They kept closing in on them. Shen Xi shivered with fear, and Qin Si Ye held her tightly, lighting a lighter, trying to drive them away.
But the terrifying animals were unmoved and continued to press closer.
One vicious creature, seizing the moment, pounced on her. Qin Si Ye lifted his leg and kicked it away.
Just as the other animals were poised to attack them all at once, Qin Si Ye lowered his head and instantly set a pile of dry grass ablaze.
Seeing the flames, the pack of animals suddenly stopped. After watching them for a dozen seconds, they slowly turned and left.
"Let's go," Qin Si Ye pulled her hand and ran in another direction.
But after only a few steps, her legs gave out, and she fell to the ground. Qin Si Ye came back to pull her, slipped, lost his balance, and suddenly fell down the cliffside.
"No, no, Qin Si Ye! Qin Si Ye!" Shen Xi's eyes snapped open in panic, her heart twisting, only to meet Qin Si Ye's handsome and surprised face.
She realized then that everything that had happened was just a dream.
She took a deep breath, her gaze hazy as she met his eyes for a few seconds, then immediately lifted her head from his shoulder.
Hadn't she been lying on her back, sleeping? How had she ended up leaning on his shoulder?
"What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?" Qin Si Ye slowly withdrew his hand from her waist, asking with concern.
Shen Xi immediately realized why she'd had such a dream. It must have been him holding her that had triggered her subconscious to wander.
She retorted curtly, "Mm."
She immediately turned her face away.
The man suddenly leaned towards her, his voice a low whisper by her ear, "Why did I hear you call my name just now? Did I appear in your dream?"
Hearing this, Shen Xi's heart skipped a beat, but she refused to admit it. "No, you must have misheard."
Qin Si Ye didn't know what she had dreamt about, but he was certain she had called his name. He had heard it clearly.
Since she was unwilling to admit it, he wouldn't press her.
However, it couldn't have been a good dream, or she wouldn't have woken up so startled.
To ease her fearful and tense heart, Qin Si Ye gently turned her shoulders and said softly, "What did you dream about? Tell me, perhaps I can help you interpret it."
Shen Xi, still shaken, looked at his sincere face, unsure how to answer, when the pilot in front suddenly announced, "President, we've reached our destination. The plane is about to land."
"Good." Qin Si Ye sat up straight and looked at the bodyguards behind him. "Everyone get ready, we're disembarking."
He then lowered his gaze to Shen Xi. "Your dream, I'll interpret it for you when we get back."
After getting off the plane, Shen Xi saw that they were indeed on a cliffside, surrounded by mountains, a sea of green.
She couldn't help but ask Qin Si Ye with confusion, "Why did we land the plane here? Don't we need to meet with the park officials to understand the situation?"
"I've already gathered all the information. They went missing somewhere around here. The park is also sending out search parties. If we split up, we can find Uncle and the others faster."
After speaking, Qin Si Ye turned and walked towards several bodyguards, assigning them tasks.
Shen Xi looked at his tall, upright figure and his deep green outdoor gear. She felt as if the man standing before her wasn't a powerful business magnate, but a seasoned general.
She finally understood why Qin Si Ye had flown them here. It not only saved travel time but also allowed them to reach the closest possible location more efficiently.
"From here inwards, there's no signal. You'll go in pairs, searching in different directions. If you find them, fire a signal flare immediately. Do you understand?" Qin Si Ye asked in a commanding tone.
"Yes." The six bodyguards replied in unison.
"Alright, let's go. Take food, water, and supplies. Whether you find them or not, everyone must return here by 5 PM for assembly."
With that, Qin Si Ye slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked towards Shen Xi. "Shen Xi, you and the pilot will wait here for us."
"No. I'm going with you."
Seeing that others were pairing up and heading in different directions, Shen Xi knew Qin Si Ye intended to go alone.
Recalling the dream she'd had on the plane, she stated firmly that she had to go with him.