At this moment, Jun Ya seemed to have noticed nothing amiss. She was the happiest among them, in the best of spirits, and leading the way at the front of the group.
She seemed anxious to climb down from the tree. She leaned over, looking downward, and turned back to ask Xiao Guang, "A-Dai, do you want to catch some insects again so we can ride?"
"Not possible," before Xiao Guang could answer, Old Jin interjected. He immediately explained, "The wild rats we encountered last time didn't include us in their menu, but they definitely rely on insects. This poses a threat to us. Also, the ecosystem here is becoming more complex, with an increase in birds and beasts."
"Why is it drier here, yet there are more types of insects and creatures?" Xiao Guang inquired.
"This area is elevated, primarily centered around freshwater ecology. Indigenous or mainland-borne insects rely on the freshwater ecological chain. The forest we used to live in is similar to a jungle at sea," Old Jin explained, then turned to his daughter, "You need to reflect on yourself. Where did your expertise go? How could you forget such an important situation?"
Jun Ya immediately thought of the reason for their separation from the main group this time—the wretched culprit, the old dead rat. Although its remains had been consumed by eagles, just thinking about it still filled her with hatred.
Jun Ya remained silent, walking at the front and mumbling to herself, "Alright, I'll reflect. I'll examine myself three times a day. I'm not wrong."
It was time to descend to the ground.
Xiao Guang had been busy preparing, with ropes and climbing tools.
After reaching the ground, they would be a couple of hours away from their destination. Even though they could now see the elevated rocky area, there was no sign of people on top. If the main group was still around, there should have been some activity. Of course, it was possible they were concealed within the rocks, engaged in construction. If they appeared outside at this moment, they might be wiped out by large groups of animals.
Xiao Guang and his companions, a group of three, carefully and swiftly descended using the ropes. Then they traversed through the grass under the trees, climbing up the large rock. After the rain had stopped, a thin layer of dust began to settle on the surface, making it blend in more naturally. They walked and observed along the way, their hearts filled with mixed emotions and unease. Because they hadn't seen anyone yet, and by now, they could clearly make out the cave openings on the large rocks above. The openings weren't densely packed, but there were quite a few, varying in size.
They hadn't entered any of those openings yet, as it was possible they were spacious inside, capable of accommodating numerous people.
Reaching halfway up the mountain, Jun Ya was the most excited among the three. Ever since they had climbed down from the tree, she had been excitedly chatting about how happy she would be when she saw Xiao Liu. She was certain he had cried many times in her absence. Anyone could see that they were deeply infatuated youths in love.
"If they're still here, they must have set up camp," Jun Ya exclaimed, "If they've found a way back, they will surely arrange for people to wait at the original location, maybe even expand the search area."
Xiao Guang smiled but didn't say anything. He had already heard from the teacher along the way that as long as they could make it back safely, there would definitely be a group returning to search for survivors. Therefore, there would be markings or personnel left behind at the point of separation, and they would expand the search range. So, as long as they returned to the starting point, they would find clues and make their way back.
From their recent conversations, Xiao Guang had learned that the person Jun Ya was longing to see was named Liu Xing, an older fellow student in her graduate program. Jun Ya had developed a fondness for him during their university days, despite him being two years her senior. Liu Xing reciprocated her feelings, and he was indeed exceptionally talented. They quickly established a romantic relationship. Jun Ya even switched from studying physics to biology, all for the sake of being in the same department as Liu Xing. Xiao Guang had marveled at the time, thinking how remarkable it was for a top student to remain one even after changing fields. Liu Xing also had a decent family background, and his current internship at the research institute was arranged through connections back home. At times, it was hard to deny just how far ahead individuals with both background and talent could be.
Xiao Guang didn't feel any jealousy towards Liu Xing. Even after spending so much time with Jun Ya, he never entertained the thought of pursuing the goddess and overturning his fate. However, as this brief journey was coming to an end, returning to reality, he felt a tinge of loss. He looked at the cheerful Jun Ya, her smiling face concealing a trace of melancholy in his heart.
For Xiao Guang, surviving in this situation meant that once they returned to the normal world, with the endorsement of Old Jin's reputation, arranging a job should be quite easy. Perhaps with a stable job, he could lead a peaceful life, find a wife, and that might be how his life would unfold.
Therefore, regardless of how many sunrises they had witnessed together, how beautiful the sunsets were, how many stars they had counted, or how many conversations they had shared, Xiao Guang had always cherished his interactions with Jun Ya.
Jun Ya's actions and behavior throughout the journey indicated that she treated him somewhat like a companion of her father's, yet there was not a hint of condescension. Jun Ya's character was actually quite good. She was like the princess of a god-like father in her eyes, beautiful, innocent, a little bit whimsical, but never displaying a hint of discrimination towards others.
Jun Ya probably wasn't even aware that in the past, she always tried to be perfect in front of Liu Xing—her speech and conduct were always refined and poised, showing an air of elegance and rationality. She had never experienced the bickering and quarreling that usually accompanied romantic relationships. Over these recent times, she had become accustomed to being a bit coquettish with Xiao Guang, scolding him as a fool when she was angry, regardless of whether he was right or wrong, and making him say "it's okay" in his silly way after she apologized. Perhaps she didn't even know that this kind of playful bickering was the sweetness of getting along as a couple.
With Xiao Guang's help, the father-daughter duo descended from the treetop to the ground. Among them, Old Jin descended halfway by himself, and then Xiao Guang held the rope to lower him the remaining distance. Jun Ya, on the other hand, didn't want the rope to rub against her, so Xiao Guang carried her down on his back, coming down from the tree with her in tow. Because there was a bit of swaying along the way, Jun Ya grabbed onto Xiao Guang's hair, and in the end, Xiao Guang arrived on the ground with his hair in disarray.
The trio moved on the ground, and the road that had experienced the flood of the rainy season showed almost no signs of insects. The already exposed yellow earth seemed clearer after a slight drying. With a mix of nostalgia and timidity in their hearts, the three swiftly approached the cave, yet there was no one in the vicinity.
"The rocks are quite large, and there are many small and big caves over there," Old Jin said, motioning in that direction.
"Where are the people? Are there really no people around?" Jun Ya was growing anxious.
The three of them had discussed a few possibilities along the way: first, they had found a way back and had already left; second, all of them were here, and after such a long time, they had formed a small gathering; third, they hadn't left, but were not in this area.
Now, no matter which scenario it was, they needed to find corresponding evidence to prove it.
"We'll search one by one. Places where people live will definitely have soldiers on guard, possibly nearby," Old Jin pondered. "The best scenario is if everyone found their way back. Then, we must follow any traces to establish contact."
He added with a reminder, "Search, but don't shout. Avoid attracting predatory insects."
After Old Jin finished, he had an internal muttering, "Everyone went back? But they should have established a communication base in this world! Maybe they've really moved away. According to reason, even if they are in the caves, there should be sentry soldiers outside. They should have spotted us long ago and sent someone to make contact."
Sharp-eyed Jun Ya had been looking around, "There are words carved on that stone!" She pointed to an upright stone.
Following Jun Ya's direction, Old Jin and Xiao Guang looked in that direction and saw a tall stone standing on a distant slope. Several characters were carved on the stone's surface, seemingly painted red, but they were too far to make out the words clearly.
The three exchanged glances, then immediately picked up the pace and ran forward. In no time, they reached the stone's vicinity. On the erected stone, several characters were painted red in a standard script. These simple characters hit them like a bolt from the blue, leaving them rooted to the spot.
It read, "The spirits of martyrs live on forever!"
This was a commemorative monument!
Old Jin was the first to snap out of his shock. He rushed towards the monument, followed by Xiao Guang and Jun Ya, each with their own thoughts.
Old Jin was pondering what could have happened. Jun Ya was feeling a bit lost and worried. Xiao Guang was the most optimistic, thinking that maybe there wasn't much loss. He remembered that on the day the wild rats attacked, a few soldiers and people from the group were injured. Perhaps only a few had sacrificed, and the rest were fine. Though kind-hearted, he hadn't considered every possibility. After all, if only a few soldiers were lost, there would only be grave markers. So why would they put up a commemorative monument?
In front of the monument, the three stood shocked and somewhat at a loss. They looked around the monument and noticed some flowers and grass near the grave markers. Clearly, someone had been nearby.
Just as the three were bewildered and looking around, a young woman with a child emerged from behind a stone. She gazed at the trio with a mixture of surprise, disappointment, and more prominently, sadness.
"You? You're the ones who got separated and have now returned, right? Have you seen the others?" The young woman asked anxiously.
"We got separated a little over a month ago. On the day we were attacked by wild rats, we got separated and have just found our way back now," Old Jin discerned significant information from her few words and directly explained their background.
"It's not them coming back," the young woman muttered to herself, gently stroking the child's head. The child was well-behaved, leaning against her.
"You're Jin Laoda?" The young woman thought for a moment and asked again. "I remember seeing you before. You were discussing matters with Dean Mi."
"You're too kind. I am indeed Jin Weimin," Old Jin politely replied, then inquired, "What has happened here? And where is Dean Mi?"
An uneasy feeling rose within him. After this long, it seemed they hadn't found their way back home. By now, a temporary base should have been established, but there were no guards, no sentries, not even a hint of human presence. There was only a young woman alone with a child, who seemed a bit underfed. What on earth had happened? "Dean Mi" was Old Jin's way of addressing Dean Mi, and their relationship was quite good. They often discussed matters together.
"Dean Mi has passed away," the young woman replied. "Many people are no longer here."