Snow exhaled, his gaze shifting from the unconscious woman to the corpse of the fallen boar. The air was thick with the scent of blood, and he knew it wouldn't be long before other predators caught the trail. Staying here was not an option.
He sheathed his sword and knelt beside the woman. Her breathing was shallow but steady, her injuries severe but not immediately fatal. Her leg was the worst—badly broken, twisted at the shin. Moving her would be difficult.
Still, there was no choice.
Snow took her short blade, sliding it into his belt before gently lifting her onto his back. She was lighter than he expected, but the dead weight made carrying her awkward. He secured her arms around his neck and adjusted his grip beneath her legs. His ribs ached from the strain, but he ignored the pain.
One step at a time.
Snow moved quickly, putting as much distance as possible between them and the battle site. The dense forest made travel slow, but he followed the terrain carefully, searching for another hidden refuge.
Finally, after what felt like hours, he found a place—a shallow cave tucked between two massive tree roots. The entrance was partially obscured by moss and vines, making it an ideal hiding spot. It was smaller than his last shelter, but it would serve.
Snow eased the woman down onto a bed of dry leaves and inspected her wounds. Blood seeped through the fabric of her robes, staining the ground beneath her.
I need to clean and dress these.
He retrieved his water flask and dampened a strip of cloth, wiping the dirt and blood from her skin. She stirred slightly, her face contorting in pain, but she didn't wake.
He hesitated for a moment, then began working on her broken leg. It was a clean break—painful, but not impossible to set. Snow found two sturdy branches and tied them together with strips of cloth to form a crude splint. The moment he tightened it around her leg, she gasped and jolted awake.
Her eyes, clouded with pain, met his.
"You… carried me?" Her voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper.
"You were dying," Snow replied simply.
She winced but nodded weakly. Then, with trembling fingers, she reached into the folds of her robes and pulled out a small jade bottle.
"Take… these." She pressed the bottle into his hand.
Snow opened it, revealing small, round pills inside. A faint herbal scent drifted up, rich with spiritual energy.
"Healing pills," she murmured. "They'll help."
He studied the pills, then looked at her. "You should take them first."
"I did… before I blacked out," she said, her voice strained. "It'll take me two days to recover… but you—you need strength now."
Snow hesitated only a moment longer before placing a pill on his tongue. It dissolved quickly, spreading warmth through his body. Almost immediately, the fatigue in his limbs lessened, and the dull ache in his ribs faded.
He exhaled, surprised by how quickly the medicine worked.
"Thank you," he said, capping the bottle and handing it back.
The woman gave a weak smile before exhaustion took her again.
Snow tended to her wounds carefully over the next two days, ensuring the splint remained secure and keeping her hydrated. The meat from the boar sustained them, and though he would have preferred to move on, he knew leaving her behind was not an option.
By the morning of the next day, she was able to sit up, her face no longer pale with pain.
"You never told me your name," Snow said as he passed her a strip of roasted meat.
She accepted it with a small nod. "Lian."
Snow simply nodded in return, committing it to memory.
As they ate, Lian glanced at him. "You're heading west, aren't you?"
He raised a brow. "How do you know?"
"Because if you keep going that way…" She gestured in the direction he had been traveling. "You'll reach the city in about three weeks."
Snow's grip on the meat tightened slightly. "A city?"
She nodded. "Yes. A large one. If you're looking to hide from someone, it'll be easier there."
Snow didn't react outwardly, but inside, he felt the weight of her words. Three weeks. It was longer than he wanted, but it was the first real direction he had since fleeing the Wei Clan.
"And you?" he asked. "Why were you here?"
Lian glanced at the pouch tied to her waist. "I was sent on a mission by my sect. I needed to gather a certain spirit herb… and I succeeded. But before I could leave, that damned beast found me."
She scowled. "If you hadn't shown up when you did, I'd be dead."
Snow said nothing. He hadn't saved her because of any noble intentions—it had been instinct. But now that he had, he couldn't simply abandon her.
"You'll be able to travel in another day," he said.
Lian nodded. "Yes. And once I can walk, I'll guide you to the city."
Snow regarded her carefully. Traveling alone had always been his plan. But now, the idea of having a guide—even a temporary one—was tempting.
The fire crackled softly in the cave, casting flickering shadows along the damp stone walls. Snow leaned back against the cool rock, sharpening his sword with slow, practiced strokes. Across from him, Lian adjusted her splint, wincing slightly as she tested her leg's mobility.
"You're sure you'll be able to move by tomorrow?" Snow asked, his gaze flicking toward her.
Lian let out a breath and nodded. "The pills worked faster than I expected. I won't be able to fight, but I can walk." She met his eyes. "And I'll hold up my end of the deal. I'll get you to the city."
Snow didn't respond immediately. He wasn't sure why he hesitated—perhaps because trusting someone, even temporarily, felt like a risk he couldn't afford. But he had already taken her under his care, and she hadn't tried to deceive him yet.
After a moment, he nodded. "Fine. We leave at dawn."
Lian smirked. "Bossy."
Snow ignored the comment and continued sharpening his blade.