Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The issue with my dislocated right shoulder had been resolved, but the pain persisted, likely due to ligament and muscle strains. I turned over, struggling to free myself from my backpack. The torch behind me had extinguished at some point, leaving everything in darkness. However, this did not impair my judgment, as all the flames were concentrated in one direction—toward the water, near the shore. Bullets poured down like rain, and under the light of the powerful flashlight, a massive white shadow twisted in the water, churning it into a boiling frenzy.
The soldiers changed their magazines swiftly, seemingly in sync as they staggered their reloads to ensure that the bullet rain continued to pour onto the White Giant without pause. At the moment I adjusted my stance, I pulled the trigger of my rifle. My marksmanship was decent; given the close distance, I could clearly see the bullets striking its body. My weakness was my slow magazine change speed, especially compared to these Guard Company soldiers. After emptying two magazines, gunfire ceased.
The flashlight remained fixed on the spot where the bullet rain had been falling; the dark water revealed nothing but emptiness and colorlessness. Without the White Giant as a contrasting figure, the lake returned to its pitch-black hue, a darkness that even the powerful flashlight could not penetrate.
I fumbled to change my magazine when I heard Zhao Squad Leader shout, "Grab your gear and fall back."
This was a frantic pace. I hoisted my backpack and kept my head down, closely following Liu Squad Leader as we ran back. It was unimaginable to be able to run while carrying such a heavy load of over a hundred pounds; even now, thinking back on it made me feel quite impressive.
The flashlight had been adjusted by Liu Squad Leader; this was probably his only idea for avoiding attracting that monster's attention. No one still believed it had been killed; it seemed to possess an immortal nature. Despite so many bullets raining down on it, it could not be slain. I had already lost hope of killing it; my only wish was to escape quickly.
Run—desperately run. Nothing else occupied my mind.
The soldiers were in better shape than I was; they intentionally kept me sandwiched in between them. Liu Squad Leader slowed his pace slightly so that I could keep up with the group.
I had no idea how long we had been running; it felt like an eternity. I was on the verge of collapse when Zhao Squad Leader finally ordered a break. I dropped to the ground immediately, lacking even the strength to take off my backpack. Xu Xinming helped me remove it and handed me a canteen of water, which I gulped down greedily. The cold water rushed into my stomach, extinguishing the fire in my throat and heart. The only comfort was that I no longer felt any chill; I almost wished to jump into the water to cool down from the intense heat.
Zhao Squad Leader said, "Make sure to replenish your energy; we leave in ten minutes."
I felt around on my body and was stunned—I had used my last pack of compressed food for fishing! This was disastrous. As I wallowed in regret, Zhao Squad Leader opened his backpack and cut off a chunk of fish meat with his knife—about two pounds—and handed it to me. "Eat this; it's high in protein and will quickly replenish your energy."
I looked at him and realized he was right; here I was worried about food while carrying a large pack of fish meat! Had I really lost my mind? However, instead of taking the fish he offered, I reached for his knife instead. I had one in my own backpack—why would I take his? Wouldn't that just add to my burden? I shot him a disdainful glance and thought about it.
However, when I opened my backpack and took a glance inside, I silently accepted the piece of fish meat from his hand. The fish was very fresh and tender, without a hint of muddy taste; it was just a bit bland. If some seasoning were added, I thought it would be the most delicious sashimi I had ever tasted. After finishing my meal, as I was fastening the straps of my backpack, I glanced at Zhao Squad Leader and felt as if he was calculating something about me. My backpack was filled with the fat layer and skin of that fish.
It seemed we had escaped the pursuit of the enormous Water Monster. On the way back, our pace noticeably slowed down, and we encountered no further dangers. When we finally returned to our resting spot, Xiao Guolin was thrilled with our haul. As long as we were alive, there was hope; if we couldn't survive until rescue arrived, what meaning did all our beliefs and perseverance hold?
Zhao Squad Leader used the Walkie-Talkie to notify the higher-ups that we were preparing to eat fish, and cheers erupted from the other end of the line. The prospect of improving our meals and having resources to sustain ourselves allowed these young warriors to temporarily forget their fears. Xu Xinming filled a helmet with water, placed it over the fire, and sliced the fish meat into pieces before tossing them in. It looked like he was going to make boiled fish slices.
Before long, the Medic came down from above. He was the only one who was fully capable yet didn’t need to go out on missions. Moreover, he could frequently travel between these two resting points under the pretense of caring for the injured.
He appeared very responsible as he checked Liu Squad Leader's injuries before diving headfirst into the helmet of boiling fish. He scooped up a spoonful of fish soup and tasted it: "No salt will weaken people’s strength and affect combat effectiveness."
He then pulled out a metal bottle from his pocket, twisted it open, knocked it a couple of times, and poured a bit of salt into the helmet. With a serious demeanor, he scooped another spoonful of fish soup, tasted it again, and nodded in satisfaction. But that was just the beginning; he immediately pulled out another bag from his pocket, opened it, and threw several dried chili peppers into the pot along with two leaves and a piece of dried tangerine peel—he tossed in several different ingredients altogether. He then expressed his dissatisfaction by saying, "We’re out of Sichuan pepper; at least we should add some for more flavor."
I was left dumbfounded; I thought this guy must be a cook. I could understand him having salt since Medic sometimes needed to prepare saline solution; a little salt made sense. But those seasonings were driving me crazy—who carries around seasoning packets?
However, the subsequent boiled fish feast made me very happy. There were plenty of ingredients and strong flavors; I ended up sweating from eating so much. But some people had it rough—Liu Squad Leader didn’t get to eat even a single bite because before we started eating, Medic declared that this pot was too nourishing for those with external injuries or fractures; for patients with skull fractures, this pot was like poison.
Liu Squad Leader displayed remarkable restraint and expressionlessly remarked, "I prefer sashimi."
Genius nodded in agreement. Seeing him nearly drooling made me feel a twinge of sympathy.
Actually, I also fell into the category of foods that Medic prohibited; however, compared to Liu Squad Leader, who risked his life by eating it, my situation only affected my wound healing—a minor inconvenience that could be ignored. After eating until my stomach was full, I leaned back against the Cave Wall to rest.
The Medic also enjoyed his meal immensely. Since I first interacted with him, this Medic spoke in perfect Beijing dialect. After this satisfying meal, he let slip a revealing remark: "Damn it! It’s been ages since I’ve had such good food."
The first update is here. The second update will be released in the afternoon, and I will try to get it out earlier. I am still grateful to everyone. For every two updates, please check them in two separate clicks; the click count is still too low. Wishing everyone a pleasant weekend.
Comment 0 Comment Count