Loa rode on Wuzhui's back, following the trail east.
A few dozen li would normally have taken no more than the time to drink a cup of tea. But now Wuzhui's wings were badly injured, leaving it to run on all four hooves at a greatly reduced speed. Loa had also recovered somewhat from his exhaustion, but he was nowhere near his peak. Only about thirty percent of his battle-qi had returned.
Wangcai lay on his shoulder, tail drooping, occasionally twitching his nose to help pick out the scent Bob had left behind.
"Boss, up ahead. About another two or three li."
Loa nodded and urged Wuzhui to quicken its pace.
After passing through a sparse stretch of woods, he finally spotted Bob.
Bob leaned against a large tree, unconscious again. Although the wound on his back had stopped bleeding, blood loss had left his face white as paper. His lips were dry and cracked, and his breathing was so shallow it was barely perceptible.
Mia crouched beside him, clutching Bob's arm with both little hands and desperately trying to drag him away. But how much strength could a five- or six-year-old girl have? Bob's burly body did not budge. Sweat covered Mia's forehead in her distress, but she refused to let go.
Hearing footsteps, she jerked her head up. The instant she saw Loa, her eyes lit up.
"Big brother! Big brother, over here!"
Loa dismounted and strode over. He crouched down to examine Bob's injuries-the wound had not worsened, and his breathing was weak but fairly steady. His unconsciousness was probably the result of physical exhaustion combined with excessive blood loss.
His life was not in danger.
Loa breathed a sigh of relief, hoisted Bob up, and laid him across Wuzhui's back.
Bending down, Loa tucked Mia under