Feng Jin collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath, feeling a sense of survival and believing that great fortune follows great disaster.
After resting for a moment and her emotions stabilizing, Feng Jin faintly sensed something amiss. It wasn't strange for there to be a cave below the cliff, but the loose rocks around the cave were remarkably clean, as if they had fallen recently.
Unless it was caused by an external impact, so many loose rocks wouldn't have fallen, proving that someone had been here in a short period.
Feng Jin stood up, took out the flint she had prepared, lit it, and, with the faint light guiding her, cautiously walked inside.
It was pitch black and eerily silent, with only Feng Jin's footsteps, her rustling breaths, and the faint sound of dripping water.
As she went deeper, Feng Jin smelled a pungent scent of blood. She was too familiar with this smell; it was definitely not the blood of an animal.
Mustering her courage, Feng Jin moved forward, her footsteps incredibly light.
*Clang*—the sound was very distinct in the quiet cave.
Feng Jin's heart leaped into her throat.
"Who!" a voice suddenly boomed from the cave.
Feng Jin's body stiffened instantly. Her lips parted slightly, but no sound came out.
She swallowed, and the dryness in her throat eased a little. Steadying herself, she said in a deep voice, "I accidentally fell off the cliff. Please forgive me for intruding."
As soon as her voice fell, the empty cave echoed with rhythmic footsteps, and a faint light appeared in the depths of the cave.
Feng Jin immediately tensed up, her feet shuffling backward.
"Feng Jin..."
A familiar voice rang out. A flicker of light ignited in Feng Jin's eyes. This voice... it was so familiar. She tentatively called out, "Ling Mohan, is... is that you?"
"Cough... Feng Jin, it's me..."
As the voice faded, Ling Mohan's figure became clearer.
Feng Jin's expression was filled with shock, her eyes welling up with tears. Her lips trembled slightly as she said, "Ling Mohan, really... it's really you."
The emotions she had suppressed for so long suddenly collapsed. The tears in Feng Jin's eyes could no longer be held back, and she cried out loud.
Ling Mohan reached out and pulled Feng Jin into his arms, his voice gentle as he said, "It's okay, it's okay."
"You scoundrel, where have you been? I've been looking for you for two whole days, do you know that!"
Feng Jin's emotions completely broke down. Her voice choked with sobs as she rained down accusations on Ling Mohan.
"I'm sorry, it's all my fault, my fault."
Ling Mohan softened his tone, apologizing repeatedly until Feng Jin's emotions calmed down.
"I haven't asked you yet, what exactly happened to you? How did you end up on this cliff?"
"I was ambushed by rebels. I dodged several times and vaguely saw a cave in the mountain, so I jumped down. I intended to wait for them to leave before going back up, and then you came down."
Ling Mohan explained the events, paused, and then asked, "By the way, why did you come down?"
"I came down to look for you. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come down!"
Hearing Feng Jin's words, Ling Mohan's expression deepened, and he said with a hint of anger, "You came down yourself?"
Feng Jin, not understanding, nodded, "Yes, if I hadn't been willing to come down, would someone have pushed me?"
"You're pregnant now. Jumping down recklessly, don't you want to live!" Ling Mohan's voice intensified, scolding her angrily.
"I was worried about you. If you really died, leaving me alone in this world with no family, I might as well have died with you."
A soft spot in Ling Mohan's heart felt as if it had been fiercely squeezed, causing him pain. He couldn't imagine the scene of Feng Jin jumping off the cliff.
He knew how steep the cliff was. Feng Jin's safe appearance before him was already a great hope.
"Don't be reckless again in the future," Ling Mohan said, meeting Feng Jin's gaze with determination.
"I know."
Feng Jin quickly nodded. Taking advantage of Ling Mohan not paying too much attention to her, she quickly changed the subject, "By the way, let's go up quickly. Lu Shi and the others are still waiting on the cliff."
Staying in this cave indefinitely wasn't an option; they had to find a way out.
Moreover, Ling Mohan was the commander of the three armies. If news of his disappearance spread, the army's morale would be unstable, which would be disastrous.
"It's already dark, and this cliff is too steep. We can't get out now."
From the moment he jumped down, Ling Mohan had tried to find a way up, but it was all in vain, which was why he hid in the cave, waiting to be rescued. Now, with Feng Jin added, it was even more impossible to get up.
"Then we can't just stay here?"
"Send a message to Lu Shi, and we'll get out tomorrow."
As soon as the words fell, Ling Mohan took the dagger from Feng Jin and carved a few words on a stone: "Safe, will rescue tomorrow."
Then, he tied the stone to a rope and, using his inner strength, threw it upwards.
"That's it?" Feng Jin's eyes were filled with disbelief. Was it that simple? They would spend the night here.
Feng Jin glanced at the dark and somewhat eerie cave, the corners of her mouth twitching uncontrollably. How were they going to spend the night in this ghost of a place?
Immediately, she regretted her impulsive jump, and now it was too late to regret it.
"There's a place for you to sleep inside, don't worry."
A smile played on Ling Mohan's lips, making Feng Jin feel a slight shiver down her spine. She felt as if Ling Mohan's smile had some ill intentions.
"What do you want? I warn you, I'm pregnant now. Don't do anything foolish; it's one life lost, two lives gone!"
"What are you thinking!" Ling Mohan truly admired Feng Jin's imagination.
Ling Mohan pulled Feng Jin forward, and only then did Feng Jin realize that there was more to this cave than met the eye.
No wonder she heard the sound of trickling water when she first entered; there was actually a waterfall inside.
"Did you catch this rabbit?" Feng Jin asked, pointing at the roasted rabbit on the ground.
"It took a lot of effort to catch it. It was just roasted when you came in. Make do with it."
Ling Mohan pulled off two rabbit legs and handed them to Feng Jin. He sat on the ground and ate with relish, completely losing his former noble demeanor. He looked like a beggar who hadn't eaten for days, stuffing food into his mouth.
After confirming it was edible, Feng Jin cautiously took a bite, still harboring some doubts.
The taste was surprisingly good. Where did Ling Mohan get the seasonings in this desolate mountain? This made Feng Jin very curious.
"Why does this rabbit have flavor? Did you add spices?"
"A wise man has his ways. This is my exclusive secret recipe, how can I tell you?" Ling Mohan said mysteriously.