Chapter 283 Xiao Wu Encounters a Black Bear Attack
The group boarded the boat. They were lucky; a heavy rain a few days earlier had raised the water level, allowing them to float downstream.
After the boats left the Ling Canal,
Most people get seasick, feeling dizzy and disoriented on the ship, so no one causes trouble.
Old Liao was very satisfied, and even wished the window would shake a little more. It was still too stable. Some people didn't get dizzy, but everyone did, which would have made things much easier.
Leaving the Lingqu Canal and traveling downstream along the Li River to reach Cangwu took a total of twelve days.
It only takes a maximum of half a month to get from Cangwu to Panyu Town, which is still within the three-month time limit.
After disembarking, everyone felt dizzy. It got dark on the way to the city, and the group was exhausted and hungry. They were in a sparsely populated primeval forest, more than ten miles away from Cangwu County.
Most people refused to move, lying down on the spot and falling fast asleep. Only when they were lying on solid, unmoving ground did they feel alive.
Some were so hungry that they set up a pot and cooked a meal.
Despite her exhaustion, Madam Yang urged her two daughters-in-law and children to hurry up and cook.
Yun Zhaoxue is pregnant and eating dry food all day is not good for her or the baby in her womb.
I plan to cook a pot of hot porridge to fill my stomach and warm it up, and then go to a restaurant for a good meal once we get to the city.
Yun Zhaoxue seemed to hear thunder. She went into the woods and hid behind a big tree. She used night vision goggles to observe the sky and saw that dark clouds covered the sky above.
The ants on the trees and at our feet were moving house, running up the mountain, and there were no birds or beasts around.
I used to see at least one or two.
This is the prelude to a heavy rainstorm or flash flood.
Summers in the south are characterized by frequent and intense rainfall, often lasting for several days and nights.
"Master Liao, I just heard thunder. It might rain tonight. Let's all go into town."
When the people around her heard that she still wanted to continue her journey, they waved their hands helplessly and said, "If you want to leave, then the Xiao family can leave. We're not leaving."
“I’m not leaving. Even if it might rain, or even if a pack of wolves comes, I’m not leaving.”
This place is close to the river, and the river level has already exceeded the safe range. If there is another heavy rain, the water level will rise and this place will be flooded.
"That's alarmist. It's not that easy to be flooded."
"That's right, even if it's flooded, there are still mountains, right? We can run up the mountain and not drown."
"They won't drown, but the water level won't recede, so they might starve to death on the mountain."
This place is surrounded by mountains on two sides, a river on one side, and a road leading to Cangwu County on the other side. However, the terrain here is low-lying, and if the water level does not recede for more than ten days, people will be trapped on the mountain.
With continuous rain and no firewood, they may suffer from hypothermia or starve to death.
Seeing that those people were too weak to even speak, Lao Liao didn't know whether he should continue on his way into the city or take a chance and stay overnight to leave the next day.
Xiao Xuance suggested, "Master Liao, we can leave in batches. Those who choose to stay can stay. Those who choose to continue can continue their journey and reach Cangwu County ahead first."
They still had the strength to walk to Cangwu County.
Lao Liao thought this approach was feasible. "I'll discuss it with them and see who's willing to lead the team into the city."
"Thank you for your trouble, Mr. Liao."
The two returned to their own group, telling their sisters-in-law that they didn't need to cook rice or start a fire, and packed their things to continue their journey into the city.
"Third Brother, something terrible has happened! Xiao Wu, Xiao Wu... he's in danger! There's a bear on the mountain! It suddenly attacked Xiao Wu! That black bear is ferocious and brutal; it can snap a tree in two with one blow! Quick, save Xiao Wu! Quick, save him!"
"Approximately where is it located?"
Xiao Mingshu pointed to the spot where she had just run down and said, "It's over there, about a hundred meters away."
She wanted to help Xiao Xuanwu, but she had no martial arts skills and was almost slapped away by the black bear. It was Xiao Xuanwu who struck the black bear with his stick, attracting its attention and allowing her to go down the mountain to get reinforcements.
She rushed down the mountain, stumbling and falling several times along the way, her face, arms, and knees scratched by tree branches.
Xiao Xuance lightly touched the rock face with his toes, using the force to leap into the air. His figure soared like a hawk, and with a few leaps, he swept over the dense canopy and disappeared into the night.
Xiao Mingshu blamed herself for being useless, for having no one to help her, and for abandoning her younger brother at the crucial moment. She rushed up the mountain again, crying out, "Xiao Wu, you must hold on and wait for me..."
He had only taken two steps when Yun Zhaoxue grabbed him. "Third sister-in-law, you don't need to persuade me. I must go up. I need to see with my own eyes that Xiao Wu is alright before I can rest easy."
“It’s not that I’m stopping you from going, but take this.” Yun Zhaoxue handed her a dagger and a packet of sleeping pills. “Use the dagger for self-defense. If you’re too scared to get close, give the sleeping pills to your third brother or Xiao Wu and have them throw them at the black bear to knock it unconscious. If possible, keep the bear’s gallbladder and paw intact…”
These are all valuable medicinal ingredients, worth a fortune. Since we've come across them, we shouldn't miss out.
She was heavily pregnant, and the mountain path was steep and slippery, so she couldn't walk too fast. By the time she reached the top of the mountain, the daylilies were already cold.
The remaining members of the Xiao family were all women and children, and they planned to hire two escorts to accompany Xiao Mingshu up the mountain.
Lu Tingzhi walked over and said, "Madam, Princess, in Jiangling, my mother was injured by a demon. She had received kindness from Miss Xiao Si. If you don't mind, I am willing to accompany Miss Xiao Si up the mountain and protect her."
Xiao Mingshu disregarded everything else and dragged him up the mountain, saying, "Let's hurry, or we'll be too late."
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