Night raid
The night was thick, and the forest was so quiet that only the whistling of the wind through the pine needles and the long howls of unknown wild beasts in the distance could be heard.
Shen Lanjun leaned against the cold rock wall, her body exhausted, yet her mind taut with tension. Gu Tieshan sat not far beside her, his eyes closed, his breathing long and deep. But Shen Lanjun could tell he wasn't asleep; his straight back and the occasional twitch of his ear indicated he was fully alert to his surroundings. The wound on his left shoulder, though hastily bandaged, still emitted a faint smell of blood, mingling with the chilly air and reminding everyone of the dangers of the day.
Xiu Niang held her daughter, occasionally sobbing in her uneasy dreams. The child, too, slept restlessly in her arms, her little brows furrowed.
Time ticked by in anxious waiting. Almost two hours had passed since Xiao Chen left, each minute feeling exceptionally long. Shen Lanjun's fingertips unconsciously caressed the cold, hard object in her arms—it was something she kept close to her body, the only thing that could prove her past identity, and a testament to her mission northward. Linjiangtun, that name swirled in her mind, representing both hope and perhaps an even greater trap.
Just then, a very faint rustling sound, quite different from the natural rhythm of the mountains and forests, came from afar.
Gu Tieshan suddenly opened his eyes. In the darkness, his gaze was sharp as lightning, instantly locking onto the direction from which the sound came. Shen Lanjun also immediately held her breath, her hand quietly pressing on the short blade hidden behind her waist.
The sound grew closer; it was the sound of deliberately light footsteps, tinged with urgency.
Soon, a familiar figure appeared at the edge of the depression—it was Xiao Chen! He was carrying a rather large bundle on his back, and although he was still agile, his breathing was noticeably heavier.
"Brother Gu, Sister Chen!" Xiao Chen lowered his voice, with a hint of excitement after completing the task, and quickly slid to their side.
"How are you? Did you run into any trouble?" Gu Tieshan asked in a deep voice, his gaze quickly sweeping over Xiao Chen's entire body to confirm that he was not injured.
"It's nothing!" Xiao Chen put down the bundle and untied it. "The town was in chaos. The Japanese patrol had just passed by when I found the back door of the general store next to the market and used the money Sister Chen gave me to get these things."
The bundle contained quite a few things: a small bag of coarse salt, several heavy mixed flour cakes, a small packet of brown sugar, and even two plasters exuding a strong herbal smell and several rolls of clean gauze. Most importantly, there were two slightly worn, thick cotton-padded coats.
"Good stuff!" Gu Tieshan picked up a plaster, smelled it, and nodded. These things were indeed life-saving supplies at the moment.
Shen Lanjun picked up the packet of brown sugar, a slight thought crossing her mind. This was especially precious during wartime; Xiao Chen must have gone to great lengths. "Thank you for your hard work, Xiao Chen," she said softly, carefully putting the brown sugar away. This could replenish energy in a critical moment, and perhaps even save the child's life.
Xiao Chen scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly, then his expression turned serious: "Brother Gu, Sister Chen, I heard some rumors while I was in town."
"Speak," Gu Tieshan said succinctly.
"The Japanese seem to be looking for someone, they're checking people very closely. Also, I heard that the road north is not safe. Besides the occasional Japanese patrol squads, there are several bandit groups that specialize in robbing people fleeing north." Xiao Chen's voice was filled with worry. "With so many of us, including children, we're too much of a target."
The atmosphere grew heavy again. With wolves in front and tigers behind, this journey north was fraught with peril at every turn.
Shen Lanjun was silent for a moment, then looked at Gu Tieshan: "We must go to Linjiang Village. It's remote enough that we can find the 'shadow' we need." Her words were full of meaning.
Gu Tieshan understood her meaning. The more chaotic and remote the place, the easier it was to hide one's identity and find the gaps the organization needed. His gaze swept over the sleeping Xiu Niang and her daughter, landed on Xiao Chen's young yet resolute face, and finally met Shen Lanjun's calm gaze.
"Then let's go." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a resolute force. "Roads are made by people walking on them. Whether they're bandits or Japanese devils, if they want to block our way, they'll have to ask our weapons if they'll allow it." Beside him, the large sword he never parted with gleamed with a cold, bluish light in the dim moonlight.
He looked at Xiao Chen: "Take a good rest, we'll set off as soon as it's light. Keep your eyes open for the rest of the journey."
"Yes!" Xiao Chen nodded emphatically.
Shen Lanjun gently draped a cotton-padded jacket over Xiu Niang and handed another to Xiao Chen. "Put this on, it'll get cold in the middle of the night."
She leaned back against the rock face, holding the child even tighter in her arms, warming him with her body heat. Gu Tieshan handed the plaster to Shen Lanjun, gesturing for her to help him apply it. During the plaster application, neither of them spoke; only the cool moonlight witnessed the silent trust and reliance that blossomed in the smallest of moments amidst this chaotic world.
The night was long and fraught with danger. But their goal was clear, and no matter how many difficulties and obstacles lay ahead, they could only move forward.
Lurking in the darkness, their hearts yearning for the glimmer of light. Their path is destined to be paved with blood and fire.
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