Spy Wars: Strong Agents Who Are Ruthless and Talk Little

Chapter 398: Remaining Calm in Desperate Situations

Su Ming felt the rope suddenly tighten, his body jolted violently with the impact, as if struck hard by something in his back. Pain raced through him like an electric current, and he clenched his teeth until they practically bled. He knew any slack at this moment could cause them to fall together, so he desperately clung to the rope, striving to maintain his balance.

Finally, amidst the violent swaying of the rope, the two were suddenly pulled together. Su Ming's palms were almost rubbed raw by the rope, but he ignored the pain and simply hugged Shen Ling with all his strength. He lowered his head, looked at her pale face, and whispered soothingly, "It's okay, we... are safe for now."

Shen Ling finally opened her eyes, filled with fear and shock. Her body was still shaking, but when she saw Su Ming's determined gaze, she felt a slight mellowing. "We...really survived?" She spoke weakly, as if she couldn't believe the life-or-death moment she had just experienced.

"Only temporarily." Su Ming gave a wry smile, his arms aching so much that he could barely lift them. "We have to get down quickly, or they'll find us." Without waiting for Shen Ling's response, he slowly loosened the rope, carefully adjusting their center of gravity as they slid down.

On the dark cliff, every step was a thrill. Su Ming strained to control the rope's speed, but the muscles in his arms were already aching, and every pull was torture. Shen Ling clung to him tightly. Although terrified, she knew she couldn't become a burden to Su Ming, so she forced herself to remain calm.

When they finally landed, Shen Ling felt an unprecedented sense of relief, but then a wave of dizziness washed over her. Her strength was almost completely drained. Su Ming gasped, barely holding on, his vision blurry. He had never felt so exhausted, as if every inch of his body was protesting against his previous madness.

"Rest for a while." He gently patted Shen Ling's shoulder, motioning for her to sit down. He looked around, making sure there were no immediate threats, before slowly settling down against a large rock. He knew this place was safe for the time being, but they couldn't stay too long, or the pursuers would find them sooner or later.

Shen Ling slid down slowly, leaning against the cold rock wall. She felt as if all her strength had been drained away, and all she wanted was to close her eyes and drift off to sleep. But she knew she couldn't let her guard down, so she forced her heavy eyelids open and looked at Su Ming: "What should we do next?"

Su Ming lowered his head in thought, his gaze gradually focused. Although they had escaped danger for the time being, he knew that this was only the beginning. Those pursuers would obviously not give up easily and would do everything they could to force them into a desperate situation. Now, they needed to leave this area as quickly as possible and find a more secluded place to hide.

"We must keep moving forward." He raised his head, his tone more resolute. "We must find a way to a safer place before daybreak. As long as it's daybreak, it will be easier for them to find our tracks."

Shen Ling listened to his words, feeling a little uneasy. She didn't know if she still had the strength to keep going, but she knew that at this moment, the only thing she could do was trust Su Ming. She gritted her teeth, pushed herself up from the ground, and whispered, "I'll go with you."

Su Ming saw the glint of determination in her eyes, and his heart was moved. He wasn't a cold-blooded man; he also hoped for a moment of peace, for Shen Ling to rest. But he knew there could be no slack on this journey. The pursuers would be like bloodthirsty beasts; once they caught wind of them, they wouldn't give up easily.

The two men repacked their gear and set out again on this road of no return. In the darkness, the forest seemed even deeper and more eerie. The shadows of the trees swayed like ghosts in the moonlight, and the occasional cry of night birds in the distance seemed to add a touch of terror to their journey.

Shen Ling followed Su Ming silently along the way. She didn't ask any more questions, knowing that no matter how much she asked, it would be useless. The only thing she could do was remain silent and conserve her energy. As she listened to the sound of Su Ming carefully pushing aside branches ahead, she gradually felt an inexplicable sense of security. Although she was nearly exhausted, Su Ming's tenacity and determination gave her a glimmer of hope: perhaps, they really could survive.

Su Ming constantly observed the surrounding terrain, his mind racing. He knew they had to find a source of water, or else their strength would soon be completely depleted. His throat was dry, as if on fire, but he forced himself to calm down and not let this anxiety cloud his judgment.

Finally, after passing through a dense patch of bushes, they heard the faint sound of flowing water. Su Ming's eyes lit up, and he quickened his pace. Pushing aside the last clump of dense leaves, the view suddenly opened up, and a clear stream appeared before them.

"We're lucky." Su Ming breathed a sigh of relief and motioned for Shen Ling to come over. He squatted down, scooped up a handful of icy stream water, and drank a few greedy gulps. He felt refreshed.

Shen Ling also hurriedly squatted down and drank a few sips of water, feeling the thirst in her throat instantly relieved. A smile appeared on her tired face. At this moment, she felt that this cool stream of water was like the most delicious nectar in the world.

However, Su Ming did not let his guard down. He quickly looked around. Although finding a water source was good news, it also meant that this place might be a necessary place for the pursuers.

Su Ming quietly glanced around, his gaze roaming over every leaf and shadow, searching for any sign of something unusual. Though he had temporarily escaped his pursuers, his nerves remained tense as a bowstring. The dense forest was deep and dark, like a behemoth devouring all light, a terrifying prospect. The ground beneath his feet was covered in fallen leaves, making even the slightest noise, a deadly threat to the fleeing men.

"Drink quickly, but don't drink too much. We still have to keep going," Su Ming whispered to Shen Ling, a hint of anxiety in his tone. Time waits for no one, and the pursuers are likely already behind them.

Shen Ling nodded. Although she hadn't fully recovered her strength yet, she knew now was not the time to relax. She quickly scooped up a few sips of the icy stream water, forcing herself to calm down. The coolness of the water brought her back to her senses, but her heart continued to beat like a drum, unable to stop.

"Su Ming," she couldn't help but ask softly, her voice almost carried away by the wind, "Will we... really be unable to escape?"

Su Ming was slightly startled, then turned and gave her a deep look. His eyes were like the faint yet resolute starlight in the night sky. "No, as long as we don't give up, we'll definitely survive." His tone was firm yet gentle, as if he wasn't just trying to comfort Shen Ling, but also to encourage himself.

Shen Ling trembled slightly, a complex wave of emotions welling up in her heart. These past few days of escape had never made her feel so helpless and exhausted as she did now. Su Ming's words were like a shot in the arm, rekindling a glimmer of hope in her. She took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Yes, I believe you."

Su Ming nodded. He said nothing more, instead focusing on observing his surroundings. Having experienced so many life-or-death struggles, he knew that no amount of comforting words could change reality. The only thing he could do was keep moving forward until he escaped this shadowy forest.

They rested briefly before resuming their journey. Su Ming walked ahead, using his small knife to cut through the thorns blocking the path. Shen Ling followed closely behind, keeping her steps light and quiet. Although her strength was nearing its limit, she gritted her teeth and persevered, knowing that any moment of relaxation would lead to disastrous consequences.

Along the way, the two of them remained silent, their only sounds being the rustling of leaves in the wind and the occasional low growl of a beast not far away. Shen Ling's nerves grew increasingly tense, her palms sweating, her entire body tense like a taut string. She kept looking back, fearing her pursuers would suddenly appear from behind.

Finally, as they passed through a denser patch of trees, the view suddenly opened up. Su Ming paused, carefully examining the scene before him—a steep cliff, with a faint river visible below. His mind raced, wondering if this might be a good opportunity to escape pursuit.

"We have to get down from here," Su Ming whispered, but there was a hint of hesitation in his voice. The rock wall below was as smooth as a mirror, with almost no footholds. Sliding down from here would definitely be a risk.

Shen Ling's face paled, but she didn't ask any further questions, simply nodding firmly. She had no choice but to follow Su Ming closely. Though her heart was filled with fear, she also held a deep trust in him. Perhaps it was this trust that sustained her, allowing her to remain calm in this desperate situation.

Su Ming pulled out the rope he had brought with him and quickly tied it to a thick tree trunk. He tied the other end around his waist and handed the other rope to Shen Ling. "Hold on tight! I'll go down first, and you follow me." His voice remained low and calm, but his eyes flickered with nervousness.

Shen Ling's fingers trembled as she took the rope and took a deep breath. She tried to calm herself, telling herself she couldn't become a burden to Su Ming. When Su Ming disappeared over the edge of the cliff, she followed him down, almost holding her breath.

The night was as dark as ink, and the surroundings were completely silent, with only the sound of the rope scraping against the rock wall echoing in her ears. Shen Ling could hardly feel her hands, her palms already painful from the ropes, and every slide felt like it was cutting her skin. But she didn't dare stop, not even look back. She could only grit her teeth and slide down desperately.