Chapter 16: Ye Mo in the Ground Trap

"I won!"

Running to the entrance of the garrison, Li Qilang immediately looked at Li Wuya, who was trailing a few steps behind, with a face full of triumph.

"Mm."

Li Wuya gave a perfunctory response, appearing somewhat listless.

It was only then that Jin Yue'e and the others noticed that Li Wuya's face was frighteningly pale.

"Wuya, what's wrong?" Jin Yue'e asked nervously.

Rubbing her throbbing, aching head, Li Wuya said in a muffled voice, "I just ran too fast. I'll be fine once I rest a bit!"

Jin Yue'e felt both exasperated and helpless. "Don't run like that in the future."

Li Wuya leaned against Jin Yue'e, pretending to rest, but her attention was entirely focused on the two Northern Yan people who had been following them.

Seeing that her complexion was indeed improving after a short rest, Jin Yue'e and the others stopped worrying.

Seeing the group enter the garrison, the Northern Yan men hesitated for a moment before disappearing into the crowd with grim expressions.

Once the two had left, the tension in Li Wuya's heart finally eased. She shook her head at Li Sanlang, who was trying his best to appear calm, signaling that the people had gone.

Noticing the strange behavior between the two, Li Erya looked from Li Wuya to Li Sanlang and asked in a low voice, "What kind of mischief are you two up to?"

They were walking fine just a moment ago; why did they suddenly start running?

Li Wuya hadn't decided whether to mention being followed by the Northern Yan people, so she decisively tossed the question to Li Sanlang: "Ask Brother."

Li Erya turned to Li Sanlang, waiting for his answer.

Li Sanlang: "..."

He hadn't decided either!

If he spoke, it would surely cause panic among the family. If Mother found out, she would inevitably tell Father. Father would have to go to the battlefield, and the battlefield was dangerous; he couldn't let Father be distracted by family matters.

Furthermore, he felt that even if he spoke, it wouldn't solve the problem; it would only increase the panic.

But if he didn't speak, what if the Northern Yan people came back for revenge next time? Wouldn't the unsuspecting family be completely defenseless?

Li Sanlang hesitated deeply and instinctively looked toward Li Wuya.

Seeing his little sister's face tense and pale, looking deeply troubled and worried, while beside her, the innocent and carefree Qilang stood in stark contrast, Li Sanlang suddenly felt a jolt of realization. He realized his way of thinking and acting was wrong.

He was the older brother. Now that the family was facing trouble, it was his responsibility to find a solution. How could he transfer his worries to his sister? Wuya was only five years old; she should be as carefree as Qilang.

It was partly his fault that Wuya's performance during the last siege of the relay station had shocked and impressed him so much that whenever trouble arose, he instinctively turned to her, completely forgetting her age.

Seeing Li Sanlang's silence, Li Erya curled her lip. Since they were away from home, she didn't want to pry too much, but she planned to interrogate her sister thoroughly once they returned home.

Wuya was ticklish; she wouldn't be able to keep secrets from her.

Having confirmed that Li Wuya was fine, Jin Yue'e went to negotiate with the gate guards, ignoring the silent communication between the children.

Li Changsen had some reputation in the garrison. Upon learning that Jin Yue'e and the four children were his family, the guard immediately went inside to call for him.

Soon, Li Changsen appeared at the garrison entrance, sweating profusely and looking overjoyed. "Why are you all here?"

Seeing her husband, Jin Yue'e was also very happy, though she said with a hint of reproach, "You haven't been home for half a year. Can't I and the children come to see you?"

Li Changsen grinned widely. He pulled the four children forward one by one to inspect them. Seeing that they had all grown sturdier, his eyes crinkled into crescents as he smiled. "Come, I'll take you to the barracks to sit down."

As he spoke, he crouched down, intending to pick up Li Wuya and Li Qilang.

For the family's twins, Li Changsen loved carrying one in each arm.

In the past, Li Wuya loved sitting in her father's arms, but at this moment, her mind was heavy with secrets, so she dodged him. "Father, I'm not a three or four-year-old child anymore. I can walk by myself."

With that, she ran to take Li Sanlang's hand.

"Father, although I'm also five and not a three or four-year-old, I'll let you carry me!" Li Qilang said with a beaming smile as he hugged Li Changsen.

Li Changsen felt a bit of regret that he couldn't hold his little daughter, but seeing his eldest daughter standing nearby, he cheered up again. It was good that he had two daughters; if the little one wouldn't be held, holding the eldest daughter's hand would suffice.

The family then walked toward the barracks, chatting and laughing.

On the way, while Jin Yue'e was talking to Li Changsen, Li Wuya and Li Sanlang whispered to each other from a few steps behind.

"Brother, do you think if we tell Father about those two Northern Yan people following us, and then have Father tell the garrison officials, they will care?"

Li Sanlang was skeptical. "The garrison officials might not believe us."

Li Wuya thought it made sense. She was only five, and even her brother was only ten. In the eyes of outsiders, they were just two immature children. The credibility of them claiming to have spotted Northern Yan people in the city was indeed too low.

Li Sanlang continued, "Besides, Wuya, did you see where the Northern Yan people were staying?"

Li Wuya shook her head. She realized she had discovered the Northern Yan people's presence too late.

Li Sanlang said, "Without knowing their location, catching them would require a city-wide search. The garrison officials won't make such a massive commotion."

Li Wuya frowned. "Then what should we do?" She looked frustrated. "It's all my fault. At the relay station last time, I only thought about drugging those Northern Yan people, but I didn't realize that the leak of information would bring us such big trouble."

Li Sanlang quickly comforted her, "Wuya, it's not your fault. You're only five. Being able to show such quick wit is already amazing. Even I am not as clever as you."

Li Wuya wasn't comforted at all; her expression remained gloomy.

If this matter wasn't handled correctly, it would bring great disaster to the family.

*We were too careless. Our family is too weak to withstand even a small storm. From now on, we must act with extreme discretion,* Li Wuya silently warned herself.

At this moment, a profound sense of crisis surged in her heart.

*It's because my strength is too low!*

Her mental strength recovered too slowly. Having forcibly overextended it to manipulate objects just now, her head was still throbbing with pain.

Without being able to raise her mental strength, she could not protect herself.

For now, she still had to rely on learning martial arts.

No matter what, learning the martial arts of this world would provide her with diverse ways to protect herself; she couldn't rely solely on her mental strength.

Mentioning martial arts, Li Wuya couldn't help but think of Ye Mo and hurriedly asked, "Father, how is Uncle Ye doing at the garrison?"

Li Changsen, who had been talking animatedly, froze. He glanced cautiously around before whispering a warning, "Do not mention Ye Mo in the garrison."

Li Wuya looked puzzled. "Why?"

Seeing Li Changsen's hesitation, Jin Yue'e quickly pulled Li Wuya aside. "If your father tells you not to mention it, just remember it. Why do you ask so many questions?"

Li Wuya didn't ask further. Once her headache subsided slightly, she released her mental strength outward.

"The barracks are here!"

The garrison was massive, and her mental strength could only probe things within a ten-meter radius. She didn't find Ye Mo until Li Changsen led them into their living quarters.

However, while her mother was telling her father the details of the family's affairs, she "heard" a conversation between two soldiers in the adjacent barracks. They were talking about Ye Mo.

"Do you think Lame Ye will survive this time?"

"Hard to say. That man is incredibly tough. Every time we think he won't make it, he somehow pulls through. I just passed the training grounds; he's been locked up for two days and he's still breathing."

"To be fair, Lame Ye has some skill. Not only did he survive the battlefield, but he's also withstood pressure from the higher-ups time and time again."

"Sigh, I don't know why he caught the eye of the superiors. They seem hell-bent on killing him."

"I actually know a bit of the inside story, but I'm telling you, don't spread it."

"Quick, tell me! I definitely won't tell anyone."

"I heard it from an old veteran. Before Lame Ye was exiled to the border, his background was quite extraordinary. They say he was from the nobility in the capital."

"Really?!"

"Of course. Do you know how his leg became lame? He was pinned down and his tendons were forcibly severed. They originally intended to sever both, but the higher-ups wanted to see him live like a dog, so they left him one leg."

"Tsk tsk, just how much hatred is there?"

"Who knows!"

"No wonder. No matter how wretched and fallen Lame Ye is, he's hard to ignore when he stands in a crowd. So he was once a noble!"

"Hmph, so what if he was a noble? Now he lives like a pig or a dog. Even if he earned merits on the battlefield, they'll just be credited to someone else. He lives worse than we do!"

"Sigh, Ye Mo is quite pitiful. I think he's dead this time. The Commander announced he'd be kept in a 'ground cage' for seven days. The weather is so cold and it's been snowing continuously; even if he had an iron body, he wouldn't be able to endure it!"

"If he dies, he dies. People die at the border every day. The Northern Yan are getting more and more aggressive; maybe next time we go to battle, neither you nor I will make it back alive."

"Sigh..."

The conversation ended there as the two soldiers left the barracks.

Li Wuya frowned in thought. After pondering for a moment, she decided to go and see.

If she missed Ye Mo, she might not find another person who knew internal martial arts.

Her father knew external martial arts, but Li Wuya really didn't want to learn that; besides, her father's external style wasn't considered top-tier.

Acting on impulse, while her family was busy chatting, Li Wuya slipped out of the barracks. Unexpectedly, she was spotted by Li Sanlang before she even reached the door.

Li Wuya quickly signaled him with her eyes, asking him to cover for her.

Li Sanlang looked helpless, but before he could respond, Li Wuya had already vanished.

Thinking that the garrison was quite safe, Li Sanlang hesitated but ultimately decided not to tell his parents.

By then, Li Wuya had already left the barracks area. She wasn't afraid of being seen; after all, she was just a five-year-old child.

Children run around all the time; no one would truly hold it against her.

However, she still tried her best to avoid people.

On her way to the barracks earlier, she had scanned the training grounds and managed to sneak over quite smoothly.

Upon reaching the entrance of the training grounds, Li Wuya saw the "ground cage" the soldiers had mentioned, and she saw Ye Mo.

The cage was embedded in the ground, about a foot high. Ye Mo was lying flat inside, covered by a thin layer of snow. His body had turned purple from the cold, and his lips were dark.

The low, narrow cage didn't even allow him to turn over. Setting aside the freezing weather, lying motionless inside for seven days was not something an ordinary person could endure.

Li Wuya used her mental strength to carefully probe Ye Mo's condition. She found that his chest was still rising and falling; though slow, it was steady and rhythmic.

Clearly, he was doing his utmost to conserve his body's energy.

It seemed Ye Mo had not given up on survival!

Li Wuya felt an inexplicable sense of relief. Her interest in Ye Mo was partly due to his internal martial arts, but more so because she saw qualities in him that reminded her of the struggle for survival in the apocalypse.

No matter the wind or rain, one persists; one does not give up, even through the fiercest storms.

He was very, very similar to those who fought to survive in the end times.

Just then, Ye Mo, who had been motionless as if frozen to death, suddenly tilted his head slightly and looked toward Li Wuya's direction.

Li Wuya quickly ducked behind a door.

*What sharp perception!*

Ye Mo's skills were definitely formidable; otherwise, he wouldn't have detected her probing.

This strengthened Li Wuya's resolve to help him. A person like this should not be allowed to freeze to death silently in the ice and snow.

Without lingering, Li Wuya hurried back to the barracks.

Once back, taking advantage of her mother's attention being on her father, Li Wuya secretly opened her bundle and took out the sliced blood ginseng.

"Wuya, what are you doing?"

Li Sanlang walked over.

Li Wuya thought for a moment and decided to tell him about Ye Mo. "Uncle Ye saved us. I want to help him. The blood ginseng can help him pull through."

Li Sanlang fell silent but did not stop her.

A single blood ginseng had only been sliced into about ten pieces. Li Wuya first took three slices, but remembering that Ye Mo was to be confined for seven days and only two had passed, she took two more.

Five slices of blood ginseng—exactly one slice per day.

Li Wuya gave her father an apologetic look, thinking to herself: *Father, in order for us to learn internal martial arts, I have to borrow a few of your slices of blood ginseng.*

She tore off half of the oil paper from the ginseng bundle, wrapped the five slices inside, and squeezed it into a ball in her hand. Then, she went to find Li Qilang.

"Qilang, there's so much snow outside! Let's have a snowball fight!"

Hearing this, Jin Yue'e immediately stopped them. "This is a garrison. No fooling around."

Li Changsen laughed. "It's fine. There's no training today, and we're in the barracks. If the children want to play, let them."

Li Sanlang quickly added, "Mother, I'll watch my younger siblings."

Seeing that both her husband and eldest son had spoken, Jin Yue'e stopped protesting.

Li Wuya quickly grabbed Li Qilang and ran out, with Li Sanlang following close behind.

Under Li Wuya's intentional guidance, she and Li Qilang played a snowball fight all the way to the training grounds.

*Thud!*

The sound of a snowball hitting something rang in her ears. Ye Mo's eyes, which had been closed, flickered.

He thought it was just another soldier from the garrison throwing snowballs at him, but in the next moment, a snowball hit the back of his hand with unerring accuracy.

Ye Mo's hand shot out to grab the snowball. With a slight squeeze, he immediately noticed something unusual inside.

Then, he heard a familiar young girl's voice.

"Brother, what place is this? Can we go in to play with snowballs?"

"No, Wuya. You can't run around in the garrison. Let's go back quickly."

As the voices faded into the distance, Ye Mo tilted his head slightly and saw three familiar figures. Even for a man who usually remained calm and unruffled regardless of the circumstances, a look of astonishment crossed his face.

It was that thick-skinned little girl!

Only after their backs disappeared and the training grounds returned to silence did Ye Mo look around. After ensuring no one was watching, he carefully opened the paper bundle in his hand.

Seeing the contents of the bundle, a glimmer of light appeared in Ye Mo's dead eyes.

It was the thirst for life!