Chapter 8: Mountains and Forests, Staying Overnight

Xiao Jin looked at Su Ying, who was only a palm’s width away from him, and his body stiffened. A flash of disgust crossed his eyes, and he quickly retreated to put more distance between them.

His instinctive gesture of repulsion made Su Ying extremely annoyed. If it weren't for her, he would still be reeking of rotting flesh—he had no right to be disgusted with her!

Su Ying gave him a cold glare. Considering he was concerned about Dabao, she said coldly, "He still has a low fever, and the redness and swelling of the wound haven't completely subsided, but it’s not a major problem."

With a worried expression, Xiao Jin reached out and touched Dabao’s forehead. Although there was still a slight fever, Dabao’s condition looked better than it had yesterday; Su Ying’s medicine must have taken effect.

Su Ying had originally wanted to take this opportunity to find some supplies in the mountains, but the guards were constantly patrolling back and forth. If she left the group now, she would be too conspicuous, and she feared the guards might cause trouble for Xiao Jin and the others while she was away, so she had to give up for the time being.

After the group rested for about two quarters of an hour, they had to continue their journey.

"Move faster! If you can't get down the mountain before dark, prepare to be food for the wild beasts!" the head guard shouted from the front, whipping any prisoner who moved too slowly.

Afraid of being beaten, everyone had to grit their teeth and keep walking, even though they were too weak to lift their legs.

The further the group went into the mountains, the darker it became. The scorching sun in the sky could not penetrate the thick leaves to shine into the forest.

Because the group was so large, the small animals in the forest had all been scared away. Along the way, Su Ying didn't even see a single wild rabbit.

As the sky gradually darkened, they were still on the mountain. The forest was already so dark that the path ahead was barely visible, and everyone had to continue walking in the dark.

"Boss, I’m afraid we won't make it down the mountain before dark. We should find an open space to settle down," a guard suggested.

The head guard looked at the deep, endless forest submerged in darkness and nodded. "Find a larger clearing, preferably one where we can corral the people."

"There’s a flat slope just ahead. I checked it; it can easily accommodate several hundred people."

"Then head that way."

Under the guards' orders, the group arrived at the flat slope.

The vegetation here was relatively sparse, allowing a faint moonlight to filter through for illumination.

Once they arrived, the guards began distributing the day’s dry rations. After putting the two children down, Su Ying went to collect her share. She didn't lack food, but if she didn't collect it, others would notice the food she produced out of thin air, which would surely bring her unnecessary trouble.

She wasn't afraid of trouble, but she couldn't disregard the safety of the two children.

Although the guards didn't want to give Su Ying any rations, the memory of her fist made them honestly place the food in her hands.

As Su Ying walked back, she heard Erbao’s joyful cry.

"Brother, you’re awake!"

Su Ying couldn't help but quicken her pace. By the faint light of a nearby campfire, she saw that Dabao had opened his eyes.

"Ji'er." Xiao Jin stepped forward and carefully helped Dabao lean against him.

Dabao looked around weakly with his large eyes. "Father..."

Seeing Dabao wake up, the hostility in Xiao Jin’s brow faded slightly. "It’s good that you’re awake."

"He’s awake. Here, drink some water first." Su Ying handed over the water bag she had been carrying. It was the same one she had brought during the exile, but it didn't contain ordinary water; it was filled with nutrient solution from her space.

As soon as Dabao saw Su Ying, his small, sword-like brows furrowed. He glared at her with a mix of fear and anger. "You bad, bad woman, don't come over here."

Seeing the little one’s stubbornness, Su Ying didn't approach further but handed the water bag to Xiao Jin. "Since he’s awake, there shouldn't be any major issues. Here is food and water; let him eat something."

Xiao Jin gave Su Ying a dark look before taking the water bag and bringing it to Dabao’s lips. "Ji'er, drink some water first."

Only then did Dabao obediently open his mouth. The moment the liquid flowed in, his eyes widened in surprise—why did this water taste sweet?

Because of Dabao’s rejection of Su Ying, Xiao Jin took on the role of a nursemaid, feeding Dabao water and then giving him some dry rations.

Dabao was still too weak; not long after he was full, he leaned against Xiao Jin and fell back asleep.

Su Ying chewed on her rations, her sharp phoenix eyes constantly observing the surroundings.

Xiao Jin had said that someone had been targeting the Prince Qi household throughout the journey, which meant that among these hundreds of people, there were many who wanted them dead. She could not afford to let her guard down.

Before going to sleep, the guards held their long whips, their sharp eyes scanning the prisoners.

"Behave yourselves tonight! Don't think you can escape this mountain on your own. I’m telling you, even if you escape our eyes, you won't escape the sharp mouths of wild beasts. The prisoners who were exiled before and tried to escape from here—their bones have already been chewed to pieces by beasts. If you don't want to die right now, stay here obediently."

The guard shouted his warning, walked a circle among the prisoners, and then returned to his post to keep watch.

As the night deepened, the prisoners, exhausted from a day of travel, fell into a deep sleep.

Su Ying leaned against a tree, feigning sleep. When she felt the breathing around her become steady, she suddenly opened her eyes.

Their location was just enough to avoid the guards' patrol line of sight. She glanced at Xiao Jin and the others, and seeing that Jiang Yang was standing guard instead of sleeping, she silently slipped away into the darkness toward the depths of the mountain.

Jiang Yang watched her leave. He frowned, wondering what trick Su Ying was up to again, but because he had to protect Xiao Jin and the others, he didn't dare to follow her rashly.

Just after Su Ying left, another figure among the prisoners quietly climbed up. After waiting for the patrolling guard to pass by, he also silently ran toward the forest. Even though the forest was dangerous, compared to being exiled to the Northern Wasteland, some would still choose to take the risk.

Once the prisoner was out of the guards' sight, he ran frantically into the forest. He didn't know how long he had been running, but when his legs were too tired to lift, he leaned against a large tree and gasped for air.

The surroundings were so quiet that a falling needle could be heard. Only his own heavy breathing filled his ears. But as he slowed his breathing, he realized the panting sound nearby was getting heavier.

His eyes widened in shock. He stiffened his neck and looked behind him, only to meet a pair of eyes glowing green in the darkness...

After leaving the group, Su Ying entered her storage space. She had expended a lot of energy throughout the day, and those meager rations couldn't satisfy her growing craving for meat.

She took a piece of jerky from the shelf and took a bite; the crispy, roasted bear meat instantly gave her a rush.

After eating and drinking her fill, she stood up and grabbed some anesthetic and a dagger from the shelf, preparing for the night’s hunt.

Just as she stepped out of the space, Su Ying heard a scream pierce the peaceful night sky.