Peking Opera Cat: I Became A Zi's Brother

They stepped into the thin slit of light, and the world seemed to be gently twisted by an invisible hand.

The ice bridge under my feet first made a very slight "crack" sound, and then the entire bridge seemed to have its bones pulled out, collapsing into a seemingly flat piece of black mud.

The surface of the black mud was oily, like a silent well, so quiet that it could reflect the panic in every cat's eyes.

"?"

As soon as the tip of Mo Yun's boot touched the ground, it was bitten tightly by something cold and sticky.

"!"

Alarm bells rang in his heart, and he understood instantly: this is not ordinary mud, but "sound-trapping mud" - a trap that specifically devours "movement" and "sound".

Struggle only feeds it, and sound only urges it on.

"do not move."

He lowered his voice almost at the same moment and grabbed Mo Zi's wrist with his backhand.

"Ah."

Mo Zi's breathing was very light, but her fingertips were slightly cold.

She closed the ice fan between her fingers, and the fan bones made a slight sound before she immediately suppressed it.

The sound caused a circle of imperceptible ripples on the mud surface, and the ripples were like an invisible hand, gently caressing the "skin" of the mud.

"Pfft."

The soles of Wu Song's boots sank a little, and the mud and water instantly covered his ankles.

He instinctively tried to gather his strength, but the sticky force climbed up his leg bones and wrapped around his knees like a snake.

"do not move."

Mo Yun's voice was not loud, but it was like a nail, piercing everyone's heart.

As soon as Bai Tang let out a cry of "ah", he swallowed it back and made a very light "cough" in his throat.

The rosary on his chest shook slightly, and then he held it down.

The rosary was like a piece of ice, sticking to his palm, making his heart feel a little colder.

Da Fei lowered his arms and tried to use brute force to stabilize his body.

His feet stuck closer to the mud, but the mud was like a giant tongue, sucking gently and making a teeth-grinding "gurgling" sound.

His shoulders involuntarily leaned forward, his back muscles tensed like a drawn bow.

Mo Yun's eyes swept over the three cats, and his mind quickly calculated:

The properties of water are to "surround" and "support." First, the viscosity of the mud is reduced, then the "water cushion" is used to support the feet, and finally the "water line" is used to guide the way.

Don’t go too fast, or you’ll “feed” it.

He took a deep breath, and his chest felt like a slowly expanding bag.

The power of water dissolved in the palm of his hand, first condensing into a thin water film at his and Mo Zi's ankles, like a transparent sheath, separating the mud and water from the skin.

Then he gently pushed the water film outward, creating a shallow "water cushion" on the mud surface.

"Follow me, breathe slowly, tap your heels, and walk in a figure eight."

He whispered to Mo Zi.

"clear."

Mo Zi's voice was soft but steady. Her other hand rested naturally on Mo Yun's forearm, and the two cats' breathing slowly aligned at this moment.

With each step, point your toes first and then your heels, moving forward in a figure eight shape.

The mud and water stretched out long threads at their feet, like thin sugar threads being slowly picked up and then pulled back by gravity, making a sticky "hissing" sound.

Behind him, Wu Song bit the whistle stick to prevent the bell from vibrating at all.

The veins on the back of his hands throbbed, his muscles like taut strings. He tapped the whistle stick lightly on the mud, using the slight reaction force to steady himself.

He knew that once the bell rang, the mud would come rushing up like the dinner bell.

"You, turn your foot outward half an inch."

Mo Yun reminded without even turning back.

"receive."

Wu Song did as he was told, and the adhesion on his ankle loosened a little.

He couldn't help but grin, but didn't dare laugh out loud.

Da Fei was like an old tree, with its roots firmly planted in the ground. He breathed deeply and slowly, each time he inhaled, he sunk an inch deeper.

With every exhale, he spread his strength into the mud. The mud surface undulated slightly under his feet, like a giant beast breathing.

"Don't push."

Mo Yun whispered,

"Let it suck, and you borrow its suction."

Dafei nodded and tried to "unload" the force along the suction of the mud.

At that moment, he felt like he had touched a stone in the water, and his heart felt more at ease.

Bai Tang placed the rosary in the palm of his hand and kept it absolutely still.

He closed his eyes and tried to focus all his attention on the soles of his feet. He could feel tiny veins slowly wriggling beneath the mud, like countless tiny insects turning over in the darkness.

He remembered Xiaoqing's words "don't worry" from inside the door, and suddenly felt a sense of peace in his heart.

"Bai Tang, look at the stone ridge ahead and don't look down."

Mo Yun's voice came from the front.

"Ok!"

Bai Tang opened his eyes and stared at the slightly arched stone ridge in the distance that looked like a fish's back.

His feet spun lightly in the mud and found a relatively hard spot, like touching a thin rope in the dark.

The quagmire was not reconciled.

It was like a giant, invisible mouth, spewing bubbles from time to time, making a popping sound. Every time a bubble burst, the air was filled with the faint smell of rotting grass, like the smell of earth before rain, or like wood that had been soaked in water for a long time.

"It's testing."

Mo Zi whispered.

"Let it try."

Mo Yun added another layer of water cushion,

"We only give it 'stillness', not 'movement'."

At this moment, a very low roar came from under the mud surface, like thunder in the distance, or like a huge beast turning over in its belly.

The entire quagmire began to flow slowly, like porridge being gently stirred by someone.

"Oh no, the mud is turning over."

Mo Yun lowered her voice even lower, "Hurry!"

He thickened the water film again and slashed forward fiercely. An extremely thin water blade cut a narrow water channel.

The mud on both sides of the waterway slowly closed up like meat cut open by a knife.

The two of them seized this opportunity, tapped their toes, and finally climbed onto the stone ridge ahead.

"call--"

Mo Zi couldn't help but let out a breath of foul air.

"Don't let go."

Mo Yun turned the water blade into a circle of water ring and firmly placed it on the edge of the stone ridge to prevent the mud from spreading up.

The water ring glowed light blue in the light, like a thin river flowing quietly around the stone ridge.

They looked back and saw Wusong, Baitang and Dafei still struggling in the mud.

The mud puddle was like a greedy mouth, making gurgling sounds from time to time, as if it was chewing bones.

"Wusong, bell, half a breath."

Mo Yun suddenly spoke.

Wu Song was stunned for a moment, then understood. He pressed the bell into his palm and tapped the whistle stick lightly with his knuckles, making a barely audible "ding".

The "ding" sound was stuck in the air as the animal turned over in the mud, like gently patting the shoulder of the giant beast while it was taking a nap.

The quagmire trembled slightly, and the suction force paused for a moment.

"Now!"

Mo Yun's water ring suddenly released and turned into a thin water line, like an invisible rope, thrown accurately to Wu Song's hand.

Wu Song flipped his wrist, hooked the whistle stick on the water line, and pulled with the force. His whole body seemed to be lifted by a gentle force, and his heel was finally pulled out half an inch from the mud.

He didn't dare to be greedy, so he stepped on the "water mark" left by the water line, and tapped his toes lightly, as if he was taking the first step on a very narrow bridge.

"it is good."

Mo Yun uttered a word.

On Dafei's side, the mud surface suddenly sank, like a mouth "sucking".

He took a deep breath and stretched out his arms, as if holding an invisible stone. The "stone" was so heavy that his legs trembled slightly.

"Sink, not top."

Mo Yun's voice seemed to grow out from the stone ridge.

"Give the strength to the mud."

Da Fei did as he was told, pushing his strength outward along the veins of the mud. A small "bump" formed under his feet, like the slight arch of an animal's back.

He took advantage of the situation to pull out his other foot and stepped on the "bump". The "bump" burst lightly like a blister, making a "pop" sound.

Bai Tang's rosary beads trembled slightly on his chest, as if reminding him of something.

He suddenly understood: what this trap fears most is "silence", but "silence" is not dead silence, but "order".

He tried to align his breathing with Mo Yun's water rings, and the rosary beads trembled slightly, as if beating a very light beat.

The quagmire gradually became a little "docile" under this rhythm, like an irritable beast whose fur was gently stroked.

"Sugar, look at me."

Mo Yun's gaze passed through the waterline and fell into Bai Tang's eyes.

Bai Tang nodded, tapped his toes, and stepped on the water trail that Mo Yun had laid out for him.

Every step he took felt like he was walking on a thin layer of ice, with an invisible abyss beneath.

His heartbeat was steady, as steady as a small drum.

The three of them were like three cats walking on thin ice, every step was light and every step was accurate.

The mud puddle occasionally spits out a string of bubbles, making a "pop" sound, as if expressing dissatisfaction.

Just when they were two steps away from the stone ridge, a deep low hum suddenly came from under the mud surface. The entire mud pit seemed to be pulled hard from below and sank half an inch in an instant.

Wu Song's foot slipped and he fell to the side.

"Hold on!"

Mo Zi's voice was clear, like a thin needle, piercing through the panic of that moment.

Mo Yun did not hesitate. He divided the water ring into three parts, turning them into three thin water ropes, which he wrapped around the waists of the three people.

The water rope was cold and tough, like a rope made of water grass.

"Listen to me."

Mo Yun lowered her voice very low, "Three, two, one—up."

The three cats exerted force simultaneously, tapping their toes and lifting their heels. The mire made a teeth-aching gurgling sound, as if countless small mouths were sucking their bones.

But this time, the water rope was like an invisible hand, holding them firmly.

"it is good."

Mo Yun exhaled, "One more step."

They took that step.

At this moment, the mud surface under the stone ridge suddenly "popped" and a big bubble appeared.

There was a faint light inside the bubble, like an eye slowly opening inside.

"There's another floor."

Mo Zi's voice became a little colder.

"I know."

Mo Yun's gaze darkened. He saw very fine veins flowing within the light, like the veins of some living thing.

He understood that this was not ordinary mud, but "alive" mud.

"Don't panic."

Mo Yun whispered,

"It's also afraid that we'll be 'orderly'."

He thickened the water ring again, and the water line was like a fine net, spread between the mud surface and the stone ridge.

Wusong, Baitang and Dafei finally stepped onto the stone ridge with the help of this net.

"call--"

The three of them exhaled almost at the same time.

The quagmire rolled over behind them, like an unwilling beast, and finally slowly fell silent.

Mo Yun didn't relax. He transformed the water ring into a thin water wall, standing on the edge of the stone ridge to prevent the mud from spreading again.

He knew the real test was yet to come. This "mouth" was just an appetizer; the real "door" lay hidden in deeper darkness.

"Take a breath, and let's continue."

Mo Yun looked at everyone, his voice calm,

"Remember, don't feed it."

"receive.

"The three of them responded in unison.

Mo Zi turned her head to look at him, there was light in her eyes, and a hint of smile in the light.

"One breath wrong, no opening."

She softly repeated what he had said at the alley entrance.

Mo Yun also smiled, but her smile was very faint, like a breeze on the ice.

"That's good."

The five of them stood side by side on the stone ridge. Ahead of them was deeper fog with a faint light in it.

The light was not like daylight, nor like fire. It was like a heart, beating silently.

They knew that the invisible clock was there.

As long as you find it, just knock gently in the rhythm of its breathing, and the door will open.

And beneath their feet, the quagmire was still breathing gently in the darkness, like a closed mouth that could open again at any time.