When He Miao looked at Ye Nianchu again, her sense of superiority had vanished.
She retreated while firing, using all three of her last remaining bullets as a last resort, but none hit the two.
The sharp sound of gunfire crackled, and Ye Nianchu ducked behind a rock next to the waterfall. It was then she noticed a small hole in the stone wall above the pool, just big enough for a person to crouch and slip inside.
Footsteps echoed nearby; other players were closing in.
“There's a hole over here; we can go down,” Ye Nianchu said, glancing back.
With the sound of flowing water masking their movements, they could buy some time. Even if the pursuing players spotted the hole, they wouldn’t dare investigate.
The angle and position of the hole were excellent—one could come down and take out the next person who followed.
Qin Mubai turned on a flashlight, checking that they were about a meter above the pool, and could climb down using the stones beside them.
However, the water below was turbulent. If they slipped, they could fall in, possibly getting swept away or crashing against sharp rocks.
He took out a vine from his supplies and secured it to a nearby rock, using it as a rope.
“Where did you get that?” Ye Nianchu asked, watching him.
“Collected it on the first day in the game,” Qin Mubai smirked.
“Good thinking ahead,” Ye Nianchu complimented sincerely.
Qin Mubai looked at Ye Nianchu, who was preparing to climb down the vine. “Be careful, sis.”
“Mm.”
They couldn’t leave the vine behind. After Ye Nianchu climbed down, Qin Mubai would need to retrieve it before following. There was no better plan.
Ye Nianchu understood; she worried Qin Mubai more than he worried about her.
He was someone she couldn’t beat even at her peak.
The vine was rough, and her palms stung from the friction. The falling water soaked her clothes, and the surrounding stones were slick; a slip could cost her dearly.
The vine wasn’t long enough, and as she neared the hole, she had to rely on her own strength.
Each step was cautious. Once she landed, she raised the flashlight and waved it upward twice.
Qin Mubai retrieved the vine and leaped down, agile and graceful.
---
The space inside the hole was small; they couldn’t stand up. Ye Nianchu had to crouch down and shine her flashlight around.
The hole wasn’t deep, and it was clean, though it felt a bit cold.
Being near the waterfall and pool, the damp chill was normal.
Qin Mubai crouched as he entered. At over six feet tall, even sitting, he could touch the top of the hole, which felt a bit cramped.
With less than two hours left in the game, they had no weapons and could only hide.
---
The players behind them arrived, confused by the waterfall.
“The location clearly shows they’re right here; where did they go?”
A few of them peered over the edge, shining their flashlights around, the red dot on the map flashing in place, yet they couldn’t see anyone.
“They must be hiding somewhere close; search carefully! I refuse to believe they can hide in the sky!”
The flashlight beams swept over the hole several times, prompting Ye Nianchu to shrink back.
She and Qin Mubai pressed closely together in the small space, looking like they were embracing.
Ye Nianchu turned to gaze at the dark stones behind them, feeling as if they were being watched intently. But when she turned, that feeling vanished.
The players above nearly turned the area inside out.
The flashlight illuminated the entire pool, and the sound of rushing water made their voices seem muffled.
“Boss, there seems to be a hole over there!”
Several beams of light landed on the hole.