Nobody said that teachers at elite academies have to be heartthrobs.

After trekking through the dense forest for nearly half an hour, just as Yu Fuli began to worry about Yun Bai's blood loss and whether Xiao Chi's stamina could hold on, a silhouette that seemed out of place in the surrounding natural environment appeared vaguely in the shadows of the dark green trees ahead.

A low wooden house.

It looks quite old, with dark-colored logs and a roof covered in thick snow, almost blending into the hillside.

There was no chimney, the windows were tightly closed, and it was as quiet as if it had been forgotten by this snow-covered forest.

Yu Fuli immediately raised her hand, signaling the two people behind her to stop.

He observed intently for a moment, listening carefully, and apart from the sound of wind and snow, the area around the wooden house was deathly silent.

There were no footprints, no lights, and no signs of life.

"It's probably a temporary shelter left by a forest ranger or hunter, abandoned now," Yu Fuli said in a low voice, but her tone remained serious. "I'll go in and take a look. You guys wait here and stay hidden."

He pointed to several cedar trees nearby, with lush foliage.

Yun Bai was about to say something when Yu Fuli stopped her with a look. "You've lost too much blood, conserve your strength. Xiao Chi needs your support."

Yu Fuli gripped the dagger in reverse, crouched low, and silently approached the wooden house, using the trees and snow as cover.

He first circled around the area at a distance to check for other entrances or exits or signs of recent activity.

There seemed to be a small stack of firewood on one side of the wooden house, which was also mostly covered by snow.

After confirming that there was no obvious danger, he gently pushed open the wooden door that did not look very sturdy.

The room was darker than the outside, and a musty smell of stale dust, wood, and animal dung filled the air.

The space was small, and its entirety could be seen at a glance: a simple stone fireplace filled only with cold ashes; a rough wooden table and two crooked chairs; dusty empty cans and broken fishing gear piled in the corner; and a wooden plank bed covered with hay and a tattered blanket leaning against the wall.

Most importantly, it was completely deserted.

There are no signs of anyone living there recently.

Yu Fuli quickly checked the fireplace, doors and windows, and the space under the bed; there was nothing there except dust.

Although the conditions were extremely basic, they at least provided shelter from the wind and snow, offering a relatively safe space to breathe.

He returned to the doorway and gave a safe signal in the direction where Yunbai and Xiao Chi were hiding.

The two supported each other and moved over at an even slower pace.

Entering the cabin, although it was still cold, the shelter from the wind and snow made one breathe a sigh of relief.

Yu Fuli immediately moved the broken wooden table behind the door, using it as a makeshift barrier, and then checked the window latches.

Almost the instant she entered the room, Yunbai collapsed onto the bed covered with dry straw, her face deathly pale, and a small patch of the bandage around her waist was soaked with blood.

Xiao Chi slowly sat down against the wall, carefully straightening his injured leg, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

"We must start a fire, treat the wounds, and replenish our warmth," Yu Fuli said quickly.

He scanned the room, his gaze settling on the tin bucket beside the fireplace and the broken fishing gear. There was fishing line in the gear; perhaps it could be used as stitching thread? But what he needed most right now was disinfectant and fuel.

He walked to the small woodpile, brushed aside the snow, and underneath were some damp firewood, along with some pine cones and dry branches. He had tinder, but the wet wood was difficult to light and would produce a lot of smoke.

"Xiao Chi, do you have a lighter or anything else that can start a fire?" Yu Fuli asked. Many noble children have a habit of smoking, or they may carry a sophisticated lighter with them.

Xiao Chi shook his head: "It fell." His gaze fell on the dagger in Yu Fuli's hand. "Use a knife and a stone."

Yu Fuli immediately understood.

He found a relatively hard stone, picked out the driest twigs and pine needles from the woodpile, and used a dagger to cut some fibers from an abandoned burlap sack. He knelt on one knee on the cold ground and began to try the most primitive way of starting a fire—scraping the stone quickly with the back of the knife, sending sparks flying.

Once, twice... a spark landed on the dry ignition material, and a wisp of smoke rose.

Yunbai leaned against the bedside, watching Yu Fuli's focused and persistent profile. Fine beads of sweat had already seeped from the man's forehead, contrasting with the surrounding chill.

His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just pressed his hand tightly against the wound on his waist, suppressing some turbulent emotions back into his eyes.

A fire was quickly started. The weak flames danced in the fireplace, gradually licking the thinner twigs, bringing a precious warmth and light.

Yu Fuli cleaned the tin bucket, filled it with some clean snow from outside, and placed it over the fire to melt it slowly. He then tore off the last relatively clean lining from his shirt and soaked it with the melted snow.

"Without medicine, we can only wash with snow water to prevent the infection from worsening." He walked up to Yunbai and carefully untied the blood-soaked temporary bandage.

The wound was exposed to the firelight, the skin and flesh were rolled back, and the edges were red and swollen, indicating a serious condition.

Yu Fuli carefully cleaned the bloodstains and any other dirt around the wound with a damp cloth, trying to be as gentle as possible, but Yun Bai was still in so much pain that her body tensed, her jaw clenched, and cold sweat poured down her face.

After cleaning, Yu Fuli frowned as she looked at the gruesome wound. The bleeding had been temporarily contained, but if it wasn't stitched up, it could easily rupture again with strenuous activity.

But there were no needles available, so we had to give up.

Yu Fuli used the last bit of clean snow water to wipe away the blood around the wound with a cloth, and then re-bandaged it with the torn pieces of clothing.

"This is the only way for now. Absolutely no strenuous activity, to prevent it from bursting open and getting infected," Yu Fuli instructed, her voice tinged with exhaustion.

"Thank you, teacher."

Yu Fuli turned to Xiao Chi and examined his leg.

The swelling worsened, and the skin turned purple. Even when Xiao Chi tried his best to restrain himself, his muscles would reflexively spasm when touched.

Without a splint, Yu Fuli could only use the remaining strips of cloth and the wooden planks he found to reinforce and fix the injured leg, and had him elevate it.

After doing all this, the snow water in the tin bucket was also heated to a warm temperature.

Yu Fuli divided the water into three portions and handed them to Xiao Chi and Yun Bai.

With no food available, hot water is the only source of warmth and comfort at this moment.

The three people huddled around the dim fire, sipping warm water in silence. Outside the cabin, the wind and snow seemed to intensify, lashing against the doors and windows with a howling sound, as if reminding them that their temporary safety was merely a brief respite from the crisis.

The firelight illuminated three young faces, yet they were etched with weariness and grimness.

Yu Fuli watched the leaping flames, but her thoughts drifted to the vast snow-covered forest outside the wooden house.

Where are the pursuers? How long can they hide here?

However, it's not all bad news.