This day, I woke up before dawn, unable to sleep any longer.
It seemed some crisis was slowly approaching us.
My sixth sense, which was sometimes sharp and sometimes dull, told me that the divine punishment we had always feared had finally arrived.
I didn't wake the others, but instead put on my clothes and walked to the front of the cave alone.
The sky was dark and unsettling, with faint flashes of lightning appearing and disappearing within the thick clouds, gone in an instant.
The clouds grew thicker and thicker, as if they would descend upon the ground at any second, destroying everything on the earth.
I gently patted my face. This all seemed like something out of a fairy tale, but only the gradually rising mist reminded me that this was the reality I was about to face!
At some point, the wind began to pick up.
"Whoosh!"
The fierce wind swept by in an instant, making my face ache as if it had been slashed by a knife.
Thunder rumbled in the distance, as if a giant holding a golden hammer was furiously beating the clouds high above the vast expanse.
The sound startled everyone in the cave awake, and they all came to the entrance.
Guan Hai'er hid behind me, a little scared, clutching the hem of my clothes as if for security.
Zhuoya's expression was grave. She silently took out her protective amulet and muttered some incantations.
God bless us through this ordeal.
I closed my eyes and silently prayed for divine protection. When I opened them again, everything had changed.
Rolling dark clouds surged down like a tidal wave, like thousands of wild horses running amok, as if they were about to sweep away everything on the earth.
A zigzagging bolt of lightning suddenly flashed through the thick, impenetrable clouds, illuminating the heavens and the earth.
Before the deafening thunder had passed, a white flash of light from the vast firmament struck the depths of the forest.
Everything fell silent at this moment.
I stared at the scene before me in awe. Is this the boundless power of nature?
In the face of such overwhelming divine power, what were a small group of humans?
Heaven and earth are not benevolent; they treat all things as straw dogs!
Shangguan Yao was greatly frightened by the sight. Trembling, she grabbed my hand and said, "I finally believe what Zhuoya said about divine punishment. Such lightning must be the heavens' wrath!"
Luo Yaqin was still relatively calm, though her face was pale.
Seeing Shangguan Yao's strong reaction, I spoke to comfort her, "It's okay. No matter how powerful the lightning is, it can't split this mountain."
Indeed, the lightning storm was terrifying, but for us, the cave we were in was quite safe.
Just as I was thinking this, one bolt of lightning after another struck, and the world was bathed in a blinding white light.
It was as if the colors had been washed anew.
Damn it, can't underestimate this.
I couldn't afford to be shocked and quickly pulled everyone back.
With such intense lightning, we'd likely turn to ashes if we even got touched by it!
Outside was a prison made of lightning, and we were like prisoners awaiting judgment, living in constant fear.
Wanting to lighten the mood, I dug out some cassava from the fire and distributed it to everyone.
"We'll face death with our heads held high, and live our lives to the fullest if we survive! Since we're trapped here anyway, we might as well eat."
Zhuoya was the first to react. She took the cassava from my hand and smiled at me.
With Zhuoya leading, everyone began to eat breakfast.
The atmosphere also eased, no longer as somber as before.
In fact, humans are often like this; even in dire straits, they find ways to comfort themselves.
After breakfast, under my leadership, we sat around the campfire and chatted idly.
They say three women can make a whole drama, and there were four of them in this cave. Plus, Zhuoya was so curious that everything was new to her, making the scene even more lively.
The thunderstorm lasted for a very long time. In the middle, we all got tired of talking and fell asleep.
When I woke up again, Zhuoya shook me awake with great force.
After so many days of training, I had developed an instinctive reaction to Zhuoya's strength. I subconsciously opened my eyes and sat up.
"Xiao Ye gege, they're here!"
Seeing me awake, Zhuoya didn't say much. She pulled me up from the ground and headed towards the cave entrance.
Upon reaching the cave mouth, I saw the scene outside and my heart sank.