Chapter 244 - Persistent
TL: xDh20, LifeisaJourney
I just want to note that we surpassed DD in chapter release :)
"Who knows? Maybe it is right outside of our building. With movement that can create this much effect… only it can do that" Liu Hao clenched his teeth as he replied to Treadmill.
"Don't worry, Elder Liu is very brave. He will definitely kill it!" Zhang Hua comforted everyone. Although he was hesitant on how truthful his words of comfort are. After all, Zhang ShengLi's brainwashing technique is second to none, so Zhang Hua still is confident in Liu Gan's ability.
"Elder Liu, you must persist! Every year, I'll put up incense for you." Treadmill started praying on the side.
"What did you just say?" Zhang Hua kicked Treadmill in the butt.
"Well deserved!" Liu Hao and Yuan HongJun heard the familiar sound that resonated with the kick of the butt. They both were giggling at the punishment Treadmill had incurred.
After several minutes, Liu Gan and Yin He returned. Liu Gan didn't have time to enter the room, he only shouted out loud from the outside..
"Everyone! Run! Or else it will be too late!"
The members heard the familiar voice of Liu Gan and didn't question the order. They immediately got up and took flight. Even the university student and bearded man followed along. Zhang Hua was the first to rush out the door only to discover the young female was still sitting dumbfoundedly on the floor, so he rushed back in to carry her on his shoulder out of the room.
Liu Gan didn't head in the direction of the collapsed rocks… Even if he went in that direction it was useless as the road was completely sealed off. Liu Gan headed straight for the fishing village's tallest and structurally-sound building. It was was shaped like a lighthouse. After he rushed in, he didn't stop. He ran to the top exterior of the building. When he reached the top, he looked in the direction of the open sea.
Yin He followed closely like a shadow. The six ATV riders from the coastal camp were very nimble, so they trailed behind Liu-Yin duo. Even though, they don't know the reason why they had to rush out, but the current situation wasn't the right time for questioning. Without much choice, they unanimously obeyed.
Zhang Hua had to carry the younger girl, but his speed wasn't slow at all. He followed behind the six ATV riders to climb up the stairs all the way to the top of the lighthouse.
Even though the bearded man was a level 1 newbie, his innate physical properties weren't bad at all. He was still lagging behind slightly. He was ten seconds behind Zhang Hua before reaching the top of the lighthouse.
However, the fate of the university student was tragic. He wasn't able to keep up with everyone's fast pace movement. He was the only one that was truly left behind. After a flash of lightning, the entire fishing village was bright as day, you can see the coat of water that submerged most of the building. Those that stood at the top of the lighthouse, could see the university student losing his sense of direction as he looked left and right.
Moments later, behind him was a 10 meter high wave that surged in from the ocean...
A second later, the university student disappeared.
Now the reason for the urgent escape became apparent. If any of them were half a minute late like the university student, their fate would also be similar. No one could be sure of whereabouts of the university student after he got dragged into the sea.
In only a moment, the entire fishing village had become submerged under the seawater. Borrowing the flash of lightning, they could tell that no other structure protruded from the surface of the water. There was still three meters of distance between the seawater filling up at the base of the lighthouse to the very peak of the lighthouse.
The architects of this lighthouse accounted for the possibility of a tsunami, so the structure of the building was built with steel fused with concrete. Making it sturdy even against the harsh attacks of the waves. If not for these architects, there would be no safe haven for these players.
"Damn it! You really jinxed it! It really flooded!" all the players looked at Treadmill.
"But, I just casually said it…" Treadmill said with a helpless look.
After running in the pouring rain, everyone was thoroughly drenched. The temperature at night dropped close to zero degrees celsius. This type of cold wasn't endurable for normal people.
Even Liu Gan wasn't an exception, as his face turned pale, and his body stiffened. Other people were in even worse condition.
With seawater surrounding the lighthouse, almost everyone was shivering and sneezing. Their pale, expressionless faces showed how hopeless the situation was. Even if Mr. Kingler didn't appear, the freezing temperatures at night combined with the tsunami made it seem like getting mishandled by Mr. Kingler was a better option.
Liu Gan felt sick. This was his third time getting trapped. The first time was the on billboard, and the second time was on top of the suspension bridge. This time he was trapped at the highest floor of the lighthouse. Everytime time he was trapped the danger level escalated, with this time being the most dangerous.
If he couldn't find a way to escape this situation, then their lives would perish due to hypothermia!
The young girl's body was in the worst condition, she had passed out due to hypothermia already. Zhang Hua couldn't worry about the morals of hugging a young female, as he was only doing his best to try and warm her up by hugging her.
Next was the bearded man, his body didn't have the physical capabilities of the level 5 players, so he could only hug himself and jump up and down. It was a meager attempt to warm up blood circulation and slowing down hypothermia onset.
"I can't! I'm about to die! So cold! I can't last any longer!" Treadmill started crying outloud.
"This old man is 40 years old and still persisting, yet you can't withstand any longer? You are an embarrassment." Liu Hao replied to Treadmill. Since Liu Hao was more plump, he could withstand the hypothermia a little better.
This type of cold scenery reminded Liu Gan of a similar situation a year ago, on the ridge of Mt. Everest… He didn't have a sleeping bag, and the hypothermia that crept into his limbs that night changed his life forever.
Could it be that he will have to suffer through the same tragic situation again?
This morning when he left, the weather was quite good. No one could've expected to have the only exit to the fishing village sealed off. Then it was followed by a thunderstorm and a tsunami. His luck didn't seem to be very high! Could it be that it was the calm before the storm, where everything had occurred smoothly before this situation developed.
Suddenly, the light in Liu Gan's eyes changed, he felt a warm embrace. It was so warm, so surreal, as if it was from a dream...
Liu Gan looked down, and he discovered that Yin He was hugging him. He didn't even notice when she had approached him, as he was reminiscing. He looked into her beautiful eyes staring back at him.
"Thank you." Liu Gan whispered to Yin He.
"Fight on, I don't want you to die." Yin He held onto Liu Gan.
"I won't. No matter how difficult, I will endure it. For you, I will persist!" Liu Gan embraced Yin He, as well as kissing her on the cheek.