Translator: Legge Editor: Legge
Ren Xiaosu did not have to go out to look for food anymore. Driven by the fear of death, Liu Bu’s mind was no longer on Ren Xiaosu taking their food. Everyone was now thinking about how to survive the night. Or rather, they were thinking of how to make it out alive from this place instead of worrying about what there was to eat at night.
That same night, some of them did not even want to set up their tents to sleep in as they were afraid it would hinder their escape route. However, Xu Xianchu did not allow them to do so. “Get all of your tents set up. It’s already late autumn. If you don’t have a tent to protect yourselves from the wind, you won’t be able to make it out of the Jing Mountains once you fall sick!”
The group built a bonfire and sat quietly around it. Although they did not dare to go far or venture into the woods again while collecting firewood, they still managed to collect quite a bit of it with their combined efforts. It seemed that the larger the campfire was, the more of a sense of security they felt.
This time, Ren Xiaosu did not start a campfire by himself because Xu Xianchu requested for him to join their discussion.
“What gives him the right to sit here?” Liu Bu said displeased, “How can we sit together with a refugee? Ren Xiaosu, go and sit a little further back.”
No one rebuked Liu Bu because there was no reason in offending people like him over a refugee.
Everyone had been sitting together in a circle. However, after Liu Bu forced Ren Xiaosu to sit further out by himself, it suddenly looked like he was just listening in on their conversation.
They really needed Ren Xiaosu to give them some suggestions, but in Liu Bu’s opinion, Ren Xiaosu could just answer whatever questions they had from the back.
However, Xu Xianchu was much more rational than Liu Bu. “Quit discussing irrelevant matters. We have to seriously discuss the issue of whether we’re continuing ahead or returning to town.”
Xu Xianchu had previously insisted on heading to the Jing Mountains because he had to consider his future and situation in the stronghold. However, he had also become disheartened with the current circumstances. Even if he were expelled from the stronghold and became a refugee, it would still be better than dying out here.
The soldiers trusted the cold and emotionless guns in their hands. But when they realized that even guns might not be able to solve their problems, a great fear started growing in the soldiers. Their greatest reliance could no longer provide them with a sense of security.
When Xu Xianchu saw that everyone had calmed down, he said, “We’re faced with a dilemma. On one hand, we can walk through the canyon where unknown dangers lurk, but there could also be the existence of some creatures that even supernatural beings can’t cope with. Otherwise, it’s very difficult to explain why someone would come all the way here by themselves and leave behind a warning saying ‘Stop here, ye who live.’”
Xu Xianchu continued, “But on the other hand, there are hidden dangers in the woods as well. The mysterious death of Xu Xia and the disappearance of his body are unsolved mysteries. So we’re also unsure of what we’ll encounter on our way back.”
Luo Xinyu suddenly said, “Although we did face some dangers in the wods, our forces have not been wiped out. After all, so many of us are still alive after getting here, but it’s very difficult to say what danger lies beyond the canyon. I still think it’s better to face the dangers in the woods.”
After passing through the woods, only one person on the team had died. Even if another person died on their way back, they might not be that unfortunate one. Therefore, turning back was probably the best choice for them.
But Xu Xianchu was still in a predicament. Should he really return? If he did, how would his superiors at the stronghold make things difficult for him?
Everyone fell silent again. Ren Xiaosu looked at Yang Xiaojin and noticed she still looked calm and composed. It was as if she didn’t care about whether they were going back or staying here.
Wait a minute, could Yang Xiaojin be that legendary supernatural being?
Ren Xiaosu could not confirm it. But for some reason, he suddenly felt that Yang Xiaojin seemed to have a different purpose from everyone else in coming here. When they were eating the fish, Ren Xiaosu thought that Yang Xiaojin had come along to protect Luo Xinyu as they were friends.
But the problem was that Luo Xinyu and Yang Xiaojin did not look like they had a particularly close friendship. Their relationship was just like that of employer and employee.
Ren Xiaosu rather yearned to see the supernatural beings that Xu Xianchu and the others mentioned. However, he did not feel envious of them because he was one of the “supernatural beings” himself. It was just that he had not grown that strong yet.
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Luo Xinyu observed Xu Xianchu’s expression and said, “Sir, are you worried about the situation you’ll be caught in if we return to the stronghold? You don’t have to worry about that. Once we get back, I can find someone to transfer you out of the private army, even if it means arranging for you to do clerical work.”
Xu Xianchu was taken aback. “Are you serious?”
Luo Xinyu said earnestly, “Of course, I still have quite a bit of influence in the stronghold.”
Her words seemed to be quite effective as Xu Xianchu finally made up his mind. “Alright, let’s set off early tomorrow morning and return to the stronghold!”
At this moment, the wind in the canyon stopped blowing. When the loud howling ceased, the entire woods fell silent.
In this moment of silence, everyone’s hairs stood on end when they suddenly heard the sound of chewing coming from the pickup. Liu Bu trembled and said, “What’s that sound?”
“I think it’s coming from the bed of the pickup!”
Everyone looked over in horror. They couldn’t figure out why there were sounds coming from the bed of the pickup when it was only their daily necessities in there. Moreover, Ren Xiaosu was also out here with them, so what was making that sound?
Xu Xianchu’s expression turned black after getting frightened. “I don’t believe there’s something that isn’t afraid of bullets!” He then signaled for the private troops to move slowly toward the pickup.
The chewing had been going on for a while now, but they could not hear it over the loud wind blowing in the canyon.
Ren Xiaosu also stood up. It seemed that after his physical fitness had gotten stronger. He did not feel cold even though he was only wearing a thin jacket in late fall.
He had held his bone knife in his hand the entire time. When he turned around and looked at Yang Xiaojin, she also had her hand on the pistol she carried with her.
Xu Xianchu and the others slowly approached the pickup. All of a sudden, a shadowy figure jumped out of the pickup truck’s cargo bed and frightened everyone. They immediately started shooting before they could even process what had happened.
The dark figure encountered a fierce barrage of gunfire while in midair and was sent flying backwards after getting hit by several bullets. At this moment, they heard another sound coming from the pickup’s cargo bed. Without pausing to think, Xu Xianchu and the others started shooting mercilessly at the bed of the pickup.
Click, click!
The empty guns made clicking noises. These soldiers had finished firing all their rounds in the magazines and the pickup was now in a terrible condition. It was full of holes and the fuel tank had started leaking. Someone actually fired at the fuel tank and left a bullet hole in it.
However, Ren Xiaosu was not worried that the pickup would explode. This was because he had the relevant knowledge with his Advanced Firearms Proficiency: Unless firebombs are used, it is very difficult to blow up a fuel tank by shooting at it with guns.
Xu Xianchu slowly approached the pickup as he got ready to check out the shadowy figure that had jumped out. But after he saw it, he was somewhat frustrated. What frightened them turned out to be just a rat stealing their food!
“How did that rat grow to become so big?” Liu Bu was still in a state of shock. “It’s almost the size of two human heads.”
Xu Xianchu cast aside his fear and looked into the pickup. There was another rat in there that had already been riddled with bullets.
It turned out to be just a false alarm. Everyone was becoming too nervous and would get suspicious of any slight movements around them.
It was time to return to the stronghold. No one could withstand this tremendous mental pressure if they remained here.
But at this moment, Ren Xiaosu spun around and looked at the route they’d come from. He saw a silver wolf standing on the top of a cliff not far away looking right at them. It was the Wolf King!
‘This is bad! Why have they come back so quickly!’