Chapter 32
Knowing that a mutant red ant was approaching, Shen Shuyu saw that everyone had grabbed the rope and urged, “Brother Yanxun, let’s go quickly. We’ve already wasted a lot of time.”
Chi Yanxun tightened the rope slightly: “Let’s go.”
He assessed the direction: “Go northeast.”
Shen Shuyu couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows. As expected of the protagonist gong; this keen intuition is truly scary.
Since Chi Yanxun was the captain, naturally no one raised any objections, and the group set off mightily. Because of the low visibility, they moved very slowly. They had barely walked a hundred meters.
He Mingyue, walking at the very back, frowned and lowered his voice, “Something passed by our position just now.”
The others sensed it too. Chi Yanxun said seriously, “Let’s walk faster. Whatever it is, try not to encounter it.”
They had just started, and the environment was very unfavorable for evasion and countermeasures. Encountering a troublesome enemy now would make things even worse for them.
He glanced at Shen Shuyu and said sternly, “Walk faster later.”
This situation allowed no dawdling.
Shen Shuyu nodded with a serious face: “Rest assured!”
The group silently accelerated their pace. Shen Shuyu felt fine at first, but gradually, his stamina began to fail. He asked the System if the mutant red ant had caught up.
The System said: [No, Master~]
Shen Shuyu gave an ‘Mn’. He planned to suggest taking a break to Chi Yanxun, but before the words could leave his mouth, the sound of a wolf came from the other side.
“Awoo—”
Listening to the sound, it seemed not far away, right in their vicinity!
Shen Shuyu looked vigilantly in the direction of the sound. The System in his brain suddenly seemed to have blown its main unit, its volume suddenly increasing: [Master! Master! There’s a black wolf! There’s a black wolf!]
Shen Shuyu closed his eyes and took a deep breath: [You could be a little later, and it would be more convenient to just find a new master directly.]
The System aggrievedly shed two streams of electronic tears in Shen Shuyu’s mind.
Shen Shuyu opened his eyes again and said, “There’s a wolf.”
Shen Xili was closest to Shen Shuyu and saw all his little movements clearly. After hearing Shen Shuyu speak, Chi Yanxun at the front said, “Move forward quietly.”
Several people tacitly lightened their steps and silently increased their speed.
Shen Shuyu asked: [Xiao 1, roughly how much longer until we get out of this forest?]
The System said: [Master, if you keep going without stopping, you’ll reach the edge in about twenty minutes.]
But now both the red ant and the black wolf were very close to them. The slightest carelessness causing loud noises would lead to discovery.
This wouldn’t work.
If it were just one person, exercising some restraint would barely allow them to get out. But there were seven of them; friction was inevitable.
And he didn’t know if it was his illusion, but he felt somewhat uncomfortable. After that wolf howl, his whole body felt weak and limp, and the gland under the inhibitor patch seemed to be heating up.
He frowned and looked up at Chi Yanxun, who didn’t react at all.
Was it his illusion?
Shen Shuyu was about to turn his head to look at the people behind him. The second before he turned, a warm body crashed into his back.
He was startled. Before he could scream, his mouth was covered by a hand with distinct knuckles.
Shen Shuyu felt his shoulder sink, and a faint breathy voice came to his ear: “Sorry…”
Shen Xili collapsed onto him, limp and weak.
But soon, he was helped up by the others. Chi Yanxun at the front also gathered around and asked, “What happened to you?”
Shen Xili was placed on the ground. He rubbed his chest: “Nothing, just felt uncomfortable after hearing that wolf howl, hands and feet went soft.”
So it really wasn’t his illusion. Shen Shuyu also said, “I also feel a bit uncomfortable, but it’s still within a bearable range.”
Lin Xuyi quickly stepped forward to examine Shen Xili, then looked at Shen Shuyu, confused: “But there’s nothing wrong?”
Lin Xuyi asked again, “Can you still walk?”
Shen Xili struggled to stand up, “I can walk, but I still don’t have much strength.”
He also found it strange. He was walking just fine, then suddenly lost his strength.
Shen Shuyu unknowingly stood next to Wen Jiafei. He blinked, and out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly saw a small red dot moving on Wen Jiafei’s empty right hand.
What is this?
Shen Shuyu instinctively reached out and grabbed his wrist, lifting it up.
Wen Jiafei frowned at him. Noticing his gaze, he paused slightly and looked at the back of his hand.
A very, very small red ant that would go unnoticed if not looked at carefully.
Shen Shuyu understood. He said in a deep voice, “Don’t move.”
Then he retracted his own hand into his sleeve, carefully picked up the red ant through the fabric of his clothes, and crushed it expressionlessly.
After crushing it, he immediately told Lin Xuyi: “Might have been bitten by a red ant. Wen Jiafei had one on him. Everyone check if you have any on you.”
Chi Yanxun looked at him in surprise. He hadn’t expected Shen Shuyu to be quite sharp.
Shen Shuyu didn’t notice his gaze but lowered his head to roll up his left sleeve. Sure enough, a red ant was slowly crawling upwards. He deftly crushed it through his sleeve.
Wen Jiafei opened his mouth and whispered, “Thanks.”
Hearing this, Shen Shuyu first said ‘you’re welcome,’ then slowly looked up at Wen Jiafei. Did he hear wrong just now?
Wen Jiafei said thanks to him!
He couldn’t help but want to share this with his System, Xiao 1, immediately. It seems his previous efforts weren’t in vain! Wen Jiafei saying thanks might seem like a small step, but it’s actually a giant leap for the continuation of his life!
Wen Jiafei had looked away when Shen Shuyu looked over, scanning their surroundings to prevent any unexpected changes.
The remaining people found identical red ants on themselves. Lin Xuyi said, “Looks like we’ve been discovered. We have to move faster.”
These red ants were too small; they didn’t even know when they had climbed onto their bodies.
Shen Xili’s body was still weak, unable to keep up with the walking pace.
Chi Yanxun said, “I’ll carry you.”
He looked at He Mingyue again: “Can you walk first?”
He Mingyue nodded, “Okay.”
He took one end of the rope, and the group quickly swapped positions. Seeing Shen Xili’s hesitation, Chi Yanxun said, “The antidote should be in the safe house. Now isn’t the time to hesitate.”
He squatted in front of Shen Xili: “Get on.”
Shen Xili indeed stopped hesitating and immediately lay on his back. Chi Yanxun easily carried him up. Shen Xili held the rope, and the luggage on his back was naturally taken by others.
Shen Shuyu said indignantly: “Brother Yanxun, how can you carry him.”
There was a hint of grievance in his tone as he muttered, “You haven’t even carried me…”
Although he said this, he couldn’t help but think ‘oh my’ in his heart. As expected of the protagonist gong and shou; looking at them like this, they really are a perfect match!
Recommended Reads
