Baihe walked beside me, her steps brisk but steady. I stayed close, more for her comfort than my own. Her usual quiet resolve seemed almost brittle now, frayed at the edges.
As we trudged toward her second home, the three men who had joined us remained just a few paces behind, their postures subdued under Tianyi's unwavering gaze.
Tianyi's presence was a quiet, unrelenting watchtower. She stayed just far enough to give the men space, but not enough to let her vigilance falter.
Every so often, she would glance at them, her expression neutral but somehow piercing. It was clear she hadn't let down her guard—not even for a moment.
Yike, Zichen, and the rest of the team were more overt in their caution. I could hear Yike muttering to himself, his skepticism bubbling over as he threw frequent glances toward the strangers.
Zichen, ever composed, took the lead, his eyes scanning the path ahead while still keeping tabs on the men.
The other students mirrored his caution, their nervous glances and murmured whispers betraying their unease.
"Are you sure about this?" I asked Baihe softly as we maneuvered around a fallen tree.
The woods were dense here, the towering trees blotting out most of the light. It gave the journey an almost oppressive feel.
She nodded without hesitation. "We can't leave them out there. Not after everything Tianyi said."
Her conviction was admirable, but I couldn't ignore the knot of doubt twisting in my stomach. "I just hope she's right," I murmured.
Baihe gave me a fleeting smile, her knuckles still tight around her water bottle. "For a young girl to talk like that? I bet she usually is."
The journey stretched on. The three men walked in silence, their eyes occasionally darting toward one another as if seeking reassurance.
The leader, whose name we still didn't know, seemed particularly on edge. His earlier vulnerability had receded, replaced by a guarded wariness that made it hard to tell whether he was grateful or resentful.
Eventually, we broke through the dense forest, the sight of Baihe's second home coming into view. It was more of an outpost than a home, really—a modest cabin nestled against the edge of a rocky cliff. It looked weathered but sturdy, a safe haven in an unforgiving world.
"Here we are," Baihe said, her voice tinged with relief.
As we approached, Zichen gestured for everyone to pause. "We'll do a quick sweep before we settle in," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
He motioned for a few of the students to follow him, their tension mirrored in their stiff movements.
Yike took a step closer to me and Baihe, his arms crossed. "I still don't trust them," he muttered, nodding toward the three men.
"Neither do I," I admitted. "But Tianyi does."
"Yeah, well," he said, his voice low, "let's hope her 'intuition' doesn't get us killed."
Inside the house, the atmosphere was no less strained.
The three men were directed to one corner of the room, where Tianyi took up a position nearby, her posture relaxed but watchful.
The rest of us spread out, each claiming a spot that felt safe—safe from the strangers, but also from the possibility of what could happen.
It wasn't long before one of the men—tall and wiry, with a scar running down his cheek—started pacing. His movements were restless, his eyes darting around the cabin as if searching for exits.
"Hey," Yike said sharply, his voice cutting through the uneasy quiet. "Sit down. You're making everyone nervous."
The man stopped, his expression hardening. "I'm not doing anything," he snapped.
"Exactly," Yike retorted. "So sit down and stay that way."
"Big brother Yike," Tianyi interjected, her tone calm but firm. "Let me handle this."
He threw his hands up in frustration but stepped back, his eyes never leaving the scarred man.
Tianyi turned to the newcomer, her voice soft but steady. "We understand this is difficult for you. But pacing like that won't help anyone. Please, take a seat."
The man hesitated, his jaw clenched, but eventually lowered himself onto the floor. His companions exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable.
I couldn't ignore the growing unease.
Something was wrong, and we needed to
know what before the simmering emotions boiled over.
I stepped forward, leaving Baihe's side despite her concerned glance. The tall man with the scar had been the most vocal, his agitation barely contained since we arrived. His pacing had resumed, and the other two men watched him with silent worry.
"What's wrong?" I asked, my voice steady but firm enough to demand an answer.
The scarred man stopped abruptly, his gaze locking onto mine.
For a moment, I thought he might snap at me, but instead, his shoulders slumped. He rubbed the back of his neck, his expression conflicted.
"We shouldn't have stayed this long," he muttered. His voice was heavy, strained, as though every word weighed him down. "We need to get back to our place before dark."
His words drew everyone's attention. Even Yike, who had been leaning against the wall with arms crossed, shifted closer, his skepticism momentarily overtaken by curiosity.
"Why?" I asked cautiously. "What happens if you don't?"
The man hesitated, his gaze darting between his companions. Neither of them spoke, but their expressions mirrored his unease.
"Our people," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. "They're vulnerable without us. There's no one there who can defend them—not properly, anyway."
A chill ran through me as his meaning sank in. "You left them?" I asked, disbelief coloring my tone.
"We didn't have a choice!" he snapped, his frustration spilling over.
"We were running out of supplies. Everything that happened didn't sink in for us. If we didn't come out here, they wouldn't have lasted much longer."
"But it's too late now," the shorter man interjected, his voice trembling. "We'll never make it back before dark."
His words hung in the air, the weight of their predicament crashing down on all of us. Tianyi's sharp intake of breath was barely audible, but it was enough to draw my attention.
Her gaze was fixed on the scarred man, her expression a mix of understanding and urgency.
The room fell silent, the implications of their confession sinking in. Baihe shifted closer to me, her grip on her water bottle tightening.
Even Zichen's calm demeanor showed cracks as he frowned, deep in thought.
"We can't just leave them out there," Tianyi said softly, breaking the silence.