Chapter 28: A Hasty Escape

"Seeking death!" Fueled by a surge of anger, I didn't thrust my trekking pole forward. Instead, as the dark shadow lunged at me, I swung the pole sideways like a blade.

I didn't know if this would be effective, but I knew I was acting out of pure resentment. After all, having been subjected to constant abandonment and contempt over the past few days, I was already filled with pent-up frustration. I didn't want others to treat us as easy prey.

While the trekking pole was of high quality and sturdy, I feared it might not withstand the force if it collided head-on with something large and heavy. Moreover, the short blade attached to the tip was quite thin. It was fine for slicing or whittling, but its extreme sharpness made it unsuitable for a direct, high-impact charge. If it cut into or slashed through an object, it would likely slice right through it, following the path of least resistance.

Because I was facing the campfire, I was able to see the dark shadow clearly the moment it lunged.

Looking at the terrified, bedraggled figure, I realized it was an acquaintance from whom we had parted only a few hours ago. It was our former colleague, Huang Jianfen, the company’s accountant.

Fortunately, my reflexes were sharp. Seeing that the blade was about to slice into her, I instinctively softened my wrist and jerked my body to the right, dragging the pole with me to shift our positions.

If that strike had connected, I suspect Huang Jianfen would have been gutted from her upper right chest down to her lower left side!

"A-Fen, you... what happened to you?"

Lan Fang, still inside the tree hollow, hadn't emerged, but hearing the shift in my tone, she had slowly sat up. Seeing the scene—Huang Jianfen’s miserable state—her voice trembled with fright. She couldn't help but cover her mouth, watching the frantic, stumbling Huang Jianfen from the edge of the hollow with sheer terror.

Even though I recognized her, I didn't reach out to help. Despite seeing her pathetic condition, I didn't immediately let my sympathy take over. The image of Luo Wei’s fate still haunted my mind.

As Huang Jianfen rushed toward us, I reacted instantly, remaining vigilant and scanning the surroundings. Without turning my head, I growled a warning in a low, stern voice: "Xiangxiang, Xiangxiang, hurry, get up!"

"Ah! What’s happening? What is this?"

Lan Fang proved alert, immediately pushing Qu Xiang. Qu Xiang woke up in a daze, then caught sight of Huang Jianfen by the fire. Before I could even react, she turned pale, jolting fully awake.

Under the glow of the fire, it became clear that Huang Jianfen was drenched in blood from the waist up. Though still some distance from the fire, I could see a bloody, mangled wound near her left shoulder and chest, with fresh blood bubbling out.

In the firelight, the crimson color was glaring, vivid, and horrifying.

Even though Huang Jianfen had left with Peng Qian and Jia Lue, we were all former colleagues. Seeing a familiar face in such a dire situation, concern was perhaps an instinct.

I still didn't turn around. When I saw Qu Xiang emerge and walk over to me, looking helpless, I gave her a look that signaled caution.

Though I held no hope for Huang Jianfen, the sight of her wretched state was truly shocking. My eyes darted everywhere, unable to think of anything else. Even as I prayed for nothing to go wrong, the tension in my heart only confirmed that something terrible had occurred.

Neither Qu Xiang nor I went to help her, but Huang Jianfen collapsed onto one knee, looking at us with a mixture of terror and agony. She reached out her right hand slightly, though she was still some distance away. Her face pale, she murmured, "Sister Fang, Xiangxiang, run—you must run! Don't... don't stay here! Hurry, go..."

The sudden turn of events left me stunned. Seeing the blood bubbling from her chest, my resolve wavered for a moment. But then I thought of Luo Wei’s end, and I understood that we had to face this. My heart grew even more uneasy. "Xiangxiang, hurry, go help her over here!"

Watching Huang Jianfen struggle to speak, her face turning ghostly pale in the firelight—likely from excessive blood loss—I signaled to Qu Xiang while I remained rooted to the spot, gripping my trekking pole tightly.

"A-Jing, what is going on?" Qu Xiang darted out and caught Huang Jianfen on her right side. Upon seeing her condition, she stared at me with wide, terrified eyes.

Recalling that Qu Xiang had said Huang Jianfen treated her well back at the shop—even introducing her to me as a way of looking out for her—it was clear she still felt pity, despite Huang Jianfen having abandoned them both earlier.

"Run! Don't worry about me! Hurry..." I don't know if Huang Jianfen had a sudden change of heart or if something truly horrific was happening, but her eyes were filled with pure dread. "No! Run!"

*Whoosh!*

A piercing sound cut through the night, whistling past the stems and leaves of the plants in front of us.

My hair stood on end, and my instincts flared with alarm. Though the sound wasn't loud, I felt it instantly. In a split second, I understood that a danger was hurtling toward us.

My eyes narrowed as I caught a glimpse of a dark shadow streaking through the firelight. I barely had time to react, instinctively tilting my head. A sharp, burning pain flared across my right cheek as something grazed me.

For the next moment, my mind went blank, my pupils dilating.

*Thud!*

A four-foot-long wooden spear with a sharpened tip had missed my cheek by a mere two millimeters. With immense force and speed, it embedded itself deep into the trunk of the large banyan tree nearby.

The iron-tipped spear was substantial; due to the momentum, it had buried itself five inches into the wood. The wooden shaft continued to vibrate from the impact.

My mind raced with the realization that had I not dodged in time, that spear would have impaled my skull.

Without a second thought, I lunged toward the spear and grabbed the shaft, but I couldn't pull it out. The force of the strike was immense. Ignoring everything else, I roared, "Who’s there? Get out here!"

"Xiangxiang, run! Hurry..."