CHAPTER 224: CHAPTER 224: MISERABLE MILITARY CAMP (5)_1

Shangguan Qing was the first to follow, while Gui Mo and Gui Jun exchanged a glance before quickly catching up. Yu Zifeng’s and Zhang Yuchen’s eyes lit up, and they too swiftly joined the others.

The scorching sun beat down, making everyone incredibly uncomfortable. But no matter what, they couldn’t back down now; they could only move forward.

One hour, two hours, then five hours passed. As the sun slowly moved westward, everyone’s pace began to slow. Gazing at the distant mountaintop, they all breathed a sigh of relief. They were finally getting there. Their legs were trembling uncontrollably, and Yu Zifeng even had to half-drag, half-support Yu Zijin.

"Let’s take a break," Shangguan You suggested, collapsing onto the ground. She couldn’t walk anymore, let alone run.

"Yeah, let’s all rest for a bit," Shangguan Qing said, taking a deep breath. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and sat down beside Shangguan You. The others also sat down where they stood.

"Everyone, take one of these. It’ll help you feel a bit better," Shangguan You said, taking out several Jade Dew Pills from her robes and handing one to each person. Although the pills could enhance one’s internal energy, they couldn’t sate hunger, and she was still very hungry.

"Is this the medicine you gave Grandpa and Zijin that day?" Yu Zifeng asked. He had just swallowed the Jade Dew Pill when a warm sensation spread throughout his body. His previously trembling frame began to still, and strength slowly returned to his exhausted muscles.

"I took one this morning; that’s how I managed to run ten laps," Yu Zijin said. She swallowed the pill, and as her body slowly recovered, she looked at Shangguan You with gratitude, now fully trusting her knowledge of the Medical Arts.

"Young lady, with such effective medicine, you should have brought it out earlier. We wouldn’t have had to suffer like this," Gui Jun said, feeling his strength gradually return after swallowing the pill.

"Youyou, I feel stronger after taking it! Quick, give me a few more pills," Gui Mo and Zhang Yuchen exclaimed simultaneously.

Shangguan You couldn’t help but roll her eyes. The Jade Dew Pill shouldn’t be consumed in excess. Under normal circumstances, one could take one pill. Only when one’s physical limits were reached could another be taken; otherwise, it would be overly nourishing and could harm the body. That’s why she had waited until everyone’s strength was almost depleted before offering them.

"If you take too many, your blood vessels will swell, and your eyes will become bloodshot. Do you still want more?" Shangguan You asked indifferently, causing Gui Mo and Zhang Yuchen to retract their hands. They had heard about the night she saved someone with the Golden Needle. Since this young lady was skilled in the Medical Arts, she naturally wouldn’t harm them. She said not to take more; it probably means we really shouldn’t.

After resting for over ten minutes and regaining some strength, the group of seven jogged towards the mountaintop once more. The sky grew darker, and the stars that had filled it were slowly cloaked by clouds.

The path they had run along was instantly shrouded in fog—a sign that rain was coming. The mountaintop was different from the city; every time it rained, the entire peak would be enveloped in fog, which, from afar, made it look like a black mass.

They walked slowly through the fog, unable to see the path ahead, and could only grope their way forward. Shangguan You and Yu Zijin were protected in the middle by the five men. The evening wore on, and they finally reached the mountaintop by nine o’clock.

Descending the mountain in such fog and returning to the military base within an hour was utterly impossible. They couldn’t see anything that might pose a danger, forcing the group to pause once again.

"Brother Qing, you all should take off the sandbags on your feet first," Shangguan You said, her brows furrowing slightly as she looked at the fog before her. She had an inexplicable feeling of panic. Could something happen here?

"Okay." The men agreed and began to remove the sandbags from their legs. Freed from the six-kilogram weights, Shangguan Qing felt a remarkable sense of relief.

"What do we do now? We can’t see the path. How do we get down?" Yu Zijin asked, looking at the dense fog. She had never encountered fog this thick before.

"Zijin, this is the military’s mountain. Countless people go up and down it every day, so it should be the safest place," Yu Zifeng’s voice sounded. He asserted that since it was their training ground and Liu Dabao had allowed them to ascend with such confidence, there likely wouldn’t be any dangers on the mountain. Even if there were, they would have been cleared away. They just needed to wait for the fog to lift or move slowly, and they would surely find their way out.

"Shh! Don’t move. Don’t make a sound," Shangguan You said, her voice cold and clear. Her lucid eyes pierced through the fog. Although her vision was excellent, she could only see their immediate surroundings; she was powerless to discern anything further away.

She felt danger creeping closer. A rustling sound of movement grew incessantly around them. Shangguan You felt a chill run down her spine. That sound... what is it?

At the military base, at the foot of the mountain, darkness was deepening. Under the dim lights, Liu Dabao stood in his crisp uniform, looking up at the enshrouded peak and the empty stone path. His brows knitted in concern. He checked his watch; they were a full half-hour behind schedule.

It was now half-past ten at night. Why haven’t the seven of them come down yet? Could they really be planning to stay on the mountain instead of descending? Liu Dabao’s chest filled with anger. He hadn’t been keen on teaching these pampered young ladies in the first place, but it was an order from the higher-ups—a directive he couldn’t refuse.

He had been forced to accept the task. But if they couldn’t even endure this small hardship, then there was no reason for them to stay in the military. They might as well go home and enjoy their comfortable lives!

"Liu Dabao, could something have happened to these kids?" Gui Yongjun and the deputy regimental commander asked, standing behind Liu Dabao and staring at the distant mountain.

"You’ve both been up this mountain hundreds, if not thousands, of times," Liu Dabao said, looking into the pitch-dark night. "All dangerous places have been cleared. Even if they stay on the mountain for a night, no accidents will occur. I believe you know this better than I do." He recalled his own time as a new recruit, spending nights on this very mountain. Aside from it being colder than during the day, there were no real dangers.