Before everything goes out

the next day.

There are six days left until the next trip into the mountains.

As soon as Li Fei opened his eyes in the morning, before even getting out of bed, he looked at his bracelet as usual.

Over the past few days, he's made it a habit to check on it frequently, just in case anything changes...

For example, information, indicator lights, or something else.

Nothing has changed this time either.

Of course, what he cared about most was the map.

On that radar-like map, everything remained the same.

The rings remained in the same location, still fixed in the mountains seven or eight kilometers away from the village, as if nothing had ever happened before, and everything had returned to the way it was at the beginning.

"I wonder when the 'rescue team' mentioned on the bracelet will arrive."

With that thought in mind, Li Fei got out of bed.

"Notice."

"If you are unable to move due to an emergency, please stay where you are and wait for rescue. We will synchronize your location in real time to provide precise assistance."

That's what the bracelet said a few days ago.

If the rescue team had arrived sooner, he might have been able to communicate with them and ask them to help search for the person.

after all.

Niu Zhiyuan and She Qi's daughter were both kidnapped.

From this perspective, if these two are still alive, they would definitely be valuable to the Rings. Regardless of what to do next after finding them, at least we need to find them first.

"Oh, right, Dr. Wang said I need to go for a follow-up check-up today."

Li Fei touched the back of his head; the reopened wound had already scabbed over again.

After tidying up quickly, he said goodbye to Lin Wen and went out to Wang Guodong's house.

At six o'clock in the morning, the sky was just beginning to lighten.

In the distance, in the direction where the mountains and the sun meet, the rosy clouds radiate, bright yet not dazzling, constantly disappearing and reappearing as he moves and deviates.

The scenery is nice.

The sun hadn't fully risen yet, so it wasn't too hot, which was the perfect time for the villagers to set off for work.

In my previous life, that would be the morning rush hour.

As Li Fei walked toward Wang Guodong's house, he listened to the commotion around him.

The sounds of women calling out to their children rose and fell, or chatting about gossip and everyday matters, their voices rising and falling like singing.

"It's amazing that this small village has survived for 10 years, even though it's the end of the world."

Walking down the street, Li Fei sighed.

A burly man walked towards us, carrying a manure bucket on his back, filled with heavy farmyard manure, which creaked and groaned as he walked.

The stench and noise drew his attention, making him glance at the scene again.

"Hey! Good morning!"

Li Fei was stunned for a moment.

He didn't expect that the other person would take the initiative to greet him, and with a smile on their face.

"Good morning..."

"Have you eaten? If not, come to my house and have something to eat."

The burly man extended a warm invitation, his voice booming with energy.

"Uh, no need. Teacher Lin cooked, but I don't usually eat breakfast."

After Li Fei politely declined, the big man didn't say anything more and turned to continue on his way.

Watching his retreating figure humming a little tune, Li Fei stood there, feeling a subtle tension.

"Say hello when you meet."

This was the first time he had ever experienced something so ordinary in Shuanghe Village.

It's not that the villagers don't have this habit, it's just that because of his "ring" identity, apart from Teacher Lin, almost no one has ever given him a kind look, let alone taken the initiative to greet him like this...

No.

Recalling his first day, he almost had his hand chopped off the moment he opened his eyes.

And unsurprisingly, among that large group of villagers blocking the door was the burly man who had been carrying manure earlier.

"It seems their attitude towards me has changed; this trip to the mountains wasn't a waste."

Li Fei quickly understood why the villagers had changed their attitude.

As a member of the search and rescue team, he risked his life to find seven villagers.

Even if all that's found is a body, it's still a meritorious deed.

The villagers didn't say it, but they all saw it.

"No wonder when Ah Ji's family came to cause trouble, no one spoke up for that shrew. If it were before, they probably would have come and stabbed me with a knife."

Having confirmed this, Li Fei's steps became lighter.

The feeling of being accepted is naturally important.

It wasn't just that big man carrying manure.

Along the way, two or three more people greeted him.

After making eye contact with these people, he could no longer sense the same hostility in their eyes as before.

The village is not big.

Three to five minutes later, he walked through the bustling country lane to Wang Guodong's house.

"Dr. Wang?"

"Enter!"

Walk through the living room and push open the door to enter.

In the simple hospital room, the Niu brothers were already sitting side by side.

Among them, Niu San, who was having his dressing changed, bit a rag, and large beads of sweat dripped down his forehead.

"Aww!!"

"Dr. Wang, be gentle, be gentle..."

Seeing his pale face, Li Fei could imagine his pain.

"Why didn't you use anesthesia?"

Li Fei sat down and casually asked about Niu Wenbing sitting next to him.

It's called an anesthetic, but it's actually just some herbs that have a numbing effect.

After grinding it up, applying it to the skin provides some pain relief, just like the one Snake Seven applied to him.

"We've run out of anesthetic. She Qingqing used to be in charge of preparing it, but now that she's gone, Dr. Wang isn't very good at it either."

Niu Wenbing answered.

"She Qingqing?"

"Yes, Snake Seven's daughter is Dr. Wang's assistant. She has been going into the mountains with Snake Seven since she was a child, so she knows about these things."

"I remember now."

Li Fei nodded.

That makes perfect sense.

Without anesthesia, even a rough man like Niu San was grimacing in pain...

I don't know if he can handle it.

"Oh, right, this is for you."

As Niu Wenbing spoke, he handed over a small cloth bag.

Upon opening it, I found a few small pieces of cured meat inside, dark and sizzling with oil.

"These were given to us by our fellow villagers. They said it was to thank us for helping to find the body. Take them; Niu San and I have already split our share."

"Thank you, thank you..."

"No need to thank me, just thank the other villagers."

"Um."

Li Fei carefully packed the cured meat into his pocket.

This is a good thing. When we get home tonight, we can ask Lin Wen to add some dishes for the kids.

"Next one, please."

After Niu San finished eating, Wang Guodong invited Li Fei to sit down.

"It hurts so much..."

Niu San had a back injury, and after the stitches were done, the wound was tight. It would hurt if he hunched over, so he could only sit upright, like a child in class.

In addition, his bald head, shiny and bright, made him look quite comical.

"What are you laughing at! I don't believe you can handle it!"

Noticing Li Fei's expression, Niu San grinned mischievously, staring at him expectantly, as if even his own pain had lessened somewhat.

"Don't worry, I won't scream even if it hurts."

Li Fei's injuries were much minor, so he was naturally calm and unperturbed.

But before he could finish speaking, he saw a sharp knife slide past his eyes and disappear behind his head, out of his sight.

Although he was prepared, he was still startled and sat up straight like Niu San.

"Dr. Wang, could you please be a little gentler..."

...

...

Five minutes later.

The wound on the back of Li Fei's head that had burst open underwent another round of simple treatment.

Niu San is right, changing the dressing is much more painful than applying the medicine.

After he finished, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and relaxed his tense body.

after that.

The three sat in a row, one supporting his left arm, one sitting upright, and one hunching his neck.

"Don't eat too spicy food, don't eat too salty food, and don't do strenuous exercise."

Wang Guodong packed up the equipment while giving instructions.

Niu Wenbing asked, "Can I have some spicy soup?"

Wang Guodong replied, "No."

Niu San asked, "Can you be with a woman...?"

Wang Guodong replied, "No."

Niu Wenbing looked at Niu San: "Where did you get this woman from?"

Niu San gave a smug, crooked smile, but did not answer.

Li Fei asked, "Can you climb trees?"

Wang Guodong asked, "Climbing a tree?"

Li Fei replied, "I've made plans with Teacher Lin to climb a tree the day after tomorrow. It's just outside the village, at the foot of the mountain."

The three of them turned their heads at the same time, their expressions subtle.

Realizing what they were thinking, Li Fei quickly explained:

"Xiao Wu's mother is gone, let's take her out for a walk to cheer her up."

The three nodded in unison, their expressions still subtle.

Under the watchful eyes of several pairs of people, the atmosphere gradually became eerie.

"So...is climbing a tree okay?"

"OK."

Wang Guodong nodded.

After thinking of something, he added.

"Nothing else will do."