"It's me!" Lin Chen raised both hands and smiled.
Lan Xingyue snorted coldly and stopped paying attention to Lin Chen.
"Still mad at me?" Lin Chen chuckled.
Lan Xingyue didn't say a word, not even sparing Lin Chen a glance.
Lin Chen sat beside Lan Xingyue and handed her a photograph.
"Is this photo yours? You dropped it while you were running earlier. She looks so much like you, very beautiful too." Lin Chen smiled.
Lan Xingyue was first stunned upon seeing the photo in Lin Chen's hand, then hurriedly snatched it back and tucked it into her inner pocket.
Lin Chen gave a faint smile and said, "You entered the secret realm to find her, didn't you?"
Lan Xingyue's gaze slightly sharpened as she looked at Lin Chen.
Lin Chen continued on his own, "Actually, I also have my reasons for entering the secret realm. I need the Flower of Life to save a girl. She's become comatose because of me and is still lying in bed. Only the Flower of Life can wake her up."
"We were high school classmates. Back then, she was a top student, and I was a failing one..."
Listening to Lin Chen's story about Zhao Xiaowen, Lan Xingyue couldn't help but lose herself in thought.
All this time, Lin Chen had always struck her as frivolous, someone who liked to hit on girls. Yet, she hadn't expected him to have a heart full of loyalty and affection.
"Alright, my story's done. Care to tell yours?" Lin Chen grinned.
Lan Xingyue shot Lin Chen a sideways glare. "Did I ever say I'd tell you my story? Now go to sleep. Tomorrow, we'll be crossing a river, and it's sure to drain a lot of energy."
Lin Chen chuckled. "Which is why, as the team leader, you need to conserve your energy and keep your spiritual power sharp. I'll keep watch tonight while you sleep."
"No way. Tomorrow, you're in charge of reconnaissance and covering us, so you need proper rest." Lan Xingyue shook her head.
"Silly, haven't you heard that martial artists don't need sleep? We have our own ways to maintain high energy levels. Come on, be good." Lin Chen's expression was like coaxing a child, making Lan Xingyue laugh despite herself.
"Alright then, I leave it to you." Lan Xingyue leapt down from the tree canopy and headed toward the campsite.
After walking a few steps, she suddenly remembered something: "Oh right, thanks for earlier."
Lin Chen gave a faint smile. "Serving a beautiful lady is the least I can do."
Lan Xingyue shot Lin Chen a glare upon seeing his unserious demeanor and turned away to leave.
Watching Lan Xingyue leave, Lin Chen smiled faintly and closed his eyes.
At this moment, Lin Chen was in a strange state—a meditative trance. Although he appeared to be resting, every movement in the surrounding environment was under his control.
The next day, the group continued advancing according to the markings on the map.
After traveling more than ten kilometers, Lin Chen's ears perked up. "Do you hear that? The sound of water."
Lan Xingyue unfolded the map and said, "Fantastic, we've finally reached the river."
This river marked the watershed on the map, proving they had already completed half the journey.
The group walked another four hundred meters before finally seeing a rushing river ahead.
It was the rainy season, and the river was swollen and turbulent.
Yue'er approached the riverbank to inspect it, then returned to the shore. "Captain, this current is far too strong. We can't cross it."
Lan Xingyue looked at the map. "According to the map, there's supposed to be a bridge five kilometers upstream where we can cross."
The group followed the riverbank and headed toward the marked bridge.
On the opposite side of the river, over thirty armed individuals were hiding in the bushes.
"Domi, have you set the explosives?" one of the armed men asked coldly.
"Relax, the bombs are already in place on the bridge. Once they step onto it, they're as good as dead," a black man sneered.
By this time, Lin Chen and his group had reached the riverbank.
"Captain, the bridge is right up ahead," Yue'er said with a smile.
"Great, get ready to cross," Lan Xingyue said with joy, giving orders to the group.
"Wait, there's something wrong with this bridge," Lin Chen said in a deep voice.
"Something wrong?" Lan Xingyue paused.
Lin Chen handed her a pair of binoculars. "Take a look underneath the bridge."
Lan Xingyue took the binoculars and looked under the bridge, her face changing instantly. "Bombs!"
Lin Chen nodded. "Those guys are truly despicable. They planted explosives under the bridge. If we make it halfway across and it gets blown up, we'll likely all perish."
"What should we do, then?" Lan Xingyue frowned.
Lin Chen smirked coldly. "Wait until nightfall. I'll cross the river and deal with those scumbags."
Lan Xingyue nodded. "Alright, then let's retreat for now."
The group silently withdrew into the jungle to camp and rest.
As darkness fell, the Red Scarf Army leader hiding in the bushes frowned. "These idiots still haven't come. Damn it, looks like we're staying here another night."
"Boss, why do you listen to that Hahn so much?" a black man asked, puzzled.
"Fool, they provide us with weapons and can help us overthrow the government. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," the man replied coldly.
The night deepened, and the jungle grew quiet. Only the low chirping of insects and the rustling movements of nocturnal animals in the grass could be heard.
By the riverbank, two shadows emerged faintly.
Lin Chen stood at a narrower section of the riverbank and took out a grappling hook.
After swinging the hook a few times in the air, Lin Chen released it. The hook shot across the river and latched onto a branch of a tree on the opposite bank.
Securing the grappling hook, Lin Chen turned to Zhao Xiaohua beside him. "It's time to move. Stick close to me!"
Zhao Xiaohua smiled faintly. "Alright, but let's see if you can keep up."
The two of them climbed onto the rope and swiftly crossed the turbulent river in the darkness.
Even though they were advancing on the swaying rope, their speed remained unaffected.
The thirty-plus meters of rope were traversed in under two minutes.
Reaching the opposite bank, Lin Chen and Zhao Xiaohua crouched in a shaded area, grinning. "Xiaohua, your speed is freakish."
Though only a short distance, crossing the river had been incredibly challenging.
Not only did it require maintaining balance, but it also called for incredible speed—pushing their explosive power and equilibrium to the limit.
"Of course. But you've improved a lot too. In such a short time, you've already reached the Divine Vein realm," Zhao Xiaohua praised.
"Average, average—second best in the world," Lin Chen joked.
"Then who's number one?" Zhao Xiaohua asked curiously.
"Obviously you. I still can't fathom your strength, even after reaching the Divine Vein realm," Lin Chen replied irritably.
Zhao Xiaohua smiled faintly. "You should count yourself lucky. Reaching the Divine Vein realm this fast—you're practically a prodigy."
After taking a moment to recover, the two moved rapidly toward the bridge under the moonlight.