Chapter Eleven: Belief

“Thank you!”

Feeling the tension on my back ease as the iron spike finally withdrew, I still didn’t move. But deep down, I truly felt grateful to Brother Wen standing before me.

After all, we were strangers to each other. Now, with the three of us still under suspicion, and no food or water to be found here, he was willing to offer us a bottle of water. It was a gesture that touched me deeply.

I stirred my stiffened body slightly in the water, then looked at Brother Wen with gratitude. His generosity and the way these people carried themselves proved he truly was their leader.

When I saw the two men release Qu Xiang and Lan Fang, Lan Fang nearly collapsed to the ground the moment she was freed. Instinctively, I rushed over and caught her before she fell.

Since Qu Xiang and Lan Fang were being held by those men, Lan Fang happened to be right at the water’s edge. Reaching out from the water, I grabbed her, steadying her body. “Sister Fang, are you alright?”

The girl in the skirt pants holding the iron spike seemed momentarily stunned by my sudden movement. She thought I was about to attack and almost swung the spike at me again. But seeing that I was just supporting Lan Fang, she did not advance, though a sharp glint flickered in her eyes.

Meanwhile, the girl on the shore set down her backpack. I glanced inside and saw several bottles of water in various sizes, along with assorted food. Naturally, I felt a pang of hope—if they could spare some food for me, it would be a blessing.

My body trembled slightly as I supported Lan Fang, my throat dry from hunger so intense that those who haven’t experienced it could never understand.

Qu Xiang seemed to regain her composure, staggering to the shore to help steady Lan Fang’s trembling form. I climbed out and sat down on a low, horizontal branch of a nearby small tree.

I knew well—no matter the circumstance, one must never be greedy.

A single bottle of water was already the greatest gift from them. For the three of us, it might very well be a chance to survive.

Seeing Lan Fang leaning against Qu Xiang on the branch, gradually calming down, I accepted the water handed to me by the girl. My hand trembled slightly, a mixture of excitement and anticipation.

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I twisted the cap, but it wouldn’t budge. Perhaps I was too eager, a sign of my severe dehydration and lack of food. A warning flickered in my mind. I looked at Brother Wen. “Thank you, Brother Wen.”

He nodded silently, seemingly indifferent. I wasn’t sure if he noticed my excitement. The woman in the red quick-dry shirt beside him was still crying, suggesting they were very close. Brother Wen glanced at her with some pity, then looked down at Luo Wei, who was floating in the water.

“Stop crying. You two, come over and take Luo Wei back,” he said calmly, looking at the two men on the shore. Then he turned to the woman in the red shirt and said in a low voice, “We have enough to last for quite some time.”

The two men didn’t hesitate and stepped into the water.

“W-what?”

I was certain I heard correctly. As I tried again to open the bottle cap, my hand trembled uncontrollably. Though I didn’t want to believe it, seeing those men wade through the water toward Luo Wei sent a chill down my spine and tightened every muscle in my body.

What did Brother Wen mean by that?

Seeing the cold expressions of those people and the despair in the woman’s eyes, I shuddered again. Brother Wen said “enough to last a while.” Could it be…?

They weren’t thinking of eating Luo Wei, were they?

Already hungry, that thought suddenly crept into my mind, making my senses reel. Despite having witnessed many strange scenes before, imagining such a thing made my stomach clench painfully.

“Brother Wen, no!”

The woman in the red quick-dry shirt clung to Luo Wei’s floating body, sobbing loudly, “No, no! This is Luo Wei—my Luo Wei!”

The muscular man who had been controlling Qu Xiang and Lan Fang stepped into the water, pulling the woman in red away. His voice was muffled but stern: “He’s completely dead, Xiao Min. Didn’t we agree on this? Why are you still so stubborn?”

“But… but he’s my boyfriend—my boyfriend! How could I possibly… now…” The woman in red froze, her eyes filled with sorrow and terror—a deep, profound fear—as she looked at the man restraining her.

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“You saw for yourself. Luo Wei is beyond saving. He was your boyfriend, yes, but now he’s dead,” Brother Wen said at last, clad in camouflage. He made no effort to hide his words from us, his tone grave: “Do you want to starve to death, or do you want to die with him? It’s your choice.”

“Ah! I…”

A cold dread settled over me inexplicably. I saw the woman in red’s furious expression suddenly freeze. Brother Wen’s words had shattered her completely. Yet she understood clearly, her face streaked with tears, filled with unbearable sorrow and helplessness.

“Enough, stop wasting time!” Brother Wen’s voice grew cold and authoritative again. “Old Ge, Ma Zi, you’re in charge of carrying Luo Wei back. The rest of you return to camp together. There’s a great danger here—if anyone gets separated, Luo Wei’s fate will be yours!”

I thought they would leave as a group, but instead, Brother Wen saw everyone mobilizing. The two men who had held Qu Xiang and Lan Fang pulled Luo Wei from the water and carried him ashore, heading into the rainforest.

The girl with the backpack, the girl in skirt pants, and the emotionally unstable woman in red remained standing there. The girl in skirt pants who had held the iron spike against my back looked at me with a contemplative expression, as if pondering something.

“Follow us back to the camp quickly. I’ll ask them about what’s happened these past two days,” Brother Wen said, first looking at the three women, then pointing at us.

“Brother Wen, we’ll stay behind with you. It’s too dangerous here; I don’t feel safe,” the girl in skirt pants said coldly, her gaze on me filled with distrust, then shifting to Brother Wen.

“Trust me. The three of them—one injured, one barely able to stand—they’re no threat. Just follow Ma Zi and the others quickly,” Brother Wen replied without hesitation. Unexpectedly, he smiled faintly at the girl in skirt pants, bringing a touch of warmth to the tense atmosphere.