Two wooden planks separately carried Ronald and another person down into the Digestion River.

When Ronald felt the wood beneath him make contact with the water, he almost thought his game was over.

But fortunately, this was the world inside the "Maze Picture Book."

The small wooden plank did not tip over in the river but instead quickly regained stability, drifting downstream.

Trapped in the net, the two of them only got their clothes wetted by a little liquid.

Sizzle sizzle—

Just this little splashing water quickly corroded Ronald's clothes. He hurriedly rolled over on the plank, finally rubbing off the digestive liquid from the river.

Ronald quickly got up and looked around.

He found that Catherine was right behind him, about six or seven meters apart, looking equally disheveled.

"Ronald, what do we do now?" Catherine called out almost simultaneously as she got up.

"Break this net first!" Ronald shouted.

Then, to demonstrate to Catherine, he moved his body to the edge of the plank and shoved a corner of the trap net that held him into the Digestion River. With a similar 'sizzle' sound, this unbreakable constraint was corroded into a gap.

"Good idea!" Catherine behind him followed suit.

But unlike Ronald, who sat on the plank to recover his strength after escaping from the trap net, Catherine threw the tattered net into the Digestion River while cursing under her breath.

"What the hell is this!"

"This is the first time in my life that I've ever been carried around in a net like a wild boar!"

Ronald weakly waved his hand:

"Better save your energy and think of a way to cross this river!"

It's exhausting enough to be transported back and forth in a net, anyone with similar experience knows how draining it is.

Now, in the "Maze Picture Book," the advantage of spells is lost.

Even considering this from the direction of solving the labyrinth, recovering strength is definitely a high priority choice.

And looking around again.

This Digestion River, over ten meters wide, requires almost a ten-meter leap to escape.

However, the narrow plank doesn't even provide a run-up for jumping.

Even the world record holder for long jump couldn't make the 8.95-meter leap here!

So... how can one escape from this place?

Can't just jump down and swim!

Doing so, let alone returning to shore, you'd get dissolved in this 'river water' halfway!

In this urgent situation, Ronald focused his mind, searching for a way to escape from here.

However, not long after, Catherine behind him shouted and woke him from his thoughts:

"Ronald, do you hear the water?"

"Right ahead!"

Ronald turned his head, only then realizing the water sounds Catherine mentioned.

Along the direction of the Digestion River, the sound of water rushing changed from quiet to loud, from distant to near. Looking up from the plank, the space ahead gradually narrowed.

And at the farthest end, the tunnel bending downward drew all the water flow toward an unseen bottom, with roaring waterfall-like water sounds emanating from there.

"Down there is this creature's digestive organ!" Catherine shouted loudly.

"We have to find a way to escape!" Ronald replied.

"Have you thought of a way?" Catherine continued to ask.

On the rushing river, extremely corrosive liquids splashed during collisions, creating beautiful reflective water sprays. This scene looked thrilling and magnificent, but it was also a deadly trap.

Watching this scene, feeling the plank under his feet that was both bumpy and carrying his life, Ronald found no fear in his heart but suddenly a surge of courage.

Then he stood up, raised his vision as high as possible to look at the downward turning tunnel, and then at Catherine and himself.

Just like that, a bold idea popped into his mind.

"Catherine, see the tunnel that goes down?"

"The top of it is uneven. If we can seize the moment and jump over before the plank falls, we can escape!"

Catherine was not too keen on this idea:

"Do you think this is an adventure novel? Jumping over would have impact force, and the vibrations from the collision would bounce you off. This plan is completely unreliable!"

"Here, I'm an adventurer!" Ronald emphasized his identity in the "Maze Picture Book," and then immediately pointed to the plank beneath him, "And we also have this!"

Ronald was referring to the trap net that had previously bound them.

Though this thing would be corroded by the river water, its material was tough enough. Ronald could perhaps not grab the wall, but the net with numerous holes could easily wrap around it.

Thus, making the plan truly possible.

Catherine also realized this, thus commented:

"Oh no, Ronald! I threw my net into the river just now!"

When she had just escaped the trap net, Catherine, following her temper, had destroyed the trap net on the spot.

So now Ronald could escape like this, but Catherine couldn't!

"Better control your temper!" Ronald couldn't help but scold.

"No way! Don't even think about it!" Catherine's stance remained unwavering. Even in a matter of life and death, she didn't show any sign of wavering.

"..."

Ronald was choked back, and for a moment, was speechless.

But considering the person on the other side was Catherine, somehow everything felt just fine.

So he could only risk it first.

Having made up his mind, Ronald picked up the entire trap net, specially tied a tight knot on the hole he had just escaped through, and slung it over his shoulder.

By this time, the waterfall was already very near the two.

Life and death would be determined in a matter of minutes.

Standing on the plank, Ronald rubbed his feet left and right, balancing the plank while making himself stand more firmly.

Watching Catherine on the plank behind him, he shouted:

"I'll jump over; can you catch me?"

"Can you?" The girl raised an eyebrow, her voice as firm as steel, "If I don't catch you today, I'll jump down with you!"

Ronald decisively refused:

"Let's forget that; I have no plans to die with you!"

Just then, the water surface swirled, and the plank beneath Ronald's feet suddenly jostled.

Taking this opportunity, Ronald squeezed all his strength into his legs and then leaped backward.

—Inertia, help me out, would you?

As Ronald's body was mid-air, he thought this in his mind.

Then everything went dark, whether he descended or hit something, it was hard to say, but his face crashed into something.

What followed was the soft yet hard touch of a doll.

And when he fell into the trap before, he seemed to experience this once.

As Ronald's mind felt a bit stunned from the impact, Catherine's pained cry and inquiry too all rang out: 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"See? Didn't I catch you right on the spot?"

"Looks like we won't be dying together."