Zhong Lichun led the dozens of people on foot for four full days before they encountered a coalition force. That meant they had truly been rescued. Zhong Lichun had already been wounded, and after trekking for days without properly treating her injuries, her wounds became infected and she developed a high fever. Almost the moment she saw the coalition forces and finally relaxed, Zhong Lichun collapsed into unconsciousness.
The rescued hostages all had identities of their own, but Zhong Lichun did not. No one knew where this girl was from. They only knew that she had an Asian face.
After a meticulous investigation, they finally confirmed Zhong Lichun's identity and nationality through a missing-persons file from many years earlier. Because her infected wounds had left her in serious condition, Zhong Lichun was somehow sent back to her home country for treatment.
When Zhong Lichun woke up, she had already been back in the country for more than a week. Thanks to the all-out rescue efforts, she had survived. However, as she lay on the hospital bed, Zhong Lichun felt lost. She did not know where she should go next. This was indeed her homeland, but after spending several years as a terrorist, would the country really accept her? Even if she had only done it because she wanted to survive, her hands were still stained with blood!
Just as Zhong Lichun was feeling lost, the government sent someone to speak with her and ask about her circumstances. Zhong Lichun did not hide anything and told the person everything she had experienced.
In the end, the country did not reject her because of her past. Instead, it told her that her homeland would be the most reliable support she could ever have. As for her past, it had not been her choice, so the country naturally would not pursue the matter. Once she recovered and was discharged, the country would give her a new identity and let her return to an ordinary life.
For the first time, Zhong Lichun felt grateful to her homeland. Born overseas, she had never really possessed a proper understanding of her country. Years on the battlefield had left her hands covered in blood, yet despite all that, her homeland still accepted her. Its tolerance filled her with indescribable warmth and made her feel the happiness of being Chinese.
But could Zhong Lichun really return to an ordinary life? The answer was, of course, no. Having received strict military training since childhood and fought for survival on battlefields while dancing with death, she simply could not adapt to the comfort of an ordinary person's life.
After failing to integrate into normal society, Zhong Lichun once again sought out the country and reported her situation. In the end, the country decided to let her join a special department, where she could put all her skills to use. The country also promised that once she adapted to a peaceful life, she could return to being an ordinary person at any time and enjoy her own life.
Zhong Lichun's story was a long one. As she told it, she seemed to have returned to those days, becoming completely immersed in them. Mo Li quietly listened from the side without saying a word. Although he had not experienced it himself, Mo Li felt as if he could empathize with her, and he felt a little more sympathy for this strong-willed woman.
As she spoke, Zhong Lichun skinned both Snow Mountain Wolves and laid the pelts flat on the ground. Her technique was extremely practiced. The pelts were intact and had been cleaned very thoroughly.
Seeing Mo Li sitting there silently, Zhong Lichun smiled and then asked, "Do you think I'm pitiful?"
"No! I don't think you're pitiful. You survived through your own determination, and you saved those captured hostages by sticking to your principles. In my eyes, you're a strong-minded girl. You don't need anyone's pity." Mo Li answered with a serious expression.
"All right! Stop flattering me. Actually, after living in the country for the past few years, I gradually adapted to normal life too. I was even thinking of finding someone to marry and becoming a housewife." Zhong Lichun gave a self-mocking smile and then teased him.
"What? You want to be a housewife? Then your husband would need to have one particular trait." Mo Li laughed as well.
"What trait?" Zhong Lichun froze for a moment when she heard that, then asked curiously.
"Being able to take a beating! You're so violent that if you got into a fight with your husband and he couldn't take a beating, you might beat him to death." Mo Li answered with an exaggeratedly mischievous expression.
"You~! How dare you mock me? Believe it or not, I'll beat you up!" Zhong Lichun immediately bristled. She raised her right fist and shook it threateningly.
"I'm not your husband. Why are you hitting me?" Seeing that Zhong Lichun was about to attack, Mo Li hurriedly scooted backward and spoke with a strange look on his face.
After saying that, Mo Li burst out laughing, and Zhong Lichun laughed too. In such a desperate situation, the two of them could only relax by joking around like this. Otherwise, the oppressive atmosphere here alone would have been enough to drive them crazy.
After resting a little longer, Zhong Lichun cut off some wolf meat and wrapped it in one of the pelts before tossing it to Mo Li. She rolled up the other pelt, tucked it under her arm, and stood up. "All right! Let's keep exploring deeper inside. I'm not married yet. I don't want to die here just like this."
Mo Li nodded wryly. He then carried Wei Dengke on his back and used a rope to hang the wolf pelt wrapped around the meat from himself. Once they were ready, the two of them continued toward the depths of the cave.
As they walked forward, Zhong Lichun asked, "Mo Li, although some wolves do live in caves, this cave is on a cliff halfway up the mountain. How did these Snow Mountain Wolves get inside?"
"I've thought about that too, and there are only two possibilities. One is that there's another entrance on the other side of the cave, where the terrain is relatively flat, and the Snow Mountain Wolves came in through that entrance." Mo Li answered as he followed Zhong Lichun forward.
"Oh? Then what's the other possibility?" Zhong Lichun raised her eyebrows after hearing Mo Li's answer and pressed him for more.
"The second possibility is, of course, that the Snow Mountain Wolves were captured and brought here by the Yetis. I can't think of any other possibility besides that." Mo Li answered again.
"Captured and brought up here by the Yetis? As reserve food? Then there'd be no need to let these wolves run around everywhere!" Zhong Lichun frowned and muttered after hearing Mo Li's analysis.
"Silly girl, if the Yetis brought them here, then they must be food, right? We've been captured for more than ten hours too, but aren't we still alive? I just feel that the Yetis aren't as foolish as they seem. Their intelligence definitely isn't low. If my guess is right, these Snow Mountain Wolves were deliberately raised here."
"Why raise these wolves?"
"What was the purpose of people keeping dogs in ancient times? To guard their homes and courtyards, of course! If my guess is right, then it makes sense that the Yetis captured us and didn't bother with us afterward. With the big dogs they raised guarding the place, ordinary people wouldn't be able to escape even if they wanted to!"
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