CHAPTER 397: 395 SHELLS, GUNFIRE, RIGHT BEFORE MY EYES

"I’ve sent you the location, move there first."

"Okay. We’ll let you know when we get there."

"Make sure to be fast, and be careful, understood!"

Wen Nian reminded them over and over.

After rescuing Lu Xiaoer, Song Lili finally relaxed. Seeing how tense Wen Nian was, she couldn’t help but tease him,

"You suddenly being so fussy, I’m not used to it."

Wen Nian took a deep breath. She might be able to laugh, but he certainly couldn’t relax.

Song Lili ended the video call and turned her head to look at Zhongli and Lu Xiaoer in his arms,

"How are you?"

Lu Xiaoer was very weak, not just physically, but also mentally exhausted.

She looked at Song Lili, moved her lips, and asked in a murmur,

"Were there others... rescued?"

Song Lili knew that the entire international rescue team had been in the church when the accident occurred. She exhaled,

"You’ve seen... this wreckage..."

Lu Xiaoer’s eyes moved and then she closed them, before choking up,

"If it weren’t for you... I would probably have died here too, right?"

"There are no ifs. No matter where you are, I would come for you."

Song Lili reached out to touch her face, swiping away a layer of dust,

"It’s your own strength, your courage... It’s okay now, don’t be afraid, aren’t Zhongli and I here with you?"

Lu Xiaoer closed her eyes, tears flowing down her cheeks...

Those twenty-three hours had been the loneliest and most despairing in her life.

Even though she had made contact with Song Lili and Zhongli Wuzhi during that time... she couldn’t erase the despair and fear in her heart.

She just hadn’t shown it.

Even if she died in this disaster, she didn’t want anyone to see her fear; it seemed to mock all she had done over the years as if it was laughable...

But Lili still understood her.

Song Lili could barely control her own emotions. She was terrified every second that things would take a turn for the worse, terrified that she wouldn’t make it—worrying sixty times a minute, with sixty minutes in an hour...

She sniffed and casually wiped away her tears, then stood up,

"Let’s go. We’re too close to the combat zone here. Xiaoer, hold on tight, we’ll check your injuries once we get there. Do you think... you can make it?"

As a doctor herself, Song Lili felt Lu Xiaoer should have a basic understanding of her own injuries.

"I can."

Lu Xiaoer nodded.

"Alright, Zhongli, let’s go this way!"

Song Lili had already assessed the situation earlier, coupled with studying the road layout of Caesar City all morning, she had practically memorized the map of the city center.

Combining that with the location Wen Nian had given, she quickly made a plan.

Right now, ordinary citizens fleeing from the combat zone up ahead were scattering in all directions.

Zhongli Wuzhi carefully carried Lu Xiaoer, not daring to relax one bit, even though she said she could hold on.

He followed closely behind Song Lili.

"Is it far?"

Zhongli Wuzhi asked.

"After crossing this street, take a right and then two more streets and we’ll be there. It’s a hotel-style apartment, probably rented by travelers."

Song Lili briefly explained.

Zhongli Wuzhi actually felt exhausted. Watching Song Lili, who was scurrying ahead of him with her fragile steps, worry was unmistakable in his eyes.

He was genuinely afraid that the bold and unpredictable pregnant woman might encounter a mishap.

Shaking his head, he hurriedly persuaded himself not to think about the needless worries... Seeing Song Lili like this, she didn’t seem like someone who would act rashly. She would know how to take care of her own body.

After crossing a street and making a right turn, they continued onward...

"See that sign with ’Hello’ on it? That is the hotel we’re looking for."

Song Lili pointed ahead, signaling Zhongli Wuzhi to look up. When Zhongli Wuzhi saw the sign, he gathered his strength once more. In his arms, Lu Xiaoer had fully passed out.

"We’re almost there... Xiaoer."

He uttered those words.

Then he quickened his pace. His gaze hadn’t left the ’Hello’ hotel sign when suddenly, a thin blue streak of light flashed before his eyes, landing on the location of the hotel. Following that, he heard a swish, and then—

The steps of Zhongli Wuzhi and Song Lili halted almost simultaneously as they watched the hotel’s location—along with several surrounding buildings—go up in an explosive "BOOM"!

Turned into a pile of ruins.

On the streets, people were fleeing toward that place; some were caught in the blast and were hurled through the air, torn into pieces.

Zhongli Wuzhi’s expression went numb, and he stood frozen, unable to move an inch.

Song Lili had an extremely grave look. She, of course, knew what this meant... It wasn’t that Caesar City’s air defense was weak, but that the city was hiding who knows how many rebel army members!

Today was only June 21st; there should still be ten days left before the date she remembered!

Song Lili furrowed her brows. Even accounting for a margin of error... could it be so vastly different?

However, she had been to battlefields many times before, so such sudden attacks and explosions wouldn’t truly frighten her.

"This is no good. If the rebel army is bombing at will... nowhere is safe to hide,"

Song Lili muttered.

Zhongli Wuzhi’s gaze was fixed on their destination that had, in an instant, turned into a blaze! Bricks flew chaotically, a bright red light soared to the sky, and cries of anguish were everywhere.

His Adam’s apple moved with difficulty.

"Zhongli, follow me!"

Judging from the direction of the attack, both Angus Church and the streets ahead and the ones here were all coming from the east.

This meant that the rebel army was to the southeast, Caesar City’s downtown was to the west, and if she wasn’t mistaken, the northeastern direction would lead to the suburbs, which were vast and sparsely populated.

Hiding to the northeast would likely be relatively safer.

Song Lili made up her mind.

However, she had already run several steps ahead when she turned back and realized Zhongli Wuzhi was still standing there.

"Zhongli, snap out of it! Do you want to die here?"

"..."

Song Lili, eyebrows knitted, ran back, grabbed Zhongli Wuzhi, "Hurry up and go! The rebel army isn’t far from here!"

Zhongli Wuzhi was pulled along by Song Lili, looking at her in shock as he walked,

"Aren’t you... scared at all?"

Song Lili shot him a glance, "Stop wasting your breath. Use your energy to pick up the pace instead!"

Zhongli Wuzhi swallowed hard again. The thought of the building that had been bombed, their original destination, and how they had narrowly avoided disaster sent shivers down his spine!

He had never been on a battlefield; he was a young master from an affluent family who grew up in a peaceful, prosperous city...

The idea of bombs and gunfire was so far removed from him...

Song Lili continued to run forward. After about half an hour, they slowed down for a rest,

"Put Xiaoer down, let me have a look."

"She’s running a fever."

Zhongli Wuzhi said, frowning. Meanwhile, a call from Wen Nian came through.