Under a gloomy sky, several military covered wagons sped along the muddy road, dense raindrops pattering on the rooftops, mingling with the buzzing of engines and the rumble of thunder, like a chaotic symphony of disaster.
Dozens of new recruits sat silently inside the covered wagon, their bodies swaying slightly with the bumpy ride. Rainwater poured in from the open rear canopy, soaking their clothes.
Instructor Hong sat at the front, taking out black raincoats from burlap sacks and distributing them among the staff.
"The eight villages affected by the disaster are far apart from each other. Some are located on the east side of Jinnan Mountain, some on the south side, and some are even in the valleys. Our mobile vans cannot drive in. If we drive a little further, we will have to walk to get there."
"The village furthest away is extremely remote, with rugged roads. Coupled with heavy rain and the possibility of another earthquake at any time, it would take an ordinary rescue team nearly 48 hours just to travel from the outside of the mountain to the inside."
"The golden rescue time for mudslide disasters is 72 hours. By the time the rescue team arrives, there is almost no time left for rescue. But you are different. After numerous extreme training sessions, even under extreme conditions, you can traverse this route on foot within 24 hours."
Instructor Hong took out a map of Jinan Mountain, spread it out on the ground, illuminated it with a flashlight, and squatted down to draw on it with a pen.
"After our instructors' discussion, we have finalized a preliminary rescue plan. We will divide all the instructors and you into eight groups and send you to different villages for rescue. The five villages outside the mountain are not too difficult to rescue. The main challenge is these three villages located inside Jinan Mountain. Let's call them No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3."
"Village No. 1, which I just mentioned, is located in the heart of the Jinan Mountains. To rescue Village No. 1, we must cross the entire Jinan Mountains in the shortest possible time under extreme conditions, making it the most challenging task."
"To expedite the crossing of the mountains, the rescue team cannot be too large or too small; otherwise, there will be insufficient manpower upon arrival at the village. Therefore, I have initially drafted a few candidates for rescuing Village 1."
Instructor Hong's gaze swept over everyone, and he said seriously, "Lin Qiye, you are the first to serve as the captain of Rescue Team No. 1."
"Yes sir."
Lin Qiye, standing in the crowd, nodded without the slightest hesitation.
It's not surprising that he's in this No. 1 rescue team. He was the top student in extreme training, so crossing mountains under extreme conditions is not difficult for him. Moreover, with the blessing of [Mortal Divine Realm], he can locate the victims as quickly as possible after arriving at the village, thus speeding up the rescue process.
"And Lin Xi Chen, Baili Tuming, Shen Qingzhu, Mo Li, Deng Wei, Li Jia, Li Liang, Wen Qingqing..."
Instructor Hong then recited a series of names. Including Lin Qiye, this No. 1 rescue team had a total of eight new recruits, plus Instructor Hong himself, making a total of ten people.
This list of personnel was not randomly selected.
With her keen eyes, agility, and quick thinking—combined with her ability to fly—Lin Xi Chen can serve as their eyes in the sky, helping them survey the terrain.
Baili Tuming, the Doraemon, is a versatile talent who can be useful under any circumstances. Shen Qingzhu has excellent personal strength and is extremely fast at climbing. Molly's shockwave ability can easily solve some terrain problems and is also very useful in rescue operations.
The forbidden areas of Deng Wei, Li Jia, and Li Liang are all related to strength, giving them extremely strong rescue capabilities, while Wen Qingqing's treatment can provide initial care for the injured.
As for Cao Yuan, he was not included in this team. After all, his Forbidden Ruins were not very useful in terms of rescue, and it was impossible to put all the top players in one team, as the other two villages in the mountains also needed rescue.
Next, Instructor Hong announced the list of personnel going to the other seven villages. Naturally, no one objected. Moreover, just to be on the safe side, the instructors distributed the Star Blades. After the warehouse mysteriously emptied a few months ago, they transferred in a batch of weapons. However, this time the security measures around the warehouse were increased by more than five times.
"This time, what you are facing is no longer an exercise, training, or assessment... this is a real disaster! I hope everyone can be fully focused and give it their all!"
Every second we waste could mean the loss of a life. The day after tomorrow, you will officially swear your oath to become Night's Watchmen. I hope that in this rescue operation, you will use your own hands to lay the foundation for the glory of the Night's Watch!
...
At the foot of Jinan Mountain, in the village marked as number 7, which was the site of the tragedy.
The collapsed mountain and mud buried the once peaceful village, leaving only broken house fragments like shells on a beach, intertwined and embedded under the thick soil and rocks. Only a few three-story buildings had half of their structures exposed, with broken walls and pillars scattered everywhere.
A muddy man stumbled forward in the rain, carrying a bamboo basket filled with mushrooms that had rotted from the rain. His chapped lips trembled slightly.
"No...no...it can't be like this!!" He stared in disbelief at the destroyed village before him, his voice hoarse.
This is where he grew up. No one knows this place better than him. He can even tell whose wall and whose tiles it is just by looking at the broken pieces of wall on the ground...
He dragged his bloodied right leg, trying to run quickly through the rain towards the small house he remembered, his eyes filled with anxiety.
"No...no!! Xiaofang...Dad...Mom...wait for me! I'm back, I'm coming back!"
Suddenly, his right foot lost its footing, and he fell heavily to the ground, the mushrooms in the basket falling out one after another. He didn't even glance at them, but grabbed the basket off his back and continued running forward with gritted teeth.
Finally, he arrived at a small white house that was mostly buried...
"No, no, no, no..." The man's body began to tremble uncontrollably, tears mixed with rainwater streaming down his cheeks. He lunged at the earth and rocks like a madman, frantically digging at the soil with his bare hands!
"It's alright! Your son has come to save you! It's alright...it's alright!!"
Sharp clods of earth pierced his palm, and blood trickled onto the dark brown soil. He seemed oblivious to the pain, continuing to frantically dig at the ground.
His expression gradually became out of control, and his voice began to tremble.
"It's okay...it's okay...damn it!! Why?!" He pounded his fists on the ground, wailing in despair, "Someone...someone save us..."
Buzz—!!
A deep engine roar came from afar, like the howl of a wild beast, and a blinding light shone on the dark earth, illuminating the ravaged ruins.
The man looked up in astonishment and saw a line of military green steel behemoths crashing through the thick rain and speeding toward them!
Before the vehicle even stopped, figures draped in black military overcoats leaped out of the roof, their legs slamming heavily into the muddy puddles, and approached at an astonishing speed!
The leader took a deep breath and almost roared as he spoke, his powerful voice overpowering the torrential rain and echoing throughout the ruined village!
"The soldiers of Great Xia are here! Death begone!! Those who survive... will live!!!"