In the end, the three of them escaped by boat. Thank heavens, the boat had been left on the shore for a full three months without any issues, except for a screech when it started up.
Once on the boat, Durandal and Li Sushang subconsciously looked at Rita. They knew that the all-powerful Rita was now supposed to show off her boat-driving skills.
Rita, well aware of what the two were thinking, couldn't help but imagine the expressions on their faces if she were to say, "I don't know how to drive a boat."
But the zombies were closing in fast behind them, so Rita quickly started the boat's motor.
With that initial screech, the small boat chugged off. The zombies on the shore, not knowing the phrase "singing on the shore," all decided to follow the example of "the pond is a thousand feet deep."
A large group of zombies crowded each other, tumbling over the riverside railing like dumplings falling into a pot, splashing into the water and then sinking.
Durandal and Li Sushang watched with novelty. Suddenly, Durandal realized something and quickly turned to Rita. "Rita, if they fall into the river like this, will the people downstream be in trouble?"
If it would have an impact, they would have to go back and fish these zombies out while they were still close.
"Don't worry, Lady Durandal," Rita said with a smile. "The only city downstream of this river is Sapphire City, which is already at the estuary. The people's water doesn't come from this river."
"That's good..." Durandal breathed a sigh of relief and then turned back to enjoy the scene.
Before long, the boat had rounded a mountain gorge, and the drowning zombies were no longer in sight.
Durandal then turned back and looked at both sides of the boat.
This was a mountain gorge. The river had cut through the towering mountains like a sharp blade. Sparse green vegetation clung to the brown stone walls, and the crowns of trees extending from the cliffs provided some shade for the people in the gorge.
The mottled sunlight was interspersed with large patches of shadow, and the contrast between the two made these fragments of sunlight seem particularly dazzling.
Li Sushang couldn't help but reach out, trying to catch a scattered fragment of sunlight, but the current pushed the boat forward, and the fragment of sunlight quietly slipped through her fingers, then followed her outstretched arm all the way to her heart.
"Where are we getting off next?" After drifting for a while, Durandal looked up and asked Rita.
This short rest had already made her feel a hundred times more energetic. She could even turn back and go into Musou mode again right now.
"This waterway is a very important part of the tourist route," Rita said, taking out the brochure with the scenic area map. She spread it out on her lap and gestured to their current route.
"We're still on the route," Durandal said, a little surprised, but not overly so. "Rita, was this your plan from the beginning?"
Rita nodded, earning an exclamation of admiration from Li Sushang.
"Before we dock, we will first pass through an underground karst cave. Then we will need to dock here and begin our mountain climbing journey," Rita said, pointing to a spot and then sliding her finger across the map to the next location.
"On the mountain is the Xieyang Temple, the most famous Buddhist temple in the surrounding cities. It's also our main search target for this trip, because the tourists lost in the scenic area are likely to have come here to worship. Only at the temple would they have a chance of surviving until now."
Durandal nodded, and Rita continued to slide her finger.
The pressure of her finger made the hard paper brochure conform to the shape of Rita's thigh. The three of them stared at Rita's fingertip, which finally landed on the mountaintop.
"This is the Xieyang Pagoda, a pagoda that was built a long time ago. It's said to have a history of nearly a thousand years..." Rita looked down, as if recalling something, then she looked up and smiled at the two.
"To be precise, tomorrow will be the thousandth anniversary of this pagoda's completion."
"Then we've come at a very opportune time..." Li Sushang couldn't help but exclaim.
"This pagoda enshrines a golden Buddha statue, which is said to be made of gold both inside and out. For a thousand years, the monks of Xieyang Temple have always upheld their duty and taken very good care of the golden Buddha statue, which is why it has been preserved to this day."
"How big is that golden Buddha statue?" Durandal couldn't help but ask.
"About..." Rita looked down carefully at the promotional photo on the brochure and estimated before saying, "about the same size as Miss Sushang..."
"Huh?!" Li Sushang didn't know why she was suddenly mentioned. Just as she was about to ask, the surrounding environment suddenly darkened.
Durandal and Li Sushang looked up in a daze, only to see that the sky and greenery above their heads were gone, replaced by sharp cones hanging from the ceiling.
"This is the karst cave," Rita said, putting away the brochure and smiling as she introduced it to the two who were leaning over the side of the boat, their heads outstretched in admiration.
"Wow..." Huge stalagmites and stone pillars passed by, and looking up, they saw a dazzling array of stalactites. Durandal and Li Sushang let out the same exclamation of amazement.
"Rita, how are these stones formed?" While a stone pillar was close, Durandal, relying on her long arms and exaggerated core strength, leaned out and gave the stone a firm pat.
The slippery feel was a novelty to Durandal. It was different from the smooth look of a pebble. The stalagmites and stone pillars looked layered, and she had imagined they would be prickly to the touch.
"The formation of stalactites and stalagmites is..." Rita just laughed heartily at their reactions and then began to gently explain the reason for their formation.
"...As time passes, the undissolved calcium carbonate in the water droplets accumulates there, causing the stalagmites and stalactites to 'grow'.
"When the stalactites are long enough and the stalagmites are high enough, they eventually connect, forming these stone pillars."
"Time is truly a remarkable force..." Durandal let out a long breath and rubbed her arms. "Do you guys feel a little cold?"
Li Sushang sniffed loudly, then nodded vigorously. "It does seem a little..."
"We're in a karst cave, so it's normal for the temperature to be low," Rita explained. "It's said that in ancient times, many people liked to put things in caves like this to keep them fresh."
"Then isn't this a super big refrigerator?" Li Sushang's eyes widened.
"Perhaps..." Rita smiled helplessly, then looked at the cave entrance that had appeared. "Lady Durandal, Miss Sushang, it's time for us to get off the boat."