Chapter 33: A Mountaineering Accident

"Is everyone here?"

Zhuzi saw the group ready to go and nodded. "I hope everyone has prepared some food and water. We won't be back by noon, and it will be at least evening by the time we get down the mountain, so we'll have to make do with lunch on the trail."

Ji Yuanyuan raised her hand. "Wait a moment, I want to go buy a couple of bottles of water!"

They had noticed a small convenience store at the entrance of the village when they arrived. While the selection wasn't vast, it carried the essentials.

Jiang Yao hadn't intended to go, but seeing Ji Yuanyuan give her a wink, she paused and said, "I'll go too."

Zhao Xiaoting chirped, "Then I'm coming along!"

Ultimately, the girls decided to go shopping together. Duan Yiren hesitated for a moment, then looked at the three men. "Do you guys need anything? We can pick it up for you."

Chi Xing curled his lips. "A bottle of water."

"Sis, check if they have cigarettes and grab me two packs, would you?" Relieved not to have to run the errand himself, Yellow-Hair felt quite at ease.

It was frustrating, really. In the real world, he had suffered from hunger and had to split a single cigarette into several sessions. Since arriving in this dump, he had plenty to eat and wear, and there were no zombies, but this place was certainly remote enough.

Duan Yiren nodded. "Sure."

Zhuzi didn't forget to remind them, "Hurry it up, everyone. We need to get up the mountain early."

"Got it!"

The girls had already walked away.

Jiang Yao glanced at Ji Yuanyuan and Zhao Xiaoting, who were both looking as if they had something to say. These two weren't as composed as Xiang Yu; their eyes had been darting around the whole way, clearly itching to talk.

"Alright, speak up. What's wrong?"

Ji Yuanyuan had been holding it in, and now she could finally let it all out. "You two wouldn't believe what happened on our side last night!"

Duan Yiren asked with curiosity, "What happened?"

Ji Yuanyuan looked indignant. "I discovered someone peeping while I was taking a shower!"

She described the scene vividly.

Duan Yiren felt goosebumps break out across her skin as she listened, thoroughly shocked. "Something like that actually happened?"

Jiang Yao frowned deeply. "Did you catch them?"

"No, they were too fast!" Ji Yuanyuan gnashed her teeth in frustration.

"If that's the case, our experience last night was pretty intense too." Duan Yiren recounted the incident with the old lady, leaving the others stunned.

"If I woke up in the middle of the night and saw an old woman standing by my bed, I think I’d just close my eyes and pass away peacefully."

Xiang Yu frowned. "This village is truly strange. I don't think the men had any such encounters, but regardless, we girls should be more careful."

After buying their supplies, they returned and prepared to begin the climb.

The weather wasn't too hot at this hour, and once they entered the woods, it felt even cooler.

Ji Yuanyuan, Zhao Xiaoting, and Xiang Yu acted like typical college students, stopping constantly to take photos and check in on social media.

Chi Xing fiddled with his livestreaming equipment, holding the camera high, but there was no signal. He scoffed, "The signal here is terrible. How am I supposed to stream for my followers?"

Seeing him so dedicated, the group almost burst into laughter.

Zhuzi, who was walking in front, turned his head back and smiled, explaining, "The signal in our mountains isn't great. You'll just have to bear with it."

Just as the village chief had warned, the mountain paths were extremely difficult to navigate, with steep inclines.

At first, everyone was in the mood to chat and laugh, but later on, they were all panting, drenched in sweat.

However, mindful of the need to descend before dark, they couldn't rest for too long. The girls gritted their teeth and kept going, never asking for a break.

Suddenly, Xiang Yu’s foot slipped, and with a soft cry, she fell to the ground.

"Are you okay?" Ji Yuanyuan and Zhao Xiaoting rushed forward to support her from either side.

"Sss!" Xiang Yu gasped, her face turning pale. "Wait, I think I twisted my ankle..."

"Oh no! Is it serious?" Zhao Xiaoting quickly helped her settle. "Then, don't move!"

"Move aside. I know a bit about acupressure," Chi Xing said, rolling up his sleeves with a calm expression.

Zhao Xiaoting quickly stepped aside, surprised by his kindness, and habitually flattered him. "Brother Chi knows how to do this too?"

Chi Xing glanced at her sideways, unperturbed. "Is that so strange? I studied physical education in college. We dealt with sprains and injuries all the time, so I picked up a few skills along the way."

Xiang Yu was a bit intimidated by him, but her ankle was throbbing with pain, so she didn't dwell on it and managed a polite smile. "Thank you. Sorry for the trouble."

She carefully rolled up her pant leg; the skin around her ankle was already red and swollen.

Chi Xing tentatively felt the bone and frowned. "The bone is slightly displaced. I'm going to set it for you. It might hurt a bit. Can you handle it?"

Xiang Yu pursed her lips and nodded. "Yes, go ahead... Sss!"

Before she could finish, Chi Xing had already acted. With a sharp *crack*, he dusted off his hands and stood up. "All done."

Xiang Yu’s face went white from the pain. "..."

*Seriously, brother? You didn't even give a warning?*

The others couldn't help but sweat for Xiang Yu. To do that without a word—that was truly ruthless!

Chi Xing raised an eyebrow. "Try standing up and taking a few steps. It shouldn't hurt as much now."

Zhao Xiaoting and Ji Yuanyuan hurried to help her up. Xiang Yu took a few tentative steps, her eyes wide with surprise. "It really doesn't hurt as much!"

There was still a slight ache, but it was bearable.

"Thank you, Chi Xing." Xiang Yu felt guilty for her earlier suspicions.

"Can you keep going?" Zhuzi asked kindly. "If you really can't, should I take you back down the mountain first?"

Xiang Yu shook her head firmly. "I can do it!"

She wouldn't let her own mishap hold everyone else back. To prove herself, she walked a bit further. "See? No problem."

Zhuzi was relieved. "Then let's continue."

Because of the injury, even though Xiang Yu didn't want to, her pace significantly slowed down. She felt guilty. "Why don't you guys go ahead? I'll slowly catch up."

"How could we do that? What if you get lost?" Zhao Xiaoting and Ji Yuanyuan certainly wouldn't abandon her. In these desolate mountains, if something were to happen, there would be no one to hear her cries for help.

"We'll stay and keep you company."

"The terrain here is complex. If you get lost, won't we have to waste even more time looking for you?" Although Chi Xing's tone was mocking, his point was valid. "Just take it slow. We're not in that much of a rush."

Xiang Yu felt embarrassed.

As they turned to continue, Yellow-Hair grumbled, "Brother Chi, why are you in such a good mood today? It's clearly these girls who are being troublesome!"

Chi Xing gave him a sidelong glance. "Aren't you troublesome?"

Yellow-Hair choked, feeling aggrieved. "I'm going to take a leak!"

Zhuzi reminded him, "Don't go too far. Just find a spot nearby!"

"Got it."

The group stopped to rest. Not long after, a scream echoed through the woods.

"What the hell!"