At the summit of towering mountains, flames are both the guardian of life and the tempter of death.

The flickering firelight, though it can dispel the cold and bring a long-lost warmth, can also be like a beacon in the darkness, ruthlessly revealing one's hiding place and attracting endless pursuit and danger.

However, Lin Mo seemed indifferent to it.

As he wielded his axe, chopping branches from the withered trees, an indescribable joy welled up within him. That long-lost warmth, like long-lost kinship, felt incredibly precious to him.

Secondly, the eagle overhead had already located them. What did it matter whether it was a fire or not?

The giant wolf sat quietly to one side.

It saw its own body not far away, but could not enter it. Perhaps only it could understand the despair of being unable to reach it.

The moon slowly peeked out from behind the mountain and rose quietly. At the same time, the sun slowly sank behind the other side of the mountain.

Lin Mo squatted on the ground, the flint and knife in his hand making a soft sound as they rubbed together—a sound born of his yearning for survival and a dialogue between himself and the silent mountain forest. After several attempts, finally, a wisp of smoke rose from the gap between the flint and the knife.

The flames leaped and swayed on the scraped bark and dead pine needles, dancing gracefully as if celebrating their birth. With the wind blowing, the fire grew stronger, the bonfire roaring and illuminating everything around it.

Zhao Zhilan quietly walked to Lin Mo's side and gently fanned the flames, making the fire burn even more fiercely.

As the firelight shone on her face, she removed her stiff gloves and stretched her hands toward the warm fire. She gently closed her eyes, feeling the warm, kiss-like touch spreading across her fingertips, as if it could dispel all the cold and weariness.

Seeing this, Lin Mo asked softly, "Did you control her body to come here?"

At this moment, Zhao Zhilan turned her head and gave Lin Mo a resentful look.

"That's a problematic question. That's her body..." Lin Mo forced a smile, then sat cross-legged by the fire, the flickering light illuminating the resolute lines on his face.

Initially, Lin Mo thought the divine servants wouldn't chase after them that far. After all, according to the rules he knew, divine servants were not allowed to leave the Holy City too far without their master's permission.

But soon, the eagle reappeared in his sight, its magnificent gray-blue wings spread wide, soaring freely in the twilight sky.

Lin Mo tried to bend his bow and aim, but the bird flew out of range before he could release the arrow.

In the days that followed, the eagle's silhouette flew past them at least twice, as if it were an ominous sign that constantly haunted them.

Moreover, deep within the mountains behind them, the hunting horns of the divine servants sounded like rolling thunder, endlessly.

Each blast was louder than the last, each sound almost identical to the last.

"Judging from that hunting horn, they'll definitely catch up with us within a day," Lin Mo thought.

The two men and the wolf traveled day and night, hurrying on their way. They hardly stopped for a moment, only finding a slightly safe place to eat and drink a few bites when they were extremely hungry and thirsty, before continuing their unknown journey.

They trod across bare rocks, walked through gloomy pine forests, climbed mountain ridges, and crossed nameless shallow rivers.

During this time, Zhao Zhilan often stopped and turned around to clean up the traces they left behind, but all of this was in vain.

Lin Mo told her that they had been under surveillance.

Every morning, as the first rays of sunlight fall upon the earth, the eagle arrives as scheduled, circling atop the mountain peaks like a dot in the vast sky.

But Zhao Zhilan remained willful; she wanted to erase all traces of her actions without seeking Lin Mo's advice.

Once, as they were walking along a low ridge, a Moonshadow Tiger emerged from its den and roared, less than ten meters away from them.

Although the beasts were emaciated and their eyes gleamed with hunger, their horses remained terrified. As if sensing the unease in the air, they struggled frantically, throwing their riders off balance, before fleeing in a frenzy.

After a difficult search, they finally found the out-of-control horse on a steep hillside. It had tripped and fallen on the slope, one leg bent in an odd position, clearly broken.

That day, the three of them sat around the campfire and enjoyed a rare, hearty meal. Lin Mo insisted on mixing horse blood into their food, believing it would boost their strength and give them a better chance of survival in the wilderness.

However, the food mixed with horse blood had a pungent smell that was unbearable. Lin Mo felt nauseous with every bite, but he forced himself to swallow it.

Before setting off, each of them cut off a dozen or so pieces of raw meat from the horse carcass to serve as rations for the journey. The rest of the meat was left for the other wild animals in the area.

The disappearance of horses made the concept of speed vague and unattainable. After that, every nightfall was like a cold front, sweeping in with a deep chill and loneliness.

The giant wolf wasn't always by his side, but Lin Mo always seemed to be able to catch its scent and presence somewhere, in some unexpected moment. They weren't inseparable, but they were never truly far apart.

Even during their brief separation, Lin Mo could clearly feel the giant wolf's presence. That tacit understanding and comfort was like the brightest star in the night sky, guiding him in the darkness.

Carrying Zhao Zhilan on his back, Lin Mo walked on somewhat alone, often going an entire day without saying a word.

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