CHAPTER 330: CHAPTER 329: HOPE AMID DESPAIR

"Yan Hui!"

Wan Chu’er shouted anxiously, wrapping her arms firmly around Yan Hui’s waist.

Yan Hui struggled to utter two words, "Don’t... be afraid," before his head drooped onto her shoulder.

Yan Hui’s reaction made Wan Chu’er even more anxious. She continuously hooked her feet around the trees to slow down the impact until she gradually stopped, hanging in mid-air.

They were still a great distance from the ground; a direct fall would certainly result in another round of injuries.

Wan Chu’er looked around and carefully untied the rope from her waist, quickly tying it to a dagger, then threw it toward a tree branch as thick as a thigh. The dagger spun around the branch a few times and firmly secured itself.

Then she held onto the rope and swung across, using considerable effort to maneuver Yan Hui behind the branch into a fork, where she laid him down.

Yan Hui’s eyes were tightly closed, his face and head bloodied from scrapes with the branches; he looked quite terrifying, and blood was seeping out of the corner of his mouth—it was unclear if it was from the recent impact or from being dragged by the branches earlier.

She mustered her strength and carefully checked Yan Hui’s body; thankfully, she didn’t find any abnormal bones or major bleeding spots, but she feared internal injuries.

Wan Chu’er cursed, "Damn heavens," and pulled out a bottle of water from her torn backpack to give Yan Hui a sip.

"Mr. Yan, Mr. Yan..." she called out a few times, but Yan Hui showed no response.

Wan Chu’er sat down on the trunk, forcibly calmed herself, and started thinking about what to do next; it definitely wasn’t okay for Yan Hui to just lie there.

But they were stuck, unable to go up or down, with no one around. Yan Hui was also unconscious, making it difficult to call for help. They were at least twenty meters above the ground, and descending was no easier; even if they managed to go down, unknown dangers might await them below.

What to do? What to do?

Wan Chu’er grabbed her own hair, extremely restless.

She kept patting Yan Hui’s shoulder, trying to wake him from his unconscious state.

No, they couldn’t just sit around waiting for death!

Wan Chu’er decided to go down and scout for a path.

Before descending, she needed to climb up the tree to retrieve the rope and the Military Shovel. In such a harsh environment, the Military Shovel was crucial, absolutely indispensable.

Wan Chu’er cut a length of rope and used it to tie Yan Hui to the trunk to prevent him from rolling off. After securing him, she leaned close to his ear and said:

"Mr. Yan, I’m going up to get the shovel; just lie here and wait for me for a while. I’ll be right back, don’t worry, I will definitely get you out of here."

Just as Wan Chu’er was about to leave, Yan Hui’s hand suddenly moved, and his mouth opened.

"Mr. Yan, Mr. Yan, are you waking up?" Wan Chu’er grabbed his hand, excitedly asking.

Yan Hui slowly opened his eyes, his look somewhat blank. He glanced at Wan Chu’er, then at the tall trees around them.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Wan Chu’er shook her head, "I’m fine, Mr. Yan. Where do you feel uncomfortable? We are on a branch right now. I need to go up and get the shovel and rope, then figure out a way to go down and explore."

Yan Hui felt very uncomfortable in his internal organs, but he tried to show a faint smile and said, "I’m fine, I’m fine. Be careful."

Just speaking these few words made him feel very exhausted, as if he couldn’t catch his breath in his chest.

Wan Chu’er didn’t know and thought Yan Hui could hold on, so she happily said, "That’s good, I’ll go up now and come down soon."

After saying that, she checked again to make sure that Yan Hui wouldn’t fall and that the water was within reach before she prepared to leave.

Unexpectedly, Yan Hui suddenly stretched out his hand and grabbed Wan Chu’er’s clothing, Wan Chu’er turned her head back in confusion and looked at him.

In Yan Hui’s eyes was a look of reluctance, and after his Adam’s apple moved, he softly said: "Chuchu... I... be careful."

He originally wanted to say I love you, but he didn’t say it because he feared it would burden Wan Chu’er, disrupt her composure, and feared that Wan Chu’er would reject him.

If there was no external help, the chance of getting out was very slim, and Yan Hui felt he would eternally rest here.

Wan Chu’er smiled and nodded her head, then turned and agilely climbed up the trunk.

She was initially startled; she could see the affectionate expression on Yan Hui’s face and truly feared that Yan Hui would say those words, words she couldn’t bear.

Because in her heart, there was only Jiang Kechu, and she couldn’t make room for anyone else.

It was better this way, as if she owed Yan Hui a favor.

Wan Chu’er forcefully grasped the branches and ropes, her expression solemn, she silently resolved that she must get Yan Hui out.

It took them less than ten minutes to fall down, but climbing back up, Wan Chu’er took nearly half an hour.

As she saw the top suddenly clear up, she also saw the Military Shovel lodged behind a triangular branch, Wan Chu’er swung over, grabbed the Military Shovel, and cut the rope with a knife.

"Chuchu—"

Wan Chu’er paused in her movements, she seemed to hear Jiang Kechu calling her name, but the voice was indistinct, as if it were a hallucination.

Even if it was a hallucination, it still made Wan Chu’er’s heart skip a beat, she took a deep breath, placing her hand over her chest.

Suddenly, another call.

"Wan Chu’er—"

This time she heard it, clearly, it was indeed Jiang Kechu’s voice, the voice was distant, but it really was Jiang Kechu calling her.

Wan Chu’er got excited, she quickly responded with "Jiang Kechu—", her feet slipped in surprise, nearly sliding down; Wan Chu’er barely hugged a nearby tree trunk, took a few deep breaths, her face bright with a smile, yet tears streamed down.

Actually, her heart had already been occupied by despair, the desolate Sky Pit, with Yan Hui beside her severely injured, all these suffocated her, forcing her to feign strength.

Jiang Kechu’s voice suddenly dispersed the despair in her heart, filling her whole body with strength.

She knew that Jiang Kechu would definitely come to find her, he would definitely rescue her...

Wan Chu’er continued to climb up frantically, shouting "Jiang Kechu, Jiang Kechu, Jiang Kechu—"

At the edge of the cliff above, when Jiang Kechu heard Wan Chu’er’s first response, he was stunned for a moment, then he looked toward Chen Ke, whose eyes were already sparkling.

"Brother’s wife, it’s brother’s wife’s voice, she’s still here..."

Chen Ke was very excited, very happy; just now Captain Jiang’s expression was extremely ugly, the whole person was very tense, making him also very cautious, Jiang Kechu’s mood suddenly brightened.

Wan Chu’er climbed to the very top of the tree where she could climb no further and grabbed a branch, looking up, she saw silhouettes by the edge of the Sky Pit.

Wan Chu’er excited, waved and shouted again, "Jiang Kechu, I am here."