"Is it because of this thing that you’re able to resist the toxic gas?"

Huo Wen’an didn’t explain. He handed the An Shen Wood to Jin Yunhai and said, "Commander Jin, the Xia Country Alliance Army cannot do without you. You’ve been working hard these past few days. You should head back first."

Jin Yunhai examined the wooden bracelet and said, "My uncle said Miss Xu is a very important person, more valuable than myself. I promised him I’d do my best to rescue Miss Xu."

Upon hearing this, Huo Wen’an looked at Jin Yunhai in his disheveled state and said, "I see your efforts. But clearly, your abilities aren’t enough to complete your task."

Jin Yunhai: "..."

"You’re really unpleasant to talk to."

Jin Yunhai was not planning to continue the search. Compared to the life and death of Xu Xingguang, Jin Yunhai cared more about his subordinates and the Alliance Army.

He couldn’t risk himself here for one Xu Xingguang.

"Then I’ll be going back." But Jin Yunhai refused to accept Huo Wen’an’s wooden bracelet. He tossed it back to Huo Wen’an, laughing, "The bracelet is yours, I don’t need it."

He didn’t dare venture further into the heart of the No-man District, but he believed he had the confidence to find his way out. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

With that said, Jin Yunhai turned and walked away leisurely.

After taking a few steps, he suddenly heard Huo Wen’an say, "Commander Jin, you’re going the wrong way, you need to turn left."

Jin Yunhai’s expression stiffened, but he obediently turned left.

He then heard Huo Wen’an say, "Follow the pit marks left by my cane, there’s a good chance you can get out."

Jin Yunhai turned back to Huo Wen’an and said, "I also made marks, but I still got lost. In here, marking doesn’t help much."

Huo Wen’an sneered, "Because you’re stupid."

Jin Yunhai stormed off in a huff.

When dawn broke, Huo Wen’an also arrived at the foot of that lone mountain. He circled the pool and finally noticed a mobile phone wedged in a crevice of a chaotic rock area.

A completely black small phone, with a pig charm hanging on it.

It was Xu Xingguang’s phone.

Having finally found a clue related to Xu Xingguang, Huo Wen’an felt a sense of relief.

He stared at the dark pool below, hesitated for a moment, then placed his phone together with Xu Xingguang’s phone. Holding onto his cane, he plunged directly into the pool.

The water was terrifyingly cold, as if it had just been poured out from a freezer.

Holding his breath, Huo Wen’an swam toward the bottom, for about two minutes, when he saw a faint white glow.

Huo Wen’an swam toward that glow, discovering a natural stone cave beneath the lone mountain’s pool that could accommodate two people passing through.

He passed through the cave, swimming toward the brightly lit water surface.

"Phew!"

Huo Wen’an emerged from the water, wiped his damp eyes, and looked around. Only then did he realize he had arrived at a forest lake behind the lone mountain.

The light here remained dark, and the flora differed greatly from outside.

On the shore grew a thicket of thorn trees, with human-sized flowers blooming on them. The flowers were blue, green, and black.

It was the first time Huo Wen’an realized that there were ugly flowers.

.

After coming ashore and confirming there were no dangerous creatures in the flower thicket, Huo Wen’an sat down on the ground, gasping for breath.

Regaining his strength, Huo Wen’an picked up his cane and resumed his journey.

He crossed through the thorny woods and found Xu Xingguang’s canvas bag hanging on a large tree ahead.

The canvas bag was here, so Xu Xingguang couldn’t be far away.

Huo Wen’an walked to the tree, stood on tiptoe, and took down the canvas bag. Opening it, he saw several pieces of chocolate and a pack of opened but unfinished sanitary pads.

Huo Wen’an, like a pervert, picked up a pad to examine.

It was dry, not soaked in water.

It seemed like Xu Xingguang always kept a new pack of pads in her bag. She only opened them after swimming to this side of the lone mountain, so the pads were all dry, not soaked.

Was she injured?

Or did her period come?

Huo Wen’an was truly exhausted. He leaned against the tree and decided to wait there for Xu Xingguang to return.

...

After who knows how long, Huo Wen’an was shaken awake by a force.

"Boss Huo!"

Hearing the long-awaited address, Huo Wen’an opened his eyes drowsily to find himself lying on a rock, and an ice-cold water-soaked sanitary pad was stuck to his forehead!

Huo Wen’an reached up to touch the thing on his forehead, instinctively trying to remove it.