Dean Luo was slightly taken aback but could only smile and agree. Du Heng had claimed he needed to work during the day and pick up his brother in the mountains at night. Dean Luo couldn't ask if this was true, and since Du Heng had put it so definitively, what else could he do?

They chatted for another ten minutes before Dean Luo and his companions departed. As for whether they had achieved their goal that day, it seemed only they themselves knew.

After seeing them off, Yu Haiting stood by Du Heng and whispered, "Dean, do you really have something on tonight?"

"What is it?" Du Heng asked casually as they walked back.

Yu Haiting hesitated for a moment before saying, "Some of our old colleagues from the hospital would like to invite you to dinner tonight, Dean."

Du Heng smiled. "That's no problem, but this meal is on me. I'll arrange it." He raised his hand, stopping Yu Haiting from speaking further. "It's settled. I've recently come into some money. Let me treat everyone. I want to play the rich man for once; otherwise, I'll feel stifled."

Seeing Du Heng's serious expression, Yu Haiting didn't press the issue and instead asked quietly, "So, you're not going to pick up your big brother then?"

Du Heng sighed. "No. I don't even know if he's finished with his work yet."

Du Ping, too, was desperate for his current task to end.

Their group, including the village cadres and personnel from the police station, had all entered the mountains early that morning. They had been conducting a meticulous, comprehensive search.

Everyone had nearly given up hope when someone unexpectedly found a discarded woman's shoe. Du Jun identified it; it indeed belonged to his wife.

With this discovery, it was certain she was in the mountains. The group fanned out to search, ensuring they stayed within sight and earshot of one another. They called out Du Jun's wife's name repeatedly as they ventured deeper.

Du Ping was so exhausted he felt nauseous, his strength completely gone. It was mainly because they had set out early in the morning; he had only eaten a bite of bread and hadn't brought any water. Now he was both famished and parched, his vision blurring to the point of seeing stars.

With great effort, Du Ping straightened up amidst the dense black thorn forest and scanned his surroundings carefully. After a long look, a childhood memory surfaced: this place was called Tsim Stone Tsui.

He recalled that not far ahead, there was a very prominent large stone. It was over three meters long and more than one meter in both height and width. Its shape strikingly resembled an eagle's sharp beak, which was how Tsim Stone Tsui got its name.

Recognizing the location, a surge of energy coursed through Du Ping's exhausted body. He remembered a small spring beneath that large stone.

And water was what Du Ping desperately needed right now.

After confirming his direction once more, Du Ping muttered, "Almost there, almost there," and pushed his way with renewed effort through the black thorn forest. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Three minutes later, Du Ping finally spotted the stone. It was now mostly overgrown with green grass; only its sharp tip protruded, seemingly suspended in the air.

If it weren't for that sharp tip, Du Ping wouldn't have been certain. Now confirmed, he scrambled towards it.

Sure enough, a small, clear spring lay before him. It was tiny but pristine.

Du Ping was ecstatic. He overlooked the fact that while the large stone was covered in grass, this spring remained so clean. All he wanted now was to quickly drink some water and replenish his nearly depleted strength.

Sweet, cool, so refreshing!

Du Ping hummed contentedly as he bent to drink. But as he started to straighten up, he abruptly sensed something amiss. He could distinctly feel a living creature staring at him from near his head.

THUMP, THUMP.

THUMP, THUMP.

Du Ping could clearly hear his own heart pounding, and he also sensed heavy breathing nearby.

A wolf? A wild boar? Or something else entirely?

Du Ping didn't know what it was. He could only slowly raise his head and look forward.

"****!"

Seeing the thing before him, Du Ping felt his heart clench violently. A bitter, cloying taste filled his mouth, and he stumbled backward uncontrollably.