Years turn into wind

Chapter 202 Survival from Danger

Silence in the Cave

Inside the cave, the distant shouts of pursuers and sporadic gunfire could be heard faintly, and the air was filled with tension and anxiety. Cheng Yuwei leaned against the cave wall, her tense nerves slightly relaxed, but the wound on her shoulder was burning with pain. Ling Xiaotian took off his coat, tore off a piece of cloth, and quickly bandaged her wound.

"Does it hurt?" Although his hands were skilled, the tenderness in his eyes betrayed his inner worry.

Cheng Yuwei gritted her teeth and smiled as she said, "It's just a scratch, nothing serious. But you were at the front just now, and the bullet almost hit you."

Ling Xiaotian looked up at her, his tone slightly accusing: "You should take care of yourself first. I can handle it, but if you're injured, I..."

He didn't finish his words, but Cheng Yuwei already understood what he meant. She knew that in this life-or-death battle, they were both trying their best to protect each other.

"Don't worry, I won't fall down so easily." She patted Ling Xiaotian's hand and said with a smile.

However, this wasn't the time to relax. Ling Xiaotian gathered his thoughts and said softly, "We've temporarily shaken off the pursuers, but we can't stay here for long. At daybreak, they'll undoubtedly intensify their search. We must take advantage of the cover of darkness and reunite with the troops as quickly as possible."

Cheng Yuwei nodded, her eyes firm: "I'll listen to you."

The choice to break through

Under the cover of night, Ling Xiaotian led his team quietly out of the cave. Cheng Yuwei followed closely behind him. The soldiers beside him had serious expressions. Everyone knew that they were in danger and that the slightest mistake could lead to their demise.

"There's a canyon ahead," the scout reported. "The terrain is complex. We can hide temporarily, but we're also vulnerable to being surrounded."

Ling Xiaotian frowned, looked at the map and pondered for a moment before decisively issuing an order: "The canyon is the only way to go, but we can't pass it as a whole. Leave two people behind to set up a false trail, and the rest of us will detour and break out from the side mountain road."

As soon as he finished speaking, Cheng Yuwei understood the risks involved. The two soldiers who set up the false trail were essentially destined to sacrifice their lives to provide cover. They needed to distract the enemy and buy time for the main force.

"I'll go." A young soldier stepped forward, his face full of determination.

"I'm going too." Another veteran followed closely behind, patting Ling Xiaotian on the shoulder. "Sir, we've made up our minds for this operation. As long as you can successfully break through, it will all be worth it."

Ling Xiaotian looked at them, his eyes filled with mixed emotions. He knew that on the battlefield, every sacrifice was a heavy one, but he had no choice.

"Okay." He finally said through gritted teeth, "You must hold on until the last moment, but also try your best to save your lives."

Cheng Yuwei watched the two men walk away, a mixture of emotions in her heart. She had thought she had a certain understanding of war, but every time she saw such separation of life and death, she still felt heartbroken.

Enemy Approaching

The team continued forward under the cover of darkness, but Ling Xiaotian's brow remained furrowed. The enemy's search was far more extensive than expected, and the gunfire from behind indicated they would soon catch up.

"Faster." He whispered.

Although Cheng Yuwei's wound hurt, she still gritted her teeth and kept going. At this moment, the road ahead suddenly became narrow, with cliffs facing a deep valley, and only a narrow mountain road was passable.

"This is a natural ambush point." Cheng Yuwei whispered, "If the enemy catches up, it will be difficult for us to pass quickly."

Ling Xiaotian nodded, a calm, calculating look in his eyes. He glanced around and quickly ordered, "Leave two more people behind to use explosives to cause a small landslide and block the pursuit."

"But if we do this, our number will decrease..." Cheng Yuwei couldn't help but remind him in a low voice.

"I know." Ling Xiaotian's voice was low, but unquestionable. "But only by sacrificing a few can the overall situation be preserved."

Although his decision was cruel, Cheng Yuwei understood that on a battlefield like this, mercy would only lead to more sacrifices. She gritted her teeth and said nothing more.

Two soldiers silently stepped forward, carrying explosives and hiding on both sides of the mountain path. Cheng Yuwei and Ling Xiaotian led the remaining team through quickly.

As they crossed the mountain road, a deafening explosion erupted behind them. The sound of collapsing rocks echoed in the night sky, temporarily halting the enemy's pursuit.

Cheng Yuwei glanced back, her eyes moistening uncontrollably. She knew that two more lives had been lost.

glimmer of hope

After a night of arduous trekking, the team finally arrived at the scheduled meeting point, a secluded valley surrounded by dense forests and blocked by natural barriers.

The lights of the friendly camp were faintly visible in the distance, which made everyone breathe a sigh of relief. However, just as they were relaxing, a strange sound suddenly came from the woods.

"Ambush!" Ling Xiaotian shouted, quickly drawing his gun and aiming.

The enemy's pursuers actually took a detour and arrived here. They were obviously unwilling to let this team go, so they chose to launch a surprise attack at the last moment.

Gunfire rang out again, and Cheng Yuwei was pulled behind the bunker by Ling Xiaotian. He quickly ordered his soldiers to fight back while looking for an opportunity to break out.

"Follow me closely when retreating." Ling Xiaotian whispered to Cheng Yuwei.

"I can take care of myself!" Cheng Yuwei raised her head with a firm look in her eyes, "You don't have to take care of me all the time."

"If I don't care about you, who will?" Ling Xiaotian glared at her, his tone containing a hint of helplessness, but more of concern.

Cheng Yuwei was stunned for a moment, a complex wave of emotions welling up in her heart. She had never been so clear as she was at this moment that Ling Xiaotian cared about her deeply.

The arrival of reinforcements

The battle reached a stalemate. The squad was clearly outnumbered, but everyone was fighting desperately. Just as the enemy was about to break through the defense line, a burst of intense gunfire suddenly came from the distance.

"It's reinforcements!" a soldier shouted excitedly.

Sure enough, friendly forces quickly arrived and engaged in a fierce battle with the enemy. Ling Xiaotian seized the opportunity and ordered his squad to break out of the chaos. He personally escorted Cheng Yuwei through the woods until they finally reunited with the main force.

When they were finally safe, the sky was already showing a faint light of dawn. Cheng Yuwei sat on the ground, breathing heavily, and a feeling of exhaustion surged in her heart.

Ling Xiaotian walked over and patted her shoulder gently: "Thank you for your hard work."

Cheng Yuwei raised her head, looked at his dusty face, and suddenly smiled: "Xiaotian, we survived."

Ling Xiaotian raised the corner of his mouth and smiled: "Yes, we survived."