This Damned Thirst for Survival

Chapter 44

Madness often defies the understanding of the ordinary mind.

Jiang Luo and his companions walked through a cave for about five or six minutes until they reached a crossroads with four paths.

Lu Youyi peered into the darkness of the four paths, pondering aloud, "Which one should we take?"

Jiang Luo, following his gut, chose the fourth path, "Let's go this one; it can't possibly be the most dangerous."

Lu Youyi, with a complex look, hesitated before speaking, "Jiang Luo, it's not that I don't trust you, but with your luck... whenever you say something won't happen, it usually does."

Jiang Luo: "...You're right, let's rule out the fourth path."

The Ghost pointed at the first path, "I think we should go this way."

Jiang Luo looked at him, a face of blissful ignorance as if selling out their position, and smiled appreciatively. He stepped forward, patted him on the shoulder, and encouraged, "Ghost, if you've got a hunch like that, just speak up. We'll follow your lead."

True to the Ghost's intuition, they took a safe path. They calmly made their way through the cave and arrived at a suspension bridge.

The bridge, with its crude wooden planks and iron chains, was perilously suspended. Looking down, Jiang Luo saw an underground river below, still inhabited by numerous water ghosts.

The Ghost said, "Cross the bridge, and we're there."

Jiang Luo asked, "There where?"

The Ghost's face wore a blank expression, "I don't know."

Jiang Luo was not surprised; he shrugged, "Let's go."

The Ghost led the way, but as they reached the middle of the bridge, a man in red clothes wearing a fox mask approached from the opposite side.

The mask was fierce, with a protruding long nose and the character "Hua" etched on the side. The man stepped onto the bridge and coldly said, "Teng Bi, are you planning to betray your master?"

Jiang Luo and Lu Youyi immediately turned to look at the Ghost, who showed no reaction. After being stared at, he finally asked in confusion, "Why are you looking at me?"

Lu Youyi reminded him, "He seems to be calling you."

So, the Ghost is called Teng Bi? That's an odd name.

But if the Ghost regains his memory, could that spell danger for them?

The Ghost clarified, "He called me Teng Bi, but I go by Ghost."

The man in red scoffed, "So, you've even forgotten your own name. How pitiful. No wonder you've become a mere scouting dog for humans."

Jiang Luo chimed in lazily, "Oh? Are you jealous that he can at least be a dog, while you can't even match up to one?"

The smile on the man in red froze, "Looking for death."

He extended his hand, which resembled a fox's claw, with overly long fingers, veins crisscrossing the back of his hand, and sharp, hook-like nails. In a blink, he was in front of Jiang Luo, his claw about to strike, but it collided with the Ghost's broadsword.

Sparks flew from the clash of claw and sword. The Ghost shielded Jiang Luo and Lu Youyi behind him, his voice cold, "Don't think about harming them."

The man in red frowned, "Teng Bi, you've really lost your mind."

He pressed harder, sliding his claw from the tip to the hilt of the sword, leaving deep, bone-visible scratches on the Ghost's hand. Blood instantly flowed from the wounds.