The sky was completely dark, the darkness in the mountains and forests was so thick that it was impossible to see through, the range that a flashlight could illuminate was extremely limited, and the path underfoot became increasingly blurry and difficult to discern.
The leader of the hikers, panting heavily, announced helplessly:
"No, it's too dark. It's too dangerous to go any further! I'm afraid I'll have to spend the night here and wait until dawn to find a way out."
"Sleeping outdoors?!"
Zhang Shaozhong's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously looked at the two ancestors beside him.
Sure enough, Ling Qingxue and Ye Meier's faces instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
"Sleeping outdoors? In this desolate wilderness? Sharing with insects and filth?"
Ling Qingxue's voice was filled with disbelief, resistance, and disdain, as if she were being told not to sleep outdoors, but to sleep in a pigsty.
Night Enchantress was furious:
"Are you kidding me!"
How can I, an old woman, sleep under the sky and on the ground?
Why should I stay stuck with this hypocritical, pretentious jerk? I'd rather die!
She was so angry that she spun around on the spot, almost wanting to unleash her demonic energy to do something, but fortunately she remembered the backlash and managed to hold back.
Those hikers remained calm, clearly indicating that this wasn't the first time they'd encountered such a situation.
"It's okay. We'll find a sheltered, flat spot, build a fire, and make do for the night. We brought an emergency blanket."
"Yes, it's better than falling down the mountain in the dark."
Without further ado, the hikers divided the work: some went to find dry tinder, some cleared a small area, and some took out lighters to start a fire.
Zhang Shaozhong quickly stepped in to help, afraid that if he stayed idle, he would be used as a punching bag by the two big shots.
However, the two big shots just stood there, motionless, their faces clearly showing "rejection" and "disdain," watching everyone busy, as if they were completely out of place.
"Um...you two...ladies?"
One of the hikers tried to ease the tension by handing over a small branch.
Could you help me gather some firewood?
Ling Qingxue glanced at the pile of withered branches, her eyes cold:
"Dirty wood, stained with dust and mud, is not fit for handling."
Ye Meier scoffed:
"You want me to do your menial tasks? Dream on!"
(Translation: It's beneath me; I'm not doing it.)
Zhang Shaozhong quickly rushed over to take the branch, and said with a dry laugh:
"I'll do it! They...they're spoiled and have never done any hard work! I can handle it!"
As he spoke, he frantically winked at the two big shots: When in Rome, do as the Romans do! Have some sense!
The two big shots simultaneously snorted coldly and turned their heads away.
Soon, a hiker easily lit the dry moss and twigs with a lighter, and orange flames leaped up, bringing light and warmth.
Wow! It's on fire!
"Quickly add some thicker firewood!"
After everyone busied themselves, the campfire gradually grew stronger, dispelling the surrounding darkness and chill.
However, as Ling Qingxue and Ye Meier looked at the leaping flames, their faces once again showed expressions of surprise and uncertainty.
"This is... mortal fire?"
Ling Qingxue asked Zhang Shaozhong in a low voice, somewhat uncertainly.
"Why doesn't it require spiritual power to activate? What kind of magical artifact is that small iron box? How can it generate fire out of thin air?"
She was referring to a lighter.
"That's a lighter... It contains a gas called butane, and it produces a flame when you press it... It's not a magical artifact, it's very common."
Zhang Shaozhong explained weakly, feeling like he was just repeating a broken record.
Night Enchantress stared at the lighter, her eyes flickering with interest, but she ultimately held back.
The fire was lit, but a new problem arose—hunger.
After walking all day, the compressed biscuits were long gone.
Several hikers began rummaging through their backpacks, taking out more compressed food and energy bars.
But the two bigwigs looked at the "pig swill" with such disgust that it was almost palpable.
"Another crude product like this?"
Ling Qingxue's eyebrows could trap a fly.
My mouth is so bland it's practically tasteless!
Night Enchantress complained irritably.
One of the backpackers laughed:
"The conditions in the mountains are limited, so we'll have to make do. Oh, by the way, there seemed to be some fish in the stream we came across earlier. How about we try to catch a couple and roast them for a nice meal?"
The suggestion was immediately met with a positive response.
Zhang Shaozhong also perked up and rolled up his sleeves:
"I'm good at this! I used to catch fish in the stream when I was a kid!"
However, when they reached the stream, another problem arose. It was dark, the water was cold, and the fish were slippery. The group of hikers and Zhang Shaozhong struggled for a long time but failed to catch a single fish, instead getting completely soaked.
"Haha, looks like I'll have to eat dry rations again tonight!"
The hikers didn't seem to mind, laughing and making fun of themselves.
Just then, Ling Qingxue, who had been observing coldly, looked at the dark figure swimming in the water and suddenly spoke calmly:
"How could someone so clumsy possibly catch something so swift?"
Night Enchantress also crossed her arms and mocked:
"Exactly! Can't even catch a common fish, what a waste!"
Zhang Shaozhong was a little annoyed by what he was said, and replied irritably:
"You two big shots make it sound so easy. If you're so capable, then you do it!"
He had only said it in anger, but unexpectedly, Ling Qingxue and Ye Meier exchanged a glance and were both aroused to a certain degree of competitiveness.
"Hmph, what's so difficult about a mere mortal fish?"
Ling Qingxue said coldly, walked to the water's edge, and stared intently into the water.
She tried to use her divine sense to pinpoint the fish's location, but found that her divine sense was pitifully weak and could only vaguely sense it.
Not to be outdone, Ye Meier walked to the other side, her sharp eyes scanning the water. She instinctively wanted to use her demonic energy to intimidate or attack directly, but as soon as she had the thought, her dantian began to ache, so she had to give up.
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