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墨書 Inktalez
After walking for about an hour, a sudden rumble echoed from behind us. We exchanged glances, realizing that the snow and rocks above the Prison Van had finally collapsed. Fortunately, we had already distanced ourselves from the danger zone.
As we continued forward, the snow beneath our feet grew thicker, and with the guard's leg injury, our pace was painfully slow. The sky darkened, and if we weren't found by rescuers before nightfall, we would need to find a safer place to rest.
I kept my eyes peeled along the way and finally spotted a cave just before darkness fell. Though small, it was large enough for both of us and would at least shield us from the wind and snow. I helped the guard into the cave, then gathered some branches nearby and tore a strip of fabric from the inside of my coat to start a small fire.
This little fire became our hope for surviving the night in the cold wilderness. By its light, I quickly tended to the guard's leg wound. He pulled out a pack of biscuits and offered me half. "I know you used to be a doctor. My name is Zhao Lifeng. Thank you for saving me today."
I nodded but said nothing. We sat quietly, staring at the flickering flames while munching on biscuits. Then I noticed a ring on Zhao Lifeng's left hand, on his ring finger. It was uniquely designed, made of two thin metal bands intertwined—one in Platinum and the other in Rose Gold. At their intersection was a small diamond.
He noticed my gaze and gently turned the ring, his expression softening suddenly. "This was my wedding ring. It represents two parallel lives intertwined."
"Was?" I asked.
He looked out into the endless dark night beyond the cave entrance. "My fiancée passed away from illness over two years ago."
The weak firelight danced on the cave walls, casting shadows on his pale face. I didn't know how to respond and could only offer him a sympathetic silence.
Suddenly, a wolf's howl pierced through the stillness from afar. Zhao Lifeng and I exchanged another glance, fear reflected in each other's eyes.
Though wild beasts in the mountains typically avoided firelight, this small flame wasn't entirely safe. Zhao Lifeng leaned out to peer into the darkness outside and said to me, "There are likely wolves nearby, but we both need to rest now. Let's take turns keeping watch."
I nodded and took the first watch. Zhao Lifeng didn’t protest; the pain and exhaustion had drained him of all his strength, and he quickly fell into a deep sleep against the cave wall.
I added some wood to the fire, its light illuminating the young guard's face. He frowned, seemingly trapped in a nightmare. I curled up beside the fire, staring at the flickering flames, feeling my consciousness gradually merge with the glow.
A kitchen knife glinted ominously…
Blood stained the floor…
I watched my husband lying in a pool of blood, a wave of relief washing over me…
Another wolf howl pierced the night, and I jolted awake, realizing that this time the howl seemed much closer. Cold sweat soaked my back as I grabbed a handful of snow and rubbed it on my face, keeping a wary eye on the cave entrance. In the darkness, something seemed to be approaching; I faintly heard the sound of something lightly crunching through the snow.
I quickly nudged Zhao Lifeng, and he woke almost instantly. Seeing me point towards the entrance and then to my ear, he immediately understood. He listened intently for a few seconds before suddenly raising his hand to signal me to stay still.
Zhao Lifeng selected the thickest branch from a pile of sticks, lit it with swift movements, and then limped towards the cave entrance. Outside, three pairs of eerie green eyes flickered in and out among the trees, now very close to the cave mouth.
Instinctively, I shrank back towards the fire, watching as Zhao Lifeng waved the burning branch and shouted forcefully at whatever lurked outside. The wolf pack was temporarily frightened away.
“They’ll come back,” he said. “I’ll keep watch now; you should try to get some sleep.” He sat with his back to me at the entrance, still holding the flaming branch.
“Okay.”
I exhaled softly, leaning against the cave wall; the long night had only just begun.
I didn’t know when I had drifted off into a hazy sleep, but when I woke again, daylight had broken. The cave was empty except for me, and the fire had not completely extinguished.
I tightened my clothes and stepped out of the cave. I saw Zhao Lifeng busy squatting in the snow.
He heard the crunching sound of my footsteps in the snow but didn’t turn around. He waved his hand and said, "You’re awake? Don’t come over here. Go stoke the fire a bit more. We’ll roast something to eat before we head out."
I turned my head and saw several small, nameless birds with their necks twisted at Zhao Lifeng's feet. He was deftly using a sharp stone to remove their feathers and entrails, his movements clean and efficient.
Not far away lay a makeshift trap he hadn’t had time to collect, constructed from his coat, some sticks, and leftover biscuit crumbs. I knew that now was not the time to worry about protecting wildlife; we had to find a way to survive first.
As the warm aroma of roasted meat filled the cave, my last shred of guilt vanished completely.
Though there were no seasonings, the taste of the roasted high-quality protein was simply divine—it was the most delicious thing I had ever eaten. The warm bird meat filled my stomach, making me feel cozy all over.
Fearing that the scent of our meal might attract wolves again, we quickly finished eating, extinguished the fire with snow, and set off once more.
Zhao Lifeng found a thick branch to use as a walking stick and limped ahead. I followed closely behind him, glancing at his injured leg from time to time, hoping that his wound wouldn’t become infected.
We walked for half a day without seeing the winding mountain road, both of us beginning to doubt whether we had unknowingly gone off course.
In the vast snowstorm, everything in the dense forest looked similar, making it hard to discern direction. But we couldn’t afford to stop; we could only support each other and push forward through gritted teeth.
By afternoon, the snow was falling heavier and seemed on the verge of turning into a blizzard. We were exhausted—cold and hungry.
"Just hold on a little longer! We should be close!" Zhao Lifeng shouted encouragingly.
I nodded, knowing he was just trying to motivate me.
Just as despair began to creep in, I suddenly caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye. Amidst the layers of mountains and forests, I could vaguely see what looked like the outline of a house!
"Officer Zhao! Look over there!"
Zhao Lifeng followed my pointing direction, surprise flickering in his eyes.
We quickened our pace, and as we drew closer, the blurry outline gradually became clearer.
It was a small wooden cabin—very old and seemingly uninhabited.
Zhao Lifeng signaled for me to stand behind him. "It looks like an abandoned camp cabin. Let me check it out first."
The wind and snow made it nearly impossible for me to open my eyes. I clutched his clothing and followed closely behind him.
The cabin door wasn’t locked but had warped and jammed shut. Zhao Lifeng pushed against it several times without success. He stepped back two paces and kicked it hard with his uninjured leg. Finally, the wooden door creaked open with a sharp groan.
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