Chapter Seventy-Six: Leap

“Third Brother, I owe my life to you. If not for your help…”
Ghostface Zhang glanced at his master with disdain, only using the corner of his eye. “Always causing trouble for others.”
We’d been watching the dangerous scene unfold below, nearly scared out of our wits. When Ghostface Zhang finally rescued our master, only then did I breathe easy. I looked at the huge depression in the rock, thinking perhaps the master’s age had caught up with him—his strength not what it used to be. I, being young and sturdy, should have no problem crossing.
Just then, Dragon King patted my shoulder. “Nephew, you go up first. We’ll bring up the rear.”
I nodded. They had to hoist the kaleidoscope up, which was far more troublesome than anything I’d have to face. It’d be best if I went ahead, so as not to add to the chaos. With that thought, I grabbed the climbing rope dangling beside the boat and wrapped it tightly around my waist.
“Tie it tight!” The two women sitting on the bridge shouted in unison.
A warmth surged in my heart. I was worried about pillow talk, but the love in their voices washed over me, refreshing as spring.
I nodded at them, tightened the rope around my waist once more, confirmed it was secure, and gave an “OK” gesture. Steeling myself, I pushed off the boat, hoping to swing across as my master had done. But as soon as I exerted force, the boat wobbled. I cursed inwardly—how could I forget this was an inflatable raft, not a real boat? Too much force would send it drifting away.
It was too late for regrets. My foot slipped, and I swung across at an angle, barely able to land. I clung to the rope with my arms to avoid falling into the water, swinging back and forth over the two-meter gap, dizzy and seeing flashes of light.
“Qiutong!” Mengya cried out in alarm, nearly falling from the bridge herself.
Her shout made me even more anxious; I wanted to call out but my awkward position left me voiceless.
Thunk!
Just as my life hung by a thread, the rope suddenly stopped swinging.

“Why don’t you hurry up and shift your body?”
Glancing upward at the bridge, I saw the black-caped figure gripping the rope with both hands, steadying it. She wasn’t struggling much, but from my vantage point below I caught a fleeting glimpse of her face beneath the hood—handsome and strangely familiar. It struck me like lightning, leaving me stunned.
Noticing my reaction, she quickly shook her hood to hide her face and said, “Why are you dawdling?”
Snapping out of my stupor, I nodded, tensed my abdomen, and slowly righted myself with all my strength. My head throbbed from the effort. I used my hands to pull the rope, shortening the distance between myself and the water, so when she released the rope I’d drop safely.
“Ready?”
I nodded to her, signaling she could let go. She slowly released the rope, sighed, and wiped cold sweat from her brow.
I steadied myself, bent my knees, and swung back and forth like a child on a swing, hovering above the water. Gradually, my feet began to touch the edge of the cave rock. I stretched my legs, tentatively trying to stand, but the surface was so slick—almost mossy—I nearly slipped again.
“This guy’s hopeless,” Ghostface Zhang muttered, cigarette in mouth, eyes slanted with disdain, making me feel all the more embarrassed.
After repeating the attempt three or four times, I finally managed to stand—albeit stumbling—on the cave rock. I almost fell into the lake again.
Standing there, I steadied myself and looked up at the cave wall. A chill ran through me. It looked easy enough when Master climbed up with the rope, but now, seeing it for myself, sweat broke out on my forehead. The stone wall was uneven and covered with condensation, much slicker than where I now stood—not to mention the depression at the top. If I fell, I’d surely break bones.
“Qiutong, do you want my help?” the black-caped figure asked.
I hesitated. I truly wasn’t confident in my own skills. The difficulty of reaching the steel bridge above was probably greater than the heroic “storming of Luding Bridge” by the old soldiers. But if I let her carry me up, I’d lose all dignity. Wouldn’t people say I lived off others? Which mattered more—face or safety?
After pondering, I gritted my teeth. There’s a saying: “Life is what I desire, righteousness is what I desire; but if I cannot have both, I choose righteousness over life.” So be it—though I’m not so noble, I can’t let others mock me. Besides, I trust she wouldn’t let me die.
Yet, I spat twice—wasn’t I just hoping she’d help? How shameless.
I waved my hand upward, signaling I didn’t need help, tightened my rope again, stomped my foot, and slowly walked to the side of the cave wall. I pulled the rope taut and tested the stone—it was indeed slippery. Any extra movement would guarantee a fall. I had to step directly up and down, like a robot.

Sure enough, once I mastered the technique, I made it through the first fifty-degree slope with ease. It wasn’t as hard as I’d feared, just psychologically taxing. After a few steps, my nerves settled.
Ascending about twenty steps, I encountered a wide gap in the cave rock. I steeled myself, pulled the rope, exhaled deeply, and pushed off to swing over the gap, quickly grabbing the rope as it settled.
The next section was similar, though the slope increased to about seventy-five degrees. It wasn’t physically taxing, but my arms had to work harder, and blood rushed to my head, making me slightly dizzy as if I’d been upside down too long.
After climbing for about five more minutes, I finally reached the 120-degree depression. I stopped. The only way forward was to get as close as possible to the steel bridge two meters below, then slowly climb along the rope. Jumping straight across would defy gravity—I’d surely fall.
“Qiutong, jump. I’ve got you.”
The black-caped figure stood ready, waiting to catch me.
I nodded, summoned my courage, took a deep breath, and leaped out over a meter, gripping the rope tightly. Leaving the cave’s support felt like falling from a great height—my heart nearly stopped. Eyes shut tight, I silently begged her to hurry.
Suddenly, a shadow flashed, and I was swept into her arms. With a quick twist, she spun us back onto the steel bridge, landing safely.
“Let go!” she said in a low voice, patting me.
Only then did I open my eyes and sigh in relief, realizing I was clinging to her like a child, arms wrapped tightly around her waist.