MMB Chapter 8: The Shifting Sands – Facts Speak Louder Than Words
Chapter 8: The Shifting Sands – Facts Speak Louder Than Words
"The gate to life is here."
Lin Mu's voice wasn't loud, but it exploded like a bombshell in the deathly silent ranks.
On the left is the only way to survive, deduced by Dr. Chen Wentao, a geology expert, using modern scientific theories.
On the right is the absolute dead end pointed out by Lin Mu, a popular young idol, using shamanistic mystical techniques.
At this moment, science and metaphysics formed the most irreconcilable opposition.
"Nonsense!"
Chen Wentao reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, instantly bristling with anger.
His faith has been challenged repeatedly today, and is now on the verge of collapse.
"Lin Mu! I admit you're skilled in the desert, but this is Zaglama Magnet Mountain! Your charlatan tricks might fool others, but they won't fool me! That granite cliff on the right is over 200 million years old, its hardness is comparable to steel! How could there possibly be a natural passage? You're committing murder!"
Chen Wentao's voice became somewhat hoarse with excitement.
He wasn't being unreasonable; he genuinely believed from the bottom of his heart that Lin Mu was playing with everyone's lives.
The live stream chat was completely split into two factions, engaging in a fierce online battle.
[I stand with Dr. Chen! Science is the primary productive force! What's the difference between Lin Mu's methods and those of fortune tellers in the park?]
[The person upstairs doesn't know anything! When has Lin Shen ever made a mistake? From dodging the black sandstorm to the desert army ants, wasn't Lin Shen the one who saved his life every time?]
Stop arguing, stop arguing! I'm so nervous, who should I believe?
Faced with Chen Wentao's almost roaring questioning, Lin Mu didn't even bother to lift his eyelids.
He simply walked over to a rock, sat down, took a bottle of mineral water from his woven bag, unscrewed the cap, and slowly took a sip.
That extreme indifference seemed to say, "I'm too lazy to argue with you."
This disregard drove Chen Wentao even more infuriating than any rebuttal.
"Professor! You be the judge!"
Chen Wentao placed his last hope in Professor Zhou.
Professor Zhou was also at his wit's end.
Logically speaking, he trusted his students more.
He witnessed Chen Wentao's entire deduction process; the logic was rigorous and flawless.
But emotionally, Lin Mu's two previous miraculous predictions made him feel uneasy.
"Stop arguing!"
Professor Zhou took a deep breath. As the leader of the team, he had to make the safest decision.
"Captain Wang!"
Professor Zhou looked at Wang Meng, the security captain.
"exist!"
"You personally take two men to scout the left side that Wen Tao pointed to. Send two more men to scout the right side that Lin Mu pointed to."
Professor Zhou's gaze turned extremely serious: "Remember, safety first! Only check the entrance to confirm if there's a passage; do not venture further! Regardless of the outcome, you must return within fifteen minutes!"
"yes!"
Wang Meng immediately accepted the order.
This is undoubtedly the safest and fairest solution at present.
Soon, the five security guards split into two groups, one with three members and the other with two, each carrying a tactical flashlight, and disappeared into the shadows on the left and right sides.
The main force remained where they were, waiting anxiously.
Time seemed to stretch on endlessly at that moment.
Every second felt like a heavy drumbeat striking everyone's hearts.
Chen Wentao crossed his arms and stared intently at the direction to his left, veins bulging on his forehead.
He firmly believed that he would defend the glory of science.
Su Nianwei and Ye Zhiqi instinctively stood not far behind Lin Mu, their beautiful eyes fixed on the darkness to their right, their palms sweaty.
Lin Mu, however, remained as calm and composed as ever.
He even took a piece of chocolate out of his pocket, tore open the wrapper, and ate it in small bites to replenish his energy.
The nearly ten million viewers in the live stream held their breath at that moment.
The ultimate showdown between science and metaphysics is about to end.
……
About ten minutes later.
Suddenly, from the darkness on the left came the sound of staggering footsteps and terrified shouts.
Wang Meng returned with two team members!
But they looked extremely disheveled!
Wang Meng, who was walking at the front, was pale, while behind him, a security guard was supporting another guard.
The team member being helped was soaked to the bone, covered in wet sand from head to toe. He had lost his rifle and equipment and looked like he had just been pulled out of a mud pit. His eyes were unfocused and he was trembling uncontrollably.
Chen Wentao's spirits lifted, and he immediately went to meet him: "How is it? Captain Wang, have you found the passage? What happened to Xiao Li? Did he fall into the water?"
Wang Meng looked at Chen Wentao with an extremely complex expression.
He opened his mouth as if to curse, but in the end he just shook his head and said in a hoarse voice, "Over there... is quicksand."
"What?"
Chen Wentao's confident expression froze instantly.
"This isn't ordinary quicksand!"
Wang Meng's voice suddenly rose, filled with the terror of someone who had just escaped death: "It's hollow down there! It's a whole layer of man-eating quicksand swamp! Little Li had just stepped onto the edge when he instantly sank in! If I hadn't reacted quickly and lassoed him with a rope, he would be... he would be buried alive now!"
Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent.
Everyone who saw Xiao Li looking like he'd lost half his life felt a chill run from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads.
If the entire team had listened to Chen Wentao and gone over there...
The consequences would be unimaginable!
And just then...
Footsteps could be heard coming from the darkness on the right.
The other two security guards have returned.
In stark contrast to Wang Meng's still-shaken state, the faces of these two team members were filled with an uncontrollable elation and awe!
"Professor! We've found it! We've found it!"
One of the team members was so excited his voice trembled: "The corner Lin Mu pointed to... there's a hidden world behind it! That rock wall is a blind spot; behind it isn't a new passage, but a secret path hidden by boulders. That path... just bypasses the landslide area in front and leads directly to the great canyon between the two black mountains!"
boom!!!
These words were like a second thunderbolt from the heavens, striking Chen Wentao and Professor Zhou squarely on the head.
Chen Wentao lost.
A crushing defeat.
They were utterly humiliated.
Chen Wentao's proud geological theories were utterly crushed in the face of Lin Mu's mystical and esoteric techniques.
He stared blankly at Xiao Li, who was being helped up and was still trembling, then looked at the darkness on his right. His mouth was slightly open, his eyes were empty, as if his soul had been taken away.
His scientific faith, built up over more than twenty years, collapsed at this moment.
Professor Zhou began to tremble violently.
He wasn't driven by fear, but by extreme excitement and lingering dread!
He watched the young man sitting on the rock, slowly folding the chocolate wrapper and stuffing it into his pocket, his eyes filled with excitement!
It turns out that science isn't the only thing!
There really are secret techniques for finding dragon veins and dividing gold in this world!
There truly exists ancient wisdom that has long been lost and transcends modern civilization!
And the person who possesses this wisdom is right before him!
Su Nianwei and Ye Zhiqi exchanged a glance, both seeing extreme shock in each other's eyes.
Ye Zhi Qiu couldn't help but cover her mouth with her hand to prevent herself from screaming.
After a ten-second period of complete silence, the chat in the live stream went completely wild.
Holy crap!!! Facts speak louder than words!!!
[My God! To the left is quicksand burying us alive, to the right is a wide, straight road! This isn't just giving directions, it's a matter of life and death!]
[Dr. Chen is dumbfounded, hahaha! The sight of his faith collapsing is so real!]
Stop arguing! From today onwards, I am a follower of the Forest God! If the Forest God points east, I will never go west!
This isn't just a variety show, this is a miracle! This is witnessing a miracle!
"Let's go."
Lin Mu stood up, swallowed the last bite of chocolate, and patted the dust off his hands.
He didn't even glance at the dejected Chen Wentao, nor did he bask in the admiring gazes of the crowd.
It was as if all of this was within his expectations.
He picked up the woven bag full of stationery for struggling students and was the first to step onto the hidden path leading to the unknown.