Reborn As Super Heiress

Chapter 69: Chapter 67: New Team

Huo Sining had no idea that some of her classmates had taken a different path. After walking a few steps, she looked up at the density of the leaves, then checked the hints on the map, and little by little, she finally found her own position on a small triangular point.

“What a lousy map this is, it doesn’t even mark the directions, how are we supposed to read it!”

Just as Huo Sining stopped, a few boys emerged from behind, one of them complaining. Seeing Huo Sining turn her head to look at them, he couldn’t help but give an embarrassed smile.

Huo Sining didn’t bother with those guys and looked up at Venus in the sky to confirm her direction. After she was certain she wasn’t mistaken, she folded up the map and called out indifferently, “Jin Zhi, let’s go.”

Luo Jinzhi hurriedly tightened her backpack and followed. The boys behind them looked at each other and silently followed suit.

It was a brilliant sunny September day. The clouds near the horizon brightened and brightened, and before long the sun was out. The gentle sunlight gradually turned scorching, and the stifling air in the forest made people sweat layer after layer.

...

Huo Sining didn’t sweat much, so she wasn’t too bothered, but Luo Jinzhi and the others following them couldn’t stand it. Seeing Luo Jinzhi panting after only half an hour, Huo Sining reluctantly led the group along routes shaded by trees, trying to avoid direct sunlight to reduce moisture loss.

Even staying in the shade, the stifling air in the forest still felt oppressive, and soon everyone was sweating profusely, their backs soaked through.

Since they hadn’t eaten breakfast and their military canteens were all empty, unable to replenish their water, by a little past seven o’clock, everyone was struggling. They had dry mouths, parched lips, and burning throats.

After looking at the group, Huo Sining frowned, looked down at the map again, then suddenly turned to them and said, “Give me your water bottles.”

Luo Jinzhi obediently took out her water bottle, while the several boys hesitated for a moment before handing their bottles to Huo Sining.

Huo Sining hung the ten water bottles around her neck and instructed flatly, “Rest here for a bit, wait for me.”

After she spoke, she turned and darted up a small path.

There was a marked water source on the map, a distance from where they were, and Huo Sining had originally planned to continue to the water source before resting.

But seeing Luo Jinzhi and the boys sweating buckets and hoarse voices, she had to stop.

Huo Sining had spotted a dense clump of reeds among the shrubs as she passed a mountain path earlier.

Reeds are aquatic plants, and their lush growth indicated that there should be a water source nearby.

Though she was not certain the water was drinkable, Huo Sining decided to try her luck.

It took several minutes walking back before Huo Sining found that clump of reeds, and then she looked around near the reeds.

Sure enough, about ten meters away by a mountain wall, she saw a pool less than one meter in diameter, water from mountain springs seeping out of the rock wall.

Huo Sining skimmed the weeds and debris off the surface of the pool, filled a water bottle, and took a sip first. The sweet and refreshing spring water instantly made her feel cool and refreshed throughout her body.

Delighted, Huo Sining quickly filled the rest of the bottles. While the pool was plentiful, she drank some more before heading back.

This detour took a while, and by the time Huo Sining followed the path back to the forest to the spot where Luo Jinzhi and the others were, more than ten minutes had passed, and several groups had already walked past them.

The boys waiting had become a bit anxious, but Huo Sining distributed the water flasks unhurriedly to everyone, saying, “To do a good job, one must first sharpen one’s tools.”

Since Chen Deping had given them a day, it meant they couldn’t possibly exit this damned place in half a day, no matter how fast they walked.

If they couldn’t rush out anyway, it was better to make thorough preparations first. Without water, dehydration was easy, and not understanding the map could lead to aimless wandering in the woods, possibly getting lost and ultimately delaying them more.

Huo Sining spoke calmly, and with her quickly finding a water source, the boys, quenched by the cool, sweet spring water, instantly felt rejuvenated, looking at Huo Sining with faces full of admiration and conviction.

“Huo Sining, my name is Liu Yan, and just like you, all eight of us are students from Class Two.”

Just then, a boy stood up and mustered the courage to ask, “Can we go with you?”

Huo Sining glanced at Liu Yan, who tried to appear calm but was noticeably red-eared, both embarrassed and awkward.

Huo Sining found it amusing but deliberately pondered for a moment with a solemn face, remaining silent.

The eight boys watched Huo Sining with hopeful and anxious eyes, waiting for her response.

After hesitating for a moment, Huo Sining nodded magnanimously, “Alright, but I don’t like unnecessary chatter. If you follow me, don’t ask any questions, just obey my commands. I don’t like people holding us back.”

They all nodded vigorously, regarding Huo Sining as if she was the captain of their little squad.

“Let’s go!”

Huo Sining checked the map again and, with her gear on her back, turned and headed off to the right front.

The boys, both observant and savvy, had noticed that Luo Jinzhi stuck close to Huo Sining and knew Luo Jinzhi was Huo Sining’s friend. Seeing Luo Jinzhi struggling at the back, they quickly took her backpack and carried it for her.

Luo Jinzhi initially felt embarrassed but was unable to reject the boys who insisted, so she could only follow, clutching her water flask.

With water, their pace quickened, especially upon seeing many others sitting by the roadside, wiping sweat and looking thirsty. The morale of the boys in the group soared, resulting in their marching speed surging; the group of ten marched forward with determination, without looking back.

By around nine in the morning, they finally found the marked water source on the map, as their canteens were nearly empty. Suddenly seeing a small stream before them, everyone’s eyes lit up.

“Ha ha, water, that’s awesome!”

A group of boys dropped their backpacks and rushed to the edge of the stream, scooping water with their hands and splashing it on their faces. The cool water instantly made them feel incredibly refreshed; it washed away the beads of sweat on their foreheads and cheeks, along with the weariness and the heat.

However, Huo Sining looked around first. Not seeing anyone else by the stream, it seemed they were the fastest. After some thought, she spoke up:

“There’s a log bridge over there. Hurry up. In a while, we’ll cross to the other side and set up camp temporarily, then figure out something to eat.”

Since they hadn’t had breakfast that morning, everyone was already famished to the point of their stomachs sticking to their backs.

Hearing Huo Sining mention setting up a lunch, everyone’s spirits were lifted. They quickly got up from the riverbank and followed Huo Sining to the other side of the stream.