Half an hour later, a shallow river appeared ahead, and everyone rushed into the river. Luo Zheng shouted, "Start running upstream along the river, we're almost there." Everyone understood Luo Zheng's intention. Running on the road always left one kind of trace or another, and although the heavy rain concealed them, a tracking expert could still discover them. Running in the river was different; everyone mustered their energy, like wild horses breaking free, and began to sprint upstream.
About ten minutes later, a waterfall appeared ahead, a place everyone had been to before. Behind the waterfall was a cave, perfect for a hideout. Everyone made a final sprint against the torrential rain, dashed to the base of the waterfall, jumped onto the rocks, and familiarly made their way behind the waterfall and into the cave.
The cave wasn't very large, ford naturally, all stone, and sowhat damp. Everyone was wearing waterproof black bodysuits, so they weren't afraid of the rainwater. They each found a place to sit down and rest, set down their backpacks, and took deep breaths. Luo Zheng concealed himself at the entrance of the cave, calmly observing the situation outside.
After about half an hour, a team rushed by, following the downstream flow and quickly disappearing without a trace. There were about forty people, each ard to the teeth, exuding a beast-like presence, and their movents were practiced and agile, clearly no ordinary bunch. After these people had left, Luo Zheng ca to the cave entrance, had Snow Leopard stand guard, took off his clothes to spread on the boulders to dry, and removed his boots to let his feet relax a bit while saying, "The pursuers have gone downstream."
"If they can't find us downstream, will they return?" Ghost Hand asked worriedly.
Luo Zheng pondered for a while and said, "It's not very likely. In normal tis perhaps they would, but with this downpour washing away any traces and even masking our scent, it won't be easy for them to find us. The downstream stretch is so long, who knows where we got out and left?"
"Better safe than sorry, let's take turns keeping watch," Lan Xue said in a low voice, moving to the deepest part of the cave. She hung her outer garnts on the rocks; being a girl, she was a bit shy, but it was alright since she was wearing a bodysuit underneath. Everyone tactfully turned their backs, looking out of the cave.
"Ghost, if that guy really was a top dog and we killed him, the people from the training camp are sure to seek crazy revenge. The group of pursuers might run into the Arctic Bear Country army arriving after hearing the news. That could be quite a drama, a real pity we can only hide here and can't go out to watch," Ghost Hand said in a hushed, cheerful tone.
"How about I go out for a spin?" Mountain Eagle suggested eagerly.
"Stay put, we're all tired too. Let's rest for now, and we'll talk about it at night," Luo Zheng suggested.
Once everyone heard Luo Zheng was planning to move at night, their eyes lit up, and they chuckled understandingly, each closing their eyes to conserve energy. The rapid escape had drained everyone's strength, and it was a good ti to recover.
"Let's eat so dry food. Once the rain stops, we'll move imdiately, no need to wait for night. You, co here for a second," Lan Xue's voice suddenly ca through everyone's earpieces. Everyone agreed, looking at Luo Zheng with knowing smiles.
Luo Zheng shot everyone a glare and approached Lan Xue; he slouched on a rock, his gaze quickly drawn to the swell of Lan Xue's chest, and he beca a bit dazed. A rush of blood soared to his head, and he couldn't help his mouth going dry and his tongue feeling parched. When Lan Xue saw Luo Zheng's expression, she rolled her eyes but felt delighted inside. Which woman doesn't like their lover to be infatuated with their body?
"What's wrong?" Luo Zheng, seeing the look Lan Xue gave him, suddenly ca back to his senses and asked awkwardly.
"Now that we've been exposed, and before the training camp figures out our real identities, let's continue upward once the rain stops. I'm afraid they'll evacuate imdiately since they've had a conflict with Arctic Bear Country and people on both sides have been killed. This enmity isn't sothing that can just be resolved. The people from the training camp can only withdraw, or they'll face encirclent, so we must follow them, to see if Tiger King is there," Lan Xue said gravely.
"That makes sense. We lured this fierce wolf from Arctic Bear Country here to disrupt the training camp's formation and cause chaos, to force them to withdraw so we can take the opportunity to look for Tiger King. If Tiger King isn't in the training camp, everything we've done is aningless. We can't kill all the enemies; there's no point wasting our ti here," Luo Zheng agreed.
Lan Xue nodded calmly and patted the rock next to her, gesturing for Luo Zheng to sit closer. Luo Zheng looked shyly at Ghost Hand and the others, who were facing away near the mouth of the cave, paying no attention to the inside. He then sat down. Lan Xue turned and leaned on Luo Zheng's back, her head on his shoulder, and soon began to breathe evenly, asleep.
A pang of pain hit Luo Zheng's heart, and he felt a deep sha. Along the way, Lan Xue had also borne a lot of pressure, and they hadn't had a proper sleep. Although she was stronger than Ghost Hand and others, she was still a girl, and just as weary. He hadn't taken good care of her, failing in his duty as a man.
"Sleep, sleep to your heart's content. I'm here for everything," Luo Zheng said to himself. His eyes filled with determination and his body remained still, trying to allow Lan Xue to sleep more soundly. Inhaling the fragrance of Lan Xue's body, Luo Zheng didn't entertain a single frivolous thought, filled instead with deep guilt and self-reproach.
After a while, Snow Leopard and Ghost Hand changed guard, entering the cave. Seeing the scene, they chuckled and gave a thumbs-up before sitting down quietly and starting to clean their guns, which are a soldier's second life. They maintained them whenever the conditions allowed, keeping the weapons in the best possible condition—a survival rule of the battlefield.
Mountain Eagle ca over, pointed at Luo Zheng's sniper rifle, and Luo Zheng nodded in understanding. Mountain Eagle picked up the rifle and went aside to maintain it. Luo Zheng gave a grateful smile without moving, listening to Lan Xue's even breathing, feeling incredibly secure. With a love untainted by life or death by his side and comrades willing to share fate in battle, Luo Zheng suddenly felt filled with strength and confidence, his fighting spirit surging.
More than two hours later, the downpour had lessened significantly. Mountain Eagle, on guard duty, rushed back with a grave expression and signaled danger with his hands. Ghost Hand and Snow Leopard grabbed their weapons and dashed out. A team was seen coming back along the river, their route the waterfall—had they been discovered?
Everyone's faces blanched, and they hurried back inside the cave, quietly informing Luo Zheng of the situation. By then, Lan Xue had already woken up. Hearing the news, her complexion paled, and she fully awoke, whispering, "We don't know if we've been found, let's hide first and see."
"Right, the cave is spacious enough to hide a few of us. Those coming must be pursuers. Let's not reveal ourselves. If they find the cave behind the waterfall, they'll surely send soone to check. Then we'll have no choice but to fight," Luo Zheng said in a low voice, his eyes turning icy, filled with intense battle intent.
User Comments
0 comments from readers