Seeing Lu Yun’s expression, I vaguely felt there was hope. Liang Yingwu’s strategy of provocation and then soothing was truly skillful. I was watching with the intent to see what else he could say when suddenly, Liang Yingwu reached out, pulled me over, and said, “To be honest, I’m not interested in any woman. I only like men, and they are far more beautiful than you. If you want to compete, change your gender first!”
This statement was earth-shattering. Before my goosebumps could settle, Lu Yun let out a high-pitched scream and then collapsed, fainting on the spot.
Epilogue
Three hours later, under the guidance of the now-conscious Lu Yun, we successfully exited the cave that had trapped us for three days. Fortunately, all our luggage was still where we had left it, untouched by wild animals. No one had the enthusiasm to continue the original plan of crossing Shennongjia. Since everyone had not slept the previous night, after a hearty meal, we set up tents and slept until the next morning.
Of course, Lu Yun slept alone. No female student wanted to share a tent with her, and I’m sure the boys felt the same. On the entire journey back, none of the students were as lively and chatty as they had been on the way there. This wasn’t just because they had experienced a terrifying life-or-death ordeal; it was also because the classmates who had once got along well, in the Cave of White Bones, at the last moment, revealed their terrifying true selves. They had learned too early about the ugliness of human nature, not only from the century-old tragedy of Baojia Village but also from themselves.
