Chapter 181: Cloud Mountain (Part III)

Outside, the cold wind continued to blow as night began to descend. Inside, preparations were nearly complete. A thin quilt had been spread out on the ground, offering at least a touch of warmth. The soil was somewhat damp, making the cave appear less than sturdy.

An Feng remained slightly uneasy. He walked over to the cave entrance and peered outside. There was not much dry firewood to be found; after burning a few branches, he jammed two more into the ground near the threshold. Today's journey had been nothing short of heart-pounding, and the sight of those medicinal snakes clinging to the rock walls was still fresh in everyone's minds.

*Hopefully those medicinal snakes won't follow us up here, and since wolves are afraid of fire, they shouldn't dare to come inside,* everyone chanted silently in their hearts. This was far more terrifying than facing blades and guns; the power of nature was not to be underestimated.

The old herbalist carefully pounded some dried medicinal herbs he had brought from home and meticulously applied them to everyone's wounds, reminding them that the ointment had to be applied at regular intervals to prevent any scars from remaining.

Qianyin and Molan walked hand in hand, completely ignoring the gazes of the others, though a faint sense of excitement still lingered on their faces. This trip was far more interesting than the monotonous days they had endured in the past. At this thought, both of them smiled from the bottom of their hearts.

"You two can still smile; I was almost scared to death," Xiao Qi said unhappily, pouting her lips. Since childhood, she had never experienced anything like this, having at most undergone some grueling training. If she had to face scenes like today's every day by her side, she would definitely be frightened to death.

Hearing this, the old herbalist smiled and shook his head. Among these youths, only these four possessed any real resilience—no, now it was three. In the end, Xiao Qi and Liu Fei could not compare to those few special ones in his heart. Both in terms of courage and experience, they fell short.

Although Liu Fei was a boy, facing these events still left him with lingering fear. After all, life was precious and could not be treated as a joke. Yet, his primary concern was not himself, but the smiling girl standing right before him.

"Haha!" Hearing Xiao Qi's words, Qianyin and Molan laughed even more audaciously. How on earth were they supposed to explain to these people that the dark days they had survived in the past were far duller than this, yet they had stubbornly endured until now?

Having finished his tasks, An Feng returned and caught sight of the two holding hands. A trace of bitterness flashed in his eyes as he stepped forward to pry their fingers apart, pulling Molan to the side while casting a defensive glare at Qianyin.

Qianyin laughed until she started coughing. Did this guy really have to stake his claim so blatantly? She wasn't even a boy—did he really need to be this jealous?

The rest of the group was utterly speechless. They were out here in the wilderness, where solidarity and mutual aid were essential, not petty cliques. No matter what happened, they had to stick together, staying as close as possible without getting separated.

"An Feng, watch yourself, there are other people here," Molan complained, immediately withdrawing her hand. She glanced at the surrounding damp soil, deliberately avoiding the gazes of the others. How embarrassing; her face was definitely turning red again.

The others wore smiles on their faces without teasing them, knowing that unity was paramount right now and that nobody should be sneaking off alone.

"I want to eat something hot. It's a bit cold here, and drinking this cold water is making my stomach feel uneasy." Xiao Qi took a sip of water, shivered continuously for a good while before finally stopping, and blinked as she looked around at the group.

Molan had not packed any food suitable for cooking; she had only bought some dry snacks. Out here in the barren mountains and untamed wilderness, where nobody lived, how could anyone possibly find hot food to eat?

Molan walked over to Qianyin, pulled Xiao Qi and the other two into a group hug, and coaxed them gently, "When we get back home, I'll make it up to both of you properly. Just bear with it for now."

"And what about us?" The three who had been ignored felt rather aggrieved. They stood in a neat row, casting accusing glares. Inside the cramped cave, they appeared exceptionally bulky yet remarkably united.

Molan and the other two burst into laughter simultaneously. These three were hardly teenagers anymore; why were they still so childish, caring about such trivial matters? Put that way, they all looked like children who had yet to grow up.

Molan, however, took it quite seriously. She stood up, looked around the cave, paced a few steps, and then turned back with a serious expression. "How about I ask my grandfather to pay you wages?"

Everyone froze in utter astonishment. Molan must have forgotten—they still owed the group 5.5 billion! One by one, they lowered their heads, wiped the smiles from their faces, and put on solemn expressions, with not a single person daring to remind her.

Watching this scene, a wave of sweetness welled up in Xiao Qi's heart. She didn't know when it had started, but these people had actually grown willing to be friends with her. Having friends felt wonderful. She hoped days like this would last a very long time.

Seeing that everyone remained silent, Molan finally realized what she had said. She lowered her head and clenched her fists tightly. The Mo family would restore its former glory. It definitely would; right now, they were merely facing a minor setback.

Outside, thunder rolled ominously as a torrential downpour began. Raindrops lashed furiously against the leaves, producing a loud, rustling sound, as if warning people in advance of the bloody storms yet to come.

Since they still had to climb the mountains to harvest herbs tomorrow, they ate early and tried to rest. Unfortunately, the sound of the rain outside was simply too deafening, leaving everyone tossing and turning, unable to sleep. They worried the cave might collapse, and equally feared that some venomous insect or fierce beast might wander in to seek shelter from the rain.

They could only quietly close their eyes and try to calm their minds, lest they wake up with dark circles under their eyes tomorrow.

Deep within the dense jungle, in a relatively spacious clearing, a new wooden cabin had been erected. Though its workmanship was rudimentary, it was sturdy. At least when the rain lashed against the wooden planks, not a single drop leaked through.

"Sir, why have you brought us here?" Han asked suspiciously. He was extremely displeased with this trip. There were far too many annoying insects here, and having grown accustomed to urban life, he utterly detested being dumped in such desolate mountains. He was far from happy, frowning from time to time as he looked outside.

"Bringing you here certainly serves a purpose. Tomorrow, take a few top experts and help me capture those people, leaving none alive," the boss's steady voice echoed inside the small wooden cabin. In his hand, the insect resting upon the multicolored glowing jade stirred back to life. His mind was filled with schemes, while the fist of his other hand clenched so tightly it made a cracking sound, the veins bulging slowly and taking on a somewhat blood-red hue quite unlike that of a normal person.

Hearing this, the two men felt a wave of doubt. Who on earth would come to a ghost place like this? Who would travel thousands of miles to harvest herbs in such a barren wilderness, or were they here on vacation? At the mention of herbs, a fleeting flash of heartache crossed Leng Xue's eyes—could Qianyin have come as well?

"I advise the two of you to get some rest early. Start moving at the crack of dawn tomorrow, and reinforcements will be sent to support you. If you fail this time, you both know the consequences," the boss's voice carried a hint of suppressed anger. Lately, too many things had not gone as smoothly as anticipated, making his temper increasingly volatile and leaving his mind and body under mounting strain.

"Understood," the two replied in unison. They found a comfortable posture, sat down leaning against the wooden wall, closed their eyes tightly, and stopped dwelling on tomorrow's affairs. Everything would simply have to take its course; some things were beyond their control no matter how much they wished otherwise.

A satisfied smile touched the corner of the boss's skin as he strode to the wooden door and released the multicolored glowing jade along with the insect. The patter of raindrops continued steadily. Instantly, the insect regained its vitality, writhing its body.