Feng Yulan was woken by the cold. The cool morning air seeped in through the cracks in the tree, making her shiver uncontrollably.
She opened her eyes and saw Zhang Shumin still unconscious, but her breathing was much steadier than the previous night. A few rays of morning light danced among the splinters of wood at the cave entrance, like a handful of scattered gold.
She climbed up carefully and looked out through the gap - it was quiet outside and there was no sign of pursuers.
Last night's explosion had broken several trees, which had fallen to the ground in a chaotic manner, forming a natural barrier. She touched the fruit knife at her waist and decided to go out to find some water and food.
The morning dew in the woods was heavy, and with every step, her shoes sank into the rotten leaves. Feng Yulan walked back along the route she had taken last night, hoping to find the deep ditch—perhaps there was still some water at the bottom.
As she passed by the thorn bush where she had hidden last night, she saw a pool of dried blood on the ground, with a few bullet shells scattered around, shining coldly in the morning light.
When she finally found the ditch, she almost cried with joy—there was a small puddle at the bottom of the ditch. Although it was muddy, it was enough to save her life. She took off her cloth, dipped it in the water and wrung it out. Suddenly, she heard a voice from above:
"Search carefully! Lao Jin said he wants to see the person alive or the body dead!"
Feng Yulan squatted down suddenly, her heart pounding. She saw two figures swaying on the edge of the ditch. They were the pursuers from yesterday.
One of them bent down and picked up the harpoon she had dropped last night, weighing it in his hand. "Is this the one that woman used?"
"Hurry up and look for them! If we don't find them, we'll all be in trouble." Another man kicked a stone. "I heard that Lao Jin has invested a lot of money this time. If we let those two women get away, we will all lose our heads."
The footsteps gradually faded away. Feng Yulan waited for a long time, not standing up until she was sure they were far away.
She soaked the cloth in water and carefully brought it back to the tree hole, but saw a shocking scene at the entrance of the hole - Zhang Shumin had woken up and was drawing something on the ground with a branch.
"Mom! You're awake!" Feng Yulan rushed over and brought the water to her mouth. Zhang Shumin drank greedily, her Adam's apple rolling up and down, and the water dripped down her chin onto her chest, soaking it all.
"How long has it been?" She wiped her mouth, her voice still hoarse, but her eyes were much clearer.
"About six hours." Feng Yulan wiped the remaining water on Zhang Shumin's forehead. "They're still searching, but they haven't found us yet."
Zhang Shumin nodded and pointed to the drawing on the ground. "This is a map of the woods. Last night I dreamed... I dreamed of your father-in-law. He took me through this woods."
Feng Yulan looked closer and saw several crooked lines drawn on the ground. At their intersection was a five-pointed star—the exact tree hole they were in. Nearby were several signs: "Cliff Stream Abandoned House."
"Abandoned house?" She frowned. "Are you sure?"
"When I was little, I heard from the elders that there was a ranger's hut in the woods, abandoned for twenty years." Zhang Shumin struggled to sit up. "If we can find it... maybe there's medicine or something to eat."
Feng Yulan hesitated for a moment, then pulled out the harpoon hidden in her bosom. "I'll go explore the way. You stay here and keep quiet."
"No!" Zhang Shumin grabbed her wrist. "It's too dangerous."
"But you need medicine." Feng Yulan looked her straight in the eyes. "Trust me, Mom. I can do it."
Zhang Shumin was silent for a moment, then released her hand. "Carry the detonator. If you're in danger... blow up the tree."
Feng Yulan nodded, stuffed the two detonators into her trouser pockets, and put the fruit knife behind her waist.
She climbed out of the tree hole and took a last look at Zhang Shumin - her mother-in-law was drawing something on the ground with a branch. The morning light fell on her profile, making her look somewhat gentle.
The woods were more difficult to navigate than she had imagined. Following Zhang Shumin's map, Feng Yulan headed northeast along the stream, stopping every few steps to listen. From time to time, small animals would scurry out from beneath the rotting leaves, startling her heart.
Finally, when she passed through a bamboo forest, she saw a dilapidated wooden house in front of her. The tiles on the roof had fallen off, leaving only a few wooden beams supporting it. The door was half-open, revealing cobwebs and dust inside.
She held her breath as she approached the cabin and used a fishing fork to pry open the door. A musty smell hit her, but it brightened her eyes—there was a rusty medicine box in the corner, and a few old clothes hanging on the shelf next to it.
She rushed over and opened the medicine box. The alcohol and bandages inside were expired but intact.
"Great." She whispered to herself, stuffing the medicine box into her arms. At this moment, she heard the sound of leather shoes stepping on dead leaves behind her, lighter than the previous footsteps, but more deadly - it was a trained person.
She turned around suddenly and saw a man in a black windbreaker standing at the door, the muzzle of a gun pointed at her forehead.
The man raised his lips, revealing his yellowed teeth. "Finally I found you, my little beauty."
Feng Yulan felt her blood freeze. This man was not the pursuer from before. His eyes were colder and more ruthless, like the Grim Reaper crawling out of hell.
She subconsciously stepped back, her lower back hitting the wooden frame, making a creaking sound.
"Don't be afraid." The man took a step forward. "Come back with me. Old Jin will treat you well... As for your old hag, let her rot in the woods."
His words were like a knife, cutting into Feng Yulan's heart. She remembered what Zhang Shumin had said in the tree hole: "Fight back."
So she lowered her head in pretended fear, but her fingers quietly reached for the detonator in her trouser pocket.
"You...you mean what you said?"
She asked in a trembling voice, taking the opportunity to retreat to the window. Outside the window was a tall pine tree with a trunk thick enough to block the bullet.
"Of course." The man took another step forward, the muzzle of the gun only half a meter away from her chest. "As long as you behave..."
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