Chapter 12

Jiang Shan heard something like a sharp intake of breath. “A—a living person?”
She wasn’t sleepy anymore. She even frowned. What did they mean—did she not look alive?
To her surprise, that simple frown made every face across from her go pale.
“Holy…” A man with eyes like saucers stared at her. “She’s really alive?”
Everyone had imagined the worst before coming—including their own fate. But no one had expected… someone still alive on the mountain?
“Wh-who are you? How did you get here?” A tall, thin man asked.
Jiang Shan looked at them blankly. “Who are you?”
All four drew a sharp breath. Their faces were a picture. Then one of them seemed to gather his courage and took a step toward her.
“Don’t don’t don’t go over!” The woman in the corner started shrieking again, staring at Jiang Shan as if she were something monstrous. “What if she’s not—not human…”
The scream made him freeze. His foot went back.
Jiang Shan: “…” Seriously. Not human?
Her legs were a bit numb. She leaned on something and stood up slowly. She realized she felt stronger than usual; the dizziness and nausea from last night were gone.
That movement made them all start. The woman in the corner—Zhao Ying—leaped up and hid behind someone.
A man’s hand went to his waist. “Don’t move!”
In a flash he had drawn something and aimed it at Jiang Shan. A gun.
She was stunned. What was going on?
They were looking at her as if she were something terrifying.
The man holding the gun seemed more scared than she was. The barrel shook as he said, “Whatever you are, don’t—don’t come any closer…”
Jiang Shan: “???”
Are these people insane? The thought flashed through her mind.
The tall thin man said urgently, “Zhang Zheng, don’t be rash!”
Zhang Zheng was clearly on edge. He gripped the gun tighter and jerked his chin at Jiang Shan. “You. Take your clothes off.”
She stared at him. Take off her clothes?
“Off!” Zhang Zheng raised the gun. “Let us check you!”
She wasn’t about to strip. What kind of lunatic was he? Check what?
The tall man tried to explain: “Don’t misunderstand. We only want to check if you’ve been…”
Before he could finish, a stern voice came from outside the tent: “Put the gun away.”
Everyone in the tent went still. Zhang Zheng paused.
In that moment Jiang Shan’s legs gave out. She sank back onto the pad.