The terror stirred by the wolves gradually subsided in the warmth of the campfire and the safety of the cave.
Emma carefully examined Gu Liang's condition, confirming he was merely exhausted and his wounds hadn't reopened. Only then did she truly relax. She handed him a roasted tuber, then silently dismantled the bow with its broken string, storing the intact arrows back in the quiver.
"The bow is ruined," she stated calmly, her voice betraying little regret. "We'll need to find time to remake it or discover alternative materials."
Chewing his food, Gu Liang felt warmth spreading through his body, restoring his strength. Watching Emma's composed profile, he suddenly asked, "Those wolves... were they the ones who left those tracks earlier?"
Emma shook her head, her gaze sharp. "No. Wolf tracks are entirely different from those of large feline beasts. This forest harbors more than one threat." She paused, gazing out at the deep night beyond the cave entrance. "We've stayed here long enough."
Gu Liang's heart tightened. "Leave?"
"Yes." Emma's tone was firm. "The pack has marked this place with their scent and may return. Besides, what we need isn't a temporary shelter, but a place we can call home."She pulled out the increasingly detailed map, spreading it on the ground between them. Her finger traced the cliffside area where they currently stood. "This spot is defensible but hard to attack. However, resources are limited, it's too far from stable, large water sources, and the soil isn't fertile enough for long-term development."
Her finger moved slowly across the map, pointing northward, past symbols denoting forests and mountains, until it settled on an area marked as unknown. Beside it, in smaller text, was written: "Open terrain, suspected river valley."
"Based on our observations these past days and the sun's position, heading north, the terrain may gradually slope downward, forming a river valley. Being near a major river means a more stable water source, more fertile alluvial plains, and potentially existing, relatively gentle transportation routes." Emma's voice was steady, carrying the certainty of a planner. "We need to find a place like that."
Gu Liang stared at the uncharted territory on the map, his heart beating faster against his will. Leaving this hard-won, relatively safe cave to venture into the complete unknown was undeniably fraught with risk. Yet the vision Emma painted—stable water, fertile land, the possibility of building a home—pulled at him like a giant magnet.
He was weary of flight, yearning for stability, craving a corner where he could truly let down his guard and call it "home."
"Alright." Without a moment's hesitation, his gaze shifted from the map to Emma's eyes. "We're heading north."
His decisiveness seemed to momentarily startle Emma. Then, a faint, almost imperceptible smile flickered across her eyes. "We depart first thing tomorrow morning. Rest well tonight."
That night, Gu Liang didn't fall asleep immediately. Leaning against the cave wall, he watched Emma use the last embers to make final adjustments to the map, then meticulously recount and repack all their supplies. Her movements were methodical, as if preparing not for an uncertain expedition, but for a carefully planned migration.
The campfire gradually died down, leaving only dark red embers. Once Emma finished her preparations, she leaned back against the opposite wall and closed her eyes.
The cave fell completely silent. Outside, the night wind rustled through the treetops, carrying the distant chirping of unnamed insects and... the clearer, more vast expanse of the starry sky.
Gu Liang tilted his head back, gazing through the cave entrance at the breathtakingly dazzling starry sky. Free from modern industrial pollution, the stars here were densely packed, the Milky Way stretching across the heavens like a luminous river—majestic and mysterious.
"So beautiful..." he murmured unconsciously. It was the first time since his journey here that he felt moved to appreciate the sights of this world.
"Mhm." Emma's voice softly echoed in the darkness; she too had not fallen asleep. "The night sky is different in every world."
Gu Liang turned his head. In the hazy starlight, he could only make out her blurred outline. "Have you... seen the night skies of many worlds?" he couldn't help asking, the question touching upon her mysterious origins.
Emma fell silent for a moment. Just as Gu Liang thought she wouldn't answer, she spoke, her voice carrying a distant calm: "No. It's just... how I imagine it should be."
Her answer remained shrouded in mist, yet strangely, it didn't unsettle Gu Liang. He didn't press further, instead turning his gaze back to the starry sky. He knew some secrets needed time, and in this moment, this sky belonged to just the two of them.
"Emma," he said suddenly, gazing at the sky, "once we find that place and settle down... I want to try building things." A faint glimmer of hope colored his voice. "Like water wheels, or better tools... Maybe even try making pottery."
This was the first time he had voluntarily spoken of "the future," of "building." No longer about vengeance, no longer about survival—but about creation.
In the darkness, Emma seemed to smile softly, so faintly it was nearly drowned out by the wind.
"Good." She replied with just one word, yet it seemed to hold boundless strength and affirmation.
Starlight spilled like water across the silent cave, bathing the two figures gazing toward the future. Gu Liang felt an unprecedented calm and resolve. The path ahead was unknown, fraught with danger, but he was no longer alone. He had companions, a purpose, and a future he longed to shape with his own hands.
The next morning, the sky began to lighten.
The pair made one final check of the cave, ensuring no obvious traces remained. Emma shouldered the massive backpack, a vessel of hope and survival. Though her bow was damaged, she still carried her arrows. Gu Liang hoisted his own pack, filled with food, water, and some tools, his stone axe gripped tightly in hand.
Standing at the base of the cliff, they glanced back at the makeshift shelter that had sheltered them for days.
"Let's go," Emma said.
"Mm." Gu Liang nodded.
Turning without hesitation, they set off on their journey north. Sunlight filtered through the forest canopy, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow ahead of them, like a path leading toward the unknown and toward hope.
The forest remained deep and mysterious, concealing countless secrets and dangers. Yet at this moment, their steps were firm and resolute.
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