Everyone fell silent for a moment. It was around one o'clock in the early morning; the temperature on the plateau had sunk to its coldest. Even bundled up in their coats, they could feel the bone-chilling cold attempting to burrow into their bodies. Apart from the camping lights and flashlights they held in their hands, the entire world was shrouded in darkness and silence. Not too far away, in the forest where that person had fled into, there wasn't a single sound.
Ming Tao suddenly took a step back, it was unclear whether he was trying to avoid the crowd, the car, or the darkness. His face twisted in a terrifying smile, his voice trembling as he spoke, "A deserted island, this might as well be a deserted island! In the middle of the night, no cars will pass, isolated from the outside world. From the moment we arrived here, I found that there was no signal on my phone, couldn't make any calls. Now the tires are punctured too! Can't even leave! That serial killer from the highway, he's really here!"
No sooner had his voice rang out than his collar was suddenly grabbed, and he was pinned against the car. Gu Tiancheng looked at him coldly, growling, "I warned you, if you bring up the serial killer again to scare them, I'll throw you out!"
Ming Tao stared wide-eyed at him. He tried to fight back, but Gu Tiancheng's strength far surpassed his own, firmly holding him in place, shouting, "Shut up!"
Ming Tao's face flushed red, then he suddenly shouted, "I, I, I get it! You, Gu Tiancheng, you are the serial killer! You deliberately lured us here. You made this path. Now that I've mentioned it, you're angry because I've burst your bubble, right? Did I expose your plan to kill us one by one on this isolated island, right?"
You Mingxu couldn't stand to listen anymore, shouting, "Shut up!"
Song Lan chimed in: "Ming Tao, calm down! Stop scaring people with your nonsense! The stuff was stolen by that shadowy figure, You Mingxu saw it, he surely was the one who slashed the tires. What does it have to do with Gu Tiancheng? Wasn't his box stolen too? And wasn't it him who found out that the tires were punctured? Otherwise, we wouldn't have noticed it yet."
Zou Fuyu, although scared, also added: "Exactly, all you do is scare people without offering any help. How could Gu Tiancheng possibly be that killer? Perhaps... perhaps we just encountered a thief. Stop saying things that scare us."
You Mingxu spoke, "They're right. Whether it's a thief or something else, we are five people, and he is alone. When the day breaks, cars will pass by. It's only a few hours away, we don't need to be this scared."
These words resonated persuasively, and everyone's expressions slightly eased. Ming Tao and Gu Tiancheng stared at each other for a short while, and then Gu Tiancheng let go of him. Ming Tao's tense body slumped, taking several deep breaths.
Gu Tiancheng said, "The car is useless for now. We should go back to the camp, try to make a distress call and wait for dawn."
No one objected.
Ming Tao grumbled, "Even if the call goes through, and the nearest Prefecture County drove here to rescue us, it would still take several hours." Gu Tiancheng gave him a cold glance, and he turned his head away, saying nothing more.
Each person lost in thought, they headed back to the camp. The night that was once considered open, serene, and cool in their eyes, was now enveloped in an eerie coldness and silence.
By the tents, Gu Tiancheng said softly, "You can rest if you're tired, I'll stay up. I won't sleep."
You Mingxu said, "I'm fine."
"If you're scared and want to chat, just call for me." He added.
As You Mingxu turned away from Gu Tiancheng, she abruptly asked, "Hey, are you such a caring person to all the girls you've just met?"
He was quiet for a moment before replying, "No."
You Mingxu felt a sudden heat in her ears. She bent over to enter the tent, her voice floated out, "You don't need to stay up for me, just take care of yourself."
From behind the tent, she heard him respond with an amused "Hmm."
As You Mingxu zipped her sleeping bag absent-mindedly, her mind filled with events from earlier, she felt a strange sense of unease. Suddenly her body stiffened as her foot brushed against something... cold, squishy, hairy, and breathing. What was it...?
Even the normally brave You Mingxu was frozen in place, her body rigid as her mind went blank. She let out a blood-curdling scream, adrenaline then rushing in, she immediately attempted to retract her legs. But the thing inside the sleeping bag was quicker and reached out to grab her legs.
It was a human! It was a human's hand, cold, large, and slightly wet. But very firm, stubbornly holding on to her. Her foot was then pressed into someone's chest.
You Mingxu tried to kick the person, but he was quicker, and caught her legs, even before she could throw a kick. You Mingxu even heard him let out a low grunt. His hand then swiftly moved upward to hold her waist, pushing her to the ground.
She was completely stunned.
Because a man crawled out from the sleeping bag, the top of his head visible.
A male figure, holding her waist tightly, pinning her legs. He even had a certain fragrance about him, which flashed briefly across You Mingxu's mind, without much thought. His hair was a mess and there was mud on his face.
But You Mingxu could see a pair of bright, clear eyes. Because of the close proximity, she could even see his dark, plush lashes. But why did she see such hurt and fear in those unfamiliar eyes, in this terrifying stranger's eyes?
Before she could push this man away, this man who looked to be in his twenties, he suddenly blinked, his mouth twitched, and he let out a sob, tears falling down his face.
You Mingxu was completely dazed.
When Gu Tiancheng and the others arrived, it was to this absurd scene -
A man, who seemed to have popped out of nowhere, tangled up with You Mingxu in the sleeping bag. Their bodies were intertwined. Despite his filthy appearance, his handsome face and muscular physique were apparent. The sleeping bag was wrapped around their waists, clearly showing that their bodies were pressed together, with the man's hands firmly hugging You Mingxu's waist, his face even buried in her chest. His fair, chiseled face, even in the presence of You Mingxu's fullness, did not lose its shine.
Yet, You Mingxu didn't, or couldn't, push him away and was just staring blankly at the man's face.
Then, Song Lan and the others noticed the only incongruity in this intensely striking image.
The man was crying, softly, chokingly. His perfect teeth biting his lower lip, his eyes filled with rolling tears. It was as if he had suffered a great injustice, yet his expression was defiant, his mouth pursed tightly. It gave off an … unnerving feeling.