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As the dizziness intensified, her breathing became heavier. The pain that surged over her brought her back to reality, and this alternating sensation made Xu Nuan's voice hoarse, more heart-wrenching than a tape stuck in a player.
"Let's try again. If the wind is too strong, we'll find another place. We don't have raincoats, and there are too few places around to avoid the rain. It's a bit risky to rest here."
"Nuan, are you sick?"
Tang Jingshu immediately moved closer to Xu Nuan, supporting her as she seemed on the verge of collapsing. Just moments ago, she had been full of energy, but now her complexion was pale and her steps unsteady; the change was too abrupt to accept.
The gazes of the others quickly turned to Xu Nuan.
"What if... we can't find a suitable place to take shelter from the rain?" Xie Huai asked with concern, only to be shot a glare by Deng Yinyin.
"Don't be such a pessimist!"
Xu Hang took over the conversation, casting a stern look at Xie Huai and speaking calmly. "Then we keep looking."
Xie Huai immediately covered his mouth and shrank back.
Seeing that Gu Ze's smile had vanished, Xu Nuan straightened up and explained, "This area is unpredictable; the two marshes are different. There might even be a third one where the air could be better."
Xu Hang pondered for a moment before turning to Gu Ze, who had suddenly grown serious.
"Then let's continue setting up. You should put in some effort to find a more suitable place."
"Okay." Gu Ze's voice was barely audible as he glanced at Xu Nuan a few times before moving to a higher spot to continue searching for an appropriate location.
The others began to organize the remaining fabric. The cold rain brought discomfort that affected everyone's expressions, especially Xu Nuan's.
"Warm, you should take a break. I'll handle it."
Tang Jingshu furrowed her delicate brows as she looked at the tight-lipped Xu Nuan. Not far away, Deng Yinyin was shaking out some fabric and sneaked a glance over, then seemingly casually turned away.
"It's fine. Having more people will just speed things up."
Xu Nuan's voice was calm, as if nothing were wrong, but her pale complexion betrayed her state.
"If you can't do it, don't push yourself. We can manage with one less person," Deng Yinyin muttered before turning back to her tasks.
Hearing this, Xu Nuan smiled lightly, a fleeting expression that quickly vanished.
Before Tang Jingshu could continue to insist with her furrowed brow, Gu Ze approached with an impassive expression. A pair of binoculars hung around his neck as he wiped the rain off his face carelessly, his voice rising above the wind.
"I found a forest not too far away. It isn't raining there."
Xu Nuan had been looking down the entire time he spoke.
"That was quick?"
Tang Jingshu's face lit up with surprise and delight.
"Quick is good! Let's hurry and set off; if we're lucky, we might find a lake to wash up in."
Deng Yinyin was lively and energetic as she quickly slung her backpack over her shoulders, no longer complaining about her wet clothes.
Tang Jingshu understood that her friend was easily emotional; she smirked slightly and began to pack up her things.
After a brief stay in the Lodgepole Pine forest, the group set off once again towards a place with better conditions.
Xu Nuan continued to walk leisurely at the back of the line, her gaze distant and her expression calm and serene. The stains on her clothes did little to hide her grace.
As she passed Gu Ze, who had deliberately slowed his pace, Xu Nuan merely glanced at him without saying a word.
The feeling of unease had not dissipated.
"There's rain over there, which means we might get to eat... hot food."
Xu Nuan paused for a few seconds, surprised that Gu Ze's first words were about food. That suspicious pause must have been about 'roast duck.'
"Thanks to you," Xu Nuan lowered her eyes slightly, her voice so soft it could be carried away by the wind. This realization made a spark flash quickly in Gu Ze's eyes.
"Shall I carry your backpack?"
Gu Ze spoke in a casual tone, his other hand awkwardly curling at the hem of his pants.
"This weight is nothing; I can handle it." Xu Nuan flicked the wide straps of her backpack and then raised the corners of her lips, seemingly nonchalant.
"If you don't believe me, we can race to see who gets there first."
Gu Ze smiled back but remained silent.
The dark clouds loomed overhead, reflecting the current mood of the group. However, the earlier sense of oppression had faded, and everyone looked forward to the forest Gu Ze mentioned. During this long trek, each person felt as if they were almost merging with the water around them.
Time flowed silently, unnoticed beneath everyone's feet. As they gazed at the vast greenery ahead and the evening glow appearing at the horizon, they finally became aware of time.
In the swamp, this peculiar forest was not much to speak of, but everywhere in the woods was standing water, with very little dry soil. The trees were mostly shorter than those in an ordinary forest, and the bushes only reached knee height. The grass was not a cheerful green; instead, it was a new hue mixed with shades of yellow and dark green.
Xu Nuan held onto her clothes and other essentials, wandering aimlessly at first, her expression calm to the point of unease, until she could no longer bear the pain from her wounds and let out a few faint sounds.
"Is it inflamed again?"
Xu Nuan murmured to herself as she struggled to climb a moss-covered tree that had become slippery. Looking around, she soon spotted a lake shimmering with ripples.
Finding her direction, Xu Nuan slowly made her way down, her movements no longer as agile as before. Each step tugged at her scars, causing her delicate brows to furrow in pain.
Step by step, Xu Nuan managed to shuffle over to the lake's edge. She crouched down slowly and saw the reflection of herself on the water's surface. Her light brown eyes had turned into deep seas; her once round face had thinned considerably and appeared much paler. Upon closer inspection, there was a fine scar on her chin that had already healed.
Exhausted, Xu Nuan tossed a handful of disinfectant tablets into the lake and quietly watched as the bubbles formed a series that gradually weakened until they vanished completely. Only then did she begin to undress. After dipping a towel in the water and wiping herself little by little, she slightly turned to one side and pulled off the loosened bandage to examine her back in the water's reflection.
Ignoring the few black straps, a gruesome wound stretched from her shoulder blade down to her waist, still shocking to behold. Some parts were covered with black scabs while the center was bright red, with faint traces of blood flowing alongside yellowish and whitish fluids filled with countless cells.
"Ah, it really is inflamed."
Xu Nuan spoke this line very calmly. This wound had been there for quite some time; it had healed only to reopen repeatedly—a painful cycle that tormented her. Originally, she had been bandaging and applying medicine in the Supply Station's bathroom, occasionally sneaking away from her companions to treat herself. Little did she expect that during this leg of her journey through the Changing Swamp, she would encounter Heavy Rain.
Rain—she used to love it, but later on, she grew to hate it or perhaps even loathe it.
"If I don't have surgery after I get out of here, it won't go away."
Xu Nuan continued talking to herself, though the light in her eyes dimmed as she maintained that position without saying anything more.
In solitude, one can easily lose track of time. By the time Xu Nuan snapped back to reality, it was already dark outside. In the dim twilight, she began to apply medicine on herself.
With a strange and clumsy motion, Xu Nuan applied the medicine to her wound. She didn't want to tell the other two girls in the team about it, seeking help instead.
She was reluctant to reveal the reason for her injury, not wanting to recall what had happened at that moment.
Applying the medicine took Xu Nuan a long time. Just as she grabbed a piece of clothing to put on, a rustling sound came from the bushes several dozen meters away. Xu Nuan instinctively covered her chest, nervously watching the bushes. The next moment, she let out a startled cry.
"Ah!"
The short exclamation escaped her lips before she realized her situation. She quickly covered her mouth and squinted at the wolf emerging from the bushes, its green eyes glinting with a chilling, bloodthirsty gleam.
The realization that there were wolves in the swamp made Xu Nuan's heart race violently. Yet, she dared not dress in front of a hunting wolf; doing so would expose many vulnerabilities—fatal ones.
Wolves prefer to strike when their prey reveals weaknesses.
However, sometimes unforeseen accidents occur.
"Xu Nuan, what happened?"
When Gu Ze burst out from the side of the bushes, Xu Nuan was momentarily distracted, her mind racing with thoughts of her half-dressed state and the exposed wound.
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