It is said that climbing a mountain is easy and descending is difficult, but I think this statement is completely reversed. Those who said this must have never climbed a mountain after rain.
After the rain, the entire ground became wet and slippery. Leaves that had rotted for who knows how many years sank directly to my ankles with each step. Pulling my leg out was a huge challenge every time.
My progress was not fast. After walking for more than two hours, I estimated I had only covered about ten kilometers.
Looking at the team in the distance, which resembled a long dragon of lights, I shook my head and gave a wry smile. If I had known it would be like this, I should have agreed to come with Li Zuoquan.
But alas, there is no medicine for regret in the world. If there were, I would even want to buy one to not come to Molu Village. But this is just a dream.
Li Jian was leading the way with a map and his subordinates, while Fang Niubizi and Kang Pangzi followed behind him, occasionally offering advice and strategies, busy as could be.
I was trailing at the very end, mainly because I disliked the mist after the rain. Having them clear the way ahead would reduce my effort, and also because I feared danger ahead.
In these deep mountains and old forests, who knows what might jump out, a tiger, or a bear. After all, they are animals that primarily forage at night.
Although Li Jian's group had a few guns, small-caliber handguns are generally useless against such large and fierce wild beasts. At most, they could only break their skin, so staying at the very back was probably the safest option.
After walking for more than two hours, my legs felt like they weren't my own. On the other hand, the girl beside me seemed to have no trouble, appearing as energetic as ever. She even hummed a song from time to time, looking like she was in a good mood.
Up to this point, I still didn't know her name. I wanted to ask, but I was afraid she would think I was a pervert. Seeing that she was in a good mood, I cautiously asked, "We're in the same boat now, aren't we? I still don't know your name."
She looked me up and down. "What do you want to know my name for? Do you have any improper thoughts about me?"
*Pfft*—
I almost choked on my own saliva. What was she talking about? Asking for her name meant improper thoughts? I wasn't so desperate that I'd have ideas about a young girl, was I?
"Where did your mind go? You know Wu Gege, and I know her too. We're friends, aren't we? I can't just call you 'Hey,' can I? That would be a bit disrespectful to you, wouldn't it?"
The problem girl didn't reply immediately but said, "You can call me Yue'er."
"Yue'er?"
The name was ordinary, but it gave me a feeling that I had heard it somewhere before, though I couldn't recall where for the moment.
Just as I was about to ask more questions, she suddenly stopped and made a shushing gesture to me.
This made me nervous. Since we were trailing behind, stopping like this meant we could only watch the distant winding lights move forward.
"What's wrong?" I took out the Yin Tie Mu ruler from my back, nervously scanning for the source of danger.
"Do you have a feeling that we're being watched by something?"
"Watched?"
My first thought was that there were spirits around. Deep mountains and old forests are prone to lonely souls and mountain spirits. I instantly circulated my Xuan Yang Qi throughout my body, carefully sensing the surrounding situation.
However, apart from feeling the coolness of the mountain wind and the gnawing sound of a small squirrel every ten meters or so, I didn't sense anything unusual.
"Yue'er, are you perhaps joking with me!"
As soon as I finished speaking, I saw Yue'er turn her head to look at me, her expression somewhat tense. Before I could understand what was happening, she suddenly rushed forward and kicked me.
Facing her sudden violent attack, I had no time to react. Even if I had been prepared, I wouldn't have been able to withstand her kick. Instantly, I became a rolling gourd, tumbling two or three times before being stopped by a tree.
Dizzily, I looked at the spot where I had been standing. A tree branch, as thick as a wrist and over two meters long, was stuck there, vibrating back and forth.
Before I could even thank her, I saw her wave her right hand, and a white light shot out from her hand. Then, I heard a sound as if it had hit an animal.
*Screech—*
A piercing cry sounded above my head. She took three quick steps to reach me and grabbed my shoulder.
"Hurry, I think I hit a Shaan Xiao."
I, who had been somewhat dazed from the impact, immediately perked up upon hearing the word "Shaan Xiao." I quickly searched my mind for information about Shaan Xiao.
It is a type of large macaque, looking similar to African baboons, but they are larger in size and more powerful. Even the king of the forest, the tiger, would flee for its life if it encountered one in the forest, as being surrounded by a group of baboons would mean certain death.
Her strength was immense. With one hand, she lifted me, backpack and all, and then pulled me along as we desperately ran towards the team. As long as we reached the team, we would be safe. Li Jian's men had brought quite a few guns; I didn't know if it was to guard us or something else.
At this moment, more "screeching" sounds came from behind us, sharp and piercing, carrying far. Looking at the lights that had already stopped in the distance, I knew they had heard us.
"Running like this won't work. If they surround us, neither of us will escape. You run back by yourself, and I'll go play with them."
Before I could warn her not to go, she darted into the woods like a black leopard. Yue'er pulled my body forward, and then she herself plunged into the forest like a leopard.
As soon as she entered the forest, the Shaan Xiao group erupted.
"Screech" rapid cries, and sounds of pain from being hit, mixed together, it was like wolves entering a sheep pen.
I knew this was only temporary. The intelligence of Shaan Xiao was not low. If they were surrounded, Yue'er would be in danger.
I slapped the ground hard, grabbed my backpack, and ran towards the team. I had to get Li Jian to bring guns to rescue her immediately.
I had only run about halfway when I saw Zhang Dabiao rushing down from the mountain. We almost collided.
"Qingyun, why are you alone? Where is that problem girl?"
Seeing Li Jian following closely behind, I quickly said, "We were following behind, and we encountered Shaan Xiao. Hurry and get someone with guns to shoot them."
Li Jian, who had rushed over, his face changed slightly upon hearing "Shaan Xiao."
"How can this ghost thing be here?"
"Stop wasting time and save her. It will be too late if we delay."
Seeing Li Jian still hesitating, Fang Niubizi, who was following him, suddenly spoke, "Shaan Xiao are very vengeful. Even if you don't help, these Shaan Xiao won't let us go."
Li Jian became anxious upon hearing this, drawing his weapon and ordering his men to prepare to fight the Shaan Xiao.
At this moment, there was a rustling sound from the bushes behind us. Heizi raised his gun to shoot, but I grabbed his arm.
"Look clearly before you shoot."
Fang Niubizi and Zhang Dabiao drew their weapons, their faces filled with caution.
As the bushes were pushed aside, Yue'er burst out like an agile leopard.
"Fire."
At her command, Heizi and the others, who had guns, frantically sprayed bullets into the bushes behind her. Instantly, a series of cries erupted from the bushes.
A Shaan Xiao, about a person's height, jumped out of the bushes to attack Yue'er, who had her back to it. She dodged, turned around, and kicked it in the head, instantly shattering its skull like a watermelon.
The power of machine guns was not something these Shaan Xiao could resist. After just one burst of bullets, they were in utter disarray. Except for the first one that rushed out, some of the others were shot dead, and the rest, hearing the gunfire, fled without a trace.
"Damn these dead monkeys, no matter how fierce they are, they still ran away under my gun?" Seeing that the Shaan Xiao had been repelled, Heizi chuckled sinisterly, carrying his gun.
"Don't let your guard down. These creatures are extremely vengeful. Let's leave here quickly and find a place to hide until dawn, then we'll be fine," Fang Niubizi said, turning to leave. His speed was almost that of a hundred-meter sprinter.