Shan Ming quickly cleaned up the wolf leg. When he turned his head, he saw the child holding the branch with both hands, turning and roasting over the fire. The firelight illuminated his small face, making the tear stains on it visibly clear.
After Shan Ming finished, he leaned against a nearby tree to rest. He took off his dirty camouflage jacket and unwrapped the bandage on his arm, intending to change the dressing.
He didn’t carry many medical supplies with him, he only had half a roll of bandages left, and it was damp at that. The conditions here are so bad that his originally small wound had now become increasingly severe. Shan Ming frowned at the infected wound, but there was nothing he could do.
He did a simple treatment, applied some medicine, and then wrapped it with the clean bandage. He must get out of here as soon as possible. He knew that with his current condition, his arm will not be able to hold on for more than a few days.
After he was done, he looked up and saw the child standing there with his lips tightly pursed, sweating profusely from the heat of the fire. His tattered clothes were fluttering in the wind, and Shan Ming felt as if the ragged pieces were about to float into the fire.
After a while, the aroma of the meat drifted over. Shan Ming’s mouth watered and he couldn’t take his eyes away from the meat. After another while, the child turned around and walked towards him with the branch in his hand. He delivered the meat in front of Shan Ming and asked, “Is it done?”
Shan Ming took it and looked at it. He didn’t care about burning his mouth and took a bite first. He ate so impatiently that he got his mouth blistered. But he didn’t care, he was so hungry that he could hardly stand.
Shen Changze stared at Shan Ming with his dark eyes, his mouth watered with envy as he watched the large pieces of meat disappearing into Shan Ming’s mouth.
Shan Ming devoured the meat in just a few bites. Then he raised his head and glanced at the child before returning the branch to him. He ordered, “Keep it going.”
The child took the branch and silently returned to the fire. He skewered several more pieces of meat and used some effort to hold up the somewhat heavy branch, eagerly hoping it would cook faster.
After this process was repeated several times, Shan Ming finally managed to swallow several big pieces of tasteless meat. Although it wasn’t delicious, it still solved the biggest problem at present. After Shan Ming was full, Shen Changze was finally able to hide himself in the corner, ripping off the wolf meat and sending it into his mouth, looking very reluctant.
Shan Ming gave him a strange look. Normally, someone who had gone hungry for a long time wouldn’t be picky about food no matter how it tasted. He asked, “Is it not good?”
The child swallowed a small piece of meat with difficulty and nodded.
Shan Ming snorted, “You’re being picky about food in a place like this?”
The child was silent for a second, then said, “There’s a type of bug, it’s sweet and tastes better than this.”
Shan Ming was shocked, “You ate bugs?”
The child’s eyes became red again, “I was too hungry.”
Shan Ming couldn’t help but feel that this kid’s luck had broken through the sky. To be able to catch and eat random bugs in this devilish forest without being poisoned to death is truly a miracle.
The reason why Shan Ming went hungry for the past three days was that there were very few mammals in this wetland. Although there were plentiful insects and other flying things, he either didn’t dare to eat them or they were too difficult to catch. He even tried to hold back from all the plants as much as possible. As a result, he was left with an empty stomach for three days. The year he was 13, he fought a guerrilla war in Africa for six days, which was the longest he held out eating only wild grass. However, at that time, he didn’t have to stay awake for 24 hours a day, nor did he need to walk in a highly alert state for more than ten hours in a wetland.
Because he had his comrades with him at that time.
Being alone, his physical exertion was so close to its limit. On such a thought, maybe meeting this child was a good thing. At least he could talk to him to keep himself awake for a little longer, instead of falling into a deep sleep.
It’s a pity that a five-year-old child isn’t a qualified and trustable comrade. He still can’t shut his eyes until he reaches a place he considers safe.
After filling his stomach, Shan Ming felt even more sleepy. The exhaustion of the past few days constantly emerged from various painful parts of his body, and he really wanted to collapse on the ground and sleep for a long time.
After forcing himself to stay awake, Shan Ming pinched his thigh to clear his mind. He knew he had to keep moving as soon as possible after eating. However, when he opened his eyes, he found that the child had already fallen asleep on the ground. Shan Ming felt envious, sometimes ignorance could be blissful.
Shan Ming picked up his backpack, gun, and dagger. He walked to Shen Changze and kicked him.
The child instantly woke up amid confusion and quickly got up from the ground.
Shan Ming said, “We’re leaving.” Although this child was a small burden, he decided to take him with him. As long as he can keep himself awake, it would be meaningful to have him.
The child frowned with his pretty little face and said, “I can’t walk anymore. Let’s rest a bit.”
Shan Ming said coldly, “Up to you.” Then he extinguished the fire and started walking away.
Shen Changze sobbed a few times, picked up his own food, and followed him.
The child was scared shitless by the sounds of various birds and animals in the forest. The silence between him and Shan Ming made him feel isolated. He could not help but want to talk to him, so he asked quietly behind him, “Uncle, what’s your name?”
Shan Ming casually told him his name.
“How old are you?”
Shan Ming thought hard, “Seventeen, eighteen, or nineteen, but probably eighteen.”
“Why don’t you know your own age?”
“Why do I have to know? It’s not anything useful.”
The child thought for a while and said, “You can use it to celebrate your birthday.”
Shan Ming was too lazy to answer. There wasn’t much to say to a child, but unfortunately, he had no other choice for a conversation partner.
“Uncle, will we die?”
Shan Ming said, “Dunno about you, but I certainly will not.”
The child sobbed, “I don’t want to die. Mommy and Daddy will come to save me.”
Shan Ming, lacking the emotional intelligence to tell a white lie, said bluntly, “Give up, they won’t be able to find you.”
“That won’t happen, they’re very powerful, they will definitely find me!”
Shan Ming suddenly recalled that this child had fallen here on a private plane, so he must have a strong family background. If it were not for the unfavorable situation, he would really like to find the plane and take a look at the wreckage. If this child really is of high status, it won’t be surprising for his parents to find him. It’s a pity that this child can’t stay in place for people to find him. Otherwise, even if someone found him, they will only find a pile of white bones.
As of currently, only getting out of here can assure them of a chance of living.