Hai Baihe sensed an uncontrollable change in the situation, but her mind was in chaos. She could only sit on the ground temporarily, grabbing her backpack along the way.
Inside the bag were some cosmetics and food. She had leftovers from the chicken nuggets she had for lunch and stuffed them all into her mouth. She then opened a can of cola and gulped it down. While many people lose their appetite during sudden upheavals, Hai Baihe wasn't one of them. She accumulated energy and sugar like an animal preparing for winter, getting ready for what was about to happen. "We need to get her to the hospital. Is Hu Yang Township far from here?"
The last question was directed at Zhang Qihang. He had been here once before, but that was with the professors. Asking him about the distance was a difficult task. He smiled bitterly and said, "I don't know either."
Ni Xuanxuan was still trying to find a signal on her phone. "This is so strange. I was playing on my phone in the car just now, and suddenly there's no signal at all. What should we do?" Although she hadn't experienced much adversity, her eyes started to well up as she spoke.
Suddenly, they encountered a car accident, lost two companions, and lost contact. It was natural for her to feel scared.
"In that case, we'll have to go on foot." Hai Baihe looked at Liang Xiao, asking, "Are you okay?"
Liang Xiao shook his head. His consciousness was still unclear, but it didn't prevent him from making a decision. "Let's go." He gestured for Hai Baihe to help him carry Mugong on his back, while Ni Xuanxuan asked, "What about them?"
Zhang Qihang remained silent for a moment before saying, "Let's go to the hospital first."
The living are always more important than the dead.
They had only known each other for a few days as classmates, so while they felt sadness, it wasn't to the point of losing their sanity. They quickly pulled themselves together.
Hai Baihe used her phone as a flashlight to lead the way, with Liang Xiao carrying Mugong on his back behind her. Zhang Qihang and Ni Xuanxuan supported each other as they walked at the rear.
As Hai Baihe walked along the road, she couldn't help but wonder if they would end up like characters in a horror movie, lost on this unknown road.
But reality was different. They soon came across several abandoned cars by the roadside. Liang Xiao's steps faltered, his face showing a strange expression.
"What's wrong?" Hai Baihe asked.
"These cars... they're all models from the last century." Liang Xiao said, feeling a sudden sense of unease and disharmony. "Could we have taken the wrong road?"
Zhang Qihang assured him confidently, "There's only one road. We can't be wrong."
"Have you seen these cars when you went to Hu Yang Township before?" Liang Xiao looked at the thick layer of dust on the car hoods.
Zhang Qihang shook his head. "No." He surveyed the cars. "Hu Yang Township is a poor county. Very few people there have cars."
Hai Baihe wasn't surprised that he used the word "now." These cars seemed to have been around for a while, and it was unlikely to find any of them available for purchase.
She looked at the pale-faced Ni Xuanxuan and suddenly smiled. "It's okay. Even if we're lost, as long as there's a hospital, we'll be fine. The town should be nearby."
They weren't fools. Everyone knew the situation was
extremely strange, but no one spoke about it. It was as if keeping silent would allow them to escape.
Mugong woke up from her unconscious state and weakly called out, "Baihe..."
"I'm here." Hai Baihe immediately took out a bottle of mineral water from her bag to give her. "We'll be at the hospital soon. Just hold on."
Mugong drank the water and fell back asleep on Liang Xiao's back. Hai Baihe thanked him, "Thank you. Do you need to rest?"
Zhang Qihang also felt a bit embarrassed. "Let me carry her."
"It's alright." Liang Xiao stood still and took a few breaths. "Just lift her up a bit. She's about to fall off."
Hai Baihe quickly supported Mugong's waist, lifting her up slightly. Liang Xiao adjusted his grip, making sure not to touch the little girl's bottom.
Ni Xuanxuan, with her keen perception, saw this clearly from behind and immediately changed her opinion of this handsome man.
After another twenty minutes of walking, they finally saw the silhouette of the county town. However, what made them hesitate was that despite the darkness falling not long ago, there was no trace of light in the city.
It seemed like an abandoned place.