Despite the furious flush on Yu Lei's face, his mind remained eerily composed as he propelled himself towards the shore.
Since he had submerged in the water, only approximately five minutes had elapsed, and anyone capable of abducting Lin Bansha in such a brief span of time was certainly no ordinary individual.
Though Yu Lei rationally understood that the assailant's desire for the canister of fresh water outweighed any concern for Lin Bansha, his heart tightened with unease.
What did the apocalypse signify? It heralded the birth of a world devoid of governance and law. Humanity, stripped of its facades, was laid bare before the forces of nature. In this harsh reality, survival of the fittest reigned supreme, where the strong claimed all resources, including women.
As Yu Lei stepped onto solid ground, he forced himself to remain calm, meticulously examining the footprints in the dirt. Aside from the prints of Lin Bansha and his own unshod feet, there was but one set of footprints, and the soil beneath them bore a systematic pattern. This was unlike any shoe sole he had ever encountered; after a moment's contemplation, he concluded that they belonged to handwoven straw sandals.
The scarcity of these footprints indicated that only one person had arrived.
He also noted that the prints by the shoreline were not chaotic, suggesting that Lin Bansha had been taken with little to no resistance. This implied that her captor possessed a weapon.
Yu Lei's heart sank further, but he glanced around and was relieved to find no traces of blood.
However, despite Lin Bansha having been taken mere minutes ago, his fractured right foot hindered his ability to pursue them effectively.
He wrapped the provisions he had retrieved from the depths in the still-damp military coat, securing it behind him. He also scavenged two appropriately sized sticks from the ground to use as makeshift crutches and began to follow the footprints ahead. Although the further he ventured from the shore, the drier the earth became, making it increasingly difficult to detect signs, Yu Lei remained vigilant for any trace left behind. He noted the compressed stones and snapped branches, remnants that Lin Bansha had likely intended to guide him.
Yu Lei yearned to move faster, but his uncooperative right foot and the myriad of broken branches cluttering the ground slowed him. He even encountered tree trunks, thick enough that they could not be embraced by two people, which lay shattered and strewn about, leaving no standing trees. Occasionally, he glimpsed the carcasses of animals and couldn't help but envision the horrifying scenes that had unfolded here on the 21st.
Even more terrifying was the realization that someone had survived this calamity.
Yu Lei steeled himself; he could not afford to despair when Lin Bansha was still awaiting his rescue! He lifted his gaze to the sky, which was now darkening ominously, the fiery red hues transforming into a blood-like deep crimson, instilling a profound sense of dread.
He wished to switch on his flashlight but feared that the illumination might alert the captor, so he had to rely on the dim light to navigate. Fortunately, just before complete darkness enveloped the landscape, he heard voices not far off.
Yu Lei cautiously slowed his pace and was about to take another step when he sensed something amiss.
Moving forward required him to probe ahead with his makeshift crutch, and as he did so, he discovered that the ground was unusually soft, as if something lay buried beneath.
A trap? Yu Lei glanced around, realizing he stood at the narrow entrance formed by two fallen trees. If he pressed forward, he would undoubtedly step into the trap.
A cold sweat broke out on his back; while the trap had been laid rather crudely, the darkness concealed it well. Had he not been forced to use the crutch due to his injury, he likely would have fallen victim to it.
He sidestepped the tree trunk and suddenly noticed a dark hole at the far end.
The opening appeared large enough for two people to enter side by side, and it did not seem particularly deep, as he could hear indistinct voices emanating from within.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Yu Lei resolved to attempt negotiations, recognizing that his current predicament would render him a mere lamb entering the lion's den. Although a peaceful resolution was unlikely, he could leverage the prospect of providing fresh water as a bargaining chip.
With this thought in mind, Yu Lei flicked on his flashlight and directed it into the cave entrance. As expected, the interior was only two or three meters deep, and his heart eased when he spotted a unharmed Lin Bansha, followed by a surge of determination as he glanced beside her.
What he saw left him momentarily speechless.
He had not anticipated that Lin Bansha's captor would be nothing more than a child!
The boy's face was obscured by dirt, rendering his features indistinct, and his tattered clothes appeared to be remnants of a school uniform. Judging by his frail stature, he looked to be no older than twelve.
"You..." Yu Lei had prepared an array of words, but they evaporated before he could utter them.
Unexpectedly, the child dashed in front of Lin Bansha, spreading his thin arms and declaring in a shrill voice, "You can't take Sister Lin away! I found her first! I want her to be my wife!"
Yu Lei was flabbergasted; where had this little rascal come from? The boy's words carried a distinct local accent, and Yu Lei struggled to decipher them. He noted the farm knife clutched in the boy's hand, realizing why Lin Bansha had offered no resistance to his abduction.
Lin Bansha, helpless, peered around the boy, gesturing for caution.
Caution? Yu Lei's spirits lifted considerably; leaning the stick against a rock, he provocatively beckoned to the boy, "Little brother, sorry, but I discovered Sister Lin first. Shouldn't there be some order to this?"
"Uncle, what if I refuse?" The boy emphasized the word 'uncle,' leaving Yu Lei both amused and exasperated.
"Enough of this nonsense. By the way, my name is Yu Lei. What's yours?" He leaned on the stick, preparing to step into the cave, but to his surprise, the boy, noticing his difficulty, swung the knife at Yu Lei's head without a second thought.
Lin Bansha could no longer contain herself and gasped in alarm.
Hearing the rush of air, Yu Lei understood the situation had escalated. Remaining calm, he shone the flashlight directly into the boy's eyes; the sudden brightness made the child reflexively shut his eyes. Seizing the moment, Yu Lei swung the stick towards the boy's feet, effortlessly toppling him to the ground.
Before the boy could recover, Yu Lei struck his wrist with a swift chop, easily disarming him of the knife.
At that moment, Lin Bansha's voice, which had only begun to rise, caught in her throat, recognizing the shift in the balance of power, stifling the rest of her words to conserve her strength.
Yu Lei examined the weapon he had just acquired with satisfaction, feeling a surge of confidence. He believed he could now fell trees and construct a shelter without difficulty.