Xie Jinghuai shifted slightly to the side, his gaze falling on the rustling dark shadow behind him.
In an instant, he ducked behind the thickest tree nearby.
A wild boar.
A massive wild boar weighing at least six hundred pounds.
Something like this couldn’t be handled alone.
That was Xie Jinghuai’s first thought as he looked at the rifle in his hand.
His expression turned solemn.
He wondered where Ruan Liuzheng was at that moment.
Meanwhile, Ruan Liuzheng’s heart pounded violently in her chest. She had also spotted the powerful wild boar.
Every now and then, it twitched its snout, letting out low grunting sounds.
It seemed to be rooting around for medicinal herbs.
It wandered leisurely, sniffing the ground as it slowly approached the tree where Ruan Liuzheng was hiding.
It nudged the base of the tree before lifting its head to look upward.
Ruan Liuzheng tensed immediately, her entire body turning cold.
There was no way she could fight a wild boar!
Sob…
Fortunately, the boar merely wandered beneath the tree without launching an attack.
Xie Jinghuai glanced toward the tree and immediately understood what was happening.
He didn’t dare let his guard down for even a second. Staying perfectly concealed, every nerve in his body remained on high alert.
The hallmark of a sniper was remaining calm in the face of danger and dealing with every situation with composure.
Holding her breath, Ruan Liuzheng watched as, in the darkness, the wild boar slowly wandered a few more steps. Its ears flicked as it eventually turned and walked away.
A sharp glint flashed through Xie Jinghuai’s eyes. Once the boar had moved a fair distance away, he swiftly ran toward the tree where Ruan Liuzheng was hiding.
In just a few quick movements, he climbed into the tree.
There he found Ruan Liuzheng biting her lip tightly, her eyes filled with fear.
She had curled herself into a tiny ball, trembling uncontrollably. She looked utterly pitiful.
The instant she saw Xie Jinghuai, tears spilled from her eyes without warning.
“Don’t move.”
Only after pulling her into his arms did Xie Jinghuai realize just how frightened she was.
His arms tightened instinctively, holding her securely in his lap.
“Ruan Liuzheng? Ruan Liuzheng?”
She seemed as though her soul had left her body. Her fists were clenched tightly, and her eyes were vacant.
Alarmed by her condition, Xie Jinghuai gently patted her back.
“Don’t be afraid. The wild boar has already left.”
Ruan Liuzheng tightly grasped his large hand and buried her face against his neck, sobbing quietly.
A sharp ache gripped Xie Jinghuai’s heart.
Just then, he gently patted her shoulder.
“In a moment, don’t be afraid. Hold on to me tightly.”
Ruan Liuzheng immediately wrapped both arms around his neck.
Xie Jinghuai reached behind him and drew out his rifle.
The wild boar, which had seemingly left, had returned, snorting heavily through its nose.
The air was filled with a deadly tension.
Then, slowly, a black bear emerged from the nearby brush.
A fierce battle was about to erupt.
Xie Jinghuai’s nerves were stretched to their limit. He didn’t dare relax for even an instant.
The wild boar suddenly kicked off the ground, driving its sharp tusks toward the black bear.
The bear was no easy opponent either. The moment it was struck, it clamped its jaws onto the boar’s neck and slammed it to the ground with a powerful swipe of its paw.
The wild boar lunged again, crashing directly into the black bear beneath the tree.
In that split second—
Bang! Bang!
Two gunshots rang out.
Both the bear and the wild boar were struck in their vital spots.
Their agonized roars echoed through the forest.
With Ruan Liuzheng on his back, Xie Jinghuai sprinted desperately through the darkness.
The wind howled past his ears.
Then he realized—
The wounded wild boar was still chasing after them.
“Xie Jinghuai! There’s a lake ahead!”
Without hesitation, Xie Jinghuai leaped into it.
He could have dealt with the wild boar alone, but with Ruan Liuzheng beside him, he couldn’t gamble with her life.
The moment they plunged into the water, Ruan Liuzheng lost consciousness.
As for why she fainted, perhaps only she herself knew.
By the time Xie Jinghuai carried her back to shore, she was completely unconscious.
Holding her in his arms, he couldn’t help but think—
How could she be so light?
The moment his gaze fell upon her, he immediately looked away.
Her once-loose clothes had become soaked through, clinging tightly to her body and outlining her graceful figure.
Xie Jinghuai’s breathing gradually grew heavier.
Silently, he cursed himself for being a beast.
What on earth am I thinking?
The forest was cloaked in darkness, and the entire world seemed to have fallen silent.
A trace of embarrassment flashed through Xie Jinghuai’s eyes. He searched for a place where they could dry their clothes. Otherwise, they would get sick.
The person in his arms suddenly stirred.
His gaze shifted slightly as a faint, delicate fragrance lingered around the tip of his nose.
His cool voice carried a hint of restraint.
“You’re awake. Can you walk on your own?”
As if startled, Ruan Liuzheng abruptly lifted her head.
“Ah—”
The man let out a muffled groan.
Ruan Liuzheng clutched her aching forehead, her eyes reddening innocently.
“Y-You’re not hurt, are you? I’m sorry.”
Xie Jinghuai rubbed his now-reddened chin.
“I’m fine.”
As he spoke, he quickly looked away.
“Let’s find a place to dry your clothes.”
“Okay,” Ruan Liuzheng replied softly.
Like a well-behaved young wife, she followed behind him with small, light steps.
Her head remained lowered, her eyes calm and unreadable.
It’s fine. I still have another plan.
Before long, Xie Jinghuai found a suitable spot and built a fire.
His deep voice broke the silence.
“I’ll stay over there. You go first.”
“Okay,” Ruan Liuzheng answered gently.
She quietly sat beside the fire and removed her outer jacket to dry it, while the shirt underneath clung tightly to her body.
A long while passed.
Xie Jinghuai heard no movement.
When he turned around, he saw her sitting obediently with her head drooping, nodding off like a little fawn.
Her jacket had already slipped halfway onto the ground.
He slowly walked over and let out a quiet sigh.
Silently, he sat beside her.
The girl’s tilted head suddenly found support, and she instinctively rested it against his shoulder, falling into a deep sleep.
When Xie Jinghuai turned his head, he happened to notice that the collar of her shirt had loosened slightly.
Her delicate collarbone peeked through, and beneath it, the faint outline of her fair, full curves was barely visible.
It was impossible to ignore.
He froze for a moment before immediately looking away.
Just then, he felt something warm dripping down.
A nosebleed?
He… had a nosebleed?
He instinctively touched beneath his nose.
The warm liquid was still flowing.
The bright red blood on his fingertips looked even more obvious in the firelight.
Xie Jinghuai: “…”
Silence.
Nothing but silence.
Should he push her away…
Or not?
A chilly breeze swept through.
Ruan Liuzheng instinctively curled up.
“So cold…”
Her soft, sweet voice was barely above a whisper.
Without realizing it, she leaned even closer to Xie Jinghuai.
He could feel the soft warmth brushing against his arm from time to time.
The nosebleed only became worse.
He raised a hand to stop it.
It didn’t seem to help.
Perhaps because he was moving too much…
Ruan Liuzheng slowly opened her sleepy eyes.
She stared in astonishment at Xie Jinghuai, whose nose was streaming with blood.
She was stunned for a full three seconds.
Seriously? You actually got a nosebleed?!
“Y-You… Comrade Xie, are you alright?”
Xie Jinghuai hurriedly turned away.
“I-I’m fine.”
Seeing him like this, Ruan Liuzheng had to struggle to keep her expression from twisting into a smile.
Hahaha…
I never expected Xie Jinghuai to be this innocent.
Pretending to be deeply concerned, she spoke with urgency in her voice.
“Comrade Xie, are you really okay?”
Xie Jinghuai stiffened all over.
“I… I’ll go wash up.”
“Y-You should hurry and dry your clothes.”
A smile flickered in Ruan Liuzheng’s eyes.
What should I do?
The target of this conquest is surprisingly adorable.