Chapter 17: No Way Back
In the winter afternoon, the sun lazily spilled into the valley, thin patches of snow covering the withered branches and fallen leaves, with occasional glimmers of light gently dancing through.
A cold wind lightly swept through, carrying waves of dry chill, accompanied by the refreshing scent of pine.
Han Lei drove the emergency vehicle along the mountain road, occasionally glancing through the rearview mirror at Zhao Zun sitting in the passenger seat beside her. He wore a constant somber expression, saying nothing, leaving her puzzled about what was on his mind.
The vehicle stopped in a large open area, and Han Lei jumped out, her mind replaying the scene from the day they traveled through time, as she examined the surroundings.
Zhao Zun did not disturb her but instead got out and walked silently to the side of a pine tree, quietly watching her bright and lively figure.
"The ambulance seemed to have landed right here that day." Han Lei walked to a spot and looked around, but then felt it wasn’t quite right, "No, it seems it landed over there."
Han Lei walked to another spot, noticing the obvious tire tracks on the ground, her face instantly lit up with a radiant smile.
"Yes, it’s here."
She muttered to herself, bending down to carefully study the tire marks and occasionally squatting to pick up a small clump of soil, rolling it between her fingers.
They were just ordinary soil, lacking magnetism, with nothing special about them.
Han Lei looked up at the sky, where a few white clouds floated in the azure expanse, but no black hole or time-space tunnel could be seen.
She took out her phone again, searching for a signal, still to no avail.
"What exactly caused the time travel?" Han Lei lightly pinched her chin, pondering deeply.
Observing Han Lei’s serious demeanor, Zhao Zun wore a face full of desolation, his large hand reaching into his bosom to tightly grasp the Love Lock hanging around his neck, quietly saying in his heart, "Girl, do you really wish to go back that much? Is there truly nothing here that makes you want to stay?"
While thinking, Han Lei suddenly slapped her forehead, then quickly walked towards the ambulance, got into the driver’s seat, and started the vehicle.
She remembered that day she had jerked the steering wheel sharply while driving, causing the car to lose control and tumble down the cliff, ending up here.
Han Lei drove the vehicle around the clearing, occasionally jerking the steering wheel sharply. Muttering to herself, "Go back! Go back! Quickly go back!"
Han Lei was busy and didn’t notice Zhao Zun standing by, arms crossed and lazily leaning against the pine tree, also softly praying, "Don’t go back! Don’t go back! You can’t go back!"
The ambulance suddenly drifted this way and that, sending up large clouds of dust in its wake.
Han Lei kept trying and kept failing. Finally, like an arrow from the string, the vehicle sped towards the nearby cliff.
Zhao Zun was alarmed, his body springing into action. Taking a few quick steps, just as he saw the ambulance screech to a halt at the edge of the cliff.
Zhao Zun’s heart was about to leap out of his chest. He paused briefly, then hurriedly ran to the car’s side. Seeing the hood was less than the width of a chopstick away from the cliff edge, he was full of rage.
"What are you doing? Don’t you know that could kill you?" Zhao Zun shouted angrily.
In that moment, he felt as if he was about to lose that lovely and kindhearted girl, his heart felt as though a piece had been cut out, the pain making it difficult for him to breathe.
The car door opened, and Han Lei stepped out, looking utterly defeated. She had wanted to make one last attempt, hoping that like last time, letting the ambulance tumble down the cliff might allow her to travel back to Huaxia.
But in the last moment, she hesitated!
After all, last time it was a subconscious sharp turn of the steering wheel. This time, intentionally driving off the cliff, she didn’t have the courage.
"I can’t go back," Han Lei murmured, her mood plummeting to the depths. "Haha! I came here perfectly fine, and now I can’t go back."
Han Lei didn’t notice Zhao Zun’s expression, which seemed about to devour her alive, continuing to walk to the back of the car, squatting down, and burying her head deeply into her knees.
Upon Han Lei’s words, Zhao Zun’s eyes suddenly brightened, the gloom on his face swiftly dissipating, replaced by cheerfulness and excitement. His large hand couldn’t help but reach back to the Love Lock near his heart.
Seeing Han Lei downhearted, Zhao Zun walked to her side and gently squatted down.
"If you can’t go back, then so be it. It’s even better if you can’t go back," Zhao Zun repressed his inner excitement and consoled.
With a sudden bang, Han Lei abruptly raised her head, glaring at him angrily.
"What did you say? What do you mean it’s better if I can’t go back?" Han Lei pouted, on the verge of tears, looking extremely aggrieved.
"Uh..."
Zhao Zun really felt like giving himself a slap, how could he have let those words slip out!
"Are you happy that I can’t go back?" Han Lei bared her teeth at Zhao Zun, her cute and sweet appearance looking fiercely adorable.
"No!" Zhao Zun blurted out, not daring to show any joy. "I just meant that it would be good if you could return, but there’s nothing wrong with staying, as you still have me by your side."
Zhao Zun’s words made some sense, and Han Lei glared at him angrily, her mood slightly easing. But thinking more about it, she still felt emotionally unsettled.
"Hmph! I’m too lazy to argue with you."
Han Lei playfully chided, giving Zhao Zun a light kick before getting up and striding towards the driver’s seat, her swaying waist fully showcasing her feminine charm.
The soft Wu dialect, hailing from Jiangnan, held a strong allure over men, leaving Zhao Zun’s eyes bright, as if a feather was gently tickling his heart, making him feel itchy.
Just like a Northeastern man hearing a Southern girl’s soft and sweet call of "big brother," it truly made his whole body feel tingly and numb.
It was quite intoxicating!
Could the Love Lock really be this effective?
Zhao Zun grasped the Love Lock near his heart, chuckling foolishly before quickly getting into the car.
...... I’m the lazy dividing line ......
By the time Zhao Zun and Han Lei rushed back from the valley to the military camp, it was nearly midnight.
The two had dinner together in the central military tent, and after Zhao Zun walked Han Lei back to her adjacent tent, he went to rest. But Han Lei lay on her wooden bed, unable to sleep.
"System, come out," Han Lei looked at the top of the tent and called out irritably.
"Ding! Good evening, host!"
"Hmph!" Han Lei snorted lightly, "I’m not good at all, I want to go back."
"I only handle rewards and selling items, I’m not responsible for sending you back."
Han Lei rolled her eyes. "If you’re not responsible, then who is responsible for sending me back?"
"Your mission is here, you cannot go back," the system’s voice was chilly and emotionless.
"Mission?" Han Lei was surprised, "I’ve inexplicably time-traveled here, what mission do I have?"
"I don’t know!"
"Then how do I fulfill the mission?"
"I don’t know!"
"When will the mission be completed?"
"I don’t know!"
"Are you kidding me? You don’t know anything. Did you just dump me here?"
Han Lei wanted to bang her head against the wall!
Time-traveling here, the only connection she had now was the system, yet this broken system was clueless about everything. It truly was a case of "the heavens won’t answer, the earth won’t listen."
"Since I can’t go back, can I at least have some drinks, or enjoy a big meal?"
"Sorry, host. The fifty taels of Silver awarded yesterday were all used to purchase guitars, karaoke speakers, food, and clothing. There’s no Silver left in the system now."
"Ah——"
Han Lei was going crazy!