15: Chapter 15 Qi Yun's Return

In front of the thatched hut, the only bonfire had long since burned out.

Xia Jin sat alone, squatting before the rough wooden door of the hut; she had refused the other girls' offers to take shifts.

Tonight, she had to keep watch here herself.

The girls had long since eaten their fill and returned inside.

Her gaze remained fixed on the hillside, constantly expecting Qi Yun to appear there at any second.

How long had he been gone? Three hours? Four hours?

Every minute was stretched out into agony.

Would he succeed? Could he... come back alive?

Various terrifying images flashed uncontrollably through her mind.

Just then, she suddenly thought of something, and her body gave a slight jolt.

That's it! The island channel! That damned channel that could display the number of survivors in each Tribe!

She awakened the island channel interface, almost in a panic.

Her gaze, like a hawk's, was firmly nailed to Tribe 14.

Then, her breathing stopped completely for that instant.

Her pupils contracted sharply, her blood seemed to freeze instantly before rushing from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, bringing a dizzying roar.

Number of survivors: 13.

Thirteen people?!

She remembered clearly that someone had said Tribe 14 had at least twenty male members!

Only a few hours had passed? How could there only be... thirteen people left?!

A reduction of more than half?!

The massive shock left her mind blank.

Immediately followed by a surging, suffocating tidal wave of intertwined ecstasy and fear!

Qi Yun, did he succeed?! Did he really do it?!

He didn't go to harass, he didn't go to negotiate; he was truly "clearing" them out!

With such terrifying, such efficient killing speed!

Then came a deeper lingering fear.

With such a drastic reduction in numbers, how brutal must the battle have been?

He was alone, facing over a dozen vicious thugs, potentially even enemies with rare classes.

Her fingers uncontrollably, trembling, moved to another number: 01 Tribe.

Her gaze looked at the number representing their own Tribe.

30.

Still 30. Not a single one missing.

"Phew."

A breath held for a long time finally escaped from her clenched teeth, carrying an irrepressible tremor.

The number hadn't changed; did that mean Qi Yun was okay?

No, it still couldn't be confirmed.

What if he was seriously injured, on the verge of death, and the number hadn't had time to change yet?

She didn't dare to think any further, only staring fixedly, without blinking, at that "30."

Fearing that in the next second, it would jump and turn into a cold "29."

Her entire focus was tied to that number.

So much so that when dragging, heavy footsteps came from the shadows under the hillside, she didn't notice at first.

Until that voice, familiar to the point of being carved into her bones, yet now carrying obvious exhaustion and hoarseness, reached her.

"Xia Jin."

The voice was very soft, yet it exploded in her ears like a thunderclap.

Xia Jin shuddered violently, almost springing up from the ground!

The long blade on her lap fell to the ground with a "clatter," but she didn't care at all.

"Help me up."

Three more words, clearer than before, but also weaker.

Xia Jin jerked her head up and looked toward the sound.

By the dim moonlight, she saw a figure, moving with difficulty, step by agonizing step, out of the shadows under the hillside.

It was Qi Yun.

His body was covered in dark stains that had already dried or were in the process of coagulating.

In the dim light, it was impossible to tell if it was mud or blood.

On his left shoulder, a hideous laceration was clearly visible, the flesh turned outward.

Although the bleeding seemed to have stopped for the moment, it still looked shocking.

Xia Jin only felt her throat tightly blocked by something, unable to make a sound.

Her brain "buzzed," and all the anxiety, fear, and ecstasy from just moments ago were stirred into a jumble, then ruthlessly struck by the real and tragic scene before her eyes.

She stood blankly in place, looking at the man who was always composed, always able to create miracles in desperate situations, but who now looked so disheveled and weak.

Step by step, dragging his blood-stained body, he walked toward her, toward the hut, toward them, stumbling yet determined.

After a few seconds of daze, Xia Jin seemed to finally wake from a nightmare.

Her body moved faster than her thoughts.

She rushed down the small slope in front of the door in a few steps, and the moment Qi Yun's body swayed slightly, unable to support himself, she caught him.

Then she supported him on her back.

"You..." Xia Jin opened her mouth, but found her voice trembling.

She had countless questions to ask, but she didn't want this weak man before her to waste his precious energy answering her.

With every step, she walked with extreme care, fearing to disturb his wounds.

"Stay at the door for a while. I want to feel the sea breeze."

Qi Yun was too tired; he knew that once he entered the hut, many girls would worry about him, and Shu Qianxue might even cry.

But right now, he just wanted to rest quietly by himself.

With Xia Jin by his side, he was already safe.

"Okay." She responded in a low voice.

Xia Jin carefully laid Qi Yun down.

Finally, she guided him slowly to rest his head on her own pressed-together, warm, and resilient thighs.

It seemed as if Qi Yun finally let go of the last bit of strength he was forcing himself to maintain, completely collapsing.

A moment later, he nodded extremely slightly toward Xia Jin. He said three words:

"Solved."

Xia Jin's body trembled violently and uncontrollably.

She suddenly tilted her head back, took a few deep breaths, and then slowly exhaled.

Looking at the man lying on her lap, Xia Jin was moved.

I thought I had long forgotten how to cry.

She looked at Qi Yun and asked, also in an extremely low voice:

"Their leader?"

Qi Yun closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his gaze had recovered a little sharpness, and he said slowly:

"Very strong, but dead."

Xia Jin didn't ask anymore. She knew.

Tribe 14 having lost more than half its members and its leader being dead meant what it meant; it went without saying.

"Tell Bai Yu that her samples are intact."

"Tribe 14... still has some resources... on the road there are... mark..."

The word "markings" hadn't even been fully spoken before his voice stopped abruptly.

Watching Qi Yun suddenly stop speaking, Xia Jin's heart skipped a beat!

After confirming that Qi Yun was just asleep, Xia Jin let out a sigh of relief, and a drop of scalding liquid burst from her eyes.

Looking at the man sleeping peacefully on her lap, she whispered tenderly:

"Mom, I'm sorry, I still cried for a man."

At the same time, she also knew she couldn't let Qi Yun's efforts go to waste; after Qi Yun was fast asleep, Xia Jin began to think about the next steps.

Tomorrow, after waking up, the island channel would surely become very lively once someone discovered the anomaly at Tribe 14.

And it would be best for her to take advantage of the night to ensure everything Qi Yun had fought for was preserved.

Go to Tribe 14 and plunder all the resources that could be obtained.

Xia Jin gently set Qi Yun's head down and turned to enter the hut.

Xia Jin awakened the girls with the doctor class and had them treat Qi Yun.

Then she gathered some manpower to prepare to head to Tribe 14.

Although Qi Yun hadn't finished that sentence, Xia Jin knew he had left markings on the road.

When passing by Bai Yu's position, she paused for a moment and murmured.

"Samples intact."