The deathly silence lasted for a full minute.
In the end, it was Lin Feng who broke the frozen atmosphere.
He slowly sheathed his long sword back into its scabbard at his waist, the soft "click" causing all the women to instinctively tremble.
He turned around and stepped into the cave.
His gaze calmly swept over the faces filled with fear, shock, confusion, and helplessness.
His eyes held no desire, no aggression, and not even much emotion; they were merely a calm, almost indifferent, scrutiny.
That look in her eyes actually calmed Li Luoshen down a little.
She had seen too many men with possessive and greedy eyes, but the man in front of her had clean and deep eyes.
"You are safe."
Lin Feng spoke, his voice unusually clear and steady in the silent, blood-smelling cave. He spoke standard Mandarin, which they were very familiar with.
These words, like a warm current, instantly touched the softest spot in every woman's heart.
It's safe now.
Three words that are both so simple and so extravagant.
"Who...who are you?" Li Luoshen leaned against the cold rock wall, barely managing to stand, her voice trembling slightly with excitement and nervousness.
She had to figure out the situation; she was responsible for the more than twenty sisters behind her.
Lin Feng's gaze fell upon her. He could tell that this woman was their absolute core and leader. Although her eyes were still filled with shock, she still retained reason and courage.
“My name is Lin Feng. His name is Li Xiangbin.” Lin Feng pointed to Li Xiangbin, who was grinning behind him, and then said, “We are from Earth, just like you.”
"boom!"
These words exploded in the minds of all the women like a bombshell.
"Blue Star...you...are you telling the truth?" Li Luoshen's eyes widened instantly, and tears welled up uncontrollably.
"We are too...we also came from Earth!"
"Are we dreaming?"
The sobs, suppressed for so long, finally erupted completely at this moment. They weren't cries of fear, but rather a cathartic release of grievance and joy, a cry of finally finding a glimmer of light in the endless darkness, a cry of finding a kindred spirit.
They've been inexplicably transported to this godforsaken place for almost a year now.
In one year, their numbers have dwindled from nearly a hundred to just twenty-two.
They fought against hunger, against the bitter cold, against terrifying beasts, and against the despair in their hearts.
They believed that they were the only lonely souls on this entire planet.
And now, someone is telling them that they are also from Earth.
This impact was far more intense than being attacked by a shadow leopard.
Lin Feng and Li Xiangbin waited quietly, not disturbing their outpouring. They knew these women needed to release the pain and pressure that had been building up for so long.
It took a long time for the crying to gradually subside.
Li Luoshen wiped away her tears, composed herself, and bowed deeply to Lin Feng and Li Xiangbin.
"Thank you... for saving all of our lives. We will never forget this kindness."
The women behind her also bowed in unison.
"It was nothing," Lin Feng calmly accepted their thanks, then got straight to the point: "Now is not the time for such talk. You have seriously wounded people who need immediate treatment. Also, the smell of blood here is too strong and will soon attract other carnivores. We shouldn't stay here any longer."
His words instantly brought everyone back to the harsh reality.
Li Luoshen immediately nodded: "You're right. But... several of our sisters are too badly injured to move. And we've run out of medicine."
Her voice was once again filled with deep worry and helplessness.
Lin Feng walked to the unconscious girl named Xiaoya, squatted down, and reached out to feel her forehead. The burning temperature made him frown.
He then examined several other women who had been scratched by the shadow leopard, and without exception, their wounds showed serious signs of infection.
"It's a bacterial infection causing high fever and complications," Lin Feng accurately diagnosed. "If we don't use antibiotics, their lives will be in danger."
“Antibiotics…we’ve run out of them a long time ago,” a bespectacled, seemingly refined woman said in a low voice. She was Chen Jing, the only doctor among them.
But in this world, without medicine and medical equipment, her medical knowledge seemed utterly inadequate.
"I have some here."
Lin Feng's words stunned everyone once again.
He took out a metal box that was tightly wrapped in waterproof tarpaulin from his bag.
Upon opening the box, several syringes and some small vials of penicillin were neatly arranged inside.
These were the most precious first-aid medicines he had specially brought from the shelter's reserves to prepare for various extreme situations that might arise during this expedition.
"Quick! Dr. Chen, right? Come and help!" Lin Feng ordered without room for argument.
Chen Jing practically tumbled over, and she was incredibly excited to see this scene.
"No time for sentimentality. Immediately conduct skin tests, then administer injections to all the wounded. You determine the dosage." Lin Feng handed her the medical kit.
"Yes! Yes!" Chen Jing was overjoyed and immediately began to provide professional battlefield first aid.
Lin Feng then turned to Li Xiangbin: "Xiangbin, bring our horses over. Take the two most intact Shadow Leopard carcasses with you; they're high-quality protein. As for the others, bury them on the spot and try to eliminate the smell of blood."
"Alright!" Li Xiangbin accepted the order and left.
Then, Lin Feng looked at Li Luoshen: "Ms. Li Luoshen, I need you to organize people and immediately pack up everything that can be taken. Food, water, tools, fire starter... anything useful must be taken. We must leave here in fifteen minutes."
"Where...where to?" Li Luoshen asked blankly.
Lin Feng's gaze drifted into the distance, towards the direction of his home.
“Go back to our home. A place with strong walls, warm houses, plenty of food and water, a truly safe… ‘shelter’.”
The words "shelter" seemed to possess boundless magic, causing an unprecedented light called "hope" to shine in the eyes of Li Luoshen and all the women.
The journey home was a hundred times more difficult than the journey there.
The group changed from two people riding two horses to a huge group of twenty-four people.
The seven seriously injured patients, after receiving valuable antibiotics, are temporarily out of danger, but remain weak and unable to walk on their own.
Lin Feng and Li Xiangbin gave up their iron-hoofed horses and converted them into simple "ambulances," which were led by women of decent physique in turn to slowly transport the wounded.
The team's pace was outrageously slow; they couldn't even cover thirty kilometers in a day.
However, Lin Feng demonstrated astonishing patience and unparalleled leadership.
He was like a tireless, precise machine, managing this hastily assembled, chaotic team with remarkable efficiency.
He personally led the way, using his extensive knowledge of wilderness survival and keen judgment of the terrain to choose the safest and flattest route.
He taught the women how to identify wind direction, how to use the terrain to avoid the biting cold wind, and how to allocate their energy more effectively.
At night, he would direct everyone to work together to build a circular campsite that could withstand the wind and snow. Several campfires would be lit, and the wounded would be placed in the warmest center.
He and Li Xiangbin took on the most dangerous night watch duties, staying up almost all night.
The six-horned wolf became the team's most loyal and reliable sentinel.
They were scattered around the camp, and no sound could escape their ears. Their presence gave the terrified team an unprecedented sense of security.
Food was the biggest problem. The dry rations they carried, meant to feed more than twenty people, were quickly running out.
But this is not a problem for Lin Feng.
He is the master of this icy plain.
He could determine the species, number, and destination of strange beasts from the smallest traces they left behind.
Then, he would take his horned wolf and, like the most efficient hunter, disappear into the night. Each time he returned, he would bring back enough prey to feed everyone.
When the women first tasted the exotic animal meat, sprinkled with divine salt and roasted to a crispy exterior and tender interior using the simplest methods, many of them cried.
They hadn't tasted such delicious and energizing food in far too long.
During this arduous journey home, Lin Feng and Li Xiangbin gradually won the heartfelt trust and respect of all the women through their actions.
This man named Lin Feng didn't talk much, and his face always had a cold and serious expression.
But he would silently cover the sleeping wounded with the thickest animal hides.
He would personally carry them across the icy river one by one.
When distributing food, he always put the wounded and the weakest first.
The burly man named Li Xiangbin, who was as big as a bear, provided all the laughs and warmth. He was incredibly strong and always volunteered to do all the heavy and tiring work.
Women are also contributing to the team in their own ways.
Under Li Luoshen's organization, they began to take on tasks within their capabilities.
Those with good physical strength were responsible for leading the horses and collecting firewood; those with meticulous attention to detail were responsible for processing the game and mending clothes.
Dr. Chen Jing was responsible for taking care of all the wounded, and under Lin Feng's guidance, she began to learn to identify some plants on this planet that had basic therapeutic effects.
The team, which initially passively accepted rescue efforts, gradually began to demonstrate a positive and cohesive team spirit.
Li Luoshen finally had time to have an in-depth conversation with Lin Feng.
On a night with a campfire burning, she told Lin Feng about their origins in detail.
They are a group of people from different cities, with diverse professions, including office workers, teachers, doctors, engineers, and students...
One year ago, their area was swallowed up by a strange "white fog" that enveloped the entire city.
When the white mist dissipated, they found that they, along with those around them, had been transported intact to this strange, cold world.
Initially, they numbered over a hundred, both men and women. However, faced with the harsh natural environment and terrifying beasts, and amidst repeated despair and conflict, their population dwindled dramatically.
Ultimately, after a brutal internal conflict over food, this group of women, unwilling to abandon their moral principles, chose to leave and find their own way to survive. They eventually found the cave behind the icefall and have struggled to survive ever since.
After listening to her story, Lin Feng remained silent for a long time.
"You are all great."
He looked at Li Luoshen and the women around him whose eyes held painful memories, and solemnly said, "In my sanctuary, you can all live, but you must be obedient."
Seeing Lin Feng's assertive gaze, Li Luoshen lowered her head: "Okay, we will definitely obey."
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