49: Chapter Forty-Nine: Returning to Camp

Guo Kui lay sprawled in the grass, his ankle swollen like a leavened bun. Even the slightest movement caused piercing pain, so walking on his own was out of the question; even moving his body was incredibly difficult.

In the deep mountains and old forests at night, the surroundings were pitch black, and he couldn't see his own hand in front of his face.

From time to time, the sounds of unknown birds and beasts echoed through the forest.

Even though he was a full-grown man, Guo Kui felt his hair stand on end, his entire body tense.

In this terrifying atmosphere, he didn't care if there were snakes, insects, or ants hiding in the grass, nor did he mind the scratches all over his body. He curled up directly in the thicket, and with the cover of the vegetation, he finally felt a sliver of security.

Guo Kui was certain that Guo Jianjun, Zheng Jing, and the others would definitely come into the mountains to find him once they discovered he was missing.

Relying on this thought, he forced himself to stay awake, refusing to drift off, and huddled in the grass, quietly waiting for rescue.

The length of a minute depends on whether you are inside or outside the restroom.

Just when Guo Kui felt as though he had endured ten thousand years, the voices of Zheng Jing and Guo Jianjun calling his name finally reached his ears.

At that moment, Guo Kui almost cried out, "Oh heavens, oh earth, I'm saved!"

After listening to Guo Kui's account and looking at his disheveled appearance and pale face, Guo Jianjun felt both heartbroken and furious. He clenched his fists tightly, his entire being radiating anger.

"Kuizi, although they didn't directly lay a hand on you, you ended up in this situation entirely because of their intentional harassment. This matter cannot be brushed aside so easily. I'm going to find Boss Zhou and the others to demand an explanation."

"No, no, no!" Hearing this, Guo Kui felt a pang of guilt. Enduring the pain in his body, he voiced his objection, his tone tinged with remorse: "Brother, let it go. Crossing the boundary to mine was my own greedy mistake; I broke the rules and was in the wrong first. If you go to confront them now, it will only intensify the conflict between both sides. That way, we won't be able to Gold Panning in these mountains with peace of mind in the future, and it will only cause more trouble."

Guo Kui knew clearly that the fault lay with him. Although he had suffered and was injured, he truly lacked the confidence to go and argue with the other party again.

Guo Jianjun, however, could not let it go. His brows furrowed tightly, and his words were full of protectiveness: "I understand the logic, but you are my brother. I cannot just stand by and watch you suffer grievances and serious injuries without doing anything. If this matter is just dropped like this, then I've failed as a brother."

Seeing that Guo Kui couldn't dissuade Guo Jianjun, Zheng Jing immediately stepped forward and held him back while he was full of rage.

"Brother Jun, don't be impulsive. Let me tell you, I'm just as angry as you are, and I'm holding back a fire of my own. I'll say this right here: regardless of whether Kuizi crossed the boundary or broke the rules, he got hurt today, and that is enough."

"What's most important for us right now isn't seeking justice, but getting Kuizi back to camp to check his injuries. If it's serious, we'll send him to the hospital immediately. Even if it's not serious, he still needs to rest and recover properly; we can't delay."

"A gentleman takes revenge even after ten years. There are plenty of ways to get revenge; we don't need to rush this moment. If we go to argue rashly now, not only will we be at a disadvantage because we are outnumbered, but we will also delay Kuizi's treatment, which is not worth the loss. Let's keep this account for now; sooner or later, we will get it back. It definitely won't just end like this."

Zheng Jing's words carried a touch of dominance, yet they moved the Guo brothers deeply!

Guo Jianjun calmed down and thought for a moment, realizing that Zheng Jing was right. Right now, Guo Kui's injury was the top priority.

He temporarily suppressed the anger in his heart, and he and Zheng Jing took turns carrying Guo Kui back to the camp.

The mountain road at night was pitch black and rugged, making the journey extremely strenuous. The two walked carefully, and by the time they returned to the camp, it was already past eleven o'clock at night.

The two worked together to settle Guo Kui in the vehicle, and Zheng Jing lit a bonfire, intending to boil some hot water to first apply a compress to Guo Kui's foot to reduce the swelling, and then clean the wounds on his body so they could carefully examine the injuries.

Not long after, The Zhao Brothers, who had gone out to search for Guo Kui, also returned.

From afar, the two saw the bonfire lit at the camp and knew that Zheng Jing and the others had found him. They hurried over, and upon seeing Guo Kui lying on the vehicle covered in injuries, The Zhao Brothers quickly asked: "What happened? How did Kuizi get hurt like this?"

With a livid expression, Guo Jianjun recounted the entire incident without omission, explaining how Guo Kui had gone Gold Panning across the boundary, faced harassment, and accidentally fell and got injured while traveling at night.