Chapter 72

Chapter 72

At the entrance to the mountain path, many broken logs lay scattered. Chu Ya and Black Wolf went ahead to clear them away.

"I know we have an advanced mental link, but let's disconnect for now."

Chu Ya dragged a log to the side, and upon hearing this, Black Wolf looked up at him.

"Quantum beasts sharing an advanced mental link with their owners will suffer the same pain as their owners. We'll likely encounter many dangers on this journey, and we can't afford to weaken our combat capabilities because of this."

Chu Ya threw the log aside and walked back to stand in front of Black Wolf.

"We can maintain the advanced mental link only when we sleep, and keep it at a normal level otherwise."

Black Wolf nodded gently.

"Is my delayed black sore disease related to you?"

Black Wolf avoided his gaze, and Chu Ya stepped forward, pulling its head into his arms, whispering, "Thank you for your hard work."

Shen Juanjuan stood behind the supervisor, watching Chu Ya from afar. He was afraid of being taken away by other senior students and kept calling out softly to the supervisor, "I want to be with my brother, supervisor, I want to be with my brother, supervisor..."

"I know, I know, I won't call your name," the supervisor replied, turning sideways.

"Ran Tianjiao, Hong Er, Yu Datou... Yu Datou, where is Yu Datou?"

Tang Yuanyuan immediately nudged Yu Datou, who was staring blankly, "They're calling you."

"Here!"

"Raise your hand, raise your hand." Tang Yuanyuan lifted Yu Datou's hand high, and a middle-class student came over to lead him away. After Yu Datou was led out of the group of junior students, he still held Wang Xiaoxi's hand.

The supervisor hurriedly said, "Wait, don't take the one behind, I haven't called your name yet. Wang Xiaoxi, right? Wait here... Why are you crying?"

Wang Xiaoxi sniffled without a word, and Yu Datou said, "We need to stay together, we're supposed to be on watch together."

"Alright, alright, I'll switch you, put you together."

Tang Yuanyuan and Chen Hongliang were soon led away as well. Lin Duozhi stood beside Shen Juanjuan, lips tightly pressed, his hand wrapped in thick bandages. He watched as the number of junior students dwindled, his expression growing anxious, and he clung tightly to Shen Juanjuan's arm.

"Juanjuan, does no one want me?" Lin Duozhi asked quietly.

"Why wouldn't anyone want you?"

Lin Duozhi glanced at his bandaged hand and lowered his head silently.

"If no one wants you, you can follow me," Shen Juanjuan said, putting his arm around Lin Duozhi's shoulder. "My brother and I will take you."

"Really?"

"Yes. I'll tell my brother, he'll definitely take you."

While the teams were being formed, another supervisor arrived with a bunch of thin hemp ropes, cutting them into short segments and having everyone tie them to their shoes to prevent slipping on the mountain. Once Chu Ya and Black Wolf had cleared the obstacles on the path, the supervisors led the already divided groups up the mountain.

"Hold onto this long rope, team leaders, pay attention to the others in your group, hold onto the rope and don't let go..."

Rong Chen and the leading supervisors had long ropes tied around their waists, and the students grabbed onto the rope, forming a line of big and small crickets, finally starting their ascent up the mountain.

The cart and essential items like blankets, tents, and gas lamps couldn't be left behind, so the supervisors used ropes to tie the cart to their backs and, with the help of the senior students, dragged it up the mountain.

As fewer and fewer children remained in the snow, only Shen Juanjuan, Lin Duozhi, and Wang Chengcai sitting nearby were left.

The supervisor put away the list and said to the two children looking up at him, "Shen Juanjuan, wait a moment, your brother will come down to get you shortly. Lin Duozhi, you'll follow me."

The supervisor knew about Lin Duozhi's injury and didn't trust him to be led by other students. He also knew that Wang Chengcai had just experienced a tragedy and considerately did not ask him to participate in leading the children.

"Wang Chengcai," the supervisor called out.

Wang Chengcai, who had been looking down, now turned to look at the supervisor, who said, "Come on, follow us, let's go up the mountain."

Although Wang Chengcai didn't respond, he slowly stood up and walked towards the mountain path.

At this moment, Chu Ya ran down the mountain, and Shen Juanjuan immediately dashed towards him like the wind. The supervisor also squatted down, letting Lin Duozhi climb onto his back and carrying him.

The wind and snow were too strong here, and any traces left behind would quickly be covered. Although this slope was relatively gentle, and the sentry soldiers had built a zigzag path, the slippery conditions caused many children to fall.

"Ouch." A junior student slipped on both feet, still holding onto the rope beside him, hanging diagonally on the ground.

"Don't let go, I'll pull you up." His team's senior and middle-class students quickly grabbed his arms and pulled him up from the ground.

"Ah." Another junior student fell, lying on the snow and slowly sliding down. The senior student behind him used his foot to stop him and said to the middle-class student in front, "I'm stopping him, quick, pull him up, grab his backpack strap and pull him up."

"Okay."

...

Chu Ya hung his backpack in front of him and then carried Shen Juanjuan on his back. In front of him was the supervisor carrying Lin Duozhi, and further ahead was Wang Chengcai, walking silently.

The ropes weren't long enough, so the three of them each used a wooden stick to prevent slipping. Chu Ya could have increased his speed, but the supervisor was walking with difficulty, so he slowed down and walked at the end of the entire group.

"Lin Duozhi." Shen Juanjuan called out from Chu Ya's back.

"Hey." Lin Duozhi turned his head.

"I just wanted to call you, hehe."

"Hehe."

The wind and snow on the mountain were even stronger than below, and the trees on both sides of the road howled. The children's stamina was waning, and the line of the group gradually stretched longer. Black Wolf continuously ran alongside the entire group, picking up fallen children and dragging them back to the rope or pulling those who had fallen into the snow ditches out.

As they climbed higher, the trees grew denser, and roars of wild beasts echoed from deep within the mountain. Although the managers carried guns and the sentry posts were far away, the sound of gunfire would certainly be heard, so they dared not shoot even if any mutants appeared. The Black Wolf darted into the forest again, driving the restless mutants to a distance.

An hour later, the group reached a flat clearing and stopped to rest. Cold winds blew across the clearing, and snowflakes stung their eyes, making it hard to keep them open. Chu Ya sat on the ground, pulling Shen Juanjuan into his arms, shielding him from the wind with his back, and then handed him a water bottle.

"Drink some hot water," Chu Ya brushed the snow off Shen Juanjuan's face and head.

"Okay, drink water, drink hot water." As Shen Juanjuan leaned in to drink, his teeth clattered against the rim of the bottle, finding it amusing as he shivered and smiled at Chu Ya while holding the bottle: "Haha, I can't aim my mouth right, haha, ha."

"Hurry up, before the water gets cold."

Just as Shen Juanjuan was drinking, a flash caught his eye, and the Black Wolf appeared in his field of vision. He had long been accustomed to this scene and was not surprised, though the Black Wolf still looked like a dark blur to him, he could sense that it was looking at him.

"Brother is feeding me water," he proudly lifted his chin toward the Black Wolf and took another sip from the bottle, cooing: "The water brother feeds me tastes so good..."

"Roar!" The Black Wolf scooped up a ball of snow and skillfully threw it at Shen Juanjuan's head.

Chu Ya reached out, blocking the snowball with his arm, but snow still splashed onto Shen Juanjuan's face.

"It hit me, you saw that, right? It hit someone," Shen Juanjuan seized the opportunity to report.

"Roar!"

Chu Ya looked at the Black Wolf with a hint of helplessness and offered the water bottle: "Come, have some hot water."

The Black Wolf turned its head disdainfully, but before Chu Ya could retract his hand, it came over, paused for two seconds with its mouth near the rim of the bottle, as if it had taken a drink, then trotted off into the forest satisfied.

Rong Chen walked around the platform, checking each child to see if anyone was injured. Stopping beside Chu Ya, he said with a relaxed expression: "We're already halfway up the mountain. I see fewer trees above, so we don't have to worry about a large group of mutants."

Chu Ya nodded: "I remember there are many caves in this area. We might find a natural cave further up where we can spend the night."

"Yes, it's getting late. Let's walk a bit more and find a place to camp," Rong Chen said, then turned to the others: "Everyone up, see that hilltop ahead? We'll push through and set up camp there, and I'll cook some big bones for you."

"Are they the kind with meat?" a child asked, turning over.

"Yes, those with lots of meat. We'll light several fires and warm ourselves up."

Shen Juanjuan said to Chu Ya: "And hot water, very, very hot water, enough to scald my feet."

Chu Ya's own feet were numb from the cold, knowing Shen Juanjuan must be suffering more. His gaze fell on the muddy, snowy foot, filled with concern.

"Does it hurt?" he asked.

Shen Juanjuan stared at him, nodded slightly, then shook his head vigorously: "It doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt. My feet are always warm, no need for hot water to wash them, they're warm enough, no need."

Chu Ya gently patted his head: "We'll warm up when we reach the camp."

The managers went to pull the carts, and many students got up, leading the younger children in groups of five off the platform. Rong Chen hurried forward, shouting: "Hold the ropes tight, don't let go, watch your group, don't lose anyone..."

Chu Ya and the others remained behind, only getting up after everyone else had started moving. Seeing Wang Chengcai sitting motionless at the edge of the platform, gazing down at the snowy plain, Chu Ya walked over and patted his shoulder: "Let's go."

Wang Chengcai glanced at him, then stood up silently.

A manager was about to carry Lin Duozhi when another manager ran up, carrying a child.

"Shi Yongzhi, Shi Yongzhi."

The manager named Shi Yongzhi replied: "What's wrong?"

"Can you go ahead? Liu Chun sprained his ankle and can't pull the cart."

"No problem." Just as Shi Yongzhi responded, he looked at Lin Duozhi standing beside him, "But what about this child?"

Chu Ya said: "You go ahead, I'll take him."

"But you're already carrying one."

"It's fine, I can handle two."

Shi Yongzhi pondered for a moment: "You're our only lookout. If anything happens on the way, you'll have to deal with it, and carrying two children will make it difficult. I'll go ahead and see if anyone can come back to carry him."

"I'll do it," a hoarse voice suddenly spoke up, and all turned to see Wang Chengcai, a few meters away.

Wang Chengcai hadn't spoken for days and had a low presence, quietly climbing the mountain with a stick. Now, offering to carry Lin Duozhi, it surprised both Chu Ya and the manager.

Chu Ya knew Lin Duozhi was afraid of him, so he squatted down and asked: "Is it okay if Wang Chengcai carries you up the mountain?"

He planned to have the manager find someone else if Lin Duozhi refused.

"What? Him, he—" Shen Juanjuan covered his mouth in shock, his eyes darting between Wang Chengcai and Lin Duozhi.

Lin Duozhi's eyes indeed showed fear, but just as Chu Ya thought he would refuse, he whispered: "Okay."

Shen Juanjuan asked in surprise: "Aren't you afraid of him?"

"Yes, I am," Lin Duozhi replied softly.

"Then why let him carry you?" Shen Juanjuan grabbed Lin Duozhi's arm, "I don't like him. Don't let him carry you. What if he throws you away?"

"He won't." Lin Duozhi thought for a moment, "I'm not that scared anymore."

"How do you know he won't? What if he throws you off...?" Shen Juanjuan looked around, pointing to a cliff, "From there, you'd die from the fall."

Lin Duozhi touched Shen Juanjuan's arm: "He's the one who pushed me. These past two days, he's been pushing me."

Shen Juanjuan's eyes darted: "That was on flat ground. He couldn't find a place to dump you."

Shi Yongzhi was still giving instructions to Chu Ya and the others, and Chu Ya said: "Go ahead, we'll take care of Lin Duozhi."

"Alright, I'll go ahead then." Shi Yongzhi still worriedly instructed Wang Chengcai: "Be careful, his fingers are injured. If you can't carry him, hold his other hand and walk..."

As they spoke, the Black Wolf emerged from the trees on the left, carrying in its mouth a wood rat mutant about the size of a rabbit. It quietly approached behind Shen Juanjuan and dropped the wood rat mutant.

The wood rat mutant had only fainted from fright; now, sensing it was out of the wolf's jaws, it rolled over and darted forward, bumping into Shen Juanjuan’s leg.

"Ah!!!"

Two screams rang out as Chu Ya and the others turned to see two children with backpacks jumping around, while a hare-like mutant scurried frantically between their feet.

Just as Chu Ya was about to step forward, Shen Juanjuan kicked out, shrieking, "I’ll beat you to death! Beat you to death!"

The wood rat mutant was kicked back half a foot, continuing to panic but not daring to dash toward the forest beyond the platform. The Black Wolf stood guard at the edge of the platform, its eyes gleaming as it watched Shen Juanjuan, its tail wagging happily.

The Black Wolf’s eyes followed the movement of the mutant, then suddenly met Chu Ya’s gaze.

Chu Ya looked calmly at it, and it turned away without a word, its paws slowly curling. Then it glanced at Chu Ya again, seeing that he was still watching, it ran off toward the front of the group, disappearing instantly.

With the danger at the platform edge gone, the mutant darted out and plunged into the adjacent woods.

"Did you see? I chased it away, did you see?" Shen Juanjuan pointed excitedly at the woods.

Lin Duozhi’s voice also carried excitement: "I kicked it too."

"It was both of us who chased it away!"

Chu Ya saw the front of the group turn a Z-shaped corner, the long line gradually disappearing into the mountain hollow.

"Let’s go," he said to Wang Chengcai, coming over to pick up Shen Juanjuan. Wang Chengcai, like him, hung his backpack in front, crouched down facing Lin Duozhi, and Lin Duozhi carefully climbed onto his back.

The path grew narrower and more treacherous the higher they went, the snow compacted and slippery underfoot from the steps of those ahead. Wang Chengcai, leaning on a wooden stick, moved with difficulty. Chu Ya slowed his pace to wait for him, glancing sideways to see Shen Juanjuan staring at him, and asked softly, "Don’t you want to walk with him? We can go ahead if you don’t want to be with him."

"No way," Shen Juanjuan whispered, "I’m afraid he might drop Lin Duozhi. I need to keep an eye on him. I also need to boost Lin Duozhi’s mental defense."

Continuing upward, Shen Juanjuan looked at the empty space beside them and said menacingly, "Some people, I mean some people, shouldn’t be so shameless, thinking I won’t notice if they drop someone." He suddenly turned his head, his gaze sharp as he looked at Wang Chengcai, "I’ve skewered many such shameless ones."

Wang Chengcai lowered his head and remained silent. Chu Ya leaned in and whispered to Shen Juanjuan, "Aren’t you afraid of him now?"

Shen Juanjuan leaned closer to his ear and said, "I’m not afraid of him at all, not one bit."

"I see." Chu Ya nodded, "I’m going to the front for a moment, follow him and Lin Duozhi."

"Oh no, oh no." Shen Juanjuan quickly wrapped his arms around Chu Ya’s neck, panicking, "I want to go with you, I don’t want to stay here."

Chu Ya chuckled softly, "Don’t worry, if I go ahead, I’ll take you with me. If you don’t want to walk with him, we can stay further away from him."

"No, I need to watch him."

After walking for a while, the front of the group vanished completely. Shen Juanjuan, who had been talking a lot, finally closed his mouth due to the cold wind, leaving only the howling of the wind and the crunch of footsteps in the snow.

Chu Ya suddenly stopped, tilting his head as if listening to something. Shen Juanjuan poked his head out to look at him and asked, "What’s wrong?"

"Shh!"

Wang Chengcai also stopped, and the three of them listened intently like Chu Ya, hearing a faint cry in the wind: "...Help..."

Chu Ya walked to the right and peered down the gentle slope, where two people were sitting in a snow ditch against a large rock, almost buried by the snow.

One of them, spotting Chu Ya, waved their hands urgently, "Help... fell down... foot stuck..."

Despite the snow ditch not being deep, the cries for help sounded distant due to the wind. Shen Juanjuan thought the voice sounded familiar and strained to see the person’s face. Then he heard Wang Chengcai say two words: "Liu Zhen."

Shen Juanjuan was startled, "Liu Zhen! Ah! It’s Liu Zhen!" Then he looked at Lin Duozhi, "It’s Liu Zhen... Who is Liu Zhen?"

"Liu Sijin’s sister."

Shen Juanjuan realized, "I knew this name sounded familiar, she’s Louse King, Liu Sijin’s sister Louse King!"

Lin Duozhi pointed anxiously below, "The other one is Liu Sijin."

"Liu Sijin, Liu Sijin..." Shen Juanjuan and Lin Duozhi called out together, and Liu Sijin’s voice echoed back, "Shen Juanjuan, Lin Duozhi."

"You, why are you there?" Shen Juanjuan asked.

"...I fell down."

"Ah! Didn’t you die from the fall?"

"...No."

"Come up then."

"...Stuck."

"I’ll come down and pull you, wait, I’ll come pull you."

Shen Juanjuan tried to slide off Chu Ya’s back, so Chu Ya put him down but told him to stay put. Then he slid down the snow slope himself.