WS - Chapter 132

Chapter 132

Some things need not be spelled out.

She hadn't yet digested the blow from Mu Xingzhou, and now Ni Jinghe had changed her mind.

Ni Jinghe's soft "Yes" was the last straw that weighed on Ning Chuyang's heart.

Ning Chuyang unconsciously bit her lip, as if afraid that the slightest relaxation would let her emotions burst their banks.

Moments ago, Mu Xingzhou, feeling too ashamed to face anyone, had left the tent. Now, Ning Chuyang, eyes glistening with tears, also turned and ran away, somewhat breaking down.

In the tent, only the standing Ni Jinghe and the lying Feng Qianqian remained.

"Sorry..." After a long silence, Ni Jinghe spoke softly again.

But the one lying there seemed completely unconscious, under the influence of the medication.

In fact, not long after the heavy rain stopped in the afternoon, Wang Daming had approached Ni Jinghe when she was briefly alone and talked to her. At that time, Ni Jinghe had worked through the night with Ning Chuyang and Mu Xingzhou, and their solidarity was at a high point. When Wang Daming came and said that quite a few people in the team now wanted to split into groups, Ni Jinghe's first thought was that there were also many who didn't want to split; perhaps if they argued forcefully together, they could delay the split. Ni Jinghe definitely didn't want to abandon Feng Qianqian, so in the face of Wang Daming's probing, she immediately took a firm stand, hoping that those who wanted to split would temporarily drop the idea after seeing how many were unwilling.

But who could have expected...

It had only been a short while, and the decision to split was a done deal.

In the team, the attitudes of Zhao Da and Zhao Er were decisive; Ni Jinghe hadn't expected them to be so set on splitting. Even when Ning Chuyang categorically refuted the "for the safety of the majority" argument, they were willing to shamelessly abandon that reasoning and stubbornly insist on splitting.

Ni Jinghe couldn't quite figure it out, but by that point, whether she understood or not no longer mattered to the overall situation.

She had originally thought that if Guan Yongyi and Mu Xingzhou both stayed, staying—even if the odds were against them—still meant there was some chance of survival.

But, the human heart...

Ni Jinghe couldn't help but press her hand to her own heart.

No matter how much she tried to shift blame or make excuses, she ultimately could no longer live as bravely and sunnily as Ning Chuyang.

As for Ning Chuyang, with tears in her eyes she ran out of Feng Qianqian's tent and instinctively headed toward Yu Nianbing and Song Shiyue's.

But after only a couple of steps, she forced herself to halt.

The numerical advantage she had so confidently declared in front of Zhao Da and Zhao Er not long ago had become a joke, striking her face and heart like a sledgehammer. Now... was she going to destroy Yu Nianbing's faith and determination?

Ning Chuyang's limbs shrank back, but being abandoned by people like Captain Yang and Wang Daming was completely different from being given up by Mu Xingzhou and Ni Jinghe, whom she had once felt aligned with.

Ning Chuyang's pain had nowhere to vent; her heart felt so awful it was about to burst, yet in this vast camp, at this moment, she didn't know where to go or to whom she could pour out her grief.

Just as Ning Chuyang's gaze began to wander, a soft whimpering sound came from nearby.

She turned her head instinctively, and upon seeing the fluffy creature wagging its tail at her, her blank eyes began to slowly focus...

In that short time, from two blows, Ning Chuyang ultimately didn't shed tears, but many viewers on StarNet couldn't stop crying.

"Our little Chuyang really has it so hard... so hard..."

"Ah, watching Ning Chuyang hugging the dog for comfort is truly heartbreaking. This really is a case of teammates being worse than a dog."

"Rationally, what Ni Jinghe said... makes sense. But what's up with this team? Do all the good people I was rooting for have to be abandoned?"

"The survival instinct people show in the face of disaster really can't be judged purely as good or bad. Abandoning a burden can sometimes be a way of helping others. But! Damn, they're abandoning way too early! We have food, water, and tents—at least hold on until the next camp!"

"Right! Honestly, what's with these people? And what's this data that Zhao Da and Zhao Er keep mentioning? How come it feels like they already knew how these people would choose?"

"Friend above must have not seen the trending topics on StarNet. There are leaks saying that the guests and crew members of The Wilderness Journey entering Wilderness Planet were all carefully selected by the Mu brothers for their selfish and cold personalities, just so they'd cause internal chaos after the Yaoxing Storm and make it easier for Zhao Da and Zhao Er to target Mu Xingzhou."

"I saw a hot topic too, but it wasn't a leak. Someone guessed that Zhao Da and Zhao Er don't seem like suicide soldiers, and it's unlikely they'd agree to experience a Yaoxing Storm and earthquakes in such a dangerous place as a cave. This might be another move by the Mu brothers, a design that includes the killers themselves."

"??? The kind where if they don't get crushed to death, they keep killing?"

"Feels like multiple layers of design, the kind that works depending on luck. After all, on Wilderness Planet, time and distance are uncontrollable. If not crushed, then killed; if not killed, maybe internal conflict finishes them off; if that fails, maybe starvation will do it..."

"Hah, in the end, even if Mu Xingzhou doesn't die, the blame can't be pinned on them. They've already found their scapegoats. Do you know Yao Yuxi of Yao Group Technology in the Mingtan System? A huge scapegoat."

"Yeah, that Yao Yuxi from the hot search—'Mingtan Prime Yao Group's Yao Yuxi Arrested by Police'—which was trending number one before the Mu Xingzhou love-child and Zhao Da assassin revelations."

"I missed it! Please give me the details..."

Rebuilding the livestream, leaking information bit by bit—even though the heat wasn't at its prime yet, Ye Liu already couldn't wait any longer.

The moment she saw the scene of Mu Xingzhou fleeing in panic in the face of Ning Chuyang's questioning, Ye Liu knew the Mu Group's last shred of reputation was teetering. It was the perfect time to push Yao Yuxi's grievance onto the table.

On StarNet, everything that had happened on Mingtan Prime the day of the Yaoxing Storm on Wilderness Planet was being brought up again. A new wave was brewing.

Meanwhile, on Wilderness Planet, whether those who were leaving or staying, whether guilty or grieving, after packing up, everyone returned to their own tents.

Ning Chuyang, having found enough warmth and comfort from the fluffy Dog, had finally patched her shattered heart back together in a makeshift way. But she dawdled, not wanting to return to the tent where Ni Jinghe was.

She didn't know why, but ever since certain suspicions had arisen, whenever Ning Chuyang wanted to approach Yu Nianbing and Song Shiyue when they were alone together, she would unconsciously lighten her steps and crane her neck, sneaking like a thief...

Even now, with Song Shiyue unconscious, as she neared their tent, Ning Chuyang still found herself doing the same.

Just as she reached the tent entrance, Ning Chuyang was met by Yu Nianbing's alert gaze as she turned her head, kneeling inside the tent.

At the very moment Ning Chuyang had just managed to glue her broken little heart together, such a look from Yu Nianbing sent a chill through her chest, followed by a pang of sourness, and inexplicably... a touch of grievance.

But thankfully, Yu Nianbing's guarded look quickly faded, replaced by a gentle one.

"What's wrong?" Yu Nianbing had just spoken when she couldn't help but cover her mouth and yawn. "I was so drowsy just now, I'm glad the sound of you coming woke me up. Otherwise, we'd both be asleep with the tent still wide open."

Ning Chuyang looked at Yu Nianbing, whose eyes were brimming with tears, rubbing her neck, and noted her somewhat disheveled hair. So that look just now was just the instinct of being jolted awake, not wariness toward her? Ning Chuyang's mood immediately lifted.

"Teacher Yu, you should sleep," Ning Chuyang offered a faint smile and stepped back.

But Yu Nianbing shifted to the side, patting the last remaining bit of space inside the tent, and said gently, "I'm awake now; I won't sleep yet. Song Shiyue woke up in the middle of the night yesterday—I'll wait and see again. Would you like to sit with me?"

Ning Chuyang, who had no desire to return to that other tent, could hardly refuse.

However, Yu Nianbing was already tired, and Ning Chuyang had matters weighing on her mind. The two only chatted sporadically for a while before falling silent again.

But... it was fine.

Whatever feelings made Yu Nianbing decide to stay, Ning Chuyang felt... it was truly good.

How terrified Ning Chuyang was that in the end, if no one else wanted to stay, would she at that point have...

Thank goodness, there was still Yu Nianbing.

Thank goodness, she didn't have to face that test.

Under cover of night, Ning Chuyang tilted her head and reached up to wipe away the tears that had sneakily escaped the corner of her eye.

After a long while, the sound of footsteps and firewood being tossed came from the campfire area.

Ning Chuyang scooted out a bit and glanced at the fire, which was gradually growing stronger, then at the tent belonging to Wang Daming and Director Zhang not far away... and at the chain tethered to the tree on the other side of the tent.

Of the Dog tethered by that chain, blocked as it was by the tent, she could only faintly make out the tip of a tail in the distance.

"Teacher Yu..." Ning Chuyang spoke in a low voice.

Yu Nianbing, who had been able to relax a little with Ning Chuyang beside her and had been resting with her eyes closed, now opened them.

Ning Chuyang pressed herself closer to Yu Nianbing and lowered her voice even further. "Earlier I heard Wang Daming say he wanted to eat the dog. Did you hear that?"

Yu Nianbing nodded.

"Do you think Wang Daming meant it?" Ning Chuyang asked again.

"If they run out of food, the dog becomes emergency rations," Yu Nianbing had no doubt about Wang Daming's sincerity. She glanced at Ning Chuyang, then countered, "Why, do you want to save it?"

"Teacher Yu, you want to as well?" Ning Chuyang's tone carried a cautious delight.

Yu Nianbing was silent.

It was true. The Dog was so cute and clingy, had gotten along well with them these past few days, and had even helped find the cattle the production team had hidden. For all these reasons, Yu Nianbing couldn't bear to watch it become food for those people.

But... before Ning Chuyang brought it up, Yu Nianbing had been hesitating.

Those people, whom others saw as helpers but she saw as threats, would be leaving tomorrow.

The unconscious Song Shiyue was even easier to manage than a rabbit. Yu Nianbing's sole focus was protecting this person, and creating other trouble at this juncture was clearly unwise.

Still... Yu Nianbing really didn't want the Dog to end up eaten by those people just like that.

Thus, Ning Chuyang had given Yu Nianbing a reason to act.

Unlike Yu Nianbing, who harbored certain special feelings for Song Shiyue and could not bear to leave her behind...

Ning Chuyang... this girl, she was genuinely kind.

Whether toward Song Shiyue, Feng Qianqian, or that Dog, Ning Chuyang's considerations all began from kindness.

When Ning Chuyang had come over earlier, Yu Nianbing had noticed something was off about her mood. She had been fine when she returned after eating the salad, carrying herself with a confident, spirited air, but when she came back, she'd been like a frost-battered eggplant.

Since Yu Nianbing saw no sign of retreat in Ning Chuyang's eyes, she could only boldly guess that Mu Xingzhou and Ni Jinghe, with whom Ning Chuyang had been in contact, might have had different thoughts.

But since Ning Chuyang didn't say anything, Yu Nianbing didn't press. Whatever needed to be known, they'd all know by morning.

Yu Nianbing had no intention of trying hard to keep people who didn't genuinely want to stay.

By that count, there wouldn't be many staying.

Perhaps, in the end, only Yu Nianbing, Ning Chuyang, and Zhuang Jiachuan would remain.

Since the conversation about saving the Dog had reached this point, it was clear that her own goodwill would give Ning Chuyang, who was staying, a greater sense of belonging.

People, especially those in adversity, needed more positive emotions to live better and strive harder.

And so Yu Nianbing, who had already been inclined to save the Dog, now had an even stronger reason.

"Let's wait a little longer. I have a feeling Song Shiyue will also wake up tonight..." Yu Nianbing tilted her head to glance at Song Shiyue, then added, "Just before dawn, when the last shift on night watch is getting lax, one of us will draw their attention while the other circles around to the tree and undoes the chain. We should try our best to keep anyone else from knowing it was us."

"Got it, got it." Ning Chuyang's voice dropped even lower. "After all, to those guys, this dog is just mobile emergency rations."

Yu Nianbing looked at the distinctive spirit and sparkle in Ning Chuyang's eyes, her own gaze softening. Still, she hardened her heart and said, "We can't let them find out, and besides... we can't afford to keep it. So we can only undo the chain and let it go. After that, it'll have to rely on itself."

Hearing this, the light in Ning Chuyang's eyes didn't dim. "Mm, as long as we set it free, that's enough. This dog is so smart; it's bound to find its own food."

Kindness with boundaries—how wonderful.

Yu Nianbing happily reached an accord with Ning Chuyang.

Even though she had said she felt Song Shiyue would wake up tonight, Yu Nianbing actually wasn't very confident.

Still, having slept nearly twenty-four hours again, surely she'd have to wake up once.

It had been over two days, and she'd only drunk a third of a canteen of water, hadn't even...

Inevitably, more regret. Had she known Song Shiyue would pass out again and stay unconscious like this, why had she insisted on limiting her water the night before? She should have definitely poured all the water down her throat at once!

Yu Nianbing thought about how dry everything was every time she touched her, and compared it with the changing situation in the next tent over—she truly didn't want Song Shiyue to be this low-maintenance.

Meanwhile, Song Shiyue, who had been listening to the conversation beside her and inwardly burning up with embarrassment over tonight's equally meticulous sponge bath, had absolutely no idea what Yu Nianbing was scheming at this moment.

Night deepened.

With three people crammed into a single-person tent, they couldn't even zip the door shut.

Thankfully, with two people sitting side by side at the entrance, the wind was blocked and couldn't reach Song Shiyue inside.

Ning Chuyang had also been up late the previous night and unknowingly fell asleep leaning against Yu Nianbing.

In her dreams, she had everything.

A whole roast cow appeared right in front of her. Just as Ning Chuyang was about to pounce and take a couple of bites, a vine swept her away from the roast and tossed her into the sky.

Ning Chuyang opened her eyes in a daze, only to discover there was no roast cow and no vine—only Yu Nianbing, who had shaken her awake and casually propped her to one side, and...

"Song Shiyue, you're awake!" Ning Chuyang spun around in shock, forgetting her numb legs, nearly throwing out her back.

But Song Shiyue, leaning against Yu Nianbing with two heaping spoonfuls of congee crammed into her mouth, really had no leisure to pay Ning Chuyang any mind.

What was going on!

She'd made up her mind that if she got another chance to wake up, the very first thing she would do, completely and loudly, was shout the three words "Don't wash me!" straight at Yu Nianbing!

Yet as soon as she woke, before her long-closed eyes could adjust to the faint light outside, she heard something clattering and banging. Before she could even make out her surroundings, a spoon had already pried her mouth open.

Dried scallop and spare rib congee—the rice porridge was smooth and fine, the scallops soft and springy, the spare ribs boneless with only meat, while the celery and mushrooms lifted the umami and whetted the appetite. The congee was just the right temperature, easy to eat, though a touch high in water content and a bit thin rather than thick and sticky...

With her mouth stuffed full, Song Shiyue couldn't speak, so she simply focused on savoring the congee.

Chewing hard, chewing hard. Song Shiyue believed that as long as she chewed fast enough, she would definitely get a chance to say those three words!

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