Xia Lian felt sore all over the body and she dropped onto the ice-cold ground beneath her. Slowly leaning her back against the tree, she hugged the trembling little boy in her arms tightly and rubbed his back with her hands to prevent him from freezing.
She felt sharp pain all over her body and shivered continuously due to the chill in the woods. Due to the cool breeze flowing on the wounds her body went numb.
If this continues, she was afraid that they might not be able to make it through the night. Xia Lian gritted her teeth and covered the little guy's ears, to prevent him from catching a cold. Even though she is freezing she felt that she can make it through.. No matter how cold it is, she had to make sure that the little one in her arms stays warm.
After suffering for quite some time she felt drowsy and her eyelids slowly started to droop as she finally succumbed her strong will power to her physical exhaustion...
Early in the morning, Xia Lian sensed something burning in her arms and suddenly opened her eyes in alarm. She anxiously placed her hands on her brother's forehead only to find that his body is burning hot like a furnace.
Xia Lian placed the boy gently on the ground and immediately stood up to inspect her surroundings. She had to bring him out of this desolate place. The kid was just three years old and his young body could not fight against the terrible fever. She was herself a military doctor but there is nothing she could do now. She had no medicines whatsoever even if she wanted to treat the boy herself.
All she could do now is to brace herself and move forward in the hopes of finding someone. It might be impossible to find a living person, but hope never fails you. With the last strand of hope, she took her steps slowly. With her, each step forward Xia Lian felt as if a part of her body is being cut off.
Xia Lian carefully observed her body only to find multiple scratches and cuts. Her entire body is covered with black and blue bruises. ' It seems that not only the mother but also the sister sacrificed her life in protecting this little dumpling.' she sighed in her heart. But fortunately, there are no cuts or bruises on Xia Ming's body. Otherwise, their sacrifices ought to be for nothing.
This body's owner truly cared for her brother. She protected him with her life.. Xia Lian's mouth slowly curved up. 'Sacrificing themselves to protect others..' the original girl might be frail and weak, but she had the spirit of a warrior. Xia Lian truly respected her spirit and was glad that she took upon this body.
After slowly walking forward for some time she managed to find a road out of the forest.
Following the confirmation that everything was safe, she rushed back and placed her brother on her shoulders to give him a piggy-back ride. Now, she had to move as fast as she can as the little one's body is getting hotter with each passing minute.
Xia Lian immediately frowned after placing him on her back ' Why are these two bodies malnourished?' She looked at her frail arms and her brother's bony cheeks and decided that she should feed him well in future.
Even though the boy is weightless, Xia Lian's body ached terribly and some of her wounds opened up and started bleeding again.
She bit her lip and started to walk forward...
'We must survive' Xia Lian started to chant in her mind.
Xia Lian continued moving forward in the hope of finding at least one person.
After walking for an hour she found a faint silhouette coming out from woods. He probably did not notice her as he started walking with his back towards her.
She found him wearing a veiled bamboo hat and carrying an axe. He seemed like an ordinary villager. After contemplating for a while and making sure that he seemed harmless, Xia Lian came to a quick decision in her heart as her face immediately lit up and she cried out loudly " Help!"
But, the man did not seem to notice her as he did not stop walking.
Xia Lian started to run while shouting at the same time ignoring her heavy injuries. The man was walking at an unhurried pace but Xia Lian found it difficult to keep up with him as she was currently running like a snail.
" Sir, wait!"
Still, the man was not able to hear clearly. The man on the front furrowed his brows but he did not stop walking.
'Did someone call me ?' he wondered as he thought that he was imagining things.
On seeing that he was not responding to her shouts, she had a ridiculous thought ' What if he's deaf??'
But the thought did not even humour her in the least, as her face was filled with complete horror. She observed the distance between the man and her. No matter how hard she tries, she understood that she cannot cover up such long distance in her current physical state. She had only one option: Use all her energy to shout. If he still cannot hear, then he is deaf. Xia Lian prayed hard for the second possibility not to turn true. She cannot even begin to imagine her situation if the man is deaf.
She shook her head to drive away all the pessimistic thoughts from her 1.2 kg brain. ' Be positive and think positive' she reminded herself as she prepared herself to shout out loud this time.
" Sir!!" Xia Lian used every ounce of her energy in this shout.
The man immediately turned around and saw an injured girl running towards him. He immediately quickened his steps towards her.
When the man reached in front of her Xia Lian immediately handed her brother to him and pleaded " Sir, please help me carry him to a doctor. His body is burning."