Ming Rui pretended not to hear Shangguan Liu's words, continuing to run through the dense forest, until Shangguan Liu fell to the ground motionless; that's when Ming Rui collapsed on the ground as well. He had been supporting a person as he ran; this was already his limit.
Shangguan Liu's throat was burning with pain as he lay on the ground unmoving, only the rise and fall of his chest proving he was still alive. The sweat irritated the cuts on his cheeks, painfully so, and he no longer had the strength to wipe it away with his hand.
After catching his breath for a moment, Ming Rui pricked up his ears to listen to the sounds of the dense forest. They couldn't stay in this place for long. Gathering some strength, he helped Shangguan Liu up and they started to walk deeper into the forest step by step.
