Chapter 257 How Could She Just Die Like That?
Right then, the sky, all gray and moody, let out a massive boom.
A lightning bolt seemed to zap Edward straight on, freezing him in place. He couldn't move a muscle, but his heart was on fire, pounding like crazy, with a storm of mixed-up feelings swirling inside him.
"Joseph, how long's Ms. Brown been coming up here to help you patrol the mountains?" Edward's voice was all tight and raspy, like he was holding back some serious emotion.
"Three years. She's been coming up here a lot for the past three years," Joseph replied.
Those three years were exactly how long they'd been married.
Edward's heart suddenly went wild.
A dry, bitter taste filled his throat, making it hard to breathe.
'Lily, Evelyn. So all this time, you've been keeping this from me, doing the same thing I do. But I have my reasons. What's your excuse?' Edward thought, his head pounding again, the mysteries driving him nuts!
"It's gonna pour!" Joseph looked at the sky, ready to unleash a storm, and quickly grabbed his walkie-talkie to contact David, "David, looks like a heavy downpour's coming. Keep the team safe during the search and rescue. No risks! Especially with Lily, take good care of her!"
"Got it!" David replied quickly.
Edward's eyes were bloodshot, his teeth clenched tight, and he turned and bolted towards the Thunder Peak trailhead.
"Edward! Where you going?" David shouted after him, desperate.
Edward didn't stop, silently thinking, 'To find her.'
The sky was dark, clouds rolling in.
Even though it was daytime, it felt like night, with lightning flashing across the sky.
Everyone trudged forward, grumbling, "It had been forecasted that there'd be a storm. Why didn't anyone listen and still go up the mountain?"
"What's done is done. Quit complaining! As rangers, our job is to keep the climbers safe!" David, soaked by the rain, shouted to the team.
"David! Over here!" Evelyn, with her sharp eyes, spotted the missing climber's phone wedged between some rocks! "It's the climber's phone. If it's here, we're on the right track!"
Seeing the weather getting worse, David knew they couldn't wait any longer, so he urgently ordered, "Split into two groups! Ms. Brown and Group A, come with me to the north, Group B, head west!"
"Yes!"
Even with a raincoat and windbreaker, Evelyn felt like she was wearing nothing but tissue paper against the raging wind and rain. She was shivering, her breath forming white puffs in the air, struggling to keep her footing against the howling gale.
Even though they split into two groups, Thunder Peak was huge, with its ridges and peaks forming a maze.
"Help, help me, help!"
"The climber's nearby! I heard her cries for help!" Evelyn suddenly stopped, scanning the surroundings keenly.
Everyone was amazed, thinking, 'Her eyes must be like ultrasound, and her ears like radar!'
"Ms. Brown! Watch your step! Be careful!" David saw Evelyn running towards the cries and, worried she might get into trouble, followed closely behind!
Evelyn, holding a flashlight, remembered the weak cries for help, her heart pounding like a drum.
She had once nearly met with disaster in the mountains, so she sincerely prayed that the person could hold on.
Climbing over rocks and pushing through bushes, Evelyn finally found the climber who had been separated from her companion on a steep slope.
"Don't be scared! We're here to rescue you!" Evelyn shouted excitedly, "How are you doing? Can you move?"
"No, I can't." The climber, covered in mud, was crying in pain, "My feet are stuck under a rock. It hurts so much."
"Don't panic! I'll come down to get you!"
Evelyn gritted her teeth, about to go down to rescue her when David arrived just in time and grabbed her.
"Ms. Brown! This part of the mountain is the steepest and most dangerous part of Thunder Peak! And with the heavy rain, there's a high risk of a landslide! You shouldn't go. Let me go instead!"
"Help!" Before he could finish speaking, the climber's terrified scream came from below!
Evelyn was frozen, watching helplessly as the climber's foot slipped, sending her tumbling further down!
Things were getting really critical!
"The ground under her can't take any more weight!" another team member shouted.
"I'll go down!" Evelyn didn't even think twice, "I'm lighter. It should hold me!"
Everyone was on edge, but there wasn't a better option right now!
"Ms. Brown! It's still too risky!" David was hesitated, his brow furrowed, "I promised Joseph I'd keep you safe! Let me go instead!"
"No, David! You can see it can't hold a man's weight!"
The team was panicking.
"David, I'm not just Ms. Brown, I'm a pro ranger! Stop wasting time, lives are on the line!" With that, Evelyn strapped a rope around her waist and started climbing down the slope.
She moved like a pro, carefully making her way to the climber.
But the rain made the cliff slick with mud, making everything harder!
"I'm here! Don't be scared!" Finally, Evelyn, covered in mud, reached the climber and grabbed her tight!
"It hurts, I can't move my feet." The climber was crying, weak from hunger and cold, barely able to speak.
Evelyn, being an ace surgeon, could tell right away the climber's feet were broken, and it was bad!
She quickly secured the climber and fastened the rope around her waist.
Then, Evelyn felt a terrifying tremor under her feet, like an earthquake!
"Not good! It's a landslide! Everyone, pull up, now!" David was drenched in sweat, terror gripping him, as he desperately pulled on the rope.
But no matter how hard he tried, his feet kept slipping!
"It's no use, David! If we keep this up, we're all goners!"
"David! We're losing our grip!"
"David! We can only save one! If we don't run now, it'll be too late!"
As they spoke, a torrent of rocks and mud came crashing down like a flood!
David used all his strength, letting out a desperate roar!
In the final second before the landslide hit, amidst the rolling dust, they finally pulled someone up.
"David! The climber's up! She's alive!"
"David! Ms. Brown is missing!"
Hearing Evelyn was missing, David's eyes widened in shock, and darkness clouded his vision.
Because of the landslide, and the climber had been saved, the rangers had to get the injured back to camp fast.
"Some of you take the injured back to camp. The rest, come with me to find Ms. Brown!" David's eyes were red, his fists clenched, "Contact the search and rescue team now! This is serious. We need backup!"
"David! Could Ms. Brown be buried under the debris?"
"She might've fallen off the cliff!"
The team members hung their heads, losing hope.
"Don't say that! Ms. Brown will be fine!" Despite his words, David was on the verge of tears.
Three years ago, a ranger had died in a landslide, and he knew how terrifying these disasters could be. But deep down, he refused to believe Evelyn could meet the same fate!
"David! Look, someone's coming!"
David turned sharply and saw a figure in dark green climbing gear, standing tall amidst the storm, walking towards them with fierce determination.
"Mr. Wellington?"
"It's really Edward!"
Edward's face was cold and stern, rain-soaked, his eyes sharp.
His presence seemed to change the whole vibe!
"Where's Lily?" Edward walked up to David, his eyes bloodshot.
"Ms. Brown got caught in a landslide while rescuing someone, and we don't know what happened to her!" David stated, no sugar-coating it.
Edward's face went pale, like he'd been struck by lightning, his broad shoulders trembling, his heart feeling like it was being ripped apart!
"No, Lily can't be dead! She can't be in danger!" Edward shouted.
'She still owes me so many answers. She hasn't had her revenge, and I haven't made up for all the pain she went through. How can she just die like this? Evelyn, I forbid you to die. I want you safe, by my side!' Edward thought, his eyes turning a fierce crimson, and without looking back, he charged into the storm.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
