Chapter 1122
Preparing to Depart
After looking around and confirming there were no other dangers, Shi Ji led the doctors onward. They proceeded cautiously and carefully, finally finding a relatively safe hiding place before dawn.
As dawn broke, the doctors rested briefly in a small cave. Liu Yichen and Shi Ji took turns keeping watch to ensure everyone's safety.
"Brother Liu, what should we do next?" Shi Ji asked in a low voice.
After a moment of contemplation, Liu Yichen said, "We need to rejoin the other teams as soon as possible and get the medics safely to the base. Only then can they continue to treat the wounded."
Shi Ji nodded in agreement: "I will fully cooperate with you, Brother Liu."
Liu Yichen nodded slightly, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes. Then, he carefully examined the map and pointed to a hidden mountain path, saying, "We can go around from here, avoiding the patrols on the main roads, so we can reach the base safely."
Shi Ji nodded: "Okay, I'll go and inform everyone to prepare to depart."
Upon hearing the news, the doctors packed their belongings and prepared to continue their journey. Despite their exhaustion, their eyes were filled with trust in Liu Yichen and Shi Ji.
The group resumed their journey, with Liu Yichen and Shi Ji guarding them vigilantly, one in front and one behind. Along the way, they avoided open areas as much as possible, using the terrain to their advantage. Liu Yichen's plan was meticulous, and they encountered almost no obstacles.
However, as they approached the base, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from afar. Liu Yichen immediately waved for everyone to stop, and he and Shi Ji quickly concealed themselves in the bushes nearby, nervously observing the surrounding movements.
The footsteps grew closer, accompanied by low voices of conversation, seemingly from a patrol of soldiers. Liu Yichen lowered his voice and said to Shi Ji, "It seems the base's security is tighter than we expected. We need to be even more careful."
……
Shi Ji nodded, her sharp gaze sweeping across the surroundings, and replied, "I'll distract them. You take the doctors and slip into the base. Remember, safety first."
Liu Yichen hesitated for a moment. He knew this meant Shi Ji would face enormous risks, but he also understood that it was the best course of action at the moment. He gripped his sword hilt tightly and said in a deep voice, "Be careful. We'll meet up at the base."
Shi Ji smiled slightly, her eyes sparkling with confidence: "Don't worry, Brother Liu, I'm not so easy to catch."
After saying this, Shi Ji quietly left her hiding place, deliberately making some noise to attract the patrol team's attention. Sure enough, the patrol team noticed the commotion and immediately gave chase in Shi Ji's direction.
Seeing this, Liu Yichen immediately led the doctors to move quickly and quietly to the other side of the base. Using the terrain for cover, they soon approached the base entrance.
"Everyone, stay close to me. Once we're inside, find a hidden place to hide immediately," Liu Yichen instructed in a low voice, his tone soft yet carrying an undeniable firmness.
The doctors nodded and followed closely behind Liu Yichen. They passed through a sparse grove of trees and finally arrived at the outer perimeter of the base. After carefully observing the area and confirming that there were no guards, Liu Yichen quickly led everyone to infiltrate the base.
The base was silent, with only a few lights flickering in the night. Liu Yichen led the doctors to a secluded warehouse where they could hide temporarily.
"Everyone, rest here for now. I'll go find the contact person and arrange the transfer as soon as possible," Liu Yichen said softly, his eyes filled with determination and a sense of responsibility.
The doctors looked at him gratefully and nodded in understanding. Liu Yichen turned and left, silently reciting Shi Ji's name, hoping for his safe return.
Meanwhile, Shi Ji was skillfully evading the patrol's pursuit. His agility and familiarity with the terrain allowed him to move through the night like a ghost. The patrol's footsteps and conversations could be heard intermittently, but he always managed to find a hiding place a step ahead.
"Over here!" a soldier's voice suddenly rang out, accompanied by hurried footsteps, as if they had discovered Shi Ji's whereabouts.
Shi Ji's heart tightened, but he didn't panic. He quickly surveyed his surroundings and spotted a dense thicket of bushes not far away. He immediately ran in that direction. He was agile and quickly disappeared into the bushes, and the patrolling soldiers lost sight of him for a moment.
"He ran that way, hurry and chase after him!" another soldier shouted, and the patrol immediately changed direction and chased after Shi Ji in the direction he had run.
However, Shi Ji had already taken advantage of this opportunity to quietly circle around to their rear. He chuckled inwardly, realizing that these soldiers' tracking skills were far from adequate. With a light leap, he climbed a tall tree and hid among the dense foliage.
The patrol soldiers searched the area but found no trace of Shi Ji. They looked at each other, clearly puzzled.
"Where did he go? Can he fly?" a soldier muttered.
"Stop talking nonsense, keep searching! He must still be nearby," the captain ordered sternly.
Shi Ji heard everything clearly from the tree, which made him even more certain. He waited until the patrol was completely out of his sight before quietly sliding down the tree and continuing to move towards the other side of the base.
As he moved forward, he silently repeated Liu Yichen's name in his heart.
As Shi Ji silently chanted Liu Yichen's name, he used the light and agile movements of a cultivator, seemingly blending into the night. He thought to himself, "Brother Liu, wait for me. I will definitely return safely to discuss important matters with you."
Just as he was about to approach the other side of the base, he suddenly sensed a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy. Shi Ji was startled and immediately stopped, concealing herself and cautiously observing her surroundings.
"Could there be an ambush by cultivators here?" Shi Ji wondered to herself, while releasing her spiritual power to try to sense the source of the fluctuation.
Just then, a deep voice sounded in Shi Ji's ear: "Don't panic, I am a friend, not an enemy."
Shi Ji's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately looked in the direction of the sound. She saw a cultivator dressed in a black robe slowly walking towards her. His face was hidden in the shadow of the black robe, but Shi Ji could feel the powerful spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from him.
"Who are you? Why are you here?" Shi Ji asked in a deep voice, remaining vigilant and ready to deal with any possible emergencies. The black-robed cultivator smiled slightly and said, "I am one of the guardians of the base, responsible for monitoring the surrounding area. I sensed that you are not an enemy, so I came here specifically to inform you."
Upon hearing this, Shi Ji felt somewhat relieved, but remained vigilant. He asked, "Then why are you telling me this? Aren't you afraid I might be an enemy spy?"
The black-robed cultivator shook his head and said, "I have my own way of distinguishing friend from foe. Moreover, I sense that you and Liu Yichen have a deep bond. He is a hero I admire, so I am willing to believe you."
Upon hearing this, Shi Ji felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He nodded and said, "Thank you for your trust. I am indeed Liu Yichen's teammate. Our mission is to safely transport the doctors to the base."
The black-robed cultivator nodded and said, "I understand. I'll help you out. Follow me; I know a hidden passage that can bypass the patrols and take you directly into the base."
Shi Ji nodded slightly, signaling the black-robed cultivator to lead the way. They walked carefully through the jungle, one after the other, avoiding the patrol's sight. The black-robed cultivator led Shi Ji around a dense thicket of bushes, finally stopping in front of a huge rock.
"There is a hidden passage behind this rock that leads to the interior of the base," the black-robed cultivator said, then gently pressed his hand on the rock, and a hidden stone door slowly opened, revealing a deep passage.
Shi Ji nodded to indicate that she understood, and then said to the black-robed cultivator, "Thank you for your help, we will be careful."
The black-robed cultivator smiled slightly and said, "No need to be so polite. You need to go inside quickly; I will cover your movements from outside."
Shi Ji nodded gratefully and quickly entered the hidden passage. The passage was pitch black, but Shi Ji, relying on her spiritual perception as a cultivator, moved easily through the darkness. The passage was winding and seemingly meticulously designed, making it difficult to find the exit.
After traveling for some time, Shi Ji finally saw a faint light ahead. He quickened his pace and walked towards the light. Soon, he passed through the passage and arrived at a spacious underground hall.
The hall was brightly lit, and several physicians in white robes were busily arranging various medical equipment. Seeing them, Shi Ji felt slightly relieved and quickly stepped forward, asking, "You must be the physicians sent by Liu Yichen?"
One of the older doctors looked up at Shi Ji and nodded, saying, "Yes, that's us. He has already notified us via communicator that you are coming."
Shi Ji breathed a sigh of relief and then said, "That's great. We need to prepare quickly, as the situation here could change at any moment. You need to get everything ready as soon as possible and be prepared to evacuate at any time."
The doctors nodded in agreement and quickly sped up their work. Shi Ji stood guard to ensure nothing went wrong. A few minutes later, the doctors were ready and could set off at any time.
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside, and the black-robed cultivator reappeared. He said with slight anxiety, "We have to leave quickly. The patrol team here seems to have discovered something amiss and is approaching."
Upon hearing this, Shi Ji immediately instructed the physicians to follow the black-robed cultivator away. They quickly returned to the surface via a hidden passage, avoiding the patrol's sight, and finally safely returned to the depths of the jungle.
The black-robed cultivator breathed a sigh of relief and said, "It seems we are safe for now. However, you must leave here as soon as possible, as the patrol may return at any time."
Shi Ji looked at the black-robed cultivator gratefully and said, "Thank you for your help so many times; otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to escape danger. By the way, I still don't know your name. Could you tell me?"
The black-robed cultivator smiled slightly and said, "My name is Mo Xuan, and I am one of the guardians of the base. I am happy to be able to help you and Liu Yichen. Now, you must leave quickly and find a safer place to hide."
Shi Ji nodded and said, "Mo Xuan, I've remembered that name. We'll leave as soon as possible, and you take care too."
Mo Xuan nodded and said, "I will. You all should be careful too. I hope we'll have a chance to meet again."
After speaking, Mo Xuan turned and disappeared into the night. Shi Ji, along with the doctors, quickly left the dangerous place according to their previous plan. They traversed the jungle, bypassed patrols, and finally found a relatively safe and secluded spot.
There, they met up with Liu Yichen and safely handed the physicians over to him. Liu Yichen was overjoyed to see Shi Ji return safely. He patted Shi Ji on the shoulder and said, "Good brother, you did a great job. Our mission is now a complete success."
Shi Ji smiled slightly and said, "This is also thanks to Mo Xuan's help. He is a trustworthy partner."
Liu Yichen nodded, pondering deeply, "Mo Xuan is indeed a rare friend. We must remember his kindness." He looked around at the exhausted doctors, his tone softening, "Everyone, take a rest first. Next, we need to consider our next step."
The doctors nodded, looking gratefully at Shi Ji and Liu Yichen. During this tense escape, they deeply understood the importance of these two warriors. Shi Ji, meanwhile, was pondering future plans. He knew that although they were temporarily safe, danger still lurked all around.
In the stillness of the night, the doctors had already fallen asleep, while Shi Ji and Liu Yichen sat by the campfire, discussing their future plans in hushed tones.
"We need to find a safe place to hide for a long time, and at the same time, we need to find out the enemy's movements," Shi Ji said in a deep voice.
Liu Yichen nodded, his eyes filled with determination: "I have several friends scattered in different places, and they may know more information. We can split up and go gather information."
Shi Ji frowned slightly, saying worriedly, "Splitting up is very risky. We need to ensure that communication between us remains uninterrupted. The base that Mo Xuan mentioned could perhaps serve as a temporary base for us."
“Yes, since Mo Xuan is the guardian there, it means there is a certain level of security there,” Liu Yichen agreed. “However, we still need to be fully prepared. We’ll set off first thing tomorrow morning.”
The two continued to discuss some details and finally decided to set off early the next morning. At dawn, Shi Ji and Liu Yichen, along with the physicians, embarked on their journey once again.
As dawn broke, Shi Ji and Liu Yichen woke the physicians, and after a quick packing, the group set off. Their destination was Black Valley, a little-known, secluded place, said to be treacherous and rarely visited.
Shi Ji, leading the way, gripped her longsword, constantly alert to any movement around her. Liu Yichen followed closely behind, frequently turning back to check on the healers' condition and ensure the group's safety. Although exhausted, the healers, encouraged by Shi Ji and Liu Yichen, continued their arduous journey. (End of Chapter)