Xu Yuehuai turned to look at him, a hint of gratitude and warmth flashing in her eyes. She knew that these words were not only a sign of trust and support for her, but also an encouragement and inspiration to the entire team.
She took a deep breath and strode forward again with firm steps. Finally, after a long wait and hard work, they successfully passed through the fog.
The once unreachable valley was now within reach, and they cheered with joy.
Have we arrived yet?
There looks like a thatched hut up ahead!
"They should have arrived by now!"
The guards rushed forward to check the situation, and they could indeed vaguely see a thatched hut ahead.
Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze were particularly excited when they saw the thatched hut nestled in the valley ahead. They never expected that after so many days, they would be able to return here so smoothly.
Along the way, they have experienced countless hardships and tribulations. Now, returning to this familiar place, it seems that all the fatigue and suffering have vanished.
"We're finally back," Xu Yuehuai said with deep emotion, tears of excitement glistening in her eyes.
Qi Guze was also overjoyed. He patted Xu Yuehuai on the shoulder and said, "Yes, we owe you a lot for your guidance along the way. Otherwise, we would probably still be lost in the mountains."
Together, they led Yan Qing and the other guards to inspect the thatched hut. Although the hut was simple, it left a deep impression on them.
However, when they approached the thatched hut, they found that it seemed devoid of any sign of life.
The house was eerily quiet, as if it had been uninhabited for a long time. Xu Yuehuai's heart tightened. She pushed open the slightly ajar door and stepped inside. The room was in complete disarray; tables and chairs were overturned, and pots and pans were scattered all over the floor. Clearly, a fierce struggle had taken place here.
"My benefactor! Are you there?" Xu Yuehuai shouted, but there was no response from inside. Qi Guze also realized that something was wrong. He looked around at his surroundings, trying to find some clues.
Just then, Yan Qing suddenly noticed an important detail: "Look there!" Everyone looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a line of blood on the wall. The blood had dried, but the traces of its flow were still visible.
Xu Yuehuai was tense, wondering what had happened. Bai Yu wasn't there. They continued searching every corner of the thatched hut, hoping to find some clues.
However, aside from the scattered signs, they found no other useful information. Qi Guze frowned deeply: "What exactly happened here? Where did the white people go?"
Xu Yuehuai also looked confused and worried: "I don't know either, but I always feel that this matter is not simple."
They decided to rest there for the night and continue their search for clues the next day. The group sat around the campfire, the atmosphere somewhat somber. Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze were both preoccupied, unsure of their next steps.
As night falls, the sound of the wind in the valley, accompanied by the babbling of the stream, creates an eerie atmosphere.
Xu Yuehuai lay on the haystack, gazing blankly at the starry sky.
She recalled all the little moments she had shared with Bai Yu, and a warm feeling welled up inside her. She silently prayed that Bai Yu would be safe and sound.
The next morning, sunlight shone through the thin clouds onto the roof of the thatched hut.
Xu Yuehuai, Qi Guze, and the others got up early and began a new round of searching. They knew that time was of the essence and they had to find clues and solve the mystery as soon as possible. The group carefully searched around the thatched hut, leaving no place unchecked where clues might be hidden.
Every inch of the grass, trees, and rocks was carefully examined. Suddenly, Xu Yuehuai discovered a series of footprints in a patch of grass, clearly left by someone.
She crouched down and carefully examined the footprints, discovering that they were in regular arcs, clearly not left randomly.
The group immediately perked up and followed the footprints. The footprints appeared and disappeared in the grass, as if someone was deliberately leading them forward. They followed the footprints through the woods and hills, until they reached a stream at the foot of the mountain.
The stream was crystal clear, its waters flowing gently and melodiously. The footprints stopped abruptly on the bank, as if all clues had vanished after leading them there.
Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze exchanged a glance, their eyes revealing deep concern.
They knew that the clues seemed to have gone cold again. Just as they were at their wits' end, Yan Qing suddenly pointed to the other side of the stream and shouted, "Look! What's that?"
Following the direction he was pointing, everyone saw a wooden stick resting on a rock across the stream. One end of the stick was sharpened to a point, suggesting it was for something.
Xu Yuehuai's heart stirred. She walked to the stream and carefully examined the wooden stick. She noticed that some vines and grass were still wrapped around the stick, indicating that it had been deliberately placed there.
She was even more puzzled, wondering what secret was hidden here.
Qi Guze paced back and forth by the stream, pondering his next move. Looking at the clear water, an idea suddenly struck him. He crouched down and reached his hand into the water. His hand touched a hard object, and a surge of excitement filled him.
He pulled the object out of the water with all his might and found it was a rock. Everyone gathered around and was quite surprised to see the rock in Qi Guze's hand.
This stone was clearly no ordinary stone; its shape was very regular, and it was engraved with some strange symbols. Xu Yuehuai carefully examined the symbols and felt that they seemed somewhat similar to the symbols she had seen in the thatched hut earlier.
"What's going on?" Xu Yuehuai asked疑惑地, "What do these symbols mean?"
Qi Guze shook his head. "I don't know either," he said. "But I'm sure these symbols are somehow connected to the symbols in the thatched hut."
"These clues seem to be leading us here."
Xu Yuehuai said, "But what exactly does it mean?"
Just when everyone was at a loss, Qi Guze suddenly remembered something, "I think I know what these symbols mean."
He said, "We need to find the next symbol."
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately sprang into action, carefully searching along the stream. Soon after, they finally found the next symbol on a rock.
This symbol is somewhat similar to the previous ones, but also has some differences.
"What is this?" Yan Qing asked. "Do we need to find the next symbol?"
Qi Guze nodded. "Yes," he said. "These symbols seem to be guiding us somewhere."
Under the pitch-black night sky, Yan Qing and the other guards searched silently along the riverbank.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com