Li Lin pushed open the heavy iron door, and the sunlight poured in through the broken windows of the abandoned bunker, dispelling the darkness and dampness. He let out a long breath, finally free from the numerous dangers of the Nameless Land.
"It seems we are safe now," Liya said, following closely behind him, cradling the restless Xiao Xing in her arms.
Li Lin scanned the surroundings warily. "Let's check this place for now."
The two quickly split up to search the long-abandoned bunker. Aside from thick layers of dust and scattered debris, they found no signs of danger.
"This should be a good place to rest," Li Lin sighed in relief, leaning against the wall and slowly sliding down to sit on the ground.
Liya noticed the wound on his arm. "You're hurt," she said softly, pulling out a simple medical kit from her backpack.
Li Lin shook his head gently. "It's just a minor injury; take care of Xiao Xing first."
After a moment's hesitation, Liya moved to Li Lin's side. She carefully cleaned his wound, her movements gentle yet efficient.
"Ah—" Li Lin inhaled sharply, instinctively wanting to pull his arm back.
"Don't move," Liya chided softly, her hands continuing their work without pause.
Li Lin gritted his teeth against the pain, his gaze unintentionally drawn to Liya's focused profile. He suddenly realized that this seemingly fragile girl had grown so strong. In this post-apocalyptic wasteland, she was no longer someone who needed protection but a reliable companion.
Once she finished bandaging him, Liya turned to tend to Xiao Xing. Li Lin moved his arm slightly; although the wound throbbed with pain, it felt much better now.
"We only have these left," Liya said as she took out the last two pieces of compressed food from her backpack and handed one to Li Lin.
He accepted the food but didn’t eat it right away. Watching Xiao Xing greedily munching on what Liya held, a complex emotion surged within him. "You eat; I'm not hungry."
Liya frowned, "Don't push yourself; you need to replenish your strength."
Li Lin gave a wry smile. "We all need to survive." He broke off a small piece and handed the rest to Liya.
After hesitating for a moment, Liya accepted the food, and the two of them chewed in silence, a strange tranquility enveloping the air.
Once full, Xiao Xing nudged closer to Li Lin, gently rubbing its head against his hand. Li Lin couldn't help but stroke the little creature's soft fur, feeling a bit of the gloom in his heart lift.
"You know," Liya suddenly spoke up, "sometimes I wonder what we would be like if this disaster hadn't happened."
Li Lin paused for a moment. "Maybe I'd still be in the military, and you might be living a stable life in some city."
"What about Xiao Xing?" Liya asked softly.
Li Lin looked at the Starwing Beast in his arms, his expression complex. "Maybe it wouldn't even exist."
Liya nodded thoughtfully, her gaze sweeping across the interior of the bunker. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. "Li Lin, look over there!"
Following Liya's point direction, Li Lin saw some strange equipment piled up in the corner. He stood up cautiously and walked over to inspect it.
"These look like some kind of research equipment," Li Lin said as he examined the machines closely. "Maybe this used to be a research facility."
Liya followed him, her curiosity piqued. "What do you think they were researching?"
Li Lin's gaze fell on a monitor. Although the screen was covered in dust, some data and charts could still be faintly seen. "Maybe... it has something to do with Xiao Xing," he thought.
Just then, Xiao Xing let out a sharp cry. Both Li Lin and Liya turned around to see the little creature nervously staring at the entrance of the Bunker.
"What’s wrong?" Liya asked anxiously.
Li Lin perked up his ears, listening carefully to the sounds outside. Suddenly, a faint rustling noise reached him, causing his pupils to constrict sharply.
"Someone's coming," Li Lin whispered, quickly pulling Liya and Xiao Xing into the shadows nearby.
At that moment, the iron door of the Bunker was suddenly pushed open, and a blinding light flooded in. Li Lin instinctively squinted against the brightness.
"Who's there?" a hoarse voice called out.
Li Lin's hand stealthily moved toward the weapon at his waist, his heart racing. He knew that this brief moment of calm was about to be shattered; a new crisis was looming closer.
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