Zhang Xiaoniu led the way, with Qi Zhenzhen and the brown bear following behind.
"How many barbarians are there in total?" Qi Zhenzhen asked.
"When we chased them into the mountains, they had over thirty people left. During the pursuit, we killed about ten more. Later, we somehow lost their tracks. The Young Master took a blow for me then, so we thought about returning first, but we couldn't find our way back no matter how we turned. The forest was dangerous and full of perils, so we had to find a place to settle down first," Zhang Xiaoniu said dejectedly. "Zhenzhen, I'm sorry. It's all my fault. If I were more capable, the Young Master wouldn't have been injured protecting me."
Seeing his self-reproach, Qi Zhenzhen comforted him, "Don't be too upset. What's done is done, and being sad won't help. When you find the barbarians later, you can avenge him then."
Zhang Xiaoniu nodded heavily, "I definitely will."
They walked and stopped, and by the time they reached their destination, it was already dusk.
Gu Qing was very excited to see Qi Zhenzhen. "Second, Second Miss, why are you here? I apologize, Second Miss. Your subordinate failed to protect the Young Master. The Young Master is now..."
Qi Zhenzhen had already seen Gu Sinian lying there. His face was gaunt, his eyes sunken, making him almost unrecognizable.
Zhang Xiaoniu had mentioned on the way that Gu Sinian had been injured and fallen into a coma on the third day of entering the mountains. It had been over a month now. He had only been kept alive by feeding him some broth. If he hadn't had a good foundation in martial arts since childhood, he might not have lasted this long. Now, his condition was not good, and he could barely take in the broth.
"Don't blame yourself. No one wanted this to happen," Qi Zhenzhen sat down beside Gu Sinian, her fingers caressing his brows and eyes, feeling a pang in her heart.
He was fine when they parted, and now he was like this when they met again.
"The Young Master's back injury has mostly healed. We checked, and there were no signs of poisoning, but for some reason, he just wouldn't wake up," Gu Qing continued. "I heard the barbarians have many strange and peculiar methods. Your subordinate suspects that the barbarians might have done something."
"Have you encountered the barbarians again during the days you were trapped?" Qi Zhenzhen asked.
Gu Qing shook his head. "Everyone wanted to go out and find those barbarians, but I stopped them. Right now, the Young Master's safety is the most important thing." Dafeng Novel Network
"You are right, and you did the right thing. Whether the barbarians did something or not, we'll know once we get out and I bring people to capture them and interrogate them," Qi Zhenzhen pondered. "I've brought some rice. Xiaoniu, boil it. Add these herbs to the porridge. There's also some dried meat and flatbread here. Share them among yourselves."
Gu Qing and the others' eyes lit up at the sight of the flatbread. The provisions they brought into the mountains only lasted five or six days. After that, they ate hunted animals. To supplement their salt intake, they had even drunk animal blood. The taste of eating raw meat and drinking blood was too unbearable.
"Big guy, help me send a message back. Tell Ye Bai to communicate with your brown bear tribe and send a few more brown bears to Death Valley to find those other people and drive them out of Death Valley," Qi Zhenzhen said to the brown bear crouching by the cave entrance.
"Roar, I can't leave you here alone," the brown bear growled. "If anything happens, I can't explain it to the Holy Wolf. Also, the mountain forest at night is very cold, and I can help you keep warm here."
No matter how Qi Zhenzhen spoke, the brown bear was stubborn and refused to leave. After she had spoken until her mouth was dry, Qi Zhenzhen had to give up.