, and people had carved out such a hidden passage for pedestrians in the middle. You can imagine how huge the project was back then.

But the more I saw this, the more confused I became. What was the purpose of building such a low, secret passage deep inside a large dam? And where did it lead?

There is only one path in the entire passage, with no forks. Considering the traces of the monster's disappearance, its only escape route must have been this place.

My heart pounded with anxiety, and I moved with increasing caution. Fan Biao, who was in front of me, was also clearly deep in thought, his back hunched as he walked slowly forward. After a moment, he lowered his voice and spoke, his tone hesitant: "That thing must have gone down this road. The terrain of Tianxian Town is unique, with mountains on both banks connected. This secret passage leads directly to the embankment on the other side of the river, so there's a high probability that there's another hidden exit."

He turned to look at me, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "What do we do now? Should we turn back and rest, or keep exploring?"

Upon hearing this, only one thought remained in my mind: get out of here!

This underground labyrinth is both dark and treacherous, harboring more than one demon, and who knows what else might be lurking ahead. I couldn't wait to return to the surface the way I came, and get away from this sinister underground area.

I was about to say I was going back when I caught a glimpse of the eager smile in Fan Biao's eyes. I instantly realized that the old man was just teasing me.

Sure enough, before I could reply, he changed the subject, patted my shoulder, and said in a carefree yet stubborn tone, "Forget it, we've come this far. If we give up halfway, we'll definitely be unhappy and won't be able to sleep soundly tonight. Since we're here, we'll get to the bottom of it."

As he spoke, he turned back and gestured with his chin towards me, his eyes conveying encouragement: "Don't be afraid, follow me, it won't be a big problem."

I sighed helplessly, completely exasperated. Once this old man gets into the spirit of investigation, not even ten oxen could pull him back. I could only obediently hunch over, lower my head, and follow behind him to continue crawling forward.

Walking through this low passage was extremely stifling; my back was constantly bent over, aching and throbbing. The surrounding cement was icy cold, old cables hung haphazardly, and a chilling wind seeped in through the dark passage, making my back ache. I really couldn't understand why the workers decades ago would build such a remote and secluded passage in the heart of the dam.

Fortunately, the passage wasn't very long. After walking for about ten or twenty minutes, the view suddenly opened up, and we finally reached the end of the tunnel.

The moment I stepped out of the secret passage, the evening breeze, carrying the damp scent of the river, rushed towards me, instantly dispelling much of the oppressive feeling. I looked around and suddenly realized what was happening. This secret passage, which ran through the dam wall, actually led directly to the flood discharge outlet of the Zitong River!

It is not the rainy season now, the river level is extremely low, the flood discharge channel is only slightly filled with water, and the water flow is gentle, showing no signs of the raging torrents of the flood season.

On both sides of the spillway, two narrow maintenance paths have been built along the dam wall, specifically for workers to pass through for dredging and maintenance. However, due to years of soaking and erosion by the river water, the stone walls of the paths are covered with thick green moss, making them slippery and shiny, and very dangerous to walk on.

A night breeze swept across the river, and the hazy moonlight spilled down from above, casting a soft glow on the surface of the river outside the spillway. The river flowed gently, its surface shimmering and sparkling in the darkness, appearing tranquil and profound.

Downstream, the river surface and riverbed are wide open, offering a relatively clear view.

However, if you look up along the water flow, you see a dense, pitch-black flood discharge channel. The mountain is connected to the river, and you can't see the way ahead at all. You don't know what secret place it is connected to in the depths.

Fan Biao didn't rush forward. He bent down slightly, his eyes fixed on the moss-covered path beneath his feet, his gaze sharp and meticulous.

The moss was damp and soft; every step would leave a mark. He stared at the ground for a few seconds and slowly said, "There are marks. That thing just ran into the dark depths upstream of the spillway."

I followed his gaze and saw several faint, messy marks on the moss, definitely not human footprints, strange and hasty.

I looked up at the towering, thick concrete slabs above me, and at the pitch-black darkness upstream, a deep sense of unease rose in my heart.

The dam is layered and complex, and the monster deliberately fled upstream into the darkness. Could it be that the monster's lair is upstream of this flood discharge channel?

What secrets are hidden beneath this riverbed embankment?

Looking up into the pitch-black darkness upstream, I felt a sudden chill. I whispered to Fan Biao, "It's so dark up there, not a single ray of light. That thing always goes into these dark places; it's definitely not simple. Maybe... we should really stop chasing it?"

I'm genuinely having second thoughts.

The ground was slippery and covered with moss, with towering, cold concrete dam walls on both sides and the oppressive darkness of night overhead. The entire spillway was long, narrow, and deep, and if something happened inside, it would be difficult to find an escape route.

Fan Biao, however, showed no sign of backing down. He raised his hand and steadily shone his phone flashlight into the dark waterway ahead, his eyes sharp and calm, a slight smile playing on his lips: "We've chased it all this way. If we let it go, we definitely won't be able to sleep tonight. Besides, this thing can lift iron lids weighing hundreds of pounds and knows all the secret passages well. It must have been lurking here for years. If we don't figure out its secrets, we'll be watched by it sooner or later if we stay in Tianxian Town. In that case, we might as well catch it and ask it about Tianxian Town. These monsters have lived for decades or even centuries; they must know a lot."

After saying that, he turned to look at me and said in a relaxed and reassuring tone, "Don't be afraid, just stay close to me and don't get lost."

Seeing his determined look, I could only click my tongue helplessly, grip the white jade stick in my hand, and grit my teeth to follow him.

We carefully trod on the moss-covered maintenance path, our steps extremely light. Our shoes slid across the wet, slippery moss, occasionally slipping, so we had to make sure every step was firm and steady, daring not to be careless in the slightest.

The evening breeze rushed in through the narrow flood discharge channel, carrying a biting river wind that chilled me to the bone.

The further upstream we went, the more desolate the surroundings became. The once slowly flowing river became barely audible, and the entire space was eerily quiet, with only the faint sounds of our footsteps and breathing echoing between the dam walls.

The light from a cell phone flashlight is limited, illuminating only a few meters in front of you; beyond the beam, there is only thick, impenetrable darkness.

The high concrete walls on both sides stand straight and narrow as you go up, forcibly squeezing the entire waterway into a deep crevice, making the sense of oppression increasingly heavy.

Fan Biao walked at the front, his beam of light constantly scanning the moss on the ground, confirming the trail as he went.

"The tracks are still there," he said in a low voice. "The footsteps were erratic and the distance was so large; no human could have made that way. And it was moving quite fast, so it probably didn't go far."

I followed closely behind, my eyes constantly scanning the dam walls and the water surface on both sides, my heart pounding with anxiety.

The strange, shifty-eyed face in the computer room, the strength to move a heavy iron cover with his bare hands, and his familiarity with the secret passages of the entire dam—all these scenes flashed through my mind, making me increasingly terrified.

This is definitely a demon with considerable cultivation, great strength, and a cunning nature. Could it be a monster? A zombie? I felt myself starting to have wild thoughts.

After exploring for several dozen meters, the waterway suddenly changed. The once smooth cement dam walls began to look old and mottled, covered with cracks and thick layers of rust and moss. The path underfoot became narrower and narrower, barely wide enough for one person to pass sideways.

Just then, Fan Biao abruptly stopped, raised his hand to stop me, and said urgently in a low voice, "Stop! Don't make a sound!"

I froze, immediately held my breath, and stood rooted to the spot, my heart leaping into my throat.

From the dead silence of the upper reaches of the floodgate, a faint, rustling sound suddenly arose. It sounded like fur rubbing against cement, or like something gently moving in the shadows. The sound was not loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the deathly quiet floodgate.

A chill ran down my spine, and I gripped the white jade staff tightly in my hands, my palms covered in cold sweat.

The old man slowly raised his flashlight, the beam gradually rising, piercing through layers of darkness, and shooting straight into the deepest part of the upstream waterway.

The next second! My pupils suddenly contracted, and I froze completely.

At the end of the dark waterway, in the shadow of the narrow dam wall, a huge, grotesque face crouched silently in the dark, staring at us without moving!