frightfiction Chapter 1157 I have tried it, it is non-toxic (125 million reward value plus more)
Chapter 1157 I have tried it, it is non-toxic (125 million reward value plus more)
There are several thick ancient pines on the side to block it, making it a temporary resting place that is easy to defend and difficult to attack.
"It will be difficult for the pursuers to find this place in a short time."
Gu Jinxiao's voice remained steady, with a calmness that carried the clarity of someone in a dangerous situation: "If we don't take a break and find some food to eat, I'm afraid..."
He paused, his eyes quickly sweeping over Shen Zhinian's pale lips and slightly trembling fingertips, his tone remaining calm and composed: "I'm afraid we'll be exhausted before the pursuers even arrive."
"Please allow me to rest here for a while, Madam?"
Gu Jinxiao's words did not contain any concern beyond the norm; they were all based on the most pragmatic considerations of the current situation.
This insight was so accurate that it instantly revealed the weakness that Shen Zhinian was trying so hard to conceal.
Shen Zhinian's heart trembled slightly, and then a complicated emotion surged up.
There was a slight embarrassment of being seen through, but more of it was a sense of relief from recognition.
She was indeed at the end of her strength. If she continued to hold on like this, she would become a burden if she was pursued.
"Master Gu is right."
Shen Zhinian took a deep breath, his voice slightly hoarse, "Let's rest here for a while."
"Yes."
Gu Jinxiao responded and said no more.
He took the lead and walked towards the rock, still cautious.
When approaching the rock, Gu Jinxiao did not go up immediately, but walked around the rock carefully and observed it.
He also used the scabbard to carefully poke and probe the bushes around the rocks and the soft fallen leaves to make sure there were no hidden poisonous insects, snakes, ants or traps.
After doing all this, he stepped aside to make way and whispered, "My Lady, please."
Shen Zhinian followed his instructions, stepped onto the cool rock, and sat down with his back against the rough stone wall.
Her highly tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and a wave of exhaustion swept over her instantly, making her almost unable to control her urge to collapse.
Shen Zhinian closed his eyes, forced himself to stay awake, and adjusted his disordered breathing.
Gu Jinxiao did not rest immediately.
He inserted his scimitar into a crevice in the rock that was within reach, scanned the surrounding dark woods with sharp eyes, and listened attentively for any slight unusual sound.
After confirming that it was temporarily safe, he turned his gaze to the bushes in the low-lying area under the rock.
"Please wait a moment, Madam. I will go find something to eat."
Gu Jinxiao finished his words concisely, and without waiting for Shen Zhinian's response, he slid down the rock silently and disappeared into the low bushes.
Shen Zhinian leaned against the cold stone wall, looking at the direction where he disappeared, and the complex emotions in his heart surged again.
In this desperate situation, Gu Jinxiao's courtesy and sense of propriety were almost harsh.
He was keenly aware of her weakness, but suggested a rest in the most pragmatic way.
About a quarter of an hour later, Gu Jinxiao's figure silently returned to the bottom of the rock.
He held several things in his hands.
There were several bunches of dark purple, plump and round wild grapes.
A few wild pears with rough skin and white frost.
There is also a small bunch of wild hawthorns that are bright red and look like agate.
"The forest has limited resources, and only these wild fruits can be found. I have tried them and they are not poisonous."
Gu Jinxiao stood under the rock, raised his head slightly, picked up the wild fruit in his hand, and his voice remained steady.
He didn't hand it over directly, but waited for Shen Zhinian's signal.
Shen Zhinian's eyes swept over the wild fruits that still smelled of dew and soil, and the hunger in his stomach became stronger: "Thank you, Lord Gu."
Seeing her extend her hand, Gu Jinxiao stepped onto the rock, but still kept half an arm's length away.
He did not touch Shen Zhinian directly with his hands, but instead used relatively clean and broad leaves as a cushion, carefully placed the food on the leaves, and handed it steadily to the stone surface within Shen Zhinian's reach.
"My Lady, hawthorn is sour and astringent, and may be refreshing and relieve fatigue, but it is not advisable to eat too much on an empty stomach."
Gu Jinxiao added, still in that calm tone.
Then he took a step back, picked up his share of wild fruits, turned his back to Shen Zhinian, sat down on the edge of the other side of the rock, and began to eat silently.
Shen Zhinian picked up a dark purple wild grape and felt a cool touch.
She gently wiped off the dust on the surface and put it in her mouth.
The sour, sweet and slightly astringent juice instantly spreads in the mouth, bringing with it the most primitive vitality of the mountains and forests, quickly relieving the thirst in the throat and the burning sensation in the stomach.
Although it is rough, it is the most precious rain at this moment.
Shen Zhinian ate in small bites, but his eyes involuntarily turned to the other side of the rock, to the silent figure.
Gu Jinxiao's sitting posture was still as straight as a pine tree, and the lines of his shoulders and back seemed a little stiff in the dim light.
The courtesy and restraint ingrained in his bones actually gave Shen Zhinian a strange sense of security in this dark and dense forest full of murderous intent.
Deep in the dense forest, there were only the subtle chewing sounds of two people and the whistles of pursuers in the distance, which were still vague but like the haunting sounds of the pursuers.
The last bit of sour wild hawthorn flavor melts on the tip of your tongue.
The brief respite was like a stone thrown into a deep pool. After the ripples dissipated, deeper fatigue and coldness wrapped around it layer by layer.
Deep in the dark forest, the light was dimming at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The broken autumn sun was completely swallowed up by the gnarled branches, leaving only the increasingly thick blue-gray twilight in the forest.
The air seemed to be stagnant, and the smell of pine resin and rotten leaves became sticky and cold.
In the distance, the whistles of the pursuers had not completely disappeared. Instead, under the cover of dusk, they seemed even more erratic, faintly coming from all directions, revealing a determination to fight to the death.
Shen Zhinian leaned against the cold stone wall, trying hard to suppress the heaviness in his limbs that had become increasingly obvious due to the short rest.
Although the burning sensation in his stomach was gone, his strength had not recovered much, and every breath he took carried the chill of the late autumn forest.
She raised her eyes and looked at Gu Jinxiao.
Gu Jinxiao had already stood up and was standing on the edge of the rock like a silent sculpture.
He listened attentively to the movements in the forest, looked at the increasingly dark dusk, and scanned the dense forest around him that seemed to be lurking with countless unknown dangers.
There was no expression on this handsome face, only an almost frozen concentration and solemnity.
"The pursuers haven't retreated, but instead seem to be... closing in."
Gu Jinxiao's deep voice broke the brief silence: "My Lady, it's getting dark. Walking in the dense forest at night is like walking into a trap."
When he said this, he did not turn around, his eyes still looking into the depths of the forest, and his words were clearly heard by Shen Zhinian.
Shen Zhinian's heart sank suddenly.
She naturally understood what Gu Jinxiao meant.
Night is the most dangerous time in the jungle.
Losing vision not only means that pursuers can sneak up on you more easily, but also means that those ferocious beasts that hide during the day and come out at night are about to appear!
Wolves, leopards...even scarier things!
Given her and Gu Jinxiao's current condition, sleeping outdoors in the dense forest without any shelter would be tantamount to sending themselves to the mouths of wild beasts.