Chapter 17
1305 Words
Leo led the way. Unlike his previous laziness, today he was full of energy despite his limp. In no time, he led me to a nearby meadow.
Leo suddenly pointed to a patch of grass in the distance and shouted, "Zack, look! Is there something in that grass?"
Startled, I gripped my axe tightly, thinking it might be an animal. Staring intently, I saw a black patch in the grass, as if something was hidden there.
I cautiously approached it and discovered a black hole in the middle of the grass! This hole was about a meter in diameter. And it was pitch black inside. Even more startling was the fact that the hole was in a perfect oval shape with smooth edges, clearly showing signs of human work!
"What is this? Could there be someone else on the island?"
I was astonished when I suddenly heard a cold laugh from behind. "You little f*ucker, your time's up!"
I realized something was wrong immediately. Just as I started to turn around, Leo kicked me. He had put all his strength into that kick, probably using all his might.
I lost my balance and fell headfirst into the hole. I never thought I would fall into his trap and get attacked by this loser.
The hole was pitch black, and I had no idea how deep it was or if it was a trap for hunting animals, maybe with spikes at the bottom. Was I going to die here today?
A flood of thoughts rushed through my mind as I felt my back slam into the ground. It was like being hit by a motorcycle. The pain was so intense that I couldn't make a sound.
However, I seemed to have some luck. The hole, although dark, wasn't as deep as I had imagined, and there were no lethal traps.
I was still alive and not seriously injured! I held my breath, not daring to make a sound other than the scream I let out when I fell.
Leo was a b*stard! I was worried he would continue to attack if he knew I was alive. If he brought down some heavy stones, I would have no way to defend myself.
After a while, I heard Leo's arrogant laughter. "Zack, you i***t, weren't you a tough guy? Go ahead and get cocky on me! Damn fool, I told you, I have ways to deal with you. Now do you know how powerful I am?"
Leo thought I was dead and began to vent his frustration.
I held back my anger and stayed silent. Fortunately, after cursing me for a while, Leo didn't seem to linger and swaggered away, his footsteps growing distant.
Sensing that he had left, I finally breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, a foul smell filled my nostrils. I pulled out the lighter from my pocket quickly. The dim light revealed a shocking sight that made my body shudder.
In front of me was a decayed corpse, barely a skeleton! The body was wearing a thick military coat. When I fell, I landed on this coat, which slightly cushioned my fall.
I was stunned. Regaining my composure, I relit the lighter, examining the skeleton closely.
I was deeply shocked!
Having served in the military, I was quite familiar with combat uniforms from various countries. The military coat on the corpse was a snow jacket used by Japanese officers during World War II! The metal helmet on the skull confirmed my suspicion. It had a Japanese flag on it.
Was he a soldier from World War II?
I remembered clearly that during World War II, Japan occupied Southeast Asia. This Japanese man must have come to this island during that time. But what were they doing here? The hole I was in had signs of human construction. Could it be a wartime relic built by the Japanese?
I forced myself to endure the stench and searched the corpse, but I found no written records. However, I did find many useful supplies! First, the military coat was of excellent quality. It was still intact after all these years. It was only stained with corpse odor.
To my surprise, I found actual weapons. The Japanese soldier had a sharp katana on his waist. Even after decades, it still shone brightly. Swinging it would intimidate anyone. There was also a military shovel and a Type 38 Rifle with a bayonet attached. Unfortunately, there weren't many bullets left. There was only a small box.
Besides weapons, the other supplies I found were also delightful. There was a small bottle of wine in a metal flask, with about half a bottle left. I took a sip, and the taste was exhilarating. There was also a canteen and a small lunchbox. These items would be very useful for survival on the island, provided I could get out of this hole.
I held the lighter and looked around. I quickly ruled out the idea of climbing out. The walls around me were made of some unknown material. It was neither stone nor metal, but it was extremely smooth. Plus, there was nowhere nearby to climb.
After looking around, I felt a bit uneasy. It seemed like I was really trapped here. What should I do? Should I fire a shot to signal and let Mandy and the others find me? Soon, I dismissed this idea. It was more likely that Leo would be the first one to come over.
Calming down, I noticed the lighter's flame flickering constantly. There was wind! And it was blowing horizontally! It meant there was airflow, indicating the space below wasn't completely sealed.
The hole was gourd-shaped, with a small entrance above and a larger space below.
Using the small flame, I walked around the hole and soon discovered the wind source near the wall where the skeleton leaned. Moving the rotting skeleton aside, I found a half-meter long, downward-sloping tunnel. Peering into it, I found it was very deep. I couldn't tell how long it was or where it led.
I was very hesitant.
I knew the Japanese did many experiments during World War II. The artificial nature of this hole suggested it might lead to a Japanese military or experimental base. If it was a biochemical base, who knew what toxic substances could be down there?
After much thought, I decided to go down. Staying here was pointless since I couldn't climb out. Staying meant waiting to die. I might as well explore the tunnel and take a chance!
Taking a deep breath, I rolled the items I found from the Japanese into the military coat, tied it to my waist, and crawled into the sloping tunnel. I also gripped the rifle tightly for some sense of security.
After crawling through the dark, windy tunnel for five or six minutes, I reached an exit. Stepping out, I found myself in a vine-covered cave.
I didn't find a military base, which was a relief, but my curiosity grew. What was the purpose of the strange hole the Japanese built?
As I pondered, I soon realized something strange about the cave. It didn't look like a natural cave; there were signs of human activity everywhere. The walls and floor had faint, strange graffiti, resembling ancient murals seen in museums. The place was covered in vines, making it hard for me to see the totems clearly.
Besides this, there were several old skeletons, long decayed, with clothes turning to dust at a touch. On one skeleton's wrist, I found a bone bracelet. I didn't know what animal's bones they were, but the design was unique. I'd never seen anything like that before.
'This is not a product of the civilized world!'
At the same time, I realized one thing.
'There were people living on this deserted island!'
- Writer
