Chapter 716: Chapter 614: Mudslide, Collapse
The rainwater falling on her body disappeared, and Jiang Ning immediately noticed the change.
She looked down at Shi Xiaohua, who was still clinging tightly to her, unaware of what had happened.
However, at that moment, Jiang Ning also noticed that something seemed off about Shi Xiaohua’s condition.
She was shivering against Jiang Ning, like a wet and lost cub.
Jiang Ning picked her up in one swift motion and headed towards the shelter the System had mentioned.
The path in the rainy night forest was not easy to navigate. Even though no rain was falling on them, the ground underfoot was wet, and thick, vibrant weeds were growing everywhere.
The short few hundred meters took Jiang Ning over ten minutes to traverse before she finally found the shelter the System described: an abandoned natural cave.
She carried Shi Xiaohua inside.
The cave was pitch-black and damp. Jiang Ning set down Shi Xiaohua, whom she had been holding in her arms.
Feeling the movement, Shi Xiaohua began to wail: “No, no, Sister Jiang Ning, please don’t leave me.”
Apparently, she had already recognized that it was Jiang Ning who was holding her.
“I’m not leaving you; I just want to make a fire. It’s all right, don’t cry, don’t cry.” Jiang Ning gently reassured her, reaching out to touch the girl’s wet hair.
Jiang Ning handed the glowing flashlight to Shi Xiaohua: “Xiao Hua, I know you are the bravest child. I want to start a fire here; you can help me, right?”
Shi Xiaohua seemed to regain some clarity, wiped her tears, and nodded to take the flashlight.
Under the flashlight’s beam, Jiang Ning noticed Shi Xiaohua’s pale complexion. She engaged with the System mentally: “System, can you detect Shi Xiaohua’s physical condition? Can you dispense some medicine?”
[Understood.] The System promptly responded: [Using the Family Doctor service, deducting 10 Merit Points from the Host. Prescription medication, deducting 20 Merit Points for the medical fee.]
A small paper packet appeared in Jiang Ning’s hand.
She opened it to find a small pill that resembled a sugar ball.
[It’s lemon-flavored medicinal candy.] The System offered a considerate reminder.
Pretending to have taken it out of her pocket, Jiang Ning handed it to Shi Xiaohua: “Xiao Hua, here’s a piece of candy as a reward.”
“Thank you, Sister Jiang Ning.” Shi Xiaohua listlessly accepted and ate the candy.
She felt uncertain if it was just her imagination, but it seemed that the candy Jiang Ning gave her tasted better than any she had before.
Moreover, her previously groggy body felt a touch less uncomfortable after consuming the candy.
Confident that Shi Xiaohua was out of danger, Jiang Ning was relieved of any worries.
Using the flashlight’s light, she gathered some dry branches and kindling in the cave, then used a lighter to start a fire, soon building a small flame.
The burning flame’s warmth was comforting. Jiang Ning and Shi Xiaohua sat by the fire, drying their soaked clothes.
While Shi Xiaohua wasn’t paying attention, Jiang Ning opened the System Mall to see if there were any items that could invisibly yet noticeably dry their drenched clothes and pants without Shi Xiaohua noticing.
And indeed, Jiang Ning found something.
She spent 10 Merit Points to make the exchange.
Their wet clothes and pants dried quickly in a discreet yet apparent manner.
Shi Xiaohua, who was only nine years old, looked down at her completely dry clothes and pants, feeling a bit puzzled but unable to pinpoint the oddity.
The rain outside continued, and it seemed unlikely to stop any time soon.
Jiang Ning took out her phone, only to find there was no signal.
“Send a text to the village chief and Director Shen using my phone number,” she asked the System for help: “Tell them I’ve found Shi Xiaohua, that we’re safe, and we’ll return when the rain stops.”
[Understood, Host.] The System responded.
Having decided to spend the night in the cave, Jiang Ning had to consider sleeping arrangements for herself and Shi Xiaohua.
Sleeping directly on the ground was out of the question; not only was the environment dirty and unhealthy, but it also lacked basic warmth.
However, with Shi Xiaohua being nine years old, revealing the existence of the System space would have too many drawbacks.
Jiang Ning made a compromise by exchanging items from the System Mall for two loaves of bread, two bottles of water, two blankets, and a backpack.
She instructed the System to place the backpack at the cave entrance.
Under Shi Xiaohua’s puzzled gaze, Jiang Ning walked to the entrance to fetch the backpack inside.
Sure enough, Shi Xiaohua curiously asked, “Sister Jiang Ning, where did the backpack come from?”
“I had it on my back when I came to find you. It was too heavy to carry just now, so I left it at the entrance,” Jiang Ning explained.
When Jiang Ning found Shi Xiaohua, her mind was already hazy, almost at the stage of a fever developing. She couldn’t recall whether Jiang Ning had a backpack.
However, Shi Xiaohua didn’t doubt Jiang Ning’s words; seeing Jiang Ning pull bread and water from the backpack and share them with her made her instantly happy.
After eating, she was even more amazed when Jiang Ning brought out the blankets.
Jiang Ning placed one thin blanket on the ground and prepared to use the other as a cover.
The conditions were far from great but much better than having nothing before, so they could only make do.
Jiang Ning and Shi Xiaohua sat by the fire, warming themselves. When they both grew a little sleepy, Jiang Ning called Shi Xiaohua over, and they lay down together.
In the mountain, the nighttime temperature was somewhat low, but the System’s products were of top quality; even the thin blanket didn’t leave Jiang Ning and Shi Xiaohua uncomfortable or cold.
Both drifted off into a sweet dreamland in the warmth of the blanket.
Until, at an unknown time, the System’s urgent voice suddenly echoed in Jiang Ning’s mind: [Host! Wake up! Danger is coming! Run, run, run!]
Jiang Ning opened her eyes abruptly.
She yanked off the blanket and jumped up, grabbing the still-sleeping Shi Xiaohua beside her, and broke into a run.
Shi Xiaohua was hoisted into mid-air before she could even react.
After rushing out of the cave, it was already bright outside, and a massive escape arrow appeared in Jiang Ning’s sight.
Without a second thought, Jiang Ning ran in the direction of the escape arrow.
She hadn’t gone far when a deep rumble sounded behind her, as if the sky were collapsing and the earth were splitting, sending a paralyzing chill through anyone who heard it.
This was the body’s instinctive early warning against impending danger.
At the same time, the ground shook like an earthquake, and even Jiang Ning found it hard to maintain her balance, falling to the ground while shielding Shi Xiaohua.
She held Shi Xiaohua tightly under her protectively.
By then, Jiang Ning knew what had happened.
A landslide! A collapse!
Fortunately, the huge commotion subsided quickly. Jiang Ning stood up and pulled Shi Xiaohua up with her.
She turned back to look; the cave that had provided refuge from the rain for them last night had completely collapsed.
If not for the System’s warning, she and Shi Xiaohua would have been trapped inside.
Shi Xiaohua was still unaware of the life-and-death danger she had narrowly escaped but was terrified by the collapse she saw.
Jiang Ning quickly composed herself, holding Shi Xiaohua’s hand, and said, “Let’s go; we can go back to the village now.”
With the daylight and the rain stopped, it was the perfect time to return to the village.
After a night’s rest, Shi Xiaohua was also recuperated and, hearing they could return to the village, immediately became excited: “Great!”
Seeing her reaction, it seemed she was eager to sprout wings and fly back.