The night spread like thick ink, its chill cutting to the bone. Finding no suitable shelter, the two curled up beneath a wind-sheltered slope, clinging to each other's warmth to barely withstand the plummeting temperatures. Gu Xun's breath came in faint, rapid gasps, his body trembling slightly beside Lu Zhao, clearly suffering the dual torment of hypothermia and exhaustion.
Lu Zhao stripped off his coat and draped it over Gu Xun, then hugged his arms to himself, his teeth chattering uncontrollably. He dared not sleep—and could scarcely do so anyway—his ears straining for every faint sound in the wilderness, his heart clenched with worry over Gu Xun's condition. If they didn't find a reliable water source, food, and shelter soon, Gu Xun might not make it through the night.
They had to find proper shelter fast!
At the first light of dawn the next day, Lu Zhao forced his nearly frozen body to rise and helped Gu Xun to his feet. Gu Xun was in worse shape than the night before, needing Lu Zhao's full support just to stand.
"We must... find a place," Gu Xun whispered, his voice barely audible.
Lu Zhao nodded, his anxious gaze scanning the surroundings. According to the map, they should be nearing the outskirts of the hilly terrain. He strained to expand the range of his wind perception, trying to detect any signs of human activity or structures.
Suddenly, a shift in the air currents caught his attention—more stable than natural wind, carrying a distinct swirling sensation. It felt like wind passing through some kind of fixed structure.
"Over there!" Lu Zhao perked up, pointing to a slope covered in low shrubs ahead and to the left. "The wind feels different—there might be a structure!"
Supporting Gu Xun, he practically dragged and carried him forward with great effort. With every step, Gu Xun's weight felt unbearably heavy.
Parting the dense undergrowth, a low, square structure built of concrete and stone came into view. Most of it was embedded in the hillside, revealing only a reinforced entrance and several narrow observation windows. Covered in moss and vines, it appeared long abandoned. A faded sign above the doorway faintly revealed the words "...Defense Outpost."
An abandoned border outpost!
Lu Zhao felt a surge of wild excitement. He carefully positioned Gu Xun behind a sheltered rock near the entrance.
He swiftly retreated several meters, took a deep breath, and channeled all his strength and focus into his right arm. A wind blade, denser than any he'd ever unleashed, shot from his hand with a piercing whistle, striking the rusted iron lock with pinpoint accuracy!
Clang!
Sparks flew! The ancient iron lock snapped cleanly in two!
Lu Zhao immediately stepped forward, pushing open the heavy iron door with force. A wave of musty yet surprisingly dry air washed over him. The interior wasn't large, divided into two sections. The outer room resembled a guard post, furnished with a crude wooden desk and a sagging chair. The inner chamber served as a rest area, containing two rusted iron bunk beds, now bare wooden planks. In the corner sat a similarly rusted water tank embedded in the floor, its valve rusted shut.
Though crude and dilapidated, it at least offered shelter from the elements. The thick walls provided a long-forgotten sense of security.
Lu Zhaoxian helped Gu Xun inside and laid him on one of the relatively intact bed frames. He immediately went to inspect the water tank. He twisted the rusted valve with all his strength, but it wouldn't budge. After a moment's thought, he compressed his wind blade into an extremely fine beam, like a cutting tool, and carefully sliced a small opening in the relatively thinner section at the bottom of the tank.
"Drip... drip..."
Clear water began to drip slowly!
Lu Zhao quickly used the empty bottle he'd finished drinking from to catch it. The water looked reasonably clean, carrying a faint iron taste, but at this moment, it was undoubtedly life-saving nectar!
He filled the bottle halfway, then gently helped Gu Xun sit up and fed him the water. As the cool liquid slid down his throat, Gu Xun's furrowed brow seemed to relax slightly, and his breathing steadied a bit.
Lu Zhao took a few sips himself, then placed the bottle back under the drip to refill it. He surveyed the small sentry post. Though empty, its thick walls blocked out the cold and danger outside. Here, at least, they were safe for now.
He dismantled another bed frame, propping it against the doorway to reinforce the defenses. Then, sitting on the floor beside Gu Xun's bed and leaning against the cold wall, he finally dared to relax his taut nerves just a little.
Looking at Gu Xun's still-pale face in his sleep, Lu Zhao knew they had only gained a brief respite. Gu Xun's injuries and weakness required time to heal, and they needed more food. But at least they had found a base, found water.
Hope seemed to grow clearer once more, like the steady drip of water. He reached out and gently touched Gu Xun's forehead. The heat didn't feel as scorching as it had the night before.
Lu Zhao exhaled in relief. Weariness washed over him like a tide. Leaning against the wall, he too drifted into a deep sleep. It was his first true rest since leaving the hardware store.