The noon sun was scorching, and the forest felt like a giant steamer. The cicadas chirped impatiently, and the animals that had been noisy all morning retreated to their nests to hide, making the forest quiet once more, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind, as if complaining impatiently about the weather. The troops hiding in the forest were drenched in sweat, their clothes soaked through. Many had opened their clothing to cool off, lying around ground sleeping.
Luo Zheng was sitting under a shade, eyes closed, recuperating. The continuous forced marches had worn him down, and he sought to recover before the coming battle. Next to him sat Ghost Hand, who wasn't sleeping, laden with worries. Though the medical team and Madela's men had been rescued, his fiancée was still missing, unsettling Ghost Hand. But to avoid pressuring Luo Zheng, he kept it to himself, bearing the concern silently.
