C22 He Had Collapsed!

After the racer had departed, Zhao Xue'er approached Zhang Bufan and his group.

"Don't mind that racer; he's always like that," she reassured them before turning to Lee Jie at her side. "Go and hand them the stuff."

Lee Jie, though displeased, kept his emotions in check, gave Zhao Xue'er a kiss, and dutifully left to do as told.

Yet, as he walked away, Zhao Xue'er's expression briefly betrayed a flicker of revulsion—a detail that didn't escape Zhang Bufan's notice, though he found it somewhat odd.

Feeling a touch awkward, Tang Yu, who had only recently made their acquaintance, scratched his head and expressed his gratitude. "Zhao Xue'er, thank you. Without your help, I'm not sure how we would've managed tonight."

"Hey, man, no need to be so formal, alright? We've got to look out for each other when we're all out here," she replied with a feigned huff, lightening the mood for Tang Yu and the others.

Zhao Xue'er's emotional intelligence was impressively high, it must be said.

Before long, Lee Jie returned with another guy, carrying items with a look of resentment aimed at Zhang Bufan and his friends. "Here, this is for you. Handle it with care. Don't damage it!"

Knowing the items belonged to someone else, Tang Yu didn't take Lee Jie's attitude to heart and responded with a smile. "Thanks. We'll make sure to return them to you tomorrow."

As the evening darkened, many racers had already set up their tents, while those without sought to share with others. But setting up a tent needed to be done quickly; once night fell, it would be too late.

Zhang Bufan and his companions divided the tasks: Zhang Bufan took the lead on the tent construction, Faang Yun searched for stones, and Tang Yu assisted Zhang Bufan. Thanks to Zhang Bufan's outdoor survival skills from his police training, they erected the tent swiftly, though darkness had already enveloped them by the time they finished.

Noticing that Lee Jie and Zhao Xue'er were still struggling with their tent, Tang Yu and Faang Yun offered their assistance, leaving the remaining tidying up to Zhang Bufan.

"We'll help you out," Tang Yu said to them. "Zhao Xue'er, you can take a break now."

He called out to Zhao Xue'er, who was in the midst of pitching the tent.

Faang Yun chimed in from the side.

"Exactly, we can't expect a girl to handle such tasks."

Lee Jie was initially reluctant, but the thought of setting up the tent more quickly with extra hands—and sparing his girlfriend the effort—made him reconsider and eventually agree after some hesitation.

Meanwhile, Zhang Bufan, diligently tending to his own tasks, felt a twinge of embarrassment.

"Are they really leaving this up to me?"

Having completed his preparations, Zhang Bufan stood still, lost in thought. The current evidence suggested that Moo Jia and Moo Yong hadn't arrived in this town. After so many days, there should have been some sign of them.

With only two days left until the deadline set by his superior, he knew he couldn't afford to delay.

"No more time to waste. Once Faang Yun and Tang Yu get back, I'll tell them we start heading back tomorrow."

Zhang Bufan resolved, speaking softly with a hint of frustration. Yet, with no one around, it was unclear who he was addressing.

Night had fully descended, bringing with it a chill.

The afternoon's thunderstorm had left everyone's clothes damp, and the high elevation and strong winds only added to the cold. Shivering, everyone paced back and forth, trying in vain to ward off the chill.

Faang Yun clung to Tang Yu, shivering as she exclaimed, "It's freezing!"

"I know," Tang Yu replied, nodding in agreement. He was struggling too; the temperature was uncomfortably low for anyone.

None of them had anticipated an overnight stay, leaving them unprepared and with no choice but to rely on their own resilience to fend off the cold.

Zhang Bufan, however, seemed less affected. His regular exercise routine had kept his vigor up, and he had experienced even colder climates, giving him a stronger resistance to the cold.

"If it's too much, you guys could take shelter in the tent for a bit," he offered thoughtfully.

Zhang Bufan wasn't eager to retreat to the tent himself. His gaze was fixed on a group of car racers, particularly one whose expression seemed off. He had been observing this individual for some time, and his instincts warned him not to drop his guard.

Faang Yun shook his head and said, "It's way too early for that, don't you think, Tang Yu?"

Before Tang Yu could respond, Lee Jie, holding Zhao Xue'er's hand, was already approaching them. "Hey, why don't you join us for a game? It's pretty dull at the moment, and I'm tired of my phone," Zhao Xue'er suggested with a cheerful smile.

Tang Yu felt a bit awkward and hesitated without speaking. He glanced at Faang Yun and Zhang Bufan, signaling that he hoped they would all join in.

Zhao Xue'er pressed on, "Come on! Let's all play together!" She glanced at Lee Jie, who quickly caught on. "Let's do it. Don't leave my girlfriend hanging."

With that, Lee Jie pulled Faang Yun and Tang Yu into the fold. Zhang Bufan, left with no other option, followed suit.

Once Tang Yu and his friends joined, they realized the game group had seven people, including themselves, Zhao Xue'er, Lee Jie, and two other racers named Wang Hee and Zhou Hee.

"What game are we playing?" Faang Yun inquired with curiosity.

Zhao Xue'er, batting her big, expressive eyes, replied, "How about the Immortal Pen?"

Just then, a chilly breeze swept through, giving Faang Yun, a skeptic, an uneasy feeling. He protested, "You're kidding, right?"

Zhao Xue'er giggled, "Gotcha. That's kid stuff. We're playing Truth or Dare. If you refuse a dare, you drink."

Wang Hee chimed in with enthusiasm, "Exactly, and we've got plenty of booze to go around!"

Truth or Dare? Tang Yu was puzzled. He was here to uncover the truth, not to engage in games. Wasn't this even more juvenile than the Immortal Pen, like something children would play?

Tang Yu feigned mopping sweat from his brow, his inner turmoil evident. But there was no backing out now, so he remained silent, resigned to participate.

"I'm bowing out; this game isn't really for me. I'll just watch from the sidelines."

Zhang Bufan spoke with a detached tone.

It wasn't fair to fault Zhang Bufan; he genuinely had no interest in these games.

As for his reasons for staying, he was curious to see if a certain someone would take any action—after all, the full story wasn't clear to everyone yet.

Zhang Bufan glanced at Tang Yu and Faang Yun beside him, feeling a sense of helplessness.

It appeared that neither of them had picked up on anything unusual.

The moment Zhang Bufan's words hung in the air, a palpable silence ensued, creating an awkward atmosphere.

Zhao Xue'er quickly intervened to ease the tension.

"Don't worry about it. He's just not into it, and that's okay. Six of us can play just as well—too many players can spoil the fun anyway. Let's give this beer bottle a spin and play Truth or Dare. Whoever it points to gets to choose."