Survive for 12 hours

Wilk gently patted Song Zhi on the shoulder, signaling for her to rest easy. He sat beside her, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings, the weapon in his hand ready to respond to any sudden development.

The night was deep, and moonlight spilled through the dilapidated window, casting mottled shadows on the floor. Dampness hung in the air, and the occasional chirping of unknown insects added a trace of eerie life to the deathly stillness.

Time ticked by, and Wilk never let his guard down. He knew Hill wouldn't give up the pursuit easily, and the other three were old foxes too, with as many schemes as there were galaxies in the universe-too many to count.

This contest was far more complicated than it seemed. It looked like Song Zhi's enlistment ceremony, but it was actually an assessment of the squad's strength, as well as another round of adjustment and reorganization among its members.

It had to be said that Lai'en was an exceptionally capable commander. Tactics that accomplished several things at once were his specialty.

Song Zhi's breathing gradually steadied, and she had clearly drifted into a light sleep. Despite the harsh surroundings, she seemed somewhat reassured to have someone to rely on.

And the person she relied on for that sense of security was Wilk.

Like a valiant imperial guardsman, he stayed by Song Zhi's side, just as he had once watched over his sleeping younger sister at home.

Suddenly, faint footsteps sounded in the distance, breaking the silence of the night.

Wilk quickly crouched down and held his breath, listening carefully to pinpoint the source. His finger slipped onto the trigger, every muscle taut like a cheetah poised to strike.

Yet the footsteps abruptly stopped not far away. The hunter hid in the darkness, in no hurry. He waited for his prey to jump out on its own before seizing the chance to emerge.

Song Zhi had just woken up. She looked around for Wilk and only breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him building a makeshift heat-insulating shelter.

"They'll use thermal-imaging night vision at night. We can't move around as we please; we have to hide in the shelter. Once tonight's over, we'll have to move somewhere else. Guerrilla warfare is our specialty." Wilk noticed that Song Zhi was awake and smiled faintly.

"Yes, guerrilla warfare is our specialty. The highest respects to the eternal Bolsheviks." Song Zhi came over to help Wilk build the shelter, her tone cheerful.

Working together in perfect sync, Wilk and Song Zhi soon finished the shelter. Wilk also set traps and established a perimeter around it, in case Lai'en and the others launched a sneak attack during the night.

"Those guys are rotten to the core... Watch out for Lu's sniper rifle. He's good at shooting from concealment. Hill and Kelante are both experts at trapping prey. The lieutenant is even more ruthless. He doesn't have any weaknesses, and he might even pull a carpet bombing..."

Wilk gave Song Zhi a brief rundown of the others' fighting habits and styles. As the saying went, know yourself and your enemy, and you'll win every battle.

"But I took Kelante hostage twice..."

Wilk's assessment of Kelante surprised Song Zhi. She had thought Kelante was gentle and refined, with a kind side even on the battlefield.

"Honey, you were fooled by his gentleness... That Italian man is the best at it. Granted, he is relatively handsome, but he's also the one most likely to make people let their guard down." Wike'er gave his highest assessment, his tone tinged with jealousy.

They crawled into the shelter and checked their equipment by the faint light, making sure everything was intact. Wilk took a ration biscuit from his backpack and handed it to Song Zhi, signaling for her to regain her strength. Song Zhi accepted it and ate in small bites, her eyes remaining alert to their surroundings.

The night grew deeper, and the temperature gradually dropped. Wilk draped his coat over Song Zhi and gently wrapped his powerful arm around her. He closed his eyes and rested where he was, listening for any movement around them.

Though danger could strike at any moment, he seemed to have found a moment's comfort in the warmth radiating from the small, frail body in his arms.

Song Zhi leaned against his shoulder, savoring the rare warmth and peace.

Suddenly, a low hum came from the distance, sounding like some kind of machinery starting up.

Wilk immediately went on alert. He gave Song Zhi a gentle nudge, signaling for her to stay quiet.

The two held their breath and listened intently to the sounds outside. The noise drew closer and closer, seemingly moving slowly in their direction.

It was a drone. Hill had to be operating it, searching at low altitude.

But they were well hidden, and neither the drone nor the thermal imager could find them. Still, they had only evaded the search for the time being.

Only when the sounds outside had ceased did Wilk lower his voice and say, "All right, we're safe. They probably won't search for us again tonight. Get some rest while you can. We'll have to move as soon as it's light."

"Mm." Song Zhi nodded.

Meanwhile, Hill stared intently at the screen of his tactical tablet, unwilling to miss anything suspicious. He switched to another page and saw that Song Zhi and Wilk's vital signs were all normal, as were their heart rates.

"No one in the squad is in mortal danger. Everything's normal." Hill synced the data to Lai'en.

"Nothing unusual at point A. Looks like they've found a good hiding place for the night." Hidden at his sniping position, Lu Yu reported on the situation on his end. Those two were even better at hiding than he was.

"The medical kit is ready. Please issue further instructions." Kelante's voice also came through the radio earpiece.

"Rendezvous at point C for a meeting," Lai'en ordered.

"Copy!"

Five minutes later, several imposing figures crossed the ruined walls and rubble, gathering at last in front of a building.

Lai'en glanced at his squad members, then raised his wrist and checked his watch. "Rest here and stand guard in shifts. Hill takes first watch, then Kelante, me, and Lu on the last watch. We'll launch a full assault at five tomorrow morning."

Hill went to one side and set his tactical tablet on a flat rock. He continued monitoring the surroundings, occasionally opening the monitor to check Song Zhi's vital signs, only switching pages after confirming that her heart rate and body temperature were normal.

The others each found a suitable spot, laid out their insulated sleeping bags, and crawled inside to rest.

"A 72-hour ghost hunt? I'm afraid that 'ghost' won't last 72 hours. Someone's spoiled her rotten. Will she cry if she doesn't have hot water?" Lu Yu lay in his sleeping bag, his head resting on his arm as he gazed at the stars and teased.

Someone merely turned over, his amber eyes looking toward the darkness in the distance, a faint trace of worry on his face. He did not respond, instead closing his eyes to rest and conserve his energy.

Hill, standing guard against a wall in the corner, gave a soft snort. That little kitten was indeed delicate, and she was afraid of pain too.

Lai'en seemed completely unconcerned by Lu Yu's words. He simply opened his tablet and attended to official business, his expression grave and stern.

As the night deepened, the group remained silent, all waiting for dawn.

Venus rose, the darkness receded, and dawn broke.

Song Zhi had survived safely for 12 hours.

Wilk nudged Song Zhi awake where she leaned against his shoulder and said quietly, "Wake up. We need to get moving. They've already made their move."