Lu Ziqing truly dared what others did not!
"Find a place to hide!"
"I, I think I’ve been shot!"
Shouts of alarm followed the gunfire, filling the air one after another—it seemed like three or four squads had encountered attacks!
The sounds were too close... Song Lili knew something was wrong.
"Xinglan! Wake up, we need to move!"
Song Lili shook Lin Xinglan awake, and through the drowsy haze, Lin Xinglan heard the rustling footsteps mingling with the piercing gunfire not far away, "What, what’s going on?"
"Can’t you tell that a squad is being attacked? Hurry up!"
The hurried footsteps were drawing ever closer, leaving Song Lili no spare time to explain to Lin Xinglan where the gunfire came from or who was behind it; she didn’t know herself!
After quickly gathering their belongings, she climbed down the tree, but Lin Xinglan, who had found climbing up easy, was now scared to descend. Trembling, she hesitated for a long time, too frightened to come down.
"If you don’t come down now, I’m leaving without you!"
That threat successfully frightened Lin Xinglan, who closed her eyes and leaped down.
Lin Xinglan sprained her ankle upon landing!
Song Lili covered her face, "You should have climbed down the tree, not jumped..."
Lin Xinglan’s ankle was truly sprained, sweat beading on her forehead from the pain.
Watching Lin Xinglan in distress, the first thought that flashed through Song Lili’s mind was that Lin Xinglan was deliberately holding her back...
Lin Xinglan clenched her lips, while Song Lili clenched her fists—the footsteps and the sound of battle were now no more than fifty meters away!
"Can you still walk?"
Song Lili crouched down and asked her.
If Lin Xinglan said she couldn’t walk, then Song Lili would have to leave her behind—
But Lin Xinglan mustered the strength to stand, shouldering her luggage, and as she lifted her head, Song Lili saw sweat sliding down her forehead.
Song Lili grabbed the bag on her and slung it over herself,
Lin Xinglan nodded firmly.
Judging solely by the sound of the footsteps, Song Lili estimated there were at least ten people behind them. It was hard to tell if they were friends or foes.
Sometimes, one has to admit that luck plays a crucial role. If the attackers or the ambushing team were positioned even closer to her and Lin Xinglan, they probably wouldn’t have had a chance to escape.
"Lin Xinglan, can you go any faster?"
Lin Xinglan gritted her teeth and nodded, quickening her already limping pace.
Song Lili led the way, fully aware of Lin Xinglan’s condition—the sprain must have been quite severe.
Even so, they couldn’t stop!
Song Lili didn’t dare to turn on the flashlight, and their approximate route depended on the barely useful map in her head.
There should be a mountain stream nearby, "Xinglan, this way!"
Song Lili, hearing the faint sound of water, immediately directed Lin Xinglan.
As they reached the creek, one after the other, they found the trees here were relatively lush, "I’ll go down first to check."
Having spoken, she groped her way down the valley wall to the valley floor. Looking up from below, this spot seemed easily defended.
"Xinglan, be careful and step slowly down the rocks, I’ll catch you."
Song Lili set their luggage at her feet and caught Lin Xinglan’s foot, then her leg, waist, until she was safely on the ground.
Lin Xinglan followed Song Lili deeper into the valley bottom, "Let’s hide here for now. We need to check your foot and assess the situation before we continue, okay?"