As the last tendrils of mist dissolved into the morning light, sunbeams pierced the canopy, resting on the weary travelers. They stood in silence outside the woods, like survivors of a deep, dark dream. The damp earth beneath their feet was a solid reminder—the illusions were over, but reality remained.
No one spoke of what they had seen. By unspoken agreement, they chose to let those wounds heal in private.
Lin Lie activated the Yao-Rover. Its crystals hummed steadily as the passengers boarded. Sang Qi sat at the back, clutching his medical box, with Cang Lan leaning lazily beside him.
"Let me help you up," Li Yan said, reaching out to steady Xingyu's arm.
Xingyu offered a polite smile. "Thank you."
This simple gesture did not go unnoticed by the other four.
I should have been the one to help her down, Lin Lie thought, his mind calm but tinged with a flicker of self-reproach.
When did this "Big Rock" learn how to be a gentleman? Luo Ye wondered, his thoughts jumping like sparks from a fire.
His wounds aren't even fully healed. If he rips his stitches, I'm letting him bleed, Sang Qi grumbled internally, his sharp tongue sparing no one.
The big guy is being awfully attentive... I'll have to keep an eye on him, Cang Lan mused with a playful, yet sharp, glint in his eyes.
Unaware of the silent storm around her, Xingyu cleared her throat. "Let's move! We need to find a place to camp. I don't want to spend another night near this forest."
As the Yao-Rover vibrated rhythmically, Xingyu leaned against the inner wall and closed her eyes. The regular hum of the engine felt like a gentle massage for the lingering waves in her heart. She couldn't stop replaying the phantoms she had seen.
She understood them better now:
Luo Ye's stubbornness was a shield against being hurt by trust again.
Sang Qi's venomous tongue was a camouflage for his fear of loss.
Li Yan's silence was the weight of a responsibility he refused to drop.
Lin Lie's coolness hid a deep well of self-blame.
And Cang Lan... behind that flippant grin was a soul that had lost everything yet still chose to live.
She gripped her watch. The five icons felt heavier now, as if reminding her that she was no longer just an outsider. She was bound to them.
"There's a stream and a clearing up ahead!" Luo Ye shouted from his horse. "We'll stop there for the night!"
The silence broke.
"Finally, I can stretch my legs," Cang Lan yawned. "Old Sang, aren't you stiff? You haven't moved an inch."
"Would you like to massage me then?" Sang Qi rolled his eyes. "Don't talk to me. I can't stand your tone."
"Oh, I'm just being caring. Or... you could massage me instead?" Cang Lan winked.
"In your dreams, you idiot."
When they stopped, Li Yan's movements were still stiff. Xingyu naturally reached out. "You helped me up, so I'll help you down."
He paused, then nodded softly. "Thank you."
As he stood on the ground, he watched her walk toward Lin Lie. The wind caught her hair, and for a moment, Li Yan felt an indescribable sense of peace. Being near her felt like finding a harbor after a great storm.
Nearby, Lin Lie was inspecting the Rover's axles. His long, nimble fingers moved with their usual precision, yet he seemed more focused than usual.
"Xingyu... are you alright?" he asked, his voice uncharacteristically soft.
Xingyu smiled. "I'm fine! And you?"
Lin Lie's tools stopped for a heartbeat. He looked at her, his eyes reflecting a quiet warmth. "As long as you're okay... that's enough."
It was a simple sentence, but it felt as if it had been buried in his heart for a long time. Xingyu felt a rush of warmth and reached out to help him with the tool kit. Their fingers brushed against the wrench, and for a moment, neither pulled away.
"Is food just going to appear out of thin air?" Luo Ye grumbled by the fire, frantically flipping a pan while moving supplies. "These guys eat like they're going to war, but not one of them helps!"
"Need a hand?" Xingyu asked, walking over.
Luo Ye's eyes lit up as if he'd seen a savior. "You're just in time!" He thrust a bundle of pastries into her arms. "Package these, and watch the pot! Don't let it burn!"
"Slow down, Luo Ye," she laughed.
"I can fall, but the dinner can't!" he yelled, running for water.
Xingyu watched his frantic silhouette. "You really make me feel like I'm at home helping my mom cook..." she whispered.
Luo Ye froze, his ears twitching. He walked back, looking dead serious. "Did I hear that right? You said I'm like your mom?"
Xingyu burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Not in looks! It's the feeling—the feeling of home."
Luo Ye stood stunned. The feeling of home... The words rippled through his chest.
Later, when he learned that "Mom" meant "Mother," he was so offended he almost stopped talking to her.
At the tents, Sang Qi was struggling with the poles. "Unbelievable. When we need Cang Lan, he's gone. When we don't, he's everywhere. Leaving the heavy lifting to a doctor and an injured man—what a joke!"
"Need help?" Xingyu approached, carrying water and pastries.
"You see this?" Sang Qi huffed. "A world-class Yao-Doctor, reduced to pulling tent pegs! My hands are for medicine, not manual labor!"
"Should I be honored that you're condescending to pitch a tent for me?" Xingyu teased.
"Hmph. If you'd come any later, I'd have turned this into a medical ward just for myself."
"I can't let you get worn out. Here—" She grabbed the rope.
Li Yan spoke low. "We're almost done. You should rest."
"We're teammates, remember? I need to pull my weight." Xingyu tied a knot with surprising efficiency.
"Not bad," Sang Qi raised an eyebrow. "You do this often?"
"In my world, we do it for school festivals," she smiled.
As the tent stood tall and the sun dipped below the horizon, Li Yan spoke. "Thanks. For today... for everything."
"We're a team, Li Yan. We look out for each other."
Sang Qi slumped onto the ground, biting into a pastry. "Teammates look out for each other, but someone is being uncooperative. It's infuriating."
Xingyu knew who he meant. She looked at the darkening sky. Cang Lan was nowhere to be seen.
"I'll go find him," she said, running off.
"Wait... shouldn't you..." Sang Qi's words trailed off. "That girl thinks she's made of iron. Doesn't she even need a drink of water?" He started nagging again, unaware that his voice was now thick with genuine concern.