237: Chapter 237 Wild Race

The oil-paper package and the small glass bottle in his arms were like two red-hot branding irons pressed tightly against his chest; with every heartbeat, he could seemingly feel their coldness and weight.

Behind him, Hei San's cold gaze, like maggots on a bone, did not seem to dissipate despite the distance and the darkness; instead, it transformed into an invisible pressure, driving Ling Ye to flee the gray ruins as fast as possible.

He could not return to his previous hideout; everything there had to be abandoned.

He also could not afford any more hesitation or delay.

Hei San's warning to "disappear" was by no means a joke, and the power that might stand behind him was something he could not contend with at this moment.

The gun and the medicine were his gains, but they were also the greatest source of trouble.

The evacuation route had long been clearly planned in his mind.

He would not run directly into the wilderness, but rather follow the edge of the shantytown, utilizing the terrain and shadows to move quickly in a detour toward the northwest.

That was the opposite direction of the "Dark Nest" and an area where the "Plainclothes Organization" and "Cleaning" forces were relatively weak.

More importantly, there was a vast wilderness area he had observed earlier, a place where hills and dried-up riverbeds intertwined with more complex terrain, making it more suitable for hiding and shaking off potential pursuits than the mound area where he had previously stayed.

The night was the best cover, but also the most dangerous hunting ground.

The sound of the wind masked his footsteps, but it could also mask the movements of pursuers.

He no longer deliberately sought absolute silence but pushed his speed to the limit, while simultaneously maximizing his "Energy Perception" and keen insight into the environment.

He was like a gray phantom sweeping across the ruins, sometimes sprinting, sometimes lurking, using every corner, every collapse, and every cluster of withered grass as cover.

He did not take any obvious paths, but instead traveled through rubble, gullies, and half-collapsed walls, choosing the most complex and unpredictable routes.

The injury on his left arm seemed to have been aggravated by the intense movement, sending faint stabs of pain.

The old injury on his calf was also aching from the high-speed running.

But he could not care about that; all his will was focused on the word "escape."

The gun and medicine in his arms constantly reminded him of the fatal consequences of exposure.

After running wildly for about half an hour, he had completely distanced himself from the shantytown and construction area with their sporadic lights, entering a darker, more desolate transition zone between the city ruins and the true wilderness.

Here, there was only the howling wind, undulating shadows, and the soft soil and gravel beneath his feet.

He slowed his pace slightly, panting while vigilantly looking back.

Behind him was only a darkness that swallowed everything; there were no headlights, no flashlight beams, and no abnormal sounds or energy fluctuations.

For the moment... it seemed safe?

Did Hei San not immediately send anyone to pursue him?

Or was his "disappearance" accepted, or perhaps, did the other party have more long-term plans?

Ling Ye dared not relax in the slightest.

He knew that in a place like this, true danger could come from unexpected directions.

He needed to immediately find a place where he could temporarily hide, treat his wounds, check his "gains," and plan his next steps.

He identified his direction and continued toward the hilly area in his memory.

After walking for another twenty minutes or so, the terrain before his eyes began to change.

The flat wilderness was gradually replaced by undulating mounds and a wide, dried-up riverbed.

The riverbed was covered with pebbles of various sizes and cracked earth, flanked by high earthen slopes overgrown with shrubs and thorns.

He stopped beside a shallow cave formed where the riverbed curved and the earthen slope recessed inward, creating a relatively wind-sheltered spot.

The shallow cave was not large, but it was enough to accommodate him curled up inside, and it was difficult to see directly from the outside.

There were some low shrubs at the entrance that could serve as natural concealment.

He quickly checked the surroundings, confirming there were no signs of recent human or large animal activity.

Then, he squeezed inside sideways and used the withered branches and stones he found to create simple camouflage and a warning setup at the entrance.

Only after finishing these tasks did he lean against the cold, damp earthen wall and gasp heavily.

Sweat had long since soaked his entire body, mixing with dirt and blood, bringing a sticky, uncomfortable sensation.

The pain in his left arm and calf became even more distinct.

But he could not afford to rest; he immediately took out the two "hot" items from his arms with great care.

First was the small dark brown glass bottle.

He brought it to the extremely faint light at the cave entrance and examined it carefully.

The bottle was very ordinary, with no label, and the stopper was cork.

Inside were about a dozen white, round pills, with no engravings or markings.

He shook it gently, and the pills made a faint clinking sound inside.

He pulled out the stopper and carefully poured one into his palm.

The pill was small and dense in texture.

He sniffed it, and there was an extremely faint, chemical-like bitter smell.

He could not determine what kind of medicine this was.

Anti-inflammatory? Antibiotic? Or something else?

Hei San said it was an "anti-inflammatory pill" used by "doctors," with a stronger effect.

Was it trustworthy?

He put the pill back into the bottle and plugged the stopper tightly.

This medicine should not be taken easily unless absolutely necessary.

But as a final reserve, its value was unquestionable.

Then, there was the oil-paper package.

He took a deep breath, and with somewhat trembling fingers (not just from nervousness, but also exhaustion), he carefully peeled away the tightly wrapped oil paper layer by layer.

Inside the oil paper was a layer of rough, oil-soaked cotton cloth.

Peeling back the cotton cloth, the outline of a gun revealed itself in the dim light.

It was an extremely old revolver with a blackened body and severe wear.

The barrel was short, only about the length of his palm, and the gun was heavy.

The grip was wooden, already cracked, and crudely wrapped with a few turns of wire for stability.

He could not recognize the specific model, but he could tell it was a typical "old timer" that had likely been passed down for decades and was in extremely poor condition.

He carefully picked up the gun; it felt heavy in his hand, carrying the coldness of metal and the greasiness of oil.

He checked the cylinder, and sure enough, it contained five shiny, yellowish bullets that looked equally old.

He tried to pull back the hammer; it was a bit stiff, but it still moved.

Pulling the trigger (in an empty state), he felt the trigger pull was quite heavy.

A real gun.

Although old, although it only had five bullets, and although it might have questionable accuracy or even a risk of exploding, this was a genuine weapon that could instantly decide life and death within a certain distance.

Its deterrent power and utility were far beyond what a steel rebar spear or a fruit knife could compare to.

But as Hei San said, this was a "death warrant."

Once used, the gunshot would expose his position, the shell casings and ballistic path might leave clues, and possessing a firearm itself was a serious crime in this city.

This was a last resort, a true trump card for mutual destruction or a desperate turnaround in a hopeless situation.

He carefully re-wrapped the gun in the oil cloth and tucked it back into the most secure place in his arms, where it was least likely to accidentally fall out.

He also put away the small glass bottle.

Only after doing this did he begin to treat the wounds on his body.

The sprain on his left arm seemed to be just a minor recurrence, not a big problem.

The old injury on his calf was somewhat swollen after running, so he applied the last bit of iodine (almost empty) from the medicine bottle and re-bandaged it.

Then, he took out his water bottle and drank a few small sips of cold water.

Hunger struck again, but he resisted it.

His last food (those few instant noodle crumbs) was gone, and he had to solve the food problem as soon as possible.

Leaning against the earthen wall, he closed his eyes and began "Star Visualization," guiding that faint warm current to soothe the muscle soreness and fatigue caused by the intense running, while his brain began to work rapidly, thinking about the next steps.

Short-term goals (1-3 days):

Deep concealment: In this new hilly riverbed area, find a stronghold that is safer, more hidden, and more suitable for long-term hiding than this shallow cave.

Requirements: Must have a Water Source (perhaps there is rainwater in the low-lying areas of the nearby dried-up riverbed?), be easy to defend and difficult to attack, have multiple exits, and be able to observe the outside world.

Solving food: The primary task.

Must immediately start setting traps, searching for edible plants (more difficult than in the previous mound area due to the different environment), or... risk attempting to hunt slightly larger animals (such as wild rabbits, high risk).

Familiarizing with the new weapon: In a completely safe, hidden place far from the stronghold, try to familiarize himself with the operation of the revolver (without live ammunition), understanding its trigger pull and firing feel.

But never test-fire it.

Observation and silence: Complete silence; never leave the stronghold unless necessary.

Through limited observation, confirm whether this area is truly safe and whether there are any signs of activity from "Plainclothes Agents" or others.

Middle Stage goals (after recovering strength):

Wait until the injuries are basically healed, physical strength is restored, and food sources are relatively stable before considering the next move.

Option A: Continue exploring deeper into the wilderness toward the northwest, where there are fewer signs of human activity, to find a safer, permanent stronghold and live a life almost like a "wild man," but this would completely cut off contact with city intelligence.

Option B: Under the premise of ensuring absolute concealment, try to re-observe the city edge from a more peripheral and safer angle, especially in the direction of the "Dark Nest" and possible activity areas of "Plainclothes Agents," to look for new opportunities to obtain intelligence.

This requires a deeper understanding of monitoring networks and the ability to evade them.

Option C: Look for opportunities to try verifying the efficacy of that medicine bottle in a safer way, or even... seek channels to try and obtain more information about "the key" or the "Plainclothes Organization" (extremely dangerous, conditions not met at present).

Regardless of which option, the premise is to survive, recover strength, and digest the risks and potential gains brought by this "transaction."

The gun and medicine in his arms were both a burden and a new bargaining chip.

Hei San's words also revealed much information: "sickness," "doctors," "the method of curing the sickness is even more efficient than the sickness itself"... these metaphors cruelly and accurately depicted the essence of the "abyssal eye" contamination and the "Plainclothes Organization."

He leaned against the cold earthen wall, listening to the ceaseless wind of the wilderness outside the cave.

His body was exhausted to the extreme, but his mind was exceptionally clear due to this dangerous "gamble" and the new "gains."

He was still alive.

He had a gun, he had medicine that could potentially save his life, and he had also obtained a clearer profile of his enemies.

The price was that he had to "disappear," and forever draw a line between himself and that gray border zone, as well as the deeper whirlpool that might be associated with it—at least, as far as Hei San and his "handler" were concerned.

This might be a good thing.

Only by cutting off the past could he move toward the future more covertly.

He slowly closed his eyes, letting the rhythm of "Star Visualization" completely envelop his exhausted body and mind.

Before falling into the deepest, restorative sleep, one last thought flashed through his mind:

On the grip of that gun, under the wrapped wire, there seemed to be an extremely faint, deliberately worn-down... branding mark?

The light was too dim before, and he hadn't seen it clearly.

Tomorrow, he must take a close look.

The night was deep, and the wind of the wilderness was still howling tirelessly, rolling up dust and sand, covering all traces, and also signaling that a new day would quietly begin on this even more desolate, and perhaps even more dangerous land.