Chapter 461 - 17: Lost_2
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Listening to Little White Jiao’s words, Xiao Xian felt relieved.
After playing at Chengde Summer Villa for two or three days, Zhang Yiyi was thrilled. She visited the "Shufang House" from the show Princess Returning Pearl, and toured several temples, admiring the pavilions and shining roofs.
Since the three of them weren’t with a tour group and had a relaxed summer vacation schedule, they spent each day leisurely watching and enjoying the scenery, occasionally following a tour group and listening to the guide’s explanations which made the visit quite enjoyable.
By the fourth day, based on the map of the mountain area, Zeng Xuerou devised a route.
"We start from the foothill path, through the main entrance to the Danpo Jingcheng Hall. Along the way, we can view Ruyi Lake and Qinglian Island from the mountain. This path is a bit challenging, Yiyi, you need to be careful, or you might get lost like last time at Wenjin Pavilion, making Xiao Xian and me walk back the way we came to rescue you from the temple’s head monk," Zeng Xuerou checked the path, noting the temperature inside Summer Villa was three or four degrees cooler than outside. Standing in the shade of the trees and looking at the sparkling lake water, it was truly a breathtaking sight.
Zhang Yiyi readily agreed and after walking for an hour and a half, she started to complain.
Within Chengde Summer Villa, based on different landscapes, there are plains, mountain, and lake areas. For the first three days, they mainly stayed in the plains and lake areas where the paths were easy. Now in the mountainous area, even well-maintained mountain paths have slopes, and indeed Zhang Yiyi couldn’t handle it.
"Let’s stop, I’m used to playing basketball on flat surfaces, mountain paths are not for me, I can’t go on any further," Zhang Yiyi sat down on the mid-mountain stairs, refusing to move.
"What should we do? It’s only just past three, is it too early to go back?" Xuerou and Xiao Xian shook their heads helplessly.
"Go back? Does that mean we need to walk back as well? That’s impossible, just going downhill here would take an hour," as they entered the scenic area, all three had prioritized convenience, not bringing water or food. After entering the mountain area, they quickly used up their energy from the lunch they ate, "There’s a path over there, it looks like a shortcut, let’s take that."
Zhang Yiyi pointed to a position on the left, where a wooden sign was nailed saying, "No entry for non-staff." Normally, such signs are often an indirect suggestion of a shortcut.
"Maybe we shouldn’t, it clearly says no entry, if we just barge in and something happens..." Zeng Xuerou looked at the sign, feeling hesitant.
"What’s with all the ’what ifs’? You’re acting like the goody-two-shoes student council president again. Look at the slope of that path, it clearly goes downhill, it must be a shortcut." Taking the original path back would mean crossing the plains area after the mountain area, and without a lucky encounter with a sightseeing car near the entrance, they’d be exhausted.
Zhang Yiyi stubbornly ran towards the direction indicated by the wooden sign.
"Whatever, it’s inside the scenic area anyway, I guess we won’t encounter any serious issues," Zeng Xuerou and Xiao Xian had no choice but to follow, and soon the trio disappeared among the tall trees.
It gradually began to darken. Zhang Yiyi, who had been leading the way, sensed something was not right. The wild grass beside her grew from ankle-high to waist-high.
The only sound was the crunch of shoes stepping on the grass. Zhang Yiyi stopped and waited for Xiao Xian and Xuerou, but they didn’t catch up right away.
Zhang Yiyi became scared and looked around.
The hundred-year-old verdant pines and a line of wild grasses, the sun had set, nearing twilight.
As the temperature in Chengde Summer Villa was already a few degrees lower than outside, with the disappearance of the sunlight, the surrounding wild grasses chillingly swayed as if numerous ghostly shadows were moving.
Zhang Yiyi was tall but timid. Just then, a dark big bird suddenly flew out from a nearby tree, startling Zhang Yiyi into retreating several steps and sitting down on the grass.
The fallen grass was cold, tickling through the fingers.
"I’m scared to death. It seems this path is not a shortcut after all, I wonder how long it will take to walk back," just as Zhang Yiyi was about to stand up, her thumb felt something soft and chillingly cold, causing goosebumps all over her body. She felt a sharp pain between her fingers, "There’s a snake!"
Xiao Xian and Xuerou, who had been delayed watching the sunset on the mountain trail, hurried over after hearing Zhang Yiyi’s scream.
The cattails ahead were flattened where Zhang Yiyi sat crying on the ground, "There was a snake, it just bit me." She pointed vaguely with her uninjured hand toward a spot on the ground. The cattails trembled as something rapidly slithered away.
"Do I have to die? My hand is numb," Zhang Yiyi cried with fear, her face pale, tears streaming down.
With the dimming sunlight, Xuerou and Xiao Xian saw a triangular wound on her hand near the thumb, not much blood, but indeed a bite mark.
"Don’t panic, I’ll go get help," Zeng Xuerou felt helpless and walked a few steps, then Xiao Xian stopped her, "Don’t go back, it’s getting dark. Unless we meet a patrol team, you going back and forth might take hours. There aren’t any signposts here, getting separated could cause more trouble."
"What should we do? I can’t die now, I haven’t won a league championship yet, haven’t been a basketball team captain, I want to be a national team player," Zhang Yiyi sobbed, her hand continuing to bleed.
"Maybe we should carry her and walk back, Xiao Xian, you support from behind, I’ll carry Yiyi down," Zeng Xuerou gritted her teeth, trying to carry Yiyi, but Yiyi was a whole fifteen centimeters taller than her, which made it impossible.
"Wait, don’t panic, let me look around first," Xiao Xian crouched down started searching the surrounding area.
(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to give it recommendation tickets and monthly tickets on Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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