Chapter 72 Hunt Down
Genesis's POV
In the darkness, Eli quietly unzipped the back of the tent.
I gripped his hand tightly, anxiously looking around, terrified that a killer might suddenly rush out from the shadows.
Eli pulled me forward silently while keeping his voice extremely low. "Those people will rush over the moment they see the light go out. We don't have much time."
I quickly picked up my pace, afraid my footsteps might be too loud and alert the killers.
Sure enough, we had only walked a few meters when we heard someone shouting in the distance. "They escaped! Chase them!"
Eli grabbed my hand and suddenly accelerated.
We ran hand in hand through the night. Tree shadows stood quietly on both sides as Eli skillfully led me around every obstacle.
I couldn't see the path clearly in the darkness. I could only rely on instinct to keep moving my legs, pushing my speed to the limit!
"Those people will definitely use lights to chase us. Watch for the beams!"
The howling wind shattered Eli's voice. I frantically turned to look back and saw many white lights appearing behind us!
My heart immediately jumped. The killers were coming after us!
The killers had obviously spotted us. They shouted excitedly, "Found them! Chase them!"
I shivered in fear, gritting my teeth and speeding up. My lungs felt like they were about to explode.
After running for a while, I felt my stamina giving out. My mouth filled with a metallic taste and my legs grew heavier and heavier.
Was I really going to die here?
My desire to live made me grit my teeth and persist, but my body was reaching its limit. I could feel that my running wasn't even controlled by my brain anymore. It was pure physical instinct.
"There's a slope ahead. We need to hide below it!" Eli said rapidly. I looked in the direction he pointed but couldn't see anything clearly.
I shook my head blankly. Eli tightened his grip on my hand and whispered, "Don't be afraid. I'll protect you."
Even in this extremely dangerous situation, I still chose to trust him without hesitation after hearing those words.
Eli pulled me forward a few quick steps, then suddenly wrapped his arms tightly around me, protecting me in his embrace.
A huge impact hit us. I could even hear a dull sound. Had Eli crashed into something?
We rolled down the slope together. I felt dizzy and disoriented, tumbling uncontrollably from top to bottom.
I didn't know how long we rolled, but I was already dizzy and about to pass out.
Eli didn't waste time. He pulled me tight against the rock wall, trying to minimize our position.
He asked me in a whisper, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
I shook my head to show I was fine.
Soon, footsteps came from above. I immediately held my breath and gripped Eli's clothes tightly.
The footsteps first circled around above, then slowly approached the top of the slope.
Eli held me tightly, hiding my figure in his embrace.
I felt his burning body temperature, but it was completely different from before.
Eli and I looked up to see the white beam of a flashlight moving back and forth on the ground, apparently searching for our tracks.
Several times, that white light almost shone on us. Only Eli pulling me tight against the rock wall barely got us through.
I was so nervous I almost fainted, constantly praying to God not to let those killers see us.
Fortunately, the killer above didn't discover us.
"They're not here!" the killer shouted to his companions.
I breathed a sigh of relief. We had escaped! But then white light shone on my face.
The killer had returned!
"Found them! They're here!"
The killer excitedly called out to his companions. I was scared out of my wits and immediately tried to get up to keep running.
But Eli stopped me.
I looked at him confused as he quickly pressed his watch into my hand.
"This watch has GPS. I already sent a distress signal to Walker and the others. They'll find us soon."
Eli's words made me feel dazed for a moment. It seemed like many years ago, my parents had said something similar to me, and then they died.
They fell in pools of blood, worrying about me until the very end.
I instinctively grabbed his hand, staring intently at Eli.
"Do you remember what I told you in the tent?" Eli looked at me seriously. I nodded.
Eli smiled. He reached out and patted my head, then actually pushed my hand away and ran in the opposite direction!
"He went that way! Chase him!" The killers immediately spotted his trail and cheered as they pursued him.
Watching his retreating figure, for a moment it seemed to overlap with my parents' departing silhouettes!
I bit my tongue hard and didn't dare waste even a second. I ran toward the north at full speed!
I knew that hesitating wouldn't help Eli. It would only make him more dangerous!
The howling wind blew past my ears. My tears were blown away by the wind before they could even fall. I ran mechanically, but my mind kept replaying Eli's final retreating figure.
He would be fine. He had to be fine.
I repeated this to myself when I suddenly heard gunshots behind me.
Bang bang bang!
Why were there gunshots? Had they found Eli?
My hands clenched into tight fists. I stiffly didn't dare look back, just kept running deeper into the forest.
Mom's bloody face appeared before my eyes, then gradually transformed into Eli's.
Those gray-blue eyes slowly lost their light before me.
No!
Impossible!
Eli would definitely be fine! I ran desperately, roughly wiping away my falling tears.
Although I wanted to escape from Eli, I didn't want him to die!
He had to live!
I don't know how long I ran when I suddenly heard the roar of a helicopter overhead.
I looked up warily. Walker's voice came through the loudspeaker above. "We found her!"
I was safe!
Only then did I notice something wrong with my body. My lungs burned with intense pain as if they had been set on fire. My body swayed and I collapsed completely to the ground.
The helicopter landed nearby. Walker ran over quickly. "Are you okay? Come with me."
I gestured to ask him how Eli was, but Walker just shook his head blankly and handed me his phone.
"How is Eli?" I typed urgently.
Walker shook his head. "Inigo went to find him. I was assigned to pick you up. I just contacted Inigo. He hasn't found Eli yet."