CHAPTER 1493: CHAPTER 1494: THIS CHILD IS STILL ALIVE

This bridge stretches between two mountains; it’s a typical suspension bridge. The bridge itself isn’t severely damaged since its base is made of steel, but because the bridge has tilted, it is prone to accidents during aftershocks, which is why it’s temporarily closed to traffic.

After reading, you turn to the staff and ask, "If we take the small path, how long will it take to get to the other side?"

The staff thinks for a moment and says, "It will take at least half an hour, and the mountain road is rugged and difficult to navigate. Moreover, it’s likely that the path is already blocked off."

After saying so, the staff member sees you standing there, staring at the tilted bridge, and asks, "Commander, I suggest you return to the troops and wait for a bit."

You glance at the staff member, your expression calm but eyes filled with urgency, "My family and friends are still in the ruins; I must go rescue them."

As you speak, you suddenly feel the ground tremble beneath you, and the tremors grow stronger. With the ongoing aftershock, the already tilted bridge becomes more warped and twisted. At this point, it’s impossible for any vehicle to cross since the angle between the bridge deck and the ground has already reached sixty degrees; not even a person could walk across it now.

However, as the aftershock gradually subsides, before it completely stops, you do something that leaves everyone around you in awe.

You suddenly tighten the backpack on your back, stride forward, and rush towards the severely tilted suspension bridge high in the air.

"Commander!"

The staff tries to stop you, but nowhere near fast enough. Within just a few steps, you’ve charged to the bridge’s edge. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, you leap up, landing your left foot first on the edge railing of the tilted bridge, then sprint swiftly on the thin steel pipe along the length of the several hundred-meter-long bridge railing.

"Is he crazy?"

"Oh my god, he’ll fall off!"

In a short moment of amazement and concern amongst onlookers, your figure quickly diminishes from their view. By the time they come to their senses, you are already standing at the other end of the bridge.

"Did I... did I see that wrong?"

"Who is this guy, that’s insane!"

Upon crossing the bridge, you pay no attention to how the people behind view you, leaving without looking back.

Unfamiliar with the terrain, you can only continue running along the highway. Along the way, there are many landslides, and steep hillsides flank both sides of the mountain road, making it impossible for any vehicles to enter.

From the time the earthquake struck until now, it’s been over ten hours, and your heart grows more anxious. Therefore, after inquiring about the location of Wen’an County Town on your way, you dash off again at full speed.

During this run, your stamina is heavily depleted, and the villages along the way have suffered severe destruction, with many people and materials buried under the remnants of houses. Numerous times, you wish to rush in and join those crying and shouting people to help, but you know you can’t stop. At least you need to locate Liang Zi’s family first. As you see the disaster, you’ll naturally also notice the camouflage clothes of the China rescue troops, whose efficiency far exceeds your expectations.

When Liang Zi was with us, he often talked about his sister, Liang Xinyue.

Liang Xinyue is Liang Zi’s only relative in this world. Liang Zi would send all his salary to his sister almost every month. Liang Xinyue is quite a bit younger than Liang Zi, about twelve or thirteen years old this year—just at the age for junior high school.

In ordinary times, when communication devices are well-functioning, it would have taken some time to find Liang Xinyue, let alone now.

You are well aware that you might never find Liang Xinyue, but you must act, pursuing this without hesitation!

Though it was a memory forcibly given to you by the Power of Reincarnation, as you accepted this identity, you decided to embrace everything that came with it!

After about an hour, you finally reach Wen’an County Town, slightly gasping for air.

Yet upon raising your eyes for just a moment, even someone accustomed to grand scenes like you is stunned. Your neck numbly and mechanically shifts slowly.

Right then, you suddenly feel as if you’ve swallowed a substantial amount of flour; your throat is parched, and you find even swallowing saliva becomes exceedingly difficult.

You’ve seen many photos of earthquakes before, but what you see on-site compared to those photos is a world of difference!

Wen’an County Town is not large, but at least it’s a county town. However, at this moment, standing on the highway, there isn’t a vestige of the county town in sight?

Tall buildings have collapsed in pieces, long becoming piles of rubble and broken bricks!

Among the ruins and walls, groups of people are using crowbars to dig in unison. They’re covered in dust; some are injured, yet as long as they’re able, they autonomously continue searching and rescuing. There’s no trace of sorrow on their faces, only infinite resolve.

Among them, most are women, who are continuously calling out on the side. Some beat their chests and stamp their feet, some lie on the ground, clawing with their hands non-stop, even as the skin on their hands is already torn, yet they remain oblivious, just clawing and crying out unceasingly.

"Come quickly, my son... I..."

Suddenly a woman shouts, but her voice is already damaged; coupled with her agitation, she can’t utter a sound for a moment.

At this point, your feet move involuntarily; you rush towards the woman without any hesitation, while five men wielding sticks also run over.

"I... child..."

Despite severe vocal cord damage, the woman strives to speak.

A middle-aged man hurriedly stops her, saying, "Elder sister, don’t speak, step aside first, we will definitely save your child!"

By now you’ve approached, and upon closer inspection, you find the area the voiceless woman clung to is a small pit, or rather, a hole she’s dug with her own hands. Behind her lay countless bricks and rubble, many stained with her blood.

The pit is slanted, covered with slabs of reinforced concrete, precariously poised to crush or kill with any misstep.

Beneath the jumbled concrete slabs, there are crevices, through which you can see a small hand slightly moving at the sound of people outside, seemingly informing everyone the child is still alive.

"The child is still alive, quickly move the stone slabs aside!"