Chapter 67 The mysterious voice
The shadow seemed to have completely disappeared and didn't appear again. Shu Huan was glad that she didn't act rashly and woke up Du Qiu, but her alertness had been mobilized. Any sound could make her nervous. It happened that it was indispensable that there were all kinds of strange sound coming from the forest. It inspired her infinite imagination. Hence, she became more and more nervous.
When one's nerves were very tensed, one would feel easily tired. Like this, she kept watch while trembling in fear till the second half of the night. She had already yawned countless of times. However, when she saw that Gu Xiran and the others were sleeping soundly, she didn't want to wake them up. She could only strongly tell herself to keep watch and persist for a bit more…
Persisting till the end, her eyes had been closing involuntarily. Suddenly, she felt her shoulders sank. There seemed to be something on her shoulders. She was immediately woken up from the shock and almost screamed.
Fortunately, a low voice that was deliberately repressed and that contained a bit of hoarseness from being just woken up calmed her mind.
"Why didn't you wake me up?"
It was Gu Xiran who put the cloak on her shoulders.
Shu Huan rubbed her chest while she whispered a complaint, "You have scared me!"
While talking, she handed him the leather water sack after he sat down next to her.
Gu Xiran raised his head and took a few gulps. He had completely woken up. Seeing that she was very sleepy, he smiled, "Go sleep, I will keep watch."
The two just said a few words in a very soft voice, but Du Qiu had still been woken up. In the end, they were forced to go sleep. Du Qiu would keep watch the second half of the night.
After Shu Huan lay down, Gu Xiran squeezed to her side. One cloak covered the two. At her side was a bit more of the cloak and a bit less at his side. Shu Huan originally wanted to kick him and let him sleep farther away from her. However, she was too tired. She opened her mouth and fell asleep before she muttered a few words. She didn't even know that Gu Xiran took the opportunity to held her waist and to let each other's body temperature keep them warm. Du Qiu who was awake felt a bit embarrassed after seeing that.
—
One night passed peacefully. Shu Huan slept till noon. When she rubbed her eyes, she saw that the Gu brothers were already rushed to climb the cliff once again. Under the sunlight, the feeling that danger lurked on every side disappeared from the forest. She even doubted herself. She felt that she went a bit overboard when she trembled in fear and felt that it was like a dream.
Originally, they planned to go back after spending a night in the mountain, but Shu Huan's ankle had been sprained. Although, it wasn't serious, it still affected her walking. Moreover, going down the mountain was more difficult than climbing it. It would be very dangerous if one slipped. Hence, Gu Xiran decided to stay here for a few more days. They would leave when her ankle was better. While he was at it, he could also let Gu Xihe climb the cliff a few more times in hope that he would overcome his fear of heights.
Since it was like this, Shu Huan adjusted her sleeping schedule. She would sleep during the day and keep watch at night. Although, it was a bit tiring, but everyone had things to do during the day. Aside from occasionally taking a walk nearby and pick some wild grass and flowers to make baskets, she only had one thing to do which was sleeping.
Two days passed peacefully like this. Nothing happened. Only when she kept watch every night, she would hear some special footsteps as if something was walking on the grass. However, every time she turned; she didn't see anything. She couldn't help but tell Du Qiu and the others. In the end, she was laughed at by Gu Xihe for being overly suspicious. After all, it was indispensable that there were some sounds from the forest. Even that shadow may be an illusion of her eyes.
The others didn't laugh at her. However, aside from sounds, there was nothing unusual. They could only think that she was too nervous and associated normal sound with a mystery. Gu Xiran even let her to not keep watch anymore and to go sleep peacefully.
Shu Huan refused stubbornly. She didn't want them who was tired from a whole day of work to keep watch in her stead. Hence, on the third day, she came up with a plan. Before the sound, she would lay on the ground and pretend to be asleep. In fact, she would only close her eyes slightly and watch the movements of the forest.
After a long time, the familiar sound was heard again. This time, Shu Huan saw a black figure emerge slowly from the forest and stood under the bright moonlight.
That figure…
Shu Huan's eyes widened from shock. She covered her mouth tightly with her hands and restrained herself from screaming.
Wasn't a wild animal!
It was because it wasn't a wild animal that she was shocked!
The figure under the moon was a person!
Here was deep in the mountain. It wouldn't be strange if there were wild animals. Of course, it also wasn't particularly strange to meet a person occasionally. However, it was very strange that this person always appeared in the middle of the night and acted so mysteriously! Especially, that slightly stooped figure that was short and thin. It looked like a very malnourished child.
In the middle of the night, deep in the mountains, a mysterious figure of a child…
How could Shu Huan imagine something normal from these? She only felt the goosebumps on her body. She couldn't help but feel that her blood ran cold.
The black figure stood in the moonlight and didn't move.
Shu Huan went blank from shock. She also didn't move. When her senses finally returned and she wanted to quietly reach out to push Du Qiu to wake him up without alarming the figure, the figure finally moved. The figure ran very fast to the fire. She could clearly see that it was indeed a child. However, with the child's disheveled hair, the child looked like a ghost…
She couldn't help it anymore and didn't care whether she would alarm that figure; she reached out and pushed Du Qiu as if her life depends on it.
Du Qiu was very alert when he slept. He was immediately woken up by her. The moment he opened his eyes, he saw the mysterious figure ran to a foot away from the fire. Hence, he didn't even think and jumped on the figure.
"Ah…"
A scream split through the silent night.
Even in his dreams, Gu Xiran felt his heart tighten. He turned and sat up. He saw Shu Huan staring with an open mouth in a direction.
That scream didn't come from her. It came from the person that had been caught by Du Qiu. At this moment, that person was struggling fiercely. She screamed one after another higher pitched screams. This awakened everyone.
If they let this person continue to scream like this, there may be a chance that wild animals would be attracted to here. Therefore, Du Qiu decisively, tore a piece from his clothes, stuffed it into that person's mouth and blocked that harsh sound. Then, he lifted her to the edge of the fire.
Only now did they see the appearance of that person…
Disheveled and greasy hair that was entangled with each other. Her body was covered in clothes so dirty that the color of the clothes couldn't be distinguished. Even the face was covered with mud. The appearance couldn't be seen clearly. Only those eyes that were illuminated by the fire were clearly visible. However, there were extreme panic and fear in those eyes. The way those eyes looked at them was like looking at monsters that eat people.
Heavens!
Shu Huan covered her mouth once again. This person wasn't a ghost of the mountains as she had imagined. From the ragged and dirty clothes, she could discern that this was a girl!