The ground grew more difficult to cross, and the RV crawled along.
Road conditions aside, Su Jin was frightened that a stone might strike the undercarriage and damage the nuclear battery.
He didn't even know where in the vehicle the battery was installed.
Since seeing another group of pursuers, Du Wenyan had been preoccupied. She had lost her appetite.
Her mood was affecting Yunlian too.
In the rearview mirror, Su Jin saw the sisters sitting together, both looking listless.
Yunlian had just finished practicing her ability and was exhausted.
If they stayed like this, other problems might follow.
Yunlian worried him most. She was young and not especially resilient.
If she developed a mental problem, she might not be able to work well on the plantation later. That would be trouble.
Su Jin stopped the RV and went back to the living area.
"What is it?" Du Wenyan asked, looking up.
"Nothing. Since you two have nothing to do, I'll show you something good." Su Jin picked up the remote.
After searching his film library, he selected a work of culture that could cross the universe.
Bright, lively animation filled the screen and immediately caught both sisters' eyes.
A work of interplanetary cultural exchange:
Tom and Jerry!
Nothing could be better for them. They wouldn't need to understand a word.
Once the sisters were watching, Su Jin returned to the driver's seat and drove on.
....
At the Wunian River, Lu Mingxuan rode along the bank.
He had arrived several hours earlier and spent the time scouting places where the fugitives might appear.
But the river ran on for so long, and every stretch looked much like the next.
They wouldn't take the official road while fleeing. Alone, he had a good chance of missing them.
After thinking it over, Lu Mingxuan began to wonder whether he should give up.
He still had no proof his guess was right. He was confident, but not certain.
He should have brought more people. Searching alone was difficult.
If he missed them, he'd have to cross the river and continue. But how would he take the horse across?
He couldn't abandon his master's Tianchuan Horse.
He patted its neck. "Horse, can you find your way home by yourself?"
The Tianchuan Horse whinnied and nodded.
"You really are clever. No wonder Master treasures you and lets you wander around without a saddle or reins."
The horse tossed its head, the reins slapping against its neck.
It gave a harder shake, caught the reins in its mouth, and kept shaking.
"What, you don't want to wear the reins?"
The horse nodded again.
Lu Mingxuan scratched his temple and dismounted. "All right. You've got a mind of your own."
"Listen. I'm after some rebels. I might not catch them, so I'll wait in that tall tree ahead while you search around. If you see anyone suspicious, come and get me. If we find nothing in the next few days, I'll write a letter for you to carry home as fast as you can."
"I'll go straight to Jiuzhao City. Even if I can't catch the rebels, I still want a bout with Shen Yufeng!"
"If you agree, I'll take off your saddle and reins. Deal?"
"Neigh!"
"Smart fellow. Smarter than most of my junior disciples!" Lu Mingxuan took off the tack. "No wonder you're one of the finest horses in the world. This gear only slows you down."
"Neigh!"
"Search nearby, but don't go too far. Come tell me if you find anything. I'll watch from the tree."
....
"Heehee..."
The sisters were laughing together at the cartoon inside the RV.
They couldn't understand its setting, but its exaggerated action was easy enough to follow.
The show had taken some of Du Wenyan's attention, but she still remembered to check outside from time to time.
A map lay on the table for comparison.
It was rough, but she'd seen more detailed ones. The shapes of the mountains helped her work out where they were.
Su Jin could never have done that.
Looking at the mountains, Du Wenyan suddenly held the map up toward the window.
The laughter reached Su Jin in the driver's seat and lifted his spirits a little.
"Brother Wu, the Wunian River isn't far. There's a patch of woods ahead; it would give us the best cover. Can the RV get through?" Du Wenyan came up behind his seat and pointed. "I think we'll see the river once we're past it."
Su Jin judged the spacing between the trees and nodded. "Yes. We'll park in there. I've shown you how to use the shower. You two wash up quickly. There are two spare sets of clothes in the storage compartment. Put the old ones in the washing machine and I'll wash them later."
Du Wenyan nodded, a faint blush on her face.
A bath might seem ill-timed, but she understood why Su Jin had suggested it.
She'd vomited in the cell and stained her clothes.
After all the travel and crawling through the tunnel, both she and Yunlian were filthy. The smell inside the RV had grown rather mixed.
"By the way, has Yunlian started menstruating?"
"What?" Du Wenyan flushed and looked at him warily. "Why do you ask?"
"Don't misunderstand. The immortal provided some things for women. There's something called a sanitary pad for that time of the month, and there are undergarments in the bedroom cupboard. The packaging has pictures; you'll understand when you see them."
"I have no use for them. Give them to your sister so it won't cause trouble on the road."
"Thank you, Brother Wu. I'll go wash now." Red-faced, Du Wenyan turned away.
As they spoke, the RV entered the woods.
At that moment, a dark shape darted out!
"Neigh!"
"Mm!"
The RV jolted violently to a stop.
Blood splashed across the window, and Su Jin's face darkened.
"What happened?" Du Wenyan hurried over with Yunlian.
Su Jin let out a breath. "Nothing. Hit a speed bump. A wild horse jumped out. Go on with what you were doing. We'll stop here while I get the boat ready."
"All right." Du Wenyan returned to the bathroom, hand on her chest.
Su Jin got out to look. He could just make out the river in the distance.
Lowering his gaze, he saw the dead horse beneath the wheel.
What rotten luck. The beast had been so fast it might as well have teleported into his path.
It had appeared from nowhere. He hadn't even seen it clearly before the RV ran over it, spilling its guts and filth.
His brand-new vehicle had blood all over the window, and the wheel was a sticky mess. At least the glass hadn't cracked.
He kicked the horse, grumbled with his hands on his hips, then took out an inflatable raft and began inflating it.
....
The bathroom light was soft and slightly yellow.
Steam from the hot shower spread through the room.
Du Wenyan shut and locked the door, then leaned against it, lost in thought.
After a while, she loosened her outer robe.
Her inner garment opened little by little and slipped from her shoulders, revealing a slender waist nothing like a man's.
She looked at her reflection, her chest bound in layers of cloth, then pulled out the tie holding up her hair.
At the same moment, the contours of her face rippled as if disturbed by water, revealing her true appearance.
The rough lines faded, replaced by delicate, gentle features: a striking face, graceful without being seductive.
Her nose was straight, her lashes long, and her clear eyes seemed to reflect everything around her.
Pushing a loose strand of hair aside, Du Wenyan gazed at herself. A thought made her cheeks redden, and she covered her face.
After a moment, she reached behind her back and loosened the binding around her chest.
The layers of cloth fell around her feet. The last few came loose all at once.
Boing! Boing!
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