...
When they managed to get past the trees, their excited expressions quickly turned sour. They realized they were in the exact same place as when they set off the previous day. As they wondered what other options they had, they remained motionless—even the faintest, most desperate in their group unwilling to act rashly.
"We can always try to see if flying gets us somewhere different this time," Yan Xiaobao sighed, seeing their exhaustion from yet another night spent retracing their steps in vain.
"Yes," Xu Biao nodded, though the doubt on his face was something Yan Xiaobao immediately noticed. Since Xu Biao wasn't ready to elaborate, Yan Xiaobao didn't press further. Instead, he began walking toward the distant edge of the forest that was faintly visible.
The group traveled in silence that day; the repeated failures of their attempts to escape weighed heavily on everyone, leaving them dispirited. Their strategy had failed, and once again, they were unable to leave the forest.
