Chapter 57: Battle with the Wolf
“Choosing to run away is clearly not an option,” Zhi Qi said in a deep voice.
Hearing this, Fang Xiaocao lowered her head in thought, analyzing information from the future.
According to the messages from Hot Noodles, there was no mention of an escape—or at least, not a successful one.
In the end, they still reunited with the others.
So, the outcome of fleeing was uncertain.
But regrouping with the others was, at least temporarily, safe.
Thinking of this, Fang Xiaocao nodded and agreed, “That’s right! Zhi Qi is correct!”
“Rather than choosing to run away, we should find a way to regroup with the others. By gathering everyone’s strength, we can figure out a way to break out of this situation,” she suggested.
Hearing Fang Xiaocao’s words, Wan Xiaozhou gave her a deep look, her expression thoughtful.
Fang Xiaocao keenly caught Wan Xiaozhou’s gaze and subtly increased her vigilance.
Although Hot Noodles hadn’t mentioned that she would get hurt, Fang Xiaocao wasn’t sure if her current actions mirrored those of her counterpart in another timeline.
Would her words and behavior draw Wan Xiaozhou’s attention?
Would they make Wan Xiaozhou see her as a threat?
“In that case, let’s keep moving,” Zhi Qi said, exuding the aura of a decisive leader.
“This time, we don’t need to rush.
We’ll walk for another hour. If we still can’t find the others, we’ll find a place to recover our strength.
If there really is a conspiracy, nighttime would be their best time to strike.
We need to conserve our energy to deal with it.”
Zhi Qi’s tone was firm.
“Agreed!” Fang Xiaocao and the others nodded in agreement.
“Wanqing, since we’re not rushing this time, try to walk on your own as much as possible. Let Luoshu and Wenshi save their strength. If danger really comes at night, Luoshu will be our main combatant,” Fang Xiaocao advised Su Wanqing.
“I understand! I can do it!” Su Wanqing nodded solemnly.
“Let’s move out!” Zhi Qi commanded.
The group shouldered their backpacks and followed behind Zhi Qi once again.
“Smart move.” A figure stepped out from the bushes after they left, a playful smile on his lips.
He took a few steps forward, picked up a small note from the ground, glanced at it, and smiled slightly before disappearing back into the forest.
On the other side of the mountain!
Three people were engaged in a heated argument.
“Yu Tianqi, what the hell is your problem?!
I’m going back!”
A blonde-haired girl screamed.
“Yu Ling, calm down!”
“We’re in a dangerous situation right now!”
“You can’t just act recklessly!”
A tall man shouted back.
“Yu Tianqi, who do you think you are to control me?”
“I was only born a minute after you!”
“Stop using the big brother card on me!”
Yu Ling stomped her feet, glaring at him.
“Yu Ling!”
Yu Tianqi roared, raising his hand as if to strike her.
“Go ahead, hit me!”
“Kill me!”
“Do you dare, Yu Tianqi?”
Yu Ling lifted her chin defiantly, shoving her face toward his raised hand.
Yu Tianqi hesitated, then lowered his hand with a sigh.
“If you want to die, then go ahead!”
“I won’t stop you. I don’t have the time or energy to.”
His voice was cold and unwavering.
“Xiao Chen, we’re moving. We need to find the others as soon as possible,” he said to a young girl standing nearby.
Without another word, Yu Tianqi shouldered his backpack and walked away.
“…Alright,” Xiao Chen hesitated, glancing at Yu Ling, then ultimately chose to follow Yu Tianqi.
Xiao Chen was smart.
In the depths of the mountains, sticking with Yu Tianqi was the wisest choice.
If she stayed with Yu Ling, they wouldn’t just have to worry about hidden enemies—any wild animal that appeared could be a death sentence.
With Yu Tianqi, at least she had a strong protector.
“You—!”
Yu Ling stomped her foot in frustration as she watched them walk away.
Looking at the darkening sky and listening to the eerie sounds of unknown creatures deep in the forest, she shivered.
Her grip on her jacket tightened.
Biting her lip, she hesitated before finally caving.
She hoisted her backpack and chased after them.
“Yu Tianqi, wait for me!”
Her voice carried a hint of fear.
Hearing her call, Yu Tianqi smirked but stopped walking.
Xiao Chen also stopped and turned to look at Yu Ling—
Only to let out a terrified scream.
Yu Tianqi’s confidence shattered in an instant as he turned sharply to look.
What he saw made his heart drop—
A trail of fresh blood stained the path.
And a trembling bush nearby.
“Yu Ling!”
Yu Tianqi roared, dropping his backpack and drawing a knife from his boot.
Like a whirlwind, he charged toward the bushes.
“Tianqi, no!”
Xiao Chen screamed.
“Stop! It’s dangerous!”
But Yu Tianqi didn’t stop.
“That’s my sister!”
He bellowed back without turning.
Before his words even finished, he had already crashed into the undergrowth—
Only to find it empty.
Yu Ling was gone.
Only a single hiking shoe remained.
And a smear of fresh blood.
Yu Tianqi recognized it instantly.
It was Yu Ling’s.
“Damn it!”
He cursed, following the drag marks deeper into the forest.
“Help me!”
Yu Ling’s terrified cries echoed through the trees.
Yu Tianqi gritted his teeth and ran.
After rounding a massive tree, he finally saw—
Yu Ling.
And the wolf dragging her away.
A wolf!
Yu Tianqi’s heart clenched.
His sharp gaze swept the surroundings.
No other wolves.
He exhaled in relief.
“A lone wolf,” he muttered.
A wolf that had left its pack was usually weak or injured.
Yu Tianqi had trained in combat since childhood.
He was confident he could rescue Yu Ling with minimal injury.
The wolf, sensing Yu Tianqi’s approach, let out a low, menacing growl.
“Brother! Save me!”
Yu Ling’s face was streaked with tears as she cried out.
“Don’t be afraid. I’m here,” Yu Tianqi reassured her.
“Let go of my sister, you bastard!”
He roared and lunged forward with his knife.
The starving wolf’s eyes gleamed with ferocity.
It hesitated for a brief moment—then chose to fight.
It was starving.
If it let go of this prey, it might not survive.
Rather than fleeing, it decided to fight for its meal.
If it could kill this human, it would feast for days.
“Die!”
With a battle cry, Yu Tianqi charged.
(End of Chapter 57)
