37. Poisonous mushrooms

Leaving the blood-soaked snowfield, the atmosphere didn't ease much. Every step carried with it an unknown danger. The presence of the gray-robed Guichen Cult figure was like a heavy shadow, looming over everyone's heart. The group's pace slowed down out of caution, and silence replaced the occasional conversation, with only the crunch of snow underfoot and the whistling wind for company.

Lei Qing walked in front, his back straight as a steel spear that never bends. His hunting knife wasn't fully sheathed, but held loosely in his hand, ready to strike at any moment. His senses were heightened to the utmost, not missing a single movement. Occasionally, he would quickly turn his head, his gaze darting to Su Lin, who was protected by Mu Lin and A Yan, to confirm his safety. Deep within his eyes was a deep, rock-hard determination to protect him.

Su Lin's face remained pale, but his eyes were firmer than before. Xingchen's selfless defense, his companions' desperate fight, made it impossible for him to dwell on his own weakness. He struggled to regulate his breathing, trying to gather every ounce of strength. Mu Lin's arm supported him steadily and firmly. Though the vapor barrier had thinned from previous depletion, it still stubbornly held, shielding Su Lin from the biting cold.

"Damn it, where the hell did those things come from?" Ah Yan kicked the frozen ground in front of him in frustration. The wound on his left shoulder had been temporarily sealed by Mu Lin with a clean cloth and ice elements. The bleeding had stopped, but he still felt a little stiff and awkward. With nowhere to vent his anger, he could only curse at the air. "They're haunting me! If I ever found out where their lair is, I'd burn it all down!"

"Calm down, A'yan." Mu Lin's voice was a little tired, but still gentle. "Their appearance is not accidental. This area has probably been covered by the Guichen Sect's activities."

"Cover it!" Ah Yan stiffened his neck. "If you come one, kill one. If you come two, kill a pair!" He said toughly, but his eyes unconsciously glanced at Su Lin. Seeing that Su Lin frowned slightly, as if disturbed by his loud voice, he immediately lowered his voice and said with a little annoyance, "... In short, don't even think about touching our people."

Xingchen followed Su Lin silently on his other side. The blood on his face had been roughly wiped with snow, but some dark red marks still remained. The wound on his palm had been treated well by Mu Lin, and it was only slightly red now. His eyes were no longer fixed on Su Lin as before, but he began to imitate Lei Qing, scanning the surrounding environment more systematically - the gaps between the dead trees, the undulations of the snowdrifts, the outlines of the distant mountains. He was learning and growing, gradually transforming the fierceness born of protection into a more calm vigilance. Occasionally, he would reach out to help Su Lin brush away the snow that had fallen on his fur, his movements were gentle, with an unmistakable cherishment.

Around noon, they found a sheltered rocky depression to rest. Food remained their biggest problem. A Yan and Lei Qing searched the area separately, hoping to find some edible roots or perhaps a small, cold-resistant animal. Mu Lin, on the other hand, wasted no time recovering his abilities while watching over Su Lin and Xingchen.

Su Lin sat back against the cold rock, wrapped tightly in his fur, but still felt the chill seeping into his bones. He watched Mu Lin's eyelashes flutter as he closed his eyes to regulate his breathing, and watched Xingchen's silhouette as he gripped the dagger and looked around warily. The desire to recover quickly, to help, grew stronger in his heart. He quietly tried to sense the space within his body, a vast and chaotic area filled with the various supplies they had brought out of the valley and those he had accidentally collected before. He "saw" several well-sealed boxes of compressed biscuits in the corner, but the outer layer was blocked by some messy tools and materials. In his current mental state, it would be extremely difficult to remove them accurately. He sighed, and the feeling of helpless frustration once again surged in his heart.

At this moment, Stardust, who was on guard nearby, suddenly gave a low warning: "Someone's here!"

Everyone jumped up instantly and entered combat mode.

Lei Qing and A Yan quickly retreated from their search position, protecting Su Lin and Mu Lin in the center. Their gazes were fixed on the direction Xingchen had indicated—a sparse birch forest to the right and front.

A figure stumbled out of the woods. He was wearing clothes so tattered they barely showed their original color. He was tall and thin, and his movements were hasty and awkward. He seemed injured, his left leg dragging as he ran. He would occasionally glance back in fear, as if something terrifying was chasing him.

"It's not a gray robe." A Yan narrowed his eyes, and the flame of the short axe in his hand flickered slightly.

"Alone?" Mu Lin concentrated his attention and sensed, "I don't feel the spiritual pollution unique to the Guichen Sect... but he doesn't look like an ordinary survivor either."

Lei Qing remained silent, coldly watching the approaching figure, his right hand already on the hilt of his hunting knife. His intuition told him that this person was no ordinary person.

The man also noticed them and was startled at first. He stopped in his tracks, a look of extreme fear appeared on his face, and he subconsciously wanted to retreat and hide. But when his eyes swept over Su, who was being closely protected in the center, his eyes suddenly burst into a light mixed with despair and the last hope.

“Help… Help!” He shouted hoarsely, quickening his pace and limping towards them. “There’s a monster behind me… There’s a monster chasing me!”

A dozen meters away, Lei Qing raised his hand and gestured for them to stop. The man immediately stopped, holding up his hands to indicate he had no weapons. Panting, his face stained with dirt and sweat, his eyes frantically darted from one of them to the next, finally settling on Su Lin.

"Please, help me... I... I can take you to a safe place! I know where to find clean water and food!" He spoke very quickly with a crying voice, looking pitiful and helpless.

Su Lin looked at his miserable appearance, especially the leg that seemed injured, and felt a slight pity. He subconsciously took a half step forward to see more clearly.

His subtle movement instantly touched the nerves of all his companions.

Lei Qing silently shifted half a step to the side, completely shielding Su Lin behind him. Ah Yan stepped forward, his hatchet held across his chest, flames rising high. He sternly shouted, "Stand still! What monster? Explain!" Mu Lin's mental power, like an invisible thread, quietly coiled around him, attempting to sense his opponent's emotions and physical condition. Xingchen, like a wolf whose territory had been invaded, let out a low, threatening whimper, his dagger pointed in the direction of the approaching person. If the opponent made any unsettling movement, he would pounce without hesitation.

The man, frightened by A Yan's ferocity and Xing Chen's hostility, shuddered and waved his hands hastily. "Don't...don't do it! I mean, it was...a few mutant snow wolves! They smelled a little food on me and kept chasing me!" He pointed at his bleeding left leg. "They bit me...I had a hard time shaking them off..."

His explanation sounded reasonable. In the apocalypse, being hunted by mutant beasts for a little food was all too common.

Su Lin looked at Lei Qing, his eyes filled with questioning and a hint of pity. He always felt that not helping someone in need was against his conscience.

Lei Qing stared back at him, his eyes deep, and he shook his head slowly, almost imperceptibly. His vigilance remained undimmed. The timing of this man's appearance was too good to be true. Furthermore, the look he gave Su Lin—a mixture of amazement, assessment, and a hint of indescribable greed—made Lei Qing deeply uncomfortable.

Mu Lin's perception also brought back feedback. He whispered to Lei Qing and Su Lin, "His leg injury is real, and he lost a lot of blood. His emotions... are very confused, with fear being the main factor, but there seems to be... something else underneath, very obscure."

Ah Yan didn't have that much patience. He snorted, "Who knows if you're deliberately trying to lure the monsters here? Or are you in cahoots with those gray-robed guys?"

"No! That's not it!" the man hurriedly defended himself, his face showing the anxiety of being wronged. "My name is Ling Ye, and I'm just a lone refugee! I swear to God! If you save me, I will take you to a place I know. There's real water there! I've seen it with my own eyes!"

Water. This word has a fatal temptation in the current situation of extreme water shortage.

Su Lin gently tugged at Lei Qing's sleeve and whispered, "His injuries... don't look fake. Besides, if he really knows the source of the water..."

Lei Qing remained silent, his gaze like an icy cone as he scrutinized the man who called himself Ling Ye. He was weighing the risks. If he left them alone, he might miss out on crucial information about the water source, or he might even abandon the man to death. Taking him along would introduce a huge uncertainty.

At this moment, Ling Ye's expression suddenly changed. He looked behind them in horror, his voice trembling, "Here...here they are! They're chasing us!"

Everyone turned around suddenly and saw several nimble gray-white figures swiftly passing above the snow line in the distance, approaching them! They were indeed mutant snow wolves, with fierce eyes and bared fangs.

"Fuck!" A Yan cursed and gripped the hatchet tightly.

The situation suddenly became critical.

Lei Qing's eyes sharpened, and he made a split-second decision. He pushed Su Lin toward Mu Lin and whispered, "Take him away first! Ah Yan, Xingchen, cover us!" Regardless, resolving the immediate threat and ensuring Su Lin's safety was paramount.

"No!" Su Lin objected subconsciously. He couldn't watch his companions face danger while he left first.

"Be obedient!" Lei Qing turned around and looked at him deeply. The determination in his eyes was unquestionable.

Mu Lin also understood that this was not the time to hesitate. He pulled Su Lin up and said, "Let's go!"

Seeing this, Ling Ye rolled and crawled to catch up with Mu Lin and Su Lin: "I'll lead the way! I know which way is safe!"

Xingchen suddenly stood in front of Ling Ye, pointing the dagger at him with a fierce look in his eyes, not allowing him to get close to Su Lin even a step.

"Kid, you..." Ling Ye seemed a little annoyed, but looking at Xingchen's desperate eyes, as well as the cold gazes of A Yan and Lei Qing beside him, he stopped in his tracks and pointed in a direction, "Over there! There's a small slope through the bushes, it's relatively safe!"

Lei Qing didn't hesitate any longer. He exchanged a glance with A Yan, and like arrows shot from a bow, they charged towards the charging mutant snow wolves. Xingchen, on the other hand, stared intently at Ling Ye, stepping back, ensuring he maintained distance from Su Lin and Mu Lin.

Mu Lin pulled Su Lin along, moving quickly in the direction Ling Ye pointed. Su Lin turned back, watching Lei Qing and A Yan battle the wolves, and Xingchen vigilantly guarding the rear. His heart tightened. He noticed that Ling Ye, after pointing the way, didn't immediately follow them. Instead, he stood still, his eyes gazing at the direction of the battle with a complex expression, then at their departing figures. A faint, almost imperceptible smile seemed to curl the corners of his mouth.

A chill, colder than ice and snow, quietly crept up Su Lin's back.

They quickly passed through the bushes Ling Ye had pointed out and, as expected, came upon a small snowy slope. Mu Lin stationed Su Lin at the back of the slope while he himself remained at the top, closely monitoring the situation of the remaining team.

The sounds of fighting soon died down. A moment later, Lei Qing, A Yan, and Xing Chen reappeared. All three bore fresh scrapes and bloodstains, but appeared unharmed. Xing Chen remained close to Lei Qing, occasionally glancing back at Ling Ye, who was lazily following behind.

"It's solved." Lei Qing said concisely, walked to Su Lin's side, and swept his eyes over him. After confirming that he was safe and sound, the tense jaw line relaxed slightly.

A Yan shook the blood off his hatchet, walked up to Ling Ye, and looked down at him. "Hey, where is the place you mentioned? You'd better not play tricks!"

Ling Ye seemed intimidated by A Yan's aura. He shrank his neck and pointed to the other side of the small snowy slope. "It's... not far over there. There's a small icy lake. The last time I passed by, there was a spring in the middle of the lake that wasn't completely frozen. The water was very clear..."

Hope is rekindled. Even if there is only a slight possibility, it is worth taking the risk.

Following Ling Ye's guidance, they circled to the other side of the small snowy slope. After less than a quarter of an hour, they finally saw a small, frozen lake surrounded by snow. Most of the lake was frozen solid, but near the center, there was a patch less than a meter in diameter. The water rippled, emitting wisps of white steam. This was a small, unfrozen hot spring!

"There really is water!" A Yan exclaimed in surprise. The thirst he had been experiencing for days almost made him want to pounce on it.

"Wait." Mu Lin stopped him, walked to the lake's edge, squatted down, and carefully sensed the water's aura. He then formed a small ball of water and examined it carefully. "The water quality... is indeed very clean, containing a faint energy. It is a rare living water." He gave a positive judgment.

This time, even Lei Qing's tense expression relaxed a little. The discovery of the water source was extremely important to them.

Everyone immediately and carefully drew water from their water bags. Ling Ye also took out a worn kettle and quietly drew water from the lake, appearing to be at his proper place.

Xingchen didn't go to fetch water. He remained vigilant, patrolling the sparse, frost-covered bushes by the lake. Suddenly, his eyes were drawn to several brightly colored mushrooms growing at the base of the bushes. The caps were a beautiful light yellow with white spots, standing out against the grayish-white world. He remembered that Su Lin seemed to enjoy studying these plants, having identified various fungi back in the valley. He wondered if these mushrooms were edible, perhaps they could provide Su Lin with some strength...

He subconsciously reached out his hand to pick it.

“Don’t touch!”

Su Lin's exclamation and Mu Lin's warning sounded almost at the same time!

But it was too late. Stardust's fingers had already touched the pale yellow cap, and tiny, almost invisible spores drifted away.

Su Lin rushed over and pulled Xingchen away, his face pale. "Xingchen! This is a death cap! Highly poisonous!" His voice trembled with anxiety and weakness. He recognized this mushroom. In the corner of his chaotic spatial memory, there was a tattered botanical illustration that clearly marked the dangers of this beautiful mushroom.

Xingchen was stunned. He looked at his fingers that had touched the mushrooms, then looked at Su Lin's anxious face. He felt a little helpless: "I... I just wanted to..."

At this moment, Xingchen's body shook violently, and his face quickly flushed an abnormal red. He covered his throat, his breathing became rapid, and his eyes began to blur.

"Stardust!" Su Lin was so frightened that he hugged the boy tightly as he began to slide down.

Mu Lin took a quick step forward, placed his finger on Xingchen's wrist pulse, and his expression instantly turned extremely ugly: "Spore inhalation poisoning! The toxicity takes effect very quickly!"

A Yan and Lei Qing also immediately surrounded him, their faces livid as they watched Xingchen's rapidly deteriorating condition.

"Ling Ye!" Ah Yan whipped his head around, his rage practically boiling over. He pointed his hatchet at Ling Ye, who was standing nearby and seemed equally startled by the sudden incident. "Is this you?! Did you deliberately lead us here?!"

Ling Ye's face showed a look of surprise and injustice: "I... I didn't! How would I know there were poisonous mushrooms here? I just knew there was water here..."

Lei Qing ignored A Yan's questioning. He squatted down and watched Mu Lin quickly check on Xingchen's condition. He then looked at Su Lin, who was holding Xingchen, his eyes red and his body trembling with anxiety. He knew that now was not the time to pursue the matter.

Mu Lin's forehead was covered in cold sweat. "The poison is very strong. My water-based ability has limited effect. I need a special antidote, or..." He looked at Su Lin with a complicated expression, "or an extremely powerful infusion of vitality to forcibly wash away the poison... But that would be extremely exhausting for the rescuer, and might even..."

He didn't finish his words, but his meaning was clear. Either find an antidote, or rely on Su Lin's unfathomable, yet extremely unstable healing ability.

Su Lin looked at Xingchen, whose breathing was becoming increasingly difficult and whose face was wrinkled in pain, in his arms. Without any hesitation, he raised his head, his eyes filled with unprecedented determination. He said to Mu Lin, and to everyone else, word by word:

"Tell me what to do."