They moved along the stream bank, sometimes wading across shallows, sometimes climbing steep slopes by clinging to vines. The fog gradually thinned, and sunlight occasionally pierced through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the water. Xiaolin's mood improved considerably; she even began to notice the wildflowers along the stream, though she no longer ran around as much as before.

"Wait!" Xiaoya suddenly stopped and pointed to an old locust tree on the bank of the stream ahead. "What's that?"

On the trunk of the old locust tree, in addition to the three vertical lines, there was an arrow made of branches, with a stone under the arrow pointing to the opposite bank of the stream.

"This is a new marker!" Chen Mo's eyes lit up. "It's tied with a twig and it's still very fresh. It must have been left today." He walked over and picked up a stone next to the arrow. Underneath the stone was a small piece of torn chocolate wrapper with the words "2025" printed on it—the snack they had brought today.

"It's one of our own!" Akai shouted excitedly. "It must have been left behind by the team ahead! They got lost too, and they're heading this way now!"

This discovery thrilled everyone. While the previous markings might have been left by predecessors, this arrow and chocolate wrapper were undoubtedly a distress signal left by their fellow travelers. They were not fighting alone.

"What's on the other side?" Xiaolin stood on tiptoe to look at the opposite bank. The fog had dissipated considerably, and a neat grove of Japanese cedar trees could be seen growing on the slope on the other side.

"A Japanese cedar forest?" Old Zhou pondered. "It doesn't seem to be marked on the map, but Japanese cedars are usually planted artificially. There might be a forest farm or forest ranger station nearby?"

"Whether there are any or not, follow the markers!" Chen Mo made a decisive decision. "Kai, you go ahead and scout ahead. Be careful."

Akai took off his backpack, slung his trekking pole across his shoulder, and carefully stepped into the stream. The current was stronger than it looked, and he slipped, but luckily grabbed a rock in time. Chen Mo immediately stepped forward and offered him the trekking pole: "Grab this!"

With everyone's help, Akai successfully reached the other side and then threw the rope over. The others pulled themselves across the river using the rope. Xiaolin was so frightened that his face turned pale, and it was only thanks to Lao Zhou and Xiaoya supporting him on either side that he didn't fall.

After crossing the river, the path through the cedar forest became noticeably easier. The ground was marked with footprints and numerous markers made of branches and stones, indicating their direction. They walked faster, the sound of the water fading into the distance, replaced by the rustling of the wind through the cedar grove.

Chapter Four: The Exit of Light and Shadow

After walking for an unknown amount of time, the trees ahead suddenly thinned out, and through the gaps in the branches and leaves, a bright patch of sky could be seen. Xiao Lin was the first to realize what was happening. He threw down his trekking poles and stumbled forward, shouting, "It's the exit! I can see outside!"

The others quickened their pace, passing through the last patch of Japanese cedar forest, when suddenly the view opened up before them—not a cliff, nor a deeper dense forest, but a manicured meadow with several white camping tents scattered on it, and a wooden sign standing next to it that read "Forestry Station Temporary Camp".

"Is anyone there?" Chen Mo shouted.

A noise came from inside the tent, and a middle-aged man in camouflage peeked out. He paused for a moment when he saw them, then smiled and said, "You're the hiking group that got lost this morning, right? You've finally made it out!"

It turned out that the forest rangers received a distress call from their leader that morning, learning that a team had lost contact in the fog. They dispatched personnel into the mountains to search for them and set up temporary camps at possible exits. The Japanese cedar forest they had just seen was a firebreak planted by the forest rangers.

"Thank you so much!" Akai excitedly grasped the ranger's hand. "We thought..." He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood the unspoken fear in his voice.

The forest rangers handed them warm water and energy bars: "Take a rest first. The team leaders are waiting at the main station ahead. Luckily, you found the stream and followed the markers. Otherwise, in this foggy weather, it would have been easy to wander deeper and deeper into the forest."

"Those markings..." Xiaoya asked curiously, "Did you leave them?"

“Not entirely,” the forest ranger smiled. “Some of them are marks we left ourselves, and some are old markers left by previous hiking teams. We just added to them. This forest is big, and it’s easy to get lost in the fog. Everyone relies on these ‘forest codes’ to help each other.”

Sitting on the grass, drinking warm water, the tension and exhaustion from earlier receded like a receding tide. Xiaolin leaned against a tree, her eyes a little red: "Just now in the woods, I really thought I wouldn't get out..."

“It’s alright now,” Old Zhou patted him on the back. “Look, we’re out now, aren’t we? It’s all thanks to everyone working together to figure things out, remembering the route, finding markers, and going with the current.”

Akai scratched his head sheepishly: "It's all my fault. I didn't judge the direction correctly at first and almost led you astray."

“It’s not your fault,” Chen Mo handed him an energy bar. “The fog was so thick that even the compass was affected. The important thing is that we figured out the route together. Old Zhou’s geographical knowledge, Xiaoya’s detailed memory, Xiaolin’s photos, and everyone’s efforts in finding markers and exploring the way were all indispensable.”

Xiaoya looked at everyone and suddenly smiled: "Speaking of which, the wild strawberries next to that tortoise-shaped rock seem to be the sweetest I've ever eaten in my life."

Everyone laughed, the laughter echoing across the grass and startling a few birds perched on the branches. The warm sunlight shone down, dispelling the damp chill of the fog and illuminating the relief on everyone's faces.

On the way back, the fog had completely dissipated, revealing the clear outlines of the mountains and forests. They followed the main path indicated by the forest ranger, occasionally spotting newly carved markings on the trees—three vertical lines shimmering faintly in the sunlight. Chen Mo suddenly stopped, pointed to a marking on a camphor tree by the roadside, and said to everyone, "If you ever get lost again, remember: observe nature, trust your companions, and never give up on finding the light."

Xiaolin nodded, seemingly understanding, while Akai and Xiaoya exchanged a smile. They knew that this experience of getting lost had left a deep imprint on each other's memories, like a stamp. When they embarked on their journeys again, whether in the mountains or amidst the fog of life, they would have trustworthy companions and the courage to find a way out together.

As the sun set, they finally returned to their starting camp. The leader rushed up and hugged each of them tightly, his eyes red-rimmed. They simply smiled, patted each other on the shoulder, as if sharing a common secret. Because they knew that what truly led them out of the forest wasn't the red lines on the map, nor the markings on the trees, but the trekking poles they offered each other in difficult times, the voices that argued yet unified when recalling the route, the hands clasped tightly as they trekked downstream, and the unwavering belief that their companions were still by their side even in the deepest fog.

When the forest was deep and the fog rolled in, thankfully we weren't alone. And as we walked through that mist, our figures became the clearest marks in each other's lives.