DF Chapter 62
by VolareThe hours passed quickly, so much so that even Song Ji’an and the others didn’t expect Dong Zhen to be so good at hiding.
From the moment they entered this hillside area, Dong Zhen had been wandering between different mountain terrains, creating many complex clues, including her actual footprints.
Clearly, she didn’t want to leave this place and give up the leads near the volcano.
But no matter what, they were always one step behind, allowing Dong Zhen to escape in time. By now, suspicion welled up in their hearts.
When Sheng Jia and Song Ji’an reunited, their gazes met with a different kind of certainty.
They would never betray each other, which meant the only possible culprit was Meng Yeran.
They suspected Meng Yeran had already defected to Dong Zhen.
This wasn’t a baseless assumption, because based on their calculations, the food Dong Zhen had on her person was definitely insufficient to last through the night.
The nights on Ansdert Island weren’t cold, but they were humid, making walking very difficult. Without someone to guide her and without food intake, it would be hard to persevere.
Not to mention, they hadn’t slept for a full day and two nights.
This was also why Sheng Jia and Song Ji’an began to change from being scattered to joining forces.
Their enemy had likely increased from one to two, and the opposing side probably had three bullets now.
Their guess was completely correct in reality.
Dong Zhen had figured out the three’s patrol positions during her half-night of maneuvering and guerilla tactics. She found a position suitable for ambushing Meng Yeran, and after the other party came over, she boldly pressed the gun against her back.
She understood Meng Yeran’s character well; the other party was most likely to make choices that benefited herself.
In fact, in that situation, Meng Yeran had no choice but to cooperate, and Dong Zhen was sure that Meng Yeran couldn’t refuse the conditions she offered.
“Let’s cooperate and kill Sheng Jia and Song Ji’an together,” she said to Meng Yeran in the darkness of night, her upturned eyes gleaming with a cold light, like a giant serpent lurking in the darkness, waiting for a fatal blow. “In exchange, you give me food, and I’ll take care of the kills. I can pick up the bullets left behind after Song Ji’an dies, so you don’t have to worry about me taking a shot at you.”
“What’s the reason?” Even with a gun pressed against her back, Meng Yeran showed no fear. She touched her dyed hair and even asked with a smile, “You could just kill me, pick up my bullets, and then go ambush Sheng Jia and Song Ji’an, couldn’t you?”
The reply was a loud rumble from Dong Zhen’s stomach.
There was no emotion in Dong Zhen’s eyes as she slowly lowered the gun and answered plainly, “Because I’m already physically exhausted. If you’re unwilling to share food with me, then even if I kill you, I won’t survive.”
She had carefully observed that none of the three had food on their person, which meant their food supplies must be hidden somewhere. Normally, she might still be able to analyze based on their behavior, but now she didn’t have the strength to do so, because it required her to obtain data through tracking on foot.
“You and Song Ji’an don’t want to use up all the bullets in your guns. I’d like to ask, if you both run into me, who will fire the shot?”
She rarely showed a smile on her lips, bluntly hitting Meng Yeran’s greatest worry.
If what Dong Zhen said was true, then she could find a huge advantage in the mutual attrition of the two sides.
So even though she knew that Dong Zhen would never think so simply and might even put herself at a disadvantage, and that the pie in the sky of the two bullets might immediately turn its muzzle on her after she killed Song Ji’an, she was still willing to choose to cooperate with Dong Zhen.
With Sheng Jia and Song Ji’an sticking together, she could almost imagine what kind of predicament she would be in if Dong Zhen died.
So, for the first time in so many years, she reached out and grasped Dong Zhen’s hand, and almost half-carried the completely exhausted Dong Zhen to her food cache, then generously gave half of the last bit of dry food to the other party.
This was their first collaboration.
After replenishing their strength, the two found a more concealed corner around Sheng Jia and Song Ji’an and lay in ambush.
Even though Meng Yeran knew Sheng Jia and Song Ji’an’s route, they didn’t directly ambush them on the road. After all, the others were extremely sharp, so it was better to unexpectedly find a place to ambush them, so that the others could also exhaust some of their energy in the darkness. This was a war of attrition.
The two waited from three in the morning to six-thirty, finally waiting for the tracks of Sheng Jia and Song Ji’an.
It was a slope only a step away from the open wilderness. Besides the area where they were lying, there wasn’t much to cover them. The only advantage here was that this was the only way to get to the volcano’s crater.
Sheng Jia and Song Ji’an walked forward back-to-back extremely slowly, maintaining a high degree of vigilance at all times.
Presumably, after discovering Meng Yeran’s betrayal, the two changed their strategy, deciding to leave this low slope area and head directly to the crater to seek a chance of survival.
Meng Yeran set up her gun, her left eye quietly watching them through the scope, and smoothly adjusted the focus.
“The first shot, it’s best to hit Song Ji’an,” Meng Yeran said softly in her ear, “But their current position makes it a bit difficult to hit Song Ji’an directly. Can you do it?”
“Are you questioning my accuracy?” Dong Zhen’s voice revealed a hint of displeasure.
Meng Yeran found it a little funny, a playful glint flashing in her eyes. “Okay, little emperor, I wouldn’t dare question you.”
“Are you laughing at me?” Dong Zhen glanced at her strangely, but she could only see Meng Yeran’s profile. The other party had already turned to look forward, only a faint smile hanging on her lips.
“Wow, you noticed?” Meng Yeran stroked her gun barrel with her hand, lowering her voice and saying, “I thought you wouldn’t even perceive other people’s emotions, and just live in your own world.”
Dong Zhen’s gaze was fixed from beginning to end on Sheng Jia and Song Ji’an, who were gradually approaching.
“Within twenty meters, my accuracy never goes wrong,” Dong Zhen said slowly, “Every time you meet me, you argue with me. It’s too simple to understand your emotions.”
Meng Yeran was noncommittal about this sentence. She silently counted the distance between Sheng Jia and Song Ji’an in her heart.
–50 meters.
The two’s bodies were completely revealed from the bushes between the slopes.
–40 meters.
The two tiptoed forward, not making any sound, moving cautiously, defending so tightly that there was no way to break through. A closer distance was needed to hit Song Ji’an.
–25 meters.
Song Ji’an, who was back-to-back with her, could be vaguely seen behind Sheng Jia.
The scope broadcast the most accurate distance to them.
In the last five meters, Dong Zhen’s always effortless posture became much more serious. Meng Yeran continued to count in her heart.
–5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
“Bang–”
But what sounded earlier than the gunshot was Meng Yeran’s loud shout: “Sheng Jia, Song Ji’an! Get down!”
Song Ji’an and Sheng Jia showed an unspeakable understanding, quickly falling to the ground at her shout.
A rare look of disbelief appeared in Dong Zhen’s eyes, but before she could turn the gun on Meng Yeran, the other party shouted again, “Song Ji’an! Quick!”
Before her words could fall, a bullet wrapped in the power of thunder attacked Dong Zhen’s chest. At the same time, Meng Yeran had quickly reached out and grabbed her hand holding the trigger, then pressed down hard.
Another gunshot rang out, and the entire field was filled with different colored smoke. Even though there was already a glimmer of light in the sky, it still blurred the entire field.
The sudden failure still made Dong Zhen a little incredulous. She looked at Meng Yeran in a daze.
She didn’t understand why Meng Yeran would ultimately choose Song Ji’an and Sheng Jia.
“Alliances still need a little trust. I cooperate well with Sheng Jia and Song Ji’an, and I don’t want to betray them for the time being.” Meng Yeran smiled at her.
Dong Zhen, however, understood a different meaning from her words, and suddenly understood the key to everything Meng Yeran had done.
A hint of annoyance and shame appeared in her eyes.
This wasn’t because her decision had been a mistake, but because she remembered the confident words she had just said to Meng Yeran.
–It’s too simple to understand your emotions.
This was undoubtedly a stupid thing to say. She hadn’t understood Meng Yeran’s emotions, nor had she understood what Meng Yeran really wanted to do.
She was too arrogant and too foolish.
But Meng Yeran no longer said anything to her, and got up and walked into the mist.
Sheng Jia and Song Ji’an lay on the ground. After firing that last shot, they had no visibility beyond five meters in front of them, only a misty expanse.
They heard three gunshots.
This was completely different from the plan.
Because they were wary of Dong Zhen’s ammunition, they had long decided to play along. Because they guessed that if Dong Zhen wanted to find someone to cooperate with, it would definitely be Meng Yeran, they had long decided to go fishing.
All three of them were bait. Dong Zhen was the first bait. She would pretend to cooperate with Dong Zhen, and Sheng Jia and Song Ji’an were the second bait. They would lure Dong Zhen to shoot.
After luring her to fire the first shot, Meng Yeran would seize Dong Zhen, Song Ji’an would shoot and kill her, and Sheng Jia would seize Dong Zhen’s gun to maintain balance.
But Meng Yeran had obviously abandoned the alliance and chose a third path. She grabbed Dong Zhen’s gun and fired the last shot at them, while using up everyone’s bullets.
And now, Meng Yeran was the only person holding a bullet.
“Sheng Jia, Song Ji’an?” Meng Yeran’s voice came from behind the mist.
Sheng Jia held Song Ji’an, and the two retreated slowly on the ground until they were out of the mist. Behind them was a flat wasteland, every inch of land corroded by lava and covered in dust.
They exchanged a tacit look, stopped talking, turned and ran forward.
“You run in front.” Song Ji’an pushed Sheng Jia forward.
Sheng Jia’s physical fitness was better than hers. Song Ji’an absolutely believed in Sheng Jia.
In the night, the two ran towards the crater with all their strength.
Now, Meng Yeran only had one bullet left. No matter who died, the other could live to compete with her.
Dong Zhen never said where they buried the clues, otherwise Meng Yeran would never come after them, but would return to dig out the clues, guard them with a gun, and become the absolute winner.
As long as they ran into the crater and separated, they would have a chance to win the game.
The girls’ hair flew wildly backwards, and the sun on the side of the mountain revealed a pointed bud, shining on this land that had been silent for a long time, watching their flight.
Meng Yeran had already walked out of the mist. She didn’t choose to run forward.
She rested the gun on her arm and aimed through the scope.
In fact, she was indeed teasing Dong Zhen just now.
Dong Zhen’s accuracy was within twenty meters.
Her accuracy was within a hundred meters.
She aimed at Song Ji’an’s heart. Even though the sun stung her eyes, she didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger.
It was still ammunition wrapped in the force of piercing the air.
Sheng Jia, who had been running in front, suddenly turned her head. She only had time to turn around and pull Song Ji’an in front of her.
The ammunition exploded, leaving a strong blue smoke on her chest.
–Sheng Jia, eliminated.
Meng Yeran walked from afar, repeating this sentence with a smile.
Song Ji’an stared intently at the smoke on Sheng Jia’s chest, and pursed her lips.
Only her eyes could show that she was actually a little annoyed at this moment.
Sheng Jia didn’t speak. She only slowly unfastened her protective vest and took off her face mask.
What was there to say?
She should have thought that when she came up with the idea of designing against Julia and Dong Zhen with Meng Yeran and Song Ji’an, the final result would be a game among the three of them.
Only Meng Yeran had reacted the fastest, the calmest, and the most decisively. She had rationally used all the means available to her in a disadvantaged situation to make herself the dominant side.
When Sheng Jia and Song Ji’an had not yet broken away from their status as allies, she immediately predicted the subsequent situation and used thunderous means to seize the initiative for herself.
It didn’t matter if the last bullet was used on Sheng Jia or Song Ji’an, but Meng Yeran still said with some regret, “If I had shot Song Ji’an, then this game would probably be over, right?”
Song Ji’an finally came back to her senses. She really wanted to raise a more decent smile, but looking at the smoke on Sheng Jia’s chest, she couldn’t smile no matter what. In the end, she could only seriously retort, “If I die, you’ll only have an even stronger opponent than me.”
“Is that so?” Meng Yeran glanced at Sheng Jia. “But in this game, the four of us are the only ones who are really fixated on the result. Aren’t the friends you bring considered to sacrifice themselves for you by default?”
She was also a typical pragmatist. She only did what she thought was right. From the first second this alliance began, it foreshadowed that in the end it would either be them killing each other or Dong Zhen and Julia killing each other. It was a wise choice to hold the initiative in her own hands no matter how you looked at it. She didn’t think that there was any difference between Sheng Jia and Martha Hongyue. Even if Song Ji’an said this, she would still feel regret for not killing Song Ji’an.
“Let’s go, Song Ji’an, we’re almost at the crater,” Meng Yeran raised her chin, which was the destination of their speculated last clue.
“No,” Song Ji’an gave her a deep look. The wind on the island was getting stronger and stronger at some point, blowing people’s hair everywhere, making it impossible to see her expression.
“Since there’s only the two of us left, we should reveal our cards even more,” she smiled. “In the end, the two of us will have to fight to the death, so why should we walk the same path?”
After saying that, she put on her helmet again, and walked past Meng Yeran forward.
The sun had completely risen. This rising sun was so beautiful, casting a long shadow on the flat land, making her seem like a brave warrior who went forward without hesitation but walked alone.
She knew that this was just a game, and she shouldn’t be angry.
She had never been this impatient.
But she couldn’t help it.
Sheng Jia’s sacrifice for Song Ji’an was taken for granted by everyone.
Just like Martha’s sacrifice for Julia.
Just like Hongyue’s sacrifice for Dong Zhen.
They were the decision-makers and beneficiaries of the game’s outcome.
The companions they brought were assumed to be followers and contributors.
In fact, this was indeed the case for Dong Zhen and Julia.
But Song Ji’an never regarded Sheng Jia as her appendage.
When she opened her eyes and looked at the blue smoke on Sheng Jia’s chest, she only had one thought in her mind—
I didn’t protect her well.
Song Ji’an didn’t protect Sheng Jia.
Perhaps it was because she hadn’t slept for so long that her emotions became unstable.
It was just a game, but at the moment Sheng Jia was eliminated, she felt an unspeakable sense of fatigue and loneliness.
The time left for her to digest this unspeakable emotion wasn’t much. Meng Yeran was right. Now there were only the two of them left. Where was there time to be sad? They had paid so much, calculated so much against each other. Neither of them could let go of this hornets’ nest jade.
There were six hours left, and this game would be over.
Meng Yeran silently followed behind her at some point, her eyes thoughtful. After a long time, she said, “You see, this is why I choose to come alone.”
“I don’t like others sacrificing for me, and I don’t want to have a weakness in this game.”
So even though the other participants had brought companions to assist them, she still chose to be a lone wolf, so that she didn’t have to be responsible for anyone, and didn’t need anyone to sacrifice for her.
She hated owing people favors, and she hated being in a passive position.
Hearing this, Song Ji’an turned her head to look at her. The emotions just now had come very quickly, and surprisingly, they had gone very quickly as well. At this moment, she could speak calmly: “You’re very powerful. Whether it’s Dong Zhen or us, we all underestimated you.”
“Meng Yeran, for the road ahead, we’ll each rely on our own abilities.”
All the life-threatening bullets in this game had been fired. The remaining time was enough for them to calmly decipher, look for clues, and the only things that would play a role were their wisdom and physical strength.
——
While the two were heading towards the crater, Sheng Jia, as the eliminated player, was slowly walking down the mountain.
She was recalling what Meng Yeran had said to her before she went after Song Ji’an.
At that time, Sheng Jia gazed at Song Ji’an’s departing back, and Meng Yeran shrugged her shoulders beside her, “It’s so rare to see Song Ji’an’s emotions so exposed. Is she angry? Why?”
Her eyes were playful, and then she said, “Is it because I betrayed the alliance, or because I killed you?”
Sheng Jia weighed her helmet in her hand, and casually replied, “Maybe it’s both.”
“She never put her heart and soul into this kind of game before, and she never allowed herself to have any flaws. Her mood now is a fatal flaw in this situation.” Meng Yeran said, “Do you think I can win?”
“Do you want to hear the truth?” Sheng Jia glanced at her. The blue smoke on the camouflage body armor had disappeared. Tawana, who had come to pick her up back to the manor, had already appeared at the foot of the mountain. She walked in the opposite direction of the volcano and said, “I think you’re doomed to lose.”
Because Song Ji’an didn’t have any scruples anymore.
Friends, companions, and alliances had all abandoned her. In this game, she had nothing left to lose.
But she still carried the mission of winning. This was the only thing driving her forward at this moment.
Song Ji’an and Meng Yeran’s physical and mental strength had actually reached their limits long ago. Meng Yeran felt that Song Ji’an’s emotions were no longer stable enough, but she herself wasn’t doing much better.
Sheng Jia was very much looking forward to Song Ji’an’s performance, and she had a lot of confidence in her.
Song Ji’an didn’t lack decisiveness, but her sense of mission always dragged her down. She always wanted to take care of the overall situation, and always wanted to perfectly break through the siege with Sheng Jia. But there weren’t so many perfect things in this world.
This time, it was an opportunity for her to abandon everything and use her true colors to clash head-on with Meng Yeran.
At the foot of the mountain, Tawana waved her hands at Sheng Jia. This Russian woman whistled loudly at the windy mouth, a long whistle, like an eagle’s cry from high in the sky.
Sheng Jia pushed her hair back, but it was no use. The wind would still blow it into a mess, so she simply ignored it and quickened her pace to Tawana’s side.
“That was really wonderful,” Tawana gave her a thumbs up. “Miss Sheng Jia, you’re too amazing.”
The drone overhead indicated that everything that happened here was visible in the manor. Sheng Jia smiled lightly and followed her forward.
A BMW was parked on the road outside. Tawana welcomed her into the car.