Since there were no safe strongholds or towns along this route, they had to spend the night in the wild. The twelve hours spent in the wilderness, especially the latter half of the night, were the most dangerous.
It wasn't that they couldn't travel at night; many of the twenty bodyguards could drive. However, visibility was too poor at night, making it easy to fall into an enemy ambush if they traveled after dark.
Although camping in the wild wasn't entirely safe, one situation involved being unprepared while the other was prepared. Any experienced bodyguard would not choose to travel at night.
"Mr. Ning, Miss Liu, please rest here tonight. We will ensure your safety," a bodyguard said respectfully to them.
Before they departed, Nicholas had specifically instructed them that if even a single hair on Ning Beichen and Liu Yilin's heads was harmed, they were not to return.
"Thank you for your hard work, brothers," Ning Beichen said, appearing approachable and not arrogant towards them.
Despite Ning Beichen treating them like brothers, these bodyguards dared not address him as such. Although they hadn't witnessed Ning Beichen berating Nicholas within Fengchao, they had heard the rumors so many times that they knew this pair was someone even Nicholas dared not offend.
However, there was only one tent. Whether the bodyguards considered them a couple or for security reasons, a second tent was not provided for them.
"Boss, please make do tonight. The conditions in the wild are not ideal," Ning Beichen said to Liu Yilin, concerned she might overthink it.
Liu Yilin nodded and did not request a second tent, nor did she ask Ning Beichen to leave.
Night fell.
The twenty bodyguards were divided into three shifts for protection, with clear responsibilities and ample experience. Some were on lookout duty, others cleared the surroundings, and some were in ambush positions, equipped with night vision goggles, a testament to their excellent preparation.
Thus, Nicholas's claim that they were the elite of the elite was not an exaggeration; these were indeed the most experienced bodyguards from Fengchao.
Ning Beichen reviewed their arrangements and found no flaws, so he confidently entered the tent.
However, the tent was not very large, making it inconvenient for two people, especially since Liu Yilin was a woman.
Therefore, Liu Yilin quickly crawled into the quilt, her eyes blinking as she watched Ning Beichen, feeling a mix of fear and anticipation.
Ning Beichen, on the other hand, was a bit hesitant. He did not get into the quilt but sat near the tent entrance, intending to make do for the night. His reason for sitting there, besides preventing Liu Yilin from misunderstanding, was that if anything happened during the night, he could react immediately.
Little did Ning Beichen know that his attempt to maintain distance was interpreted by Liu Yilin as an attempt to hide something obvious. In Liu Yilin's mind, Ning Beichen had already "slept with her," so why the pretense now? However, as a woman, she was too embarrassed to ask Ning Beichen to sleep with her. She nestled in her quilt, feeling restless and anxious, both afraid he might lose control and annoyed by his inaction. Did she, a great beauty, hold no allure for him? In terms of beauty and figure, Liu Yilin felt she was no less attractive than Ye Ya'er, or any princess or countess. She was confident in her beauty. Yet, the man who acted like a lecher in the company now seemed like a complete fool in front of her, making Liu Yilin so angry she wanted to climb out of the quilt and beat him.
In reality, it wasn't that Ning Beichen lacked courage, but he had never considered conquering Liu Yilin, this aloof ice mountain. Moreover, in such a dangerous environment, even if he were lustful, he wouldn't dare to act rashly at this moment.
The first half of the night passed peacefully, and everyone began to feel sleepy, especially as midnight approached when human spirits are most weary. Liu Yilin, unable to sleep while enduring Ning Beichen's presence, and having cursed him as an idiot countless times in her heart, finally succumbed to sleep.
Ning Beichen, who had been sitting near the tent entrance, suddenly twitched his ears as he heard some unusual footsteps. Footsteps were not uncommon, as bodyguards were on patrol, but footsteps deliberately slowed down indicated a problem. If they were their own people, there would be no need to slow down; only an enemy trying to approach stealthily would do so. However, Ning Beichen couldn't be sure yet and didn't want to overreact to a few footsteps. Yet, danger must be guarded against, so Ning Beichen became alert, but he did not leave the tent, as his primary duty was to protect Liu Yilin.
Ning Beichen's hearing was not mistaken. Not far from them, about forty to fifty armed enemies had appeared and were stealthily approaching their camp. A bodyguard assigned to protect Ning Beichen was patrolling his designated route when a hand suddenly covered his mouth from behind, and a knife slit his throat. A swift, fatal blow. The bodyguard was pushed into the grass. Just as he thought no one had discovered him, Ning Beichen's voice suddenly rang out from the camp.
"Careful, there's an enemy sneak attack!"
Ning Beichen's shout immediately alerted the bodyguards, and soon, bursts of gunfire echoed through the night. Liu Yilin was also awakened by the gunfire. Before she could get out of her quilt, she saw Ning Beichen roll beside her and pin her down with his body. Liu Yilin was startled, thinking Ning Beichen was about to act on his desires, and struggled to break free.
"Ning Beichen, what are you doing? Don't... don't do anything reckless."
"Boss, don't speak. Enemies are attacking from outside." Ning Beichen whispered into her ear.
At that moment, more gunfire erupted from outside. It was only then that Liu Yilin became as startled as a bird under attack and tightly gripped Ning Beichen's hand.
"Boss, don't be afraid, I'm here," Ning Beichen soothed her gently. Liu Yilin gradually calmed down and blushed at her earlier misunderstanding. Fortunately, there was no light in the tent, so her flushed face was not visible.
Rat-tat-tat-tat...
In the darkness, the gunfire became increasingly intense, clearly indicating a substantial number of attacking enemies. Of the twenty bodyguards protecting Ning Beichen, two had been assassinated, and several others were shot.