Spy Wars: Strong Agents Who Are Ruthless and Talk Little

Chapter 397: A Heart-pounding Dizziness

Finally, Su Ming spotted the hidden cave in the dense forest ahead. He quickened his pace, using almost all his remaining strength to rush in, with Shen Ling following closely behind. As soon as they entered the cave, Su Ming quickly moved a stone to the entrance, temporarily blocking it and concealing their tracks.

Inside the cave, the dim light made it almost impossible to see anything. Only the faint moonlight filtering through the cracks in the rocks barely illuminated a small patch of ground. Su Ming leaned cautiously against the cave wall, gasping for breath, while Shen Ling practically collapsed to the ground, clutching her chest with both hands, trying to calm her pounding heart.

"Safe for now..." Su Ming whispered, but his heart still hung in the balance. He knew this was only a brief respite; the enemy would eventually raid this place. He had to come up with a better plan quickly, or they would have nowhere to escape.

"Su Ming...how far can we go?" Shen Ling's voice trembled, her eyes filled with exhaustion and helplessness. She seemed to have lost hope for the future and simply followed Su Ming mechanically.

"As long as we don't give up, we'll always find a way out," Su Ming answered firmly. Although he wasn't entirely sure himself, he couldn't let Shen Ling lose confidence. The tracking dogs they had brought were closing in, and he had to find a way to escape them quickly. Countless plans flashed through his mind, but he quickly rejected them all, knowing that if they made a mistake, they would be plunged into an abyss of no return.

"Rest for a while, then we have to leave here." Su Ming said decisively, his eyes still filled with unquestionable determination. He knew clearly that they had no time to waste, and the enemy was already within reach.

Su Ming panted heavily in the cave, his chest heaving violently. He tried to slow his breathing. In the dim light, he saw Shen Ling huddled against the cold stone wall, staring blankly at the cave entrance. Her face was pale, her clothes soaked with sweat, and her slightly trembling body betrayed extreme exhaustion.

He knew the girl was at her limit, and every step they took would mean life or death. He closed his eyes, his mind racing with thoughts of how to shake off the pursuers. The dangers and hardships of this journey had taught him that brute force alone would not dislodge the relentless pursuit. He had to be smarter, faster.

"Shen Ling, eat something." Su Ming pulled the last compressed biscuit from his backpack and handed it to her. He tried to keep his voice steady, suppressing his inner anxiety. He couldn't show the slightest sign of wavering, otherwise Shen Ling might collapse instantly. She needed to trust him, that he could still carry her through life.

Shen Ling looked up at him, a hint of gratitude in her eyes, but hesitated as she took the biscuit and said softly, "You eat it. I... really can't eat any more." Her throat was dry, and every word felt like a knife cutting through her. She knew they were running low on food, and she didn't want to cause Su Ming any more trouble.

"Listen, now's not the time to be brave." Su Ming looked at her calmly, his tone filled with unquestionable determination. "We still have a long way to go. You must maintain your strength, otherwise we will all die here."

Shen Ling was stunned for a moment, lowered her head, and took a bite of the dry biscuit, tears streaming down her face. She didn't know how long this escape would last, nor did she know what awaited them ahead, but she had a vague belief in her heart - as long as she followed Su Ming, perhaps there was hope for survival.

Su Ming watched her struggling to chew her rations, a pang of sadness welling up in his heart. He wasn't a heartless person, and he knew the pain Shen Ling felt as she struggled on the brink of her limit. But he couldn't stop. He had to force her to persevere, because in this relentless game of pursuit, even the slightest slack meant death.

"We have to leave here soon." Su Ming whispered, "They will find this place soon. We must find a more secret hiding place as soon as possible."

Shen Ling swallowed the last bite of her biscuit, wiped the tears from her eyes, and managed to steady herself. She knew Su Ming was right. Although her body was almost exhausted, she couldn't give up. She nodded vigorously and replied softly, "I'll follow you."

Su Ming breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her renewed fighting spirit. He turned around, carefully moving the rocks blocking the cave entrance to create a gap, and listened intently for any noises outside. Besides the rustling of the wind, he could hear the faint barking of dogs in the distance. The tracking dogs were still closing in, and they were running out of time.

"Let's go!" He shouted in a low voice and pulled Shen Ling up without question. The two of them quickly crawled out of the cave and stepped into the dark jungle again.

The night wind blew in their faces, bringing a biting chill, but they had no time to care. Su Ming still held Shen Ling's hand tightly, dragging her through the dense forest. His heart was beating so hard it seemed like it was about to burst out of his chest, but he could only force himself to concentrate, listening to every little sound, so that he could find a new way out before the pursuers found them.

Shen Ling followed closely behind Su Ming. She could feel her legs going numb and her strength almost completely drained, but she knew she couldn't stop. Every time she felt like she was about to fall, Su Ming's strong hands would always catch her in time, giving her a sense of comfort and support.

"Su Ming... can we... really escape?" Shen Ling couldn't help but ask, panting as she ran. Her voice was filled with despair and longing. She wanted to know if this man was truly confident that he could lead her to safety, or if he was just running blindly.

Su Ming didn't look back. He just held her hand tightly and responded in a steady voice, "As long as we don't give up, there will always be a glimmer of hope. Believe me."

Hearing this, Shen Ling felt a surge of strength rising in her heart. Although she wasn't sure if there was a way out, at this moment, she chose to trust Su Ming. She knew she had no way out and could only follow this man and continue forward in the darkness.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps and whispers could be heard from the front. Su Ming stopped abruptly and pulled Shen Ling behind a large tree. He held his breath and carefully identified the direction of the sound. It was the sound of the enemy searching in the forest. His heart tightened, he knew that the pursuers were getting closer.

"Damn it..." Su Ming cursed under his breath, quickly observing his surroundings. They didn't have much time left. If they continued this passively, they would be surrounded sooner or later. He had to find a way to escape, otherwise they would have nowhere to run.

He suddenly remembered that there was a steep cliff not far ahead. If they could successfully use the rope to slide down the cliff, they might be able to shake off the enemy's tracking dogs and search team. However, this plan was undoubtedly extremely dangerous. The slightest mistake would lead to a bottomless abyss.

"Shen Ling, listen, we are going to do something very dangerous." Su Ming stared into her eyes and whispered, "There is a cliff ahead, we have to jump down. Trust me, I will take you down."

A trace of fear flashed across Shen Ling's eyes, and her breathing paused for a second. "Jump down?!" She almost doubted whether she had heard correctly. "Then...what if you fall down?"

"You must believe me." Su Ming's gaze was firm, his tone filled with unquestionable determination. He grasped her shoulders and whispered soothingly, "This is our only chance. If we don't do this, they'll find us quickly, and then we'll have no way to escape."

Shen Ling looked into Su Ming's determined eyes, and her fear was gradually replaced by an inexplicable trust. She took a deep breath and nodded, "Okay... I believe you."

Su Ming smiled. Although he was still filled with uncertainty, he had to appear confident to encourage Shen Ling. He quickly pulled a rope from his backpack, tied it tightly around their waists, and then took her hand.

"Remember, hold on to me tightly when you jump, and don't let go!" he reminded again.

"I understand." Shen Ling took a deep breath, trying to calm her fear. At this moment, she could only put her life and death in the hands of this man.

The two exchanged glances, then, without hesitation, ran toward the cliff's edge. The barking of dogs grew closer behind them, as if countless wild beasts were chasing them in the darkness. In the dead silence of the night, their figures were like two lonely black shadows, leaping without hesitation into the bottomless darkness.

The cold wind from the cliffs howled, slicing at their faces like a sharp blade. Su Ming and Shen Ling's steps didn't hesitate. When they finally reached the edge, Shen Ling felt a wave of dizziness and fear. Below them lay the pitch-black abyss, and the howling wind seemed to mock their ignorance and audacity.

Su Ming took a deep breath, trying to calm his heartbeat. He had already tied the rope tightly, but he still didn't dare to let his guard down. "Are you ready?" he asked Shen Ling softly, a hint of nervousness in his voice. He knew in his heart that this jump was a near-fatal one, but now he had no other choice.

Shen Ling stared intently at the abyss below, her heart beating so fast it threatened to burst out of her chest. Her palms were covered in cold sweat, and even breathing became difficult. But she still managed to raise her head, looked at Su Ming, and nodded gently: "I... I'm ready."

"Very good." Su Ming's eyes flashed with determination. He knew now was not the time to hesitate. The enemy's footsteps were approaching. If they didn't act, they would surely be captured. He pulled Shen Ling into his arms and said in a deep voice, "Hold on to me, don't let go!"

Before he could finish his words, Su Ming leaped, and the two of them plummeted into darkness like kites with their strings cut. The wind howled in her ears, and Shen Ling squeezed her eyes shut tightly, a single thought in her mind: she must not let go. Her arms, nearly paralyzed, clung to Su Ming's waist, clinging to a last resort. The wind howled in her ears, nearly jarring her eardrums.