Tián Tián saw the subtle movements of the two, sniffed, and frowned. She whispered to Bái Xī, "Sister Bái Xī, I smell blood."
"Are you sure?" Bái Xī frowned. This matter could be big or small. If there really was a mutated creature in the village, that would be trouble.
Tián Tián nodded affirmatively.
"Uncle Tán, let's hurry and leave! This place isn't safe, it's easy for accidents to happen," Bái Xī stepped forward and suggested.
Mutated creatures are particularly sensitive to blood; they can smell it from afar. If we delay, we won't be able to leave.
Upon hearing that they were about to leave immediately, the others were unhappy. They had only just rested, and the sun was still so hot outside.
"Miss, we're just at the edge of the village, it's not that exaggerated, is it?" Chén Fēifēi said softly, but her words carried a clear reprimand.
"Nothing has happened to us since we arrived, aren't you guys being a bit too jumpy?" Hé Méi, who rarely spoke, also didn't want to leave. It was too hot.
Tán Míngshān hesitated. He was concerned about whether Professor Chén could hold up.
"What's more important, suffering a bit or losing your life?"
Bái Xī rolled her eyes blatantly.
She was speechless. Couldn't these people see the situation? This was the apocalypse! Danger and accidents could happen at any moment.
"Since we can't agree, let's go our separate ways!" Bái Xī didn't intend to stay any longer, fearing complications.
She wouldn't try to persuade them endlessly; her timely warning was already going above and beyond.
With that, Bái Xī walked out without looking back. Tián Tián, pulling Tián Mò, quickly followed.
Everyone inside was stunned.
"She just left?" Hé Méi hadn't expected Bái Xī to be so decisive.
"We're a team, how could she just leave by herself!" Chén Fēifēi was also a bit taken aback.
Although she didn't like Bái Xī, she knew that to survive in this environment, especially while bringing two children, Bái Xī must be capable.
Tán Míngshān and Hán Dōng were also surprised. Why did this girl leave just like that?
"Uncle Tán, should we follow?" Hán Dōng actually agreed with Bái Xī. This village was too strange, and it was better to leave sooner rather than later.
Tán Míngshān also leaned towards leaving early. He looked at the only elder in the group and asked, "Professor Chén, can you manage?"
"No problem, I can still walk a few steps," the old professor said. He knew he was a burden to the team, but he couldn't abandon Chén Fēifēi. As long as he lived, he still had some value, being able to protect her.
"Alright!" Tán Míngshān looked around. "Where are Lǐ Mèng and Fāng Xiǎng?"
Everyone looked at each other. No one had noticed where the two had gone.
"Maybe they went to the restroom," Hé Méi said. She had seen them leave.
A few minutes later, Lǐ Mèng and Fāng Xiǎng came running back from behind the house.
"Captain Tán, let's leave quickly!" Fāng Xiǎng urged everyone as soon as he returned.
"Since we've decided to go, we should leave as soon as possible," Lǐ Mèng chimed in.
Seeing their sudden change of heart, Hé Méi retorted unceremoniously, "Weren't you two the most against leaving? Why are you so eager now?"
This Lǐ Mèng had always been wary of her, afraid she would steal her boyfriend. But she should look at herself – why would she be interested in Fāng Xiǎng?
"Lǐ Mèng, did you two encounter something?" Chén Fēifēi asked, sensing the urgency in Lǐ Mèng's words.
"What could I have encountered! I'm just afraid it will get dark and we won't find a place to stay," Lǐ Mèng said evasively. She picked up her and Fāng Xiǎng's backpacks and pulled Fāng Xiǎng outside.
"Since everyone is here, let's go!"
Tán Míngshān frowned slightly. As a seasoned police officer, he naturally sensed something unusual about Fāng Xiǎng and Lǐ Mèng, but unity within the team was most important now.
Everyone agreed and left.
Hé Méi and Qián Qíshān went ahead. Tán Míngshān and Chén Fēifēi escorted Professor Chén in the middle, with Hán Dōng bringing up the rear.
When the six of them walked out of the house, Lǐ Mèng and Fāng Xiǎng were already nowhere to be seen.
"What's with these two, did they get injected with stimulants? Why are they running so fast?" Hé Méi cursed loudly.
The strangeness of the two made everyone instinctively quicken their pace, but they still hadn't realized the real problem.
After walking only a few steps, dense crawling sounds came from behind them.
They turned around and saw a swarm of black spiders, crawling towards them, each as big as a groundhog.
"This is bad!"
Tán Míngshān's face darkened. He regretted not listening to Bái Xī and leaving sooner.
"Oh my god! How can there be such big spiders?" Qián Qíshān was terrified.
"Let's get out of here, no hesitation," Tán Míngshān urged.
He picked up Professor Chén and ran towards the village exit, with Hán Dōng covering their rear. Chén Fēifēi, while saying, "Grandpa, hurry up!" had already run far ahead.
Seeing his granddaughter abandoning him and fleeing alone, Professor Chén sighed silently. "Officer Tán, if it comes to it, please leave me behind. There's no need to risk your lives for this old man."
"Professor Chén, it's alright," Tán Míngshān said with a determined expression.
Professor Chén Kūnshān was a national-level scientist, holding a large amount of important research data. He couldn't abandon him; they had to complete the mission.
...
After Lǐ Mèng and Fāng Xiǎng left, they felt a bit guilty. "Fāng Xiǎng, should we go back and check? It doesn't feel right to just leave like this."
"There were so many spiders, do you want to go and deal with them?"
It was too dangerous, and Fāng Xiǎng was unwilling to go back, but Lǐ Mèng's words had some merit.
Suddenly, an idea struck Fāng Xiǎng. "How about this? Let's go find Bái Xī. Isn't she very capable? Let her go save them."
"Okay!" Lǐ Mèng strongly agreed. This way, they had helped, and she wouldn't feel so guilty.
The two hurried forward.
After Bái Xī and the other two left, they were no longer in a hurry. They were out anyway.
"Tián Tián, where are you from?" Bái Xī asked casually, finding the journey a bit boring.
"We're from Anqing Prefecture, Eastern He Province," Tián Tián replied. Because Tián Mò had telepathy, she didn't have many reservations about Bái Xī.
"Eastern He Province, Anqing Prefecture?" Bái Xī was confused. When did administrative units have prefectures? Weren't they provinces and cities?
"Yes! Sister Bái Xī, where are you from?" Tián Tián was very curious. After this game was over, she could find Sister Bái Xī to play with and foster their friendship.
"Tianfu City, Southern An Province." Bái Xī casually made up a story. For the fastest updates, please browse your browser and enter -www.XBYUAN.COM- to check.
Bái Xī's words also surprised Tián Tián. "Are provinces and cities administrative units? I've never heard of them."
Bái Xī clicked her tongue. "Perhaps we're not from the same world."
"Not from the same world?" Tián Tián's mouth fell open and stayed that way for a long time.
She had never considered this possibility, always subconsciously assuming they were all from the same world.
Bái Xī shrugged, also somewhat surprised.
If what Tián Tián said was true, this would be explosive news.