A Shocking Dream

Lin Wunian's brow furrowed in anxiety. She thought to herself, this was a desolate wilderness, with no village or inn nearby. If she couldn't cross the river, not only would her journey be delayed, but she might also encounter even more unknown dangers. Her eyes quickly scanned her surroundings, pondering possible solutions. With each passing second, she grew increasingly uneasy, her mind racing through all sorts of dire scenarios, like being trapped by the river and attacked by wild animals, or a sudden downpour triggering a flash flood.

Lin Wunian's heart raced as she decided to risk the swim. She knew it was a risky move, but now she had no other choice. She silently encouraged herself, but at the same time, she worried about Kankan's safety. After all, Kankan didn't have as much experience dealing with danger as she did. "I must protect Kankan. Never let anything happen to her." This conviction echoed in her mind.

The moment she stepped into the river, a bone-chilling chill hit Lin Wunian, and she shuddered, her anxiety rising sharply. The force of the current far exceeded her expectations, and each step forward was incredibly difficult. She was filled with anxiety and fear. "This river is too fierce. Can we really make it?" The thought flashed through her mind, but she quickly suppressed it. She told herself that she had to remain calm. Any panic would only increase the danger.

As Kanan was dragged toward the center of the vortex, Lin Wunian's heart nearly stopped. Terror washed over her like a tide, her mind blank, a single overwhelming thought: "I can't lose Kanan!" She pulled with all her might, the excruciating pain in her arm nearly unbearable, but she gritted her teeth and persevered, her heart constantly shouting, "Hold on, I must hold on!" At that moment, she had put her own life and death aside, her only concern being Kanan's safety.

After a life-or-death struggle, they finally reached the shore. Lin Wunian, using her last bit of strength, pushed Kankan ashore, and then climbed ashore herself. The two collapsed on the shore, gasping for breath as the rain continued to pound on them. Lin Wunian's heart still clung to fear and dread, but at the same time, a sense of relief welled up. "Fortunately, we're all still alive. As long as we're still alive, there's always hope," she consoled herself. She knew the road ahead was still long, full of unknowns and challenges, but at this moment, she just wanted to rest her exhausted body and mind before facing the difficulties that lay ahead.

Lin Wunian and Kankan collapsed on the shore, taking a long time to recover. Lin Wunian was the first to stand, wringing out his soaked clothes and looking around. The heavy rain had subsided, and the surrounding trees, washed by the rain, looked even more lush and green. Crystalline water droplets hung on the leaves, gleaming in the weak sunlight.

"Kankan, we need to find a place to dry our clothes, otherwise we'll get sick," Lin Wunian said as he helped Kankan up. Kankan nodded weakly and followed Lin Wunian deeper into the woods.

Not far away, they found a relatively secluded cabin. Lin Wunian approached cautiously and gently pushed open the door. The house was empty, with only a few simple living utensils. "Looks like we're lucky," Lin Wunian breathed a sigh of relief.

She lit a fire in the house, and the two of them sat around it, drying their clothes. Kanan's face gradually regained its rosy complexion. She looked at Lin Wunian, her eyes full of gratitude: "Sister Wunian, I'm so grateful for you today. If it weren't for you, I'm afraid..."

Lin Wunian interrupted her with a smile: "Don't talk nonsense, we are together, so we should support each other. Now hurry up and dry the clothes. I'm afraid the owner of the house will come back and it will be difficult for us to explain."

Kanan nodded, returning her attention to the bonfire. The dancing flames licked the damp clothing, sending plumes of steam rising and filling the small room. Lin Wunian stood up and began to carefully examine the humble dwelling. The mud walls were mottled, the thatch on the roof was sparse in places, and a few worn farm tools lay in the corners. It seemed the owner was an ordinary farmer.

Suddenly, there were soft footsteps outside the door. Lin Wunian's eyes froze, and he quickly gestured for silence. Kankan also grew nervous, her hand unconsciously reaching for the dagger at her waist. The footsteps stopped at the door, followed by a brief silence. Lin Wunian held his breath, his muscles tensed, ready for any possible emergency.

After a while, the footsteps slowly faded away. Lin Wunian breathed a sigh of relief and whispered, "Looks like they were just passing through." Kankan patted her chest and said, "You scared me! It's really unsettling out here in the middle of nowhere."

As the clothes gradually dried, Lin Wunian put on her slightly rough coat and felt some warmth return to her body. "We can't stay here for long, we have to keep going," she said.

Kanan stood up and stretched her limbs. "That's fine, but I don't know what awaits us ahead." The two packed up their belongings, extinguished the campfire, and cautiously opened the door. A cold breeze blew in, carrying the unique scent of the wild, mixed with the fragrance of earth and vegetation. Lin Wunian was the first to step out, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily. "It's okay, Kanan, come out." Kanan then boldly stepped out.

The two stood side by side in the small courtyard in front of the house, surrounded by a tranquil scene. Lin Wunian looked up at the sky. The dusk on the horizon foreshadowed the coming of night. "Let's hurry now so we can cover more distance," she said, her voice remarkably clear in the silence.

Kanan nodded slightly, and they walked along a faint path in front of the house. The grass on both sides of the path was covered with water droplets after the heavy rain, and their trouser legs would get wet with every step they took.

What the hell was going on? Lin Wunian was completely devastated. She'd had horses to replace her walking, but now they were gone. There was no village or inn nearby, and she had no idea where to stay for the night. "Damn it!" she muttered, cursing softly as she kicked a small stone off the road. The stone rolled into the knee-high weeds, startling a few unknown small flying insects, which fled in panic in the fading twilight.

Kankan watched from the side and sighed helplessly: "Now that things have come to this, there's no point in getting anxious. Let's find a place to rest first and then think of a solution."

The two continued along the path. The sky slowly descended like a vast black curtain, shrouding the surrounding wilderness in a gloomy haze. A fierce wind howled, rustling the grass beside the road. The sound was like countless ghostly hands caressing the blades, concealing countless unknown dangers. In the distance, the rolling mountains were only a blurry black shadow in the twilight, like a prehistoric beast crawling on the ground, giving people an invisible sense of oppression.