Probably noticing my worry, Suo Tian spoke up:
"Shen Feng and that woman surnamed Xu both have good skills. If even you managed to survive, they'll be fine."
His words hit me like a punch to the gut.
I turned to glare at him, cursing silently—this guy normally doesn't say a word, but the moment he opens his mouth, it's just to piss people off.
Suo Tian ignored my murderous stare.
After sweeping his eyes around, he slid the dagger back into its sheath, took a step to the left, and said, "Let's go."
I froze. "You're not going to rest for a bit?"
Without turning his head, still walking forward, he replied, "No need. Hurry up."
"What about all those throwing knives?"
"Leave them."
I stared at the scattered knives, each one buried almost entirely in the walkers' skulls.
What a waste.
Such good weapons, and he just leaves them behind—what extravagance.
Still, no matter how much of a pity it was, I had no intention of pulling them out of rotten skulls one by one with my bare hands.
Seeing Suo Tian already walking off into the distance, I quickly sped up to catch up with him.
I really had to learn this throwing knife skill from him someday.
Way better than using a gun—at least it doesn't make much noise.
Judging from the sniper rifle slung across his back, I figured the reason he hadn't used it just now was because he was worried the sound would draw more walkers.
Suo Tian's sense of direction was clearly far better than mine.
Following him, I finally didn't have to wander aimlessly anymore.
On the way, I thought about Zheng Yiyi, feeling worried about its situation.
With walkers everywhere in this forest, I really hadn't thought it through when I tossed it out alone.
Now, all I could hope was that it could find its way back on its own, or maybe run into Shen Feng and the others.
Otherwise, if it died somewhere in this mountain, then all the suffering I'd gone through these past two days would've been for nothing.
Once Suo Tian set his mind on moving, he was the type who never seemed to tire.
Uncle Gazi and I had both experienced that firsthand.
We marched for hours without pause, and only when I was on the verge of collapsing to the ground did he finally choose a wide, open area to sit down, declaring that we could rest at last.
I plopped down next to him, head spinning.
From the moment we'd entered the mountain yesterday until now, it had been nonstop exhausting exertion, and I hadn't eaten a single bite.
By this point, I was running purely on willpower, forcing my body to keep going.
Suo Tian leaned against a tree, scanning the area as always.
When he noticed my pained expression, he asked, "What's wrong?"
I licked my lips, waved a hand at him, and answered, "Nothing, just… hungry."
He blinked, then reached into his pocket.
A moment later, he tossed me a compressed biscuit.
I caught it and stared at it, then at him. "You always carry this stuff with you?"
Still scanning the surroundings, Suo Tian gave me a quick glance and nodded. "Mm. C Team's rule."
"There's even a rule about carrying food with you?" I asked, surprised.
"Sometimes it can save your life—like now." Suo Tian said, then turned his head away again, leaving me staring blankly at the biscuit in my hand...
After eating something, I finally felt some strength return. We rested a little longer before the two of us set off once again.
"How much farther? I drifted in the water for so long, I don't even know where I ended up."
"Before nightfall, we'll get there."
"So long?" I hurriedly asked, "Then how far did I drift exactly?"
"If we count from where I found you, that's two mountain ridges."
"..." I could hardly believe it. I glanced back—had I really drifted that far in such a short time? If I hadn't grabbed onto those vines back then, would I have been washed straight into the Yellow River by now?
My thoughts spiraled—if I had really been carried into the Yellow River, would water-spirits grab my ankles to drag me down as a substitute for the dead?
But just as I was lost in such wild guesses, Suo Tian suddenly halted and made a silencing gesture.
My heart skipped a beat.
I froze on the spot, holding my breath, watching him closely.
Following his gaze, I carefully scanned the surroundings while straining my ears.
Gradually, I really did catch a faint noise.
Listening more intently, I realized the sound was drawing closer.
Just as I was about to move closer to Suo Tian and suggest we climb into the trees to hide, the tension in his expression suddenly eased.
He glanced at me, then tilted his chin toward the sound. "It's Shen Feng and the others."
I blinked in surprise, then joy surged through me.
Following his gesture, I peered in the direction of the noise.
Sure enough, I could faintly make out several figures.
The bushes and undergrowth blocked most of the view, so I couldn't be certain it was them—but since Suo Tian said so, it had to be.
Excited, I looked back at him once, then broke into a run toward them.
Worried that walkers might be roaming the jungle, I didn't dare shout.
I could only quicken my pace, heading straight toward them.
As the distance closed, I was about to burst out from the last bush separating us when I noticed their alert stances—they had clearly heard my approach.
Both Xu Shu and Shen Feng even raised their blades defensively in front of them.
I couldn't help but find it funny—they really thought I was a walker?
So I quickened my pace, leapt out from the brush, and on the spot threw up a victory pose—complete with my own humming of a "ta-da-da-da" victory fanfare.
They were all startled by my sudden appearance.
Even the usually calm Xu Shu was so shocked that she stumbled back several steps, staring at me for a few seconds before finally reacting.
She looked at me in disbelief and blurted out:
"Chen Yang?!"
I proudly lifted my chin at them, grinning wide:
"Indeed, yours truly."
"Big sis!" Yangyang, who had been standing behind Xu Shu, was the first to react after hearing my voice.
He cried out excitedly and ran straight toward me.
Before I could even respond, he threw his arms around me, wailing in a mock-dramatic tone:
"My dear sister! My dear sister! Finally found my dear sister!"
The excitement I had been feeling just moments ago instantly evaporated under his noisy antics.
Shen Feng and Jun Di, on the other hand, both looked genuinely delighted to see me.
Compared to Yangyang, they were far more reliable.
Following Xu Shu, they came up to me.
Seeing how battered I looked, Shen Feng even asked worriedly:
"Did something happen to you?"
Prying Yangyang off my waist—where he was still clinging and howling—I waved a hand at Shen Feng:
"It's too long to explain in just a few words. The whole story would be like The Adventures of Chen Yang Adrift. I'll tell you slowly once we're back."
Hearing this, Xu Shu gave me a once-over, frowning curiously:
"Seriously, Chen Yang, what on earth possessed you to come up the mountain alone? Brother Qian swore he saw you heading up here, but we didn't believe it at first. Who would've thought you actually did come in? We've been searching for you since last night!"
"Yeah, never expected so many walkers to be roaming around in this mountain. We've killed so many since last night that our nerves are frayed. Honestly thought something bad must've happened to you," Zhou Wen, standing behind Jun Di, suddenly added.
I hadn't expected someone I'd only just met to willingly come into the mountains to look for me.
Feeling touched, I gave him a grateful glance before clearing my throat and answering Xu Shu with a half-joking tone:
"Yeah, I didn't expect there'd be so many walkers here either. Can't believe the people in the valley don't do anything about it."
"Alright, enough talk. Since we've found Chen Yang, let's hurry back. It's still quite a trek to the valley," Shen Feng said, then glanced at me again:
"You really came this deep into the mountains by yourself? The fact that we actually found you is nothing short of a miracle."
I didn't answer Shen Feng.
Instead, I grinned at him, thinking to myself, This deep?
I was two whole mountain ridges away from the valley earlier!
At that thought, I suddenly remembered Suo Tian behind me.
Quickly, I called out to them:
"Wait, don't go yet. Suo Tian is still back there."
"Brother Suo Tian?" Yangyang blinked at me in surprise.
"He came in with you?"
"How's that possible? When we entered the mountain yesterday, wasn't Brother Suo Tian still not back yet?" Jun Di also looked puzzled.
I waved a hand, leading them toward where Suo Tian was waiting as I explained:
"He must've come into the mountain during the night. But he's a lot better at tracking people than you guys, so I ran into him first."
Xu Shu shot me an annoyed glare:
"How were we supposed to know how to search properly in the mountains? For your sake we spent the whole night wandering in circles like idiots."
Scratching my head apologetically, I then turned and pointed to where Suo Tian was leaning casually against a tree, quietly observing us.
"There—Suo Tian's right there."
Hearing that, Yangyang was the first to look in the direction I pointed.
The next second, he immediately waved his arms excitedly and shouted:
"Brother Tian!"
"Don't shout! If you attract walkers, are you the one who's going to chop them down?" I turned my head and scolded Yangyang.
By the time I turned back, Suo Tian was already standing upright and walking toward us.
Shen Feng went up and whispered a few words with Suo Tian before stepping aside.
Zhou Wen and Xu Shu also greeted Suo Tian one after another.
Then Suo Tian said:
"Let's get out of the mountain first."
I wanted to ask what would happen with Yiyi, but when I looked at the few of them, all disheveled from searching for me, I forcibly swallowed the words back down.
For now, I could only pray that Yiyi had the fortune of the heavens on his side and could make it back alive on his own.
When that familiar uphill path and the familiar stream came into view again, I felt dazed, as if the last time I'd seen this valley had been in a previous lifetime.
Just as we returned to the valley, black-clad men immediately came up to meet us.
I didn't know what they said to Suo Tian, but he instantly furrowed his brows deeply and quickly followed them toward Second Row.
The rest of us were left standing there, looking at each other for a while, before we too all headed back toward Sixth Row.
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