After traveling for a long time, the rain grew heavier. Sha Yi had no idea how much time had passed, and by the time Xi Yi finally stopped, her entire body was numb and sore.
Several times during the journey, she had nearly lost her grip on the torch. Now, exhaustion and fatigue overwhelmed her simultaneously, leaving her without even the strength to climb down from his back.
Xi Yi seemed acutely aware of her current physical state. Finding a tree stump, he slowly crouched down and placed her on it.
This was a crude shelter, set apart from the towering trees and built against a few withered, stunted ones. The upper part of the shelter was woven from thick vines intertwined with each other and covered with layers of foliage, though the craftsmanship was quite rough. As a result, while it poured outside, the shelter leaked inside.
In contrast, the ground inside the shelter was in much better condition, entirely covered with short cylindrical wooden blocks cut from thick logs. The gaps between them were stuffed with smaller pieces of wood—perhaps to avoid mud or ward off dampness. In any case, this spot was far more comfortable, though the dried leaves scattered over the wooden blocks indicated that no one had stayed here for a long time.
While she rested briefly on the tree stump outside, Xi Yi took the torch and placed it inside the shelter. Seizing the moment, he also gathered several large leaves to spread over the wooden blocks. Finally, he returned and carried her into the shelter.
Sha Yi felt somewhat less drowsy but remained weak. She wasn’t entirely sure why she was experiencing these symptoms, but before she could ponder further, Xi Yi’s next action made everything clear—he reached out and untied the fur wrapped around her waist.
Under the faint torchlight, the fur had unknowingly become soaked with large patches of blood again. The wounds on her waist were bleeding more heavily on the sides, while the ones near her navel had mostly stopped.
Logically, the toxins injected into these wounds should have been evenly distributed. Even if the pressure on her abdomen was slightly greater due to Xi Yi carrying her, the difference shouldn’t have been so stark, especially since the fur had initially bound the wounds tightly.
Sha Yi couldn’t make sense of it until she glanced back at the fur—then it hit her in an instant.
The reason her entire body was numb and uncontrollable was entirely due to the rain!
Before the rain, aside from the bleeding, she hadn’t felt any numbness in her limbs. It was only after the rain started that she gradually began to sense the tingling in her legs and feet, which then spread throughout her body.
From this, it seemed the vampire vine’s toxin wasn’t just about disrupting blood clotting—it likely also paralyzed its victims to prevent escape. Of course, this probably required a trigger: the presence of water. After all, its hunts didn’t always go smoothly, as she had experienced. If a hunt failed and the prey escaped, the vine wouldn’t get the nutrients it needed. And if it went too long without encountering new prey, it might die.
Just as in the theory of evolution, regardless of species, survival of the fittest leads to the continuous refinement of advantages and the decline of disadvantages. The vampire vine couldn’t control the frequency or timing of prey encounters, so it had to maximize its capture rate to ensure its survival.
Now, Xi Yi was tightening the fur around her wounds again. Unfortunately, she couldn’t even feel the pain in her waist anymore. Seeing the deep worry in his eyes, she wasn’t actually that afraid—but with her body and speech both impaired, she had no idea how to reassure him.
Xi Yi, on the other hand, grew increasingly anxious and fearful at her uncharacteristic silence. He kept touching her face and holding her hand, fidgeting nervously.
Sha Yi understood his distress perfectly and tried to offer him a comforting smile. But with her limbs still weak, all she could manage was a slight shake of her head to signal that he shouldn’t worry too much.
Yet that one smile was enough to soothe him. Xi Yi finally relaxed a little, pointed outside, and gently patted her while murmuring a few words.
Sha Yi didn’t fully grasp what he said, but she understood that he wanted her to wait here while he went out. As for why he was leaving, she had no idea.
Considering how restless he was staying here, it was better to let him carry out whatever plan he had. After all, nowhere in this forest was truly safe. With that in mind, she nodded slightly and gave a soft acknowledgment.
Xi Yi seemed reluctant to leave her. Stroking her damp hair, he leaned down and kissed her forehead before finally making up his mind. Without looking back, he dashed out of the shelter and sprinted into the dense forest.
The infant had been placed beside her by Xi Yi. His little hide wrap was mostly soaked, but he was still asleep.
Truthfully, Sha Yi was somewhat worried about the baby. Yet there was nothing to be done. The harsh conditions of the storm and the environment were beyond their control. Their bad luck and lack of supplies made the situation even more frustrating. Everyone was hungry, everyone had been drenched by the rain all night, and there was simply no way to help him. All she could do was hope he’d survive the night and pull through.
Just then, a blue-purple ball of light descended from the sky and struck one of the massive trees in the direction Xi Yi had gone. A thunderous crack echoed, followed by the deafening crash of the tree collapsing. The sight sent a chill down Sha Yi’s spine, and the infant woke at the same moment, whimpering and crying.
Sha Yi quickly turned her head—only to catch a glimpse of the surroundings illuminated by the blinding lightning. What she saw made her heart sink completely.
—
**P.S.**
Thanks to Ying-chan for the flowers~ Mwah! ❤️
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