"Hmm, right now, just as you said, we are engaging in a speed battle. If we can keep up our pace, we can solve everything smoothly."

"I don't want to overthink it. The more it goes on, the more I suspect there's a large cave hidden beneath this swamp. Once we confirm that, we can quickly leave the island."

Initially, Anying wasn't that interested in what might lie beneath the swamp. She merely felt those things might not truly exist and that they were making these deductions out of thin air.

However, the subsequent events made her repeatedly realize that the matter might not be as simple as she had understood.

At this moment, everyone's mood was actually quite heavy.

When they initially came here, they didn't bear such heavy feelings, but now they increasingly felt trapped, like it was a snare, a trap.

If they made the right choices, they might easily escape from the trap.

However, if they took a wrong step, then the issue could really be troublesome.

In the evening, Anying took out the dry rations, hoping everyone would try to eat a little. However, everyone seemed preoccupied, making it impossible to eat.

Although it had rained outside, and indeed the air felt cooler,

the ground below remained extremely muddy.

No one knew whether their actions tonight would be successful, but it seemed they didn't have any better options now.

All hopes seemed pinned on the swampy ground tonight, hoping for some peculiar phenomena after the tide recedes. This was a crucial matter.

"While we can still see a bit of light, should we fix the rope to the tree?"

"Sure, no problem."

After Anying spoke, she nodded, then pulled a long rope from her backpack.

Holding it in her hands, she firmly tugged to check its strength; it seemed solid, enough to lower one person down.

"Are you saying this rope is about 30 meters long?"

"Yes, at most 30 meters, maybe even shorter. So we have to hope the cave isn't too deep. If it's too far, we won't be able to descend."

"Fine, once we're down there, we'll assess the situation. Let's go and fix the rope on that big tree. Yaru, stay in the tent. We'll be by the tree and can see this side. Don't worry, it'll be fine."

"Alright, you go ahead."

Lin Yaru obediently nodded, and then the two picked up flashlights and left.

Stepping on the muddy ground, Ye Chen felt it was unlike ordinary mud.

This mud seemed muddier, sticking to his feet and impossible to shake off.

"What kind of mud is this?"

"It's been soaked by seawater for a long time, forming a chemical element. When it contacts other substances, it creates a bond, making it feel so heavy."

"Oh my, walking like this seems very difficult."

"Exactly, I even suspect that if they continue like this, a glue-like ground could form here, making it impossible to walk."

"Are you saying it's impossible to walk?"

"If it continues for a long time, with rainwater and seawater mixing, I'm worried this reaction could happen."

"Judging by your reasoning, their purpose might be to prevent us from approaching this swamp, right?"

"If you put it that way, it indeed seems so. We're getting closer to the truth."

"Perhaps the other side never imagined we'd have such advanced equipment to solve all this."

"Yes, but the time they want to leave us might not be long. If we don't leave the island by tomorrow, we might be trapped forever."

"Alright, tonight we must go all out and leave as soon as possible."

After speaking, Ye Chen nodded and quickly moved with Anying towards a big tree.

They tied the rope to the tree, and Ye Chen gave it a firm tug, confirming it seemed secure.

Then they pulled the rope to the tent.

There was still some slack, considering the 30-meter length, and the distance from the tent to the tree hadn't reached this length.

Around 11 PM, Ye Chen heard the waves outside raging.

This was a natural phenomenon before the tide receded, a very objective natural phenomenon,

At nearly midnight, Ye Chen checked the time, hearing the waves growing distant.

"Are we now away from this sea area?"

"Yes, it should be so. The exposed area might be just a beach, but it's still unknown if we can go there."

"No problem, we should wait a while. Changes will occur here soon. Once the swamp recedes fully, I believe we'll quickly get the answers we seek."

After the conversation, Anying nodded. Everyone was actually tense, unsure of what peculiar phenomena might occur next.