Chapter Forty-Five: Parallel Space

Lin Hai switched on his flashlight, sweeping the beam across the entire cavern. Just as Lin Fan had described, the cave was vast and empty, and its walls were densely dotted with similar passages, resembling a massive honeycomb.

Lin Fan gazed uneasily at the rows of yawning, black entrances and said anxiously, “Uncle, the hole we crawled out of just now isn’t the same as the one I used when I retreated earlier. But I’m certain this is the same cave I passed through before. Only, that giant serpent is nowhere to be seen... Has it gone hunting? Or is this another illusion?”

As he spoke, he kept a wary eye on his surroundings, afraid that the giant serpent might suddenly emerge from one of the passages and swallow them both whole.

Lin Hai was puzzled too. Why build a cave like this for no reason? What purpose could it possibly serve? He quickly fished out his compass, and his expression changed in surprise. “It’s not an illusion! The compass isn’t reacting!”

Lin Fan snatched the compass, gave it a shake, and watched as the needle wobbled back and forth before returning to its original position. Just as Lin Hai said, the compass had stopped working—it couldn’t detect even a trace of demonic energy.

“Uncle, did we come to the wrong place? Are there more than one of these caves? What’s going on?”

“We’re not lost. There was heavy demonic energy at the entrance, but none here. That proves the serpent you encountered isn’t in this place at all! Do you think it’s easy to carve out a vast cave riddled with so many passages? There’s likely only this one cave. Only... damn it, if I’m not mistaken, this should be a fabricated parallel space,” Lin Hai muttered, troubled by the bizarre turn of events.

“A fabricated parallel space? What’s that?” Lin Fan asked, clueless as ever.

Raising his flashlight, Lin Hai surveyed the cavern, pondering for a long while before sighing in resignation. “I was wondering, too, why such a secretive place had no traps. Turns out, it’s operating on a different principle altogether. Whoever set this up is no ordinary person... This is going to be a problem.”

Sensing Lin Hai was about to fall into deep thought, Lin Fan rushed over, grabbed his uncle’s shoulders, and shook him roughly. “Hey! Snap out of it! Uncle! At least tell me what a fabricated parallel space is! I’m dying here!”

“Stop shaking me or you’ll pull my hair out!” Dizzy, Lin Hai batted his hands away. Seeing Lin Fan’s desperate look, he set aside his worries for the moment and explained, “Put simply, it’s like humans building high-rises on flat land to expand their living space. Have you ever heard the saying, ‘A world in a flower, a cycle of reincarnation in a single thought’? Great secrets often hide in the smallest things. A fabricated parallel space is like building an extra layer in time or space, creating four, five, or even higher dimensions... This is a parallel cave space, created by some external force! One moment heaven, the next hell; the same time, different worlds; different times, the same world! Do you get it?”

Lin Fan thought for a while, pondered, and then shook his head.

“Damn! No surprise there—it’s too complex, and I only grasp the basics myself. Given your intelligence, you’d have to weigh it on a scale to measure it, so not understanding is normal. That’s all I can explain. Some mysteries can only be understood, not described.” Lin Hai took the backpack back from Lin Fan, rummaging for gear while mercilessly poking fun at him.

“Then why do we end up in different passages every time?” Lin Fan wouldn’t let it go.

“Speed! Different speeds lead to different passages.” Lin Hai found several rolls of tape and a stack of talismans in the bag.

“And the serpent?” Lin Fan pressed.

“Different passages lead to different caves! We’re both in this cave and not in this cave! Don’t ask any more questions—enough already!” Lin Hai, tape and talismans in hand, strode over to a cave wall.

Lin Fan stood rooted to the spot, frowning deeply as he mulled over Lin Hai’s words. Suddenly, he blurted out, “Then how did I run into you in the tunnel?”

“One entrance, one exit—that’s the genius of this fabricated parallel space,” Lin Hai replied, sticking talismans at each passage entrance, sweating profusely as he worked and still having to answer Lin Fan’s endless questions, which left him physically and mentally drained.

“But just now I—” Lin Fan gave Lin Hai no respite.

“Enough already! Are you done? Shut up, will you? Can’t you see? Get over here and help!” Lin Hai jumped down from a passage, taking a breather.

Lin Fan hurried over and handed him a bottle of water. “Heh, thanks for your hard work. Take a rest.”

Lin Hai gulped down the water, then handed Lin Fan half the talismans. “Take these. Stick one at every passage entrance.”

Lin Fan took them, eyes wide. “Every entrance? Why?”

“Do you not understand plain speech? If you don’t finish, you’ll spend the rest of your life alone in this parallel space. Get moving!” Lin Hai barked, then clambered back up the wall.

Lin Fan had more questions, but seeing Lin Hai’s mood, he dared not provoke him further—if he really got left behind in this time labyrinth, he’d be finished. Glancing at the talismans’ placement, he stifled his curiosity and obediently went to work.

Back and forth the two of them went, up and down, until sweat drenched their shirts. At last, every passage mouth bore a talisman.

When the preparations were done, Lin Hai wasted not a second. He stood at the cavern’s center and signaled for Lin Fan to guard him. Then he closed his eyes, formed hand seals, and began chanting a lengthy incantation.

Lin Fan stood guard at his side, alert to any change.

As time passed, Lin Hai’s hands moved faster and faster, becoming a blur. His brow furrowed, veins bulged, and his chanting grew powerful and resonant.

“...The dance of radiance, the endless suffering, lingering in the solitary blue, the fatal pursuit—Vanish!”

With his final shout, the talismans at each entrance suddenly flared, gleaming like countless fireflies swirling in the night, illuminating the entire cavern. After several seconds, the talismans darted into the stone like startled mice, vanishing, plunging the cavern into darkness once more.

“Uncle, that was amazing! If only you’d turned into a beautiful woman just then, the whole scene would’ve been perfect—a great move for picking up girls! You have to teach me that when we get home,” Lin Fan said, still caught up in the romantic spectacle.

“Romance comes at a price! Didn’t you see I’m nearly spent?” Lin Hai flopped to the ground, gasping for breath.

Lin Fan snapped out of it. “So what now?”

“We wait. I’m not boasting—my Soul-Chasing Technique is no joke. The talismans are hidden in specific times and spaces, unrestricted. The moment someone passes by, their soul is marked. Even if they flee to the ends of the earth, I can find them,” Lin Hai replied, full of confidence.

“Is it really that effective?” Lin Fan asked.

“Of course! I’ve helped countless wives catch their husbands’ mistresses with this—field-tested and proven,” Lin Hai retorted.

“Uncle, I have to hand it to you for doing those sneaky jobs,” Lin Fan said, half admiring, half disapproving.

“Get lost! What do you know? These are the secrets passed down by our ancestors. You’re just jealous,” Lin Hai shot back.

“Let’s see. I may not be like you, but I’m still young—time’s on my side. One day, I’ll surpass you,” Lin Fan declared, though deep down, he sighed, still uncertain of his own origins.

“With your sorry state? You’ll have to wait for me to die—wait, curse my tongue, don’t jinx me, you little brat!” Lin Hai glanced at the time, stood up, and kicked Lin Fan. “What are you daydreaming about? Let’s go!”

Lin Fan snapped out of his reverie. “Aren’t we waiting for the outcome?”

“You can stay here and wait if you want. I’m going home for a shower, a meal, and a nap before I come back!” Lin Hai disappeared into the nearest passage without looking back.

Realizing the day was over, Lin Fan quickly followed.

The two of them wandered through the passage for nearly an hour, still unable to find a way out. Their feet had gone numb.

Trailing behind, Lin Fan grew anxious. “Uncle, are you sure you picked the right passage? Are we stuck in this maze?”

Lin Hai, leading the way, deliberately slowed his pace, gritting his teeth against the pain in his feet. “If you don’t know, keep quiet. The trick to these time-space tunnels is that only one passage is their secret route leading to their lair. Every other passage, no matter what you do, only takes you back to that first cavern or out to the subway tunnel.”

Lin Fan paused, puzzled. “Then how did I get in earlier?”

“You’re a rare case. The speed at which you rolled happened to match the fixed speed set by their time-space rules. Blind luck,” Lin Hai replied.

“Lucky? I almost got swallowed alive by a giant serpent! How’s that lucky?” Lin Fan protested.

“I spent all that effort and still didn’t manage what you did by accident. If that’s not luck, what is? Buy me a lottery ticket later—if we win, I’ll share it with you,” Lin Hai joked, though in his heart he wondered about Lin Fan’s constant entanglement with strange events, unsure if having him along was good or bad.

“Forget it. Unlike you, I don’t have time for that,” Lin Fan retorted. “Uncle, can you speed up? At this rate, it’ll be dark again before we get out.”

Annoyed, Lin Hai snapped, “If I could move faster, do you think I’d be strolling in this pitch-black tunnel with you? Why don’t you carry me?”

He wasn’t exaggerating. After a night of running and spellcasting, his legs were already weak. If he weren’t afraid of Lin Fan’s ridicule, he’d have dropped to all fours and crawled.

Lin Fan hesitated. “Uh... never mind, let’s just keep walking slowly.”

Another hour passed before they finally made it back to the subway tunnel. Retracing their steps, the two of them, bedraggled and cautious, left the subway behind. By then, the sun was already high in the sky. They quickly hailed a cab and returned to their villa.