Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  Xie Wanwan looked stunned.

  She stayed frozen on the spot and looked at Xiang Wan as though she was crazy. Her gaze was fixed on Xiang Wan for a very long time.

  Xiang Wan looked at Xie Wanwan’s lips—her mouth had already turned purplish just like what Cheng Zheng had described previously while on her way to Brother Steel’s villa. A feeling of compassion filled her heart. She removed the scarf she had wrapped around her neck—Cheng Zheng’s scarf. She flicked it gently and squatted slowly, ignoring the pain while doing so, to put the scarf on Xie Wanwan.

  “Don’t let people worry about you. Your conscience will be in pain.”


  Xie Wanwan did feel cold.

  The coldness had already seeped into her bones and her heart. Her senses were numb.

  She dared not ask for clothing though. She daren’t ask for care and concern from anyone around her.

  However, Xiang Wan gave her what she wanted.

  The lukewarm temperature on the scarf came from Xiang Wan—her love rival, the woman whom Bai Muchuan loved so deeply……

  Xie Wanwan’s eyes reddened, unable to shed any tears. She took the scarf and wrapped it around her.

  “You don’t hate me?” She asked Xiang Wan.

  “I wanted to, but I couldn’t.” Xiang Wan replied honestly.

  “Even if I caused someone’s death…… and even brought harm to Bai Muchuan, will you not hate me?”


  “Yes,” Xiang Wan squinted her eyes. “He’s a police officer. Even if it wasn’t you who was tied there, he would also save that person.”


  “.……”


  Xie Wanwan looked at Xiang Wan.

  She used to think that Xiang Wan had a pleasant appearance, exquisite features, and a very fair complexion……

  However, at this moment, she felt that Xiang Wan’s face was actually bright and warm.

  “I’m sorry!”


  Xie Wanwan apologized to her.

  “Although I know that there is no point saying this…… but…… I still want to say I’m sorry.”


  “You didn’t do me wrong.” Xiang Wan returned a casual look. “Apologize to Tang Yuanchu and Bai Muchuan when you see them later.”


  “.…… Okay.”


  Xie Wanwan gave a simple reply. The two of them did not exchange any more words.

  They turned to look at the lake and once again the surrounding fell into silence……

  Salimu was being pulled out of the water and was lying not too far from Xie Wanwan.

  The impact of the explosion was too great for him, and his near-drowning experience was still haunting him. At this moment, he looked distracted and seemed unable to accept the current situation.

  He stared at the lake. “It will be alright, they will be fine. Everything will be alright, they will definitely be alright……”


  He was mumbling non-stop. Deep inside him, he was terrified.

  The situation was a little chaotic.

  Xiang Wan also stared at the lake.

  Her heart had been in turmoil ever since Bai Muchuan came to rescue Xie Wanwan. She had also imagined the worst possible outcome…… that they failed to defuse the bomb, and all of them would die from the explosion.

  When the bomb exploded earlier, she thought…… her world had collapsed.

  When she rushed over, it turned out that it was not the worst scenario.

  Unlike the people around her, Xiang Wan was very optimistic.

  She was optimistic about the final outcome as well as Bai Muchuan’s well-being.

  “Are you scared?” Xie Wanwan suddenly turned to face Xiang Wan.

  Xiang Wan looked at the surface of the water. “He told me to wait for him, and he will keep his promise.”


  Xie Wanwan’s face dimmed a little. “Little Bai is a very good swimmer. I find it strange that…… How on earth?……”


  Someone who was such a good swimmer actually went missing when he tried to save someone?

  Xiang Wan frowned but remained quiet as she thought of the wound on Bai Muchuan’s arm.

  At this moment, they heard Quan Shaoteng’s shouts.

  “Those above, pull us! We’ve got them!”


  The cry of joy sliced through the night sky. Everyone was full of vigor.

  The rescuers were shivering in the cold, but upon hearing that, they used all of their strength to pull the people in the water……

  Water was dripping from the dark figure, totally drenched.

  “It’s Tang Yuanchu!” Xie Wanwan’s eyes widened at the sight of him.

  The person they pulled out of the water was, indeed, Tang Yuanchu.

  The clothes on his body were tattered from the explosion, revealing the bulletproof vest he was wearing inside……

  Quan Shaoteng patted Tang Yuanchu on the face. “Cheng Zheng!” He shouted.

  Cheng Zheng was also helping out in the rescue operation. Upon hearing his name being called, he came over with the medical equipment in his hands. Mei Xin was right next to him. Without delay, they immediately carried out treatment on Tang Yuanchu……

  “There’s no breathing!”


  “Quick! Cardiac resuscitation!”


  “.…… Captain Cheng, blood is coming out from his mouth!”


  The situation seemed a little messy.

  Quan Shaoteng took a quick look and moved his attention back to the lake. He shook his head to get rid of excess water.

  “Cheng Zheng, he’s all yours! We’ll continue the search!”


  The next moment, he dived right back into the water……

  Cheng Zheng looked at Quan Shaoteng from the corner of his eyes, not saying a word.

  In the water, Quan Shaoteng was trying his best to find Bai Muchuan. He could be seen resurfacing from the water and diving back in over and over again.

  Another minute later, he started cussing as he slammed his fist on the water.

  “Bai Muchuan! Where the hell are you?”
……

  “I won’t go to hell!”


  A deep voice could be heard coming from the surface of the water.

  Quan Shaoteng quickly turned toward the direction of the voice in the water.

  “.…… D*rn!”


  He swam towards Bai Muchuan after cussing out loud.

  “Where the bleeping hell have you been? I thought you’ve drowned.”


  Bai Muchuan was somewhat exhausted as he gritted his teeth to swim over and rested on Quan Shaoteng’s shoulder. Bai Muchuan did not exert any more strength from then onwards. He let Quan Shaoteng pull him along towards the shore, enjoying the moment of being taken care of and coughed twice languidly.

  “I won’t die even if you drowned me.”


  “I…… You’re a fool!”


  Quan Shaoteng was never forgiving with his words.

  However, as Bai Muchuan was alive and well, his anger disappeared.

  “I’ll settle my scores with you once we get back!”


  Bai Muchuan kept quiet. His lips were colorless as he laid weakly on the shore. He looked at the sky above, gasping heavily for air.

  “I found a cave.”


  “Where?” Quan Shaoteng was elated.

  “The opposite bank!” Bai Muchuan said coldly, “I suspect that’s the exit!”


  Opposite?

  The lake was so deep and so wide.

  They now had the injured and the ill with them, how were they supposed to get there?

  “We’ll talk about this later!”


  After Bai Muchuan felt better, he turned and saw Xiang Wan, who had a worried look on her face.

  When they met each other, he pursed his lips into a smile to console her. Next, he supported himself to stand up and patted Xiang Wan on the head before holding his injured arm and walked over to Cheng Zheng and Mei Xin.

  “How is he?”


  “He’s dying—”


  Everyone’s heart sank upon hearing that.

  Cheng Zheng managed to sound calm as he took a glance at Bai Muchuan.

  “It was lucky that he was wearing the bullet-proof vest. He’s still alive…… but he might not hold out for long. We need to get him to the hospital as soon as possible.”


  How would they find a hospital in such a remote place?

  Dead silence was as though everywhere.

  Water was dripping from the rescuers’ body as they looked on hopelessly.

  Bai Muchuan brushed his wet hair; his eyes went red.

  “Do whatever you can to keep him alive! I’ll find a way to get out of here!”


  Cheng Zheng did not look at him. His face was cold as usual, not saying a word more.

  Instead, Mei Xin replied in a low tone, “Captain Bai, we need to be fast! If we’re too late, even the King of Hell couldn’t save him!”


  “Mm!” Bai Muchuan turned towards the rest of his teammates. “Brothers, we can only depend on ourselves now!”


  Most of them looked like drowned rats as they stood by the lake.

  “Captain Bai, tell us, what we should do.”


  They were willing to do everything they could as long as they could get out of there.

  Bai Muchuan pointed at the lake. “I have checked the mountain at the other end of the lake; there is a path leading to the outside—” He paused for a moment before continuing. “There used to be a bridge on this lake, but it had been destroyed. The metal ropes that were supposed to hold the bridge had sunk at the other end of the lake. I need a few people to follow me to pull the metal rope over and also check out the situation outside—”


  His eyes were burning as he paused. “I believe this is the fastest method to get out of this place!”


  Everyone got excited when they heard these words.

  “Roger!”


  “We’ll do just that!”


  “Go!”
……

  A few men swam together with Bai Muchuan to the other end of the lake.

  The situation at the other end of the lake was exactly like what Bai Muchuan had described.

  There was a narrow path with some algae growing all over it.

  However, based on the footsteps on the ground, it seemed that it was a path that had been used before.

  Quan Shaoteng brought two men with him to scout the area, and they returned shortly.

  “There’s a village outside!”


  “But there’s still no signal.”


  “Just what kind of place is this? Boss, could this be a trap?”


  “.…… Maybe, but we don’t have a choice.”


  Even if Brother Steel set up a trap for them, they still had to go forward.

  Tang Yuanchu’s not in good condition and the number of sick people was on the rise. Some of them were already running a high fever. If they continue to stay in the forest, the outcome would be unthinkable……

  “We can’t afford to wait!”


  “Pull the metal rope!”


  “Laowu, I’ll take charge here. You try to get out of the mountain to send the distress signal……”


  “Roger!”


  The two of them had gone through tougher training than this when they were in Red Thorn.

  Even when there were no signals, there were still ways to send out the distress signal.

  When they were in the forest, sending the distress signal would not be useful as it would only drag more people into this horrendous place……

  However, as there was a village outside, the situation would be different.

  Quan Shaoteng left to execute the task……

  Bai Muchuan stayed with the rest to get the metal rope out of the water.

  The task might sound simple, but it was not so when they tried to execute it.

  In such cold weather and in such a deep lake with this treacherous environment, it was not a simple task to pull the metal rope. In addition, they also need to keep a lookout for Brother Steel’s ambush.

  Nobody knew if this crazy person would launch a surprise attack……

  Under such conditions, they had to fight for time!

  “One, two, three! Pull!”


  “One, two, three! Pull!”


  “Let’s go!”


  “Pull harder!”


  The metal rope was heavy, but the resistance from the water was even more tremendous.

  The group of people shouted in synchronization, they perspired like rain while in the water.

  They roared loudly, like the work song of the boatmen.

  Those by the lake were on standby with guns on their clammy palms.

  Xiang Wan repeatedly clenched her fist. She could feel goosebumps at her back.

  Time seemed to move so slowly like a snail crawling on the ground.

  Finally, the group of men was pulling the metal rope closer to the shore, slowly but surely.

  Almost, almost there!

  Xiang Wan was so anxious that she kept swallowing.

  She could only look at Bai Muchuan’s stern expression. She could not differentiate if the water on his face were his perspiration or the lake water.

  There was a hook on the metal rope when they managed to pull it out of the water. They latched the hook onto a huge rock next to the lake.

  “Cluck!”


  It was a load off their minds.

  Bai Muchuan got the members to pull the rope and ensure that the rope was fastened onto the rock.

  Someone heaved a sigh of relief.

  Bai Muchuan turned and look at Cheng Zheng. “Quick, get Tang Yuanchu over first!”


  Cheng Zheng replied, “What about you?”


  Bai Muchuan looked at the metal rope swaying on the surface of the water. “I’ll stay here in case something crops up!”


  He had to guard them to ensure that they could cross the lake smoothly.

  Cheng Zheng nodded without saying anything more.

  They distributed their work accordingly. Cheng Zheng brought Tang Yuanchu and the sick across the lake first. Quan Shaoteng would be waiting at the other side to provide support.

  Whereas Bai Muchuan would be the last one to leave……