Chapter 120: Hold On Tight!
Cheng Ge’s back hit the ground hard, and he was carried by the momentum to roll down the slope.
“Xiao Wen, hold on tight to me!” Cheng Ge shouted.
He was rolling over branches and rubble, and a suffocating pain enveloped him.
The drug’s effect hadn’t worn off yet, and he couldn’t use his strength. He used all the force he had to hold Wen Ling tight, yet he still worried Wen Ling would fall out of his embrace.
In a dizzying whirl, Wen Ling’s heart beat rapidly. He hooked one arm around Cheng Ge’s neck and used his other hand to protect the back of Cheng Ge’s head.
There was a loud “bang.”
At the same time the large car exploded on the slope above, Cheng Ge hit a large tree. His leg caught on the trunk, forcefully bringing the two of them to a halt.
The world suddenly fell into silence.
Cheng Ge found even breathing difficult. His leg was probably broken. Pain washed over his body, a pain so intense it was indescribable.
Wen Ling’s face was pressed against Cheng Ge’s chest; or rather, Wen Ling was pressed entirely into Cheng Ge’s embrace.
Wen Ling’s eyes were wide open. Everything before his eyes was black, yet he didn’t dare move.
Cheng Ge’s heartbeat was in his ear, and the pain in his hand reminded him that everything happening right now was real.
The two shared a suppressed breath at this moment.
After a long while, Wen Ling’s eyes blinked, and two large tears fell onto Cheng Ge’s clothes.
“…Cheng Ge?” Wen Ling’s voice was trembling, softer than even his breath, as if he were afraid Cheng Ge would shatter.
“I… I’m fine,” Cheng Ge tightly closed his eyes against the pain, trying to keep his voice steady. “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. Don’t move yet; let’s rest for a moment.”
“Okay.” Wen Ling originally didn’t dare move; now he didn’t even dare blink, keeping his breath as light as possible.
“I’m fine, I’m fine. Xiao Wen, don’t be afraid.”
“Mm.” Wen Ling could no longer suppress his sobbing; his voice was so soft it couldn’t be heard.
The atmosphere was quiet to the point of being suffocating.
“Are you okay? Do you…” Cheng Ge let out a breath. “Does it hurt anywhere?”
“I don’t hurt. Does it hurt very much for you?” Wen Ling cried silently.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. It’s about the same as when you bite me hard. I’m fine, don’t be afraid.”
Wen Ling wrinkled his face and stopped speaking, only sniffing secretly. Cheng Ge tried for two seconds, but his leg still hurt too much to move, so he had to rest a bit longer.
Cheng Ge’s fingers traced circles on Wen Ling’s shoulder in a reassuring manner.
[Cheng Ge: 001, are there any painkillers among the tools now?]
[001: Yes.]
[Cheng Ge: Give me two.]
[001: Okay. Also, a reminder to the Host: the Host only has 0.6 points left. Please use them sparingly.]
[I know… holy crap,] Cheng Ge furrowed his brows, not daring to move his mouth. [Why did you put both painkillers in my mouth?]
[001: ?]
[Didn’t the Host want two?]
[Cheng Ge: One was for Wen Ling… forget it, my fault.]
Before, the system had always put medicine directly into his mouth. He was in so much pain he’d forgotten about that.
[Cheng Ge: Then give another one to Wen Ling.]
[001: A reminder to the Host: points are insufficient.]
[Cheng Ge: …]
The sun gradually set, the light faded, and the sky began to slowly grow dark. The wind blowing against their skin was bone-chillingly cold.
“Xiao Wen, lift your head a bit.”
“Okay.” Fearing he’d hurt Cheng Ge, Wen Ling’s movement was light and slow.
“Let’s have a kiss.”
Cheng Ge lowered his head and kissed Wen Ling’s lips, passing one of the pills into Wen Ling’s mouth.
Wen Ling’s red eyes were wide open. He was rarely so angry at Cheng Ge; he was injured so severely and still thinking about kissing! It really made him angry to death, but fearing he’d hurt Cheng Ge, he didn’t dare move.
Cheng Ge withdrew and raised his head slightly, his tone carrying both coaxing and a command: “Swallow it.”
Only after feeling Wen Ling swallow the pill did Cheng Ge kiss Wen Ling’s mouth twice more. He then looked innocently at those watery glassy eyes that were glaring at him.
Cheng Ge gave a helpless smile. “Don’t be angry; I just really wanted to kiss you. And don’t ask; I don’t know where that thing came from either.”
Wen Ling didn’t think that much at all. His heart was filled with nothing but worry for Cheng Ge.
“You’re still smiling.” Wen Ling was about to die of sadness. How much pain must Cheng Ge be in?
“I won’t smile anymore, I won’t smile anymore. Give me five more minutes… no, two minutes. Two minutes will be enough.”
Several breaths passed. The painkiller couldn’t completely numb the pain. Cheng Ge’s leg still hurt a lot and he felt terrible all over, but he could finally move with difficulty.
The leg Cheng Ge had used to block the tree was being pressed by Wen Ling’s leg, and by now it had almost lost all sensation.
Cheng Ge patted Wen Ling’s hand. “Xiao Wen, move your leg and see if you can stand up.”
Wen Ling moved cautiously. “Tell me if I hurt you.”
“Okay.”
Wen Ling stood up carefully. The emotions he had with great difficulty suppressed surfaced again, his eyes turning red as he saw Cheng Ge’s pants were covered in blood.
Wen Ling tilted his head back; it was useless.
“It hurts so much. What should we do, Cheng Ge?” Wen Ling looked at Cheng Ge’s leg, wanting to touch yet not daring to, wanting to help yet not knowing how. “What happened to your leg?”
“Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. It’s okay, it doesn’t hurt,” Cheng Ge reached out his hand to Wen Ling. “Pull me up, I’m fine.”
Cheng Ge sat up, gritting his teeth as he moved his numb leg away from the tree trunk.
The sky grew a bit darker.
Cheng Ge observed the surrounding environment, holding Wen Ling’s hand and rubbing it slowly. He pulled Wen Ling to sit next to him, their shoulders touching.
[Cheng Ge: 001, are there any people nearby?]
[001: There is a village past this forest. The predicted distance is 8.4 kilometers.]
Too far.
Cheng Ge silently changed the topic: [Is my leg twisted or broken?]
[001: Broken.]
[Cheng Ge: Can it be fixed?]
[001: It can barely be restored with timely treatment.]
[Cheng Ge: Are we in danger now?]
[001: Wen Ling is slightly in danger; the Host is at high risk.]
Cheng Ge’s movement of rubbing Wen Ling’s hand paused, then quickly returned to normal.
[Cheng Ge: Is there any place here to stay the night? Somewhere basic that can block the wind.]
[001: There is a cave at the Host’s two o’clock direction, approximately 162 meters away.]
[Cheng Ge: Thanks.]
“Xiao Wen,” Cheng Ge shook Wen Ling’s hand and pointed to their upper right. “Can you go over there and see if there’s a cave or something? See if we can stay there tonight.”
“Okay.” Wen Ling showed none of his usual procrastination or clinginess. He stood up, ready to run.
“Wait a moment,” Cheng Ge pulled Wen Ling and looked up at him. “No need to run. Watch the road; just walk faster. And help me look for any long branches or sticks on the ground.”
“Okay.” Wen Ling took a few steps and then started running anyway, occasionally looking down for branches.
Cheng Ge watched Wen Ling’s back until he could no longer see him. Only then did he take a deep breath and slowly lift his pant leg. His entire leg was green and purple and covered in bloodstains. The area below the knee had already become deformed.
“Tsk.” Cheng Ge’s brow furrowed deeply.
Cheng Ge tried to press the deformed bone. The pain made him grimace, and his head was covered in sweat despite the cold winter.
Cheng Ge covered his leg back up and looked at the sky for ten seconds before letting out a breath.
After a good while, Wen Ling still hadn’t returned. Cheng Ge felt anxious.
[Is Wen Ling safe now?]
[001: He is considered safe.]
[Why hasn’t he returned yet?]
[I don’t know.]
…
The sky had completely darkened, and time slipped away second by second. Cheng Ge’s heart kept hanging until he finally heard Wen Ling’s anxious footsteps.
“Cheng Ge,” Wen Ling held several branches and sticks. He placed them by Cheng Ge’s side, his words coming out in breaths: “I’m back. I didn’t know which one you wanted.”
“There’s a cave over there. We can sleep there tonight.”
Cheng Ge looked at Wen Ling as he spoke, rubbed his fingers, and said “okay.” He found the sturdiest stick among the pile and reached out his hand to Wen Ling. “You might have to support me in a moment.”
“Okay.” Wen Ling carefully supported Cheng Ge up. “Tell me if I hurt you, Cheng Ge.”
“Mm.”
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