Chapter 19: Rescue

He Jueyun stood on the riverbank, watching the murmuring current flow past, his figure like a standing stone statue.

Passersby who had come to search of their own accord paced around the area, the name “Wang Dongyan” echoing and intertwining in the air, lingering for a long time. The dense, muddy footprints along the roadside stretched far into the distance, but not a single one led to where Qiong Cang was.

Some people brought flowers and placed them on both sides of the highway. Others lit candles to pray for her. Netizens spontaneously created related hashtags, hoping she would return safely. Journalists kept watch on the bridge, waiting for first-hand news.

Society was a strange collective at times. When it was heartless, it could be incredibly cruel, turning its blades against innocent victims. Yet when it was kind, it was exceptionally gentle, showering goodwill upon a complete stranger.

What one called light and darkness depended entirely on which side they saw and which side they were experiencing.

But they were not entirely opposed. For those who forged ahead with their hearts toward the rising sun, there was always hope of seeing the light of day once more.

Every minute, every second of the rescue effort was precious. Yet by now, everyone had lost hope in their hearts that Wang Dongyan would survive. They only hoped to recover her body as soon as possible to give everyone closure, and to give this kind girl a final resolution.

“You won,” He Jueyun murmured, staring at the endlessly rippling river. “But that doesn’t stop me from wanting to beat you up.”

His expression at this moment could only be described as ferocious.

What angered He Jueyun most was not that Qiong Cang had lied to him or acted on her own. It was that after he had told her he was worried and asked her to come back soon, that woman, who could lie without batting an eye, had actually replied with a casual, nonchalant “Okay.”

“Okay”?

What right did she have to just say “okay”?!

One of the officers under He Jueyun walked over. Seeing his expression, the officer hesitated to get too close, calling out tentatively, “Boss… should we withdraw the people here and move downstream? I think Wang Dongyan…”

“She won’t die,” He Jueyun said through gritted teeth.

He Jueyun recalled Qiong Cang saying that if she had a choice, she would definitely choose to live. If she had to commit suicide, she would definitely choose a suicide that wouldn’t kill her.

Would someone as smart as her compromise so easily?

She was the type of petty person who, if someone bowed to her, would want to drag them back to kneel before her ancestors for eighteen generations¹. How could she possibly sacrifice her life for a few pieces of trash? Even if it was just a game, it was out of the question.

It was a terrible deal.

He Jueyun repeated with absolute certainty, “She won’t die.”

The young officer said, “But…”

He Jueyun wiped his face hard, picked up a stone from the roadside, weighed it in his hands, and cradled it in his arms.

What a coincidence.

He wasn’t someone who admitted defeat easily, either.

Since he had said he would bring her out alive, he would absolutely bring her out alive.

Holding the stone, He Jueyun walked onto the bridge.

Several rescue workers on a boat searching the river looked up and saw what he was doing. Sensing something was wrong, they reached out and shouted, “Hey!”

“Boss!”

Before they could react, He Jueyun had already jumped in with a loud splash.

Diving from this height without the right posture could cause injuries from the surface tension of the water. The moment he made contact, He Jueyun felt a sharp pain shoot through his body. He instinctively wanted to let go of the stone, but once he submerged beneath the surface, he was immediately enveloped by the gentle, soft liquid.

All the screams and shouts faded away upon entering the river, leaving only the clear sound of the flowing water.

He Jueyun held his breath and swam forward, riding the momentum of the current.

The stone dragged him down to the riverbed, keeping him out of sight and away from the search team’s equipment.

After swimming several meters, He Jueyun let go of the stone and allowed his body to slowly float upward.

Jumping into the river with a stone was just Qiong Cang’s way of showing her absolute resolve to die. She wouldn’t actually sink to the bottom with it.

He Jueyun looked up at the shimmering blue light filtering through the water’s surface, wondering what Qiong Cang would be thinking at a time like this.

Fang Qi had said that Qiong Cang was an extremely rational person who always looked at things from the perspective of maximizing benefits.

In that case, she would need time to let the news of her fall spread across the internet, allowing everyone to assume she had drowned. Only then could she strike a chord with the public’s sensitive nerves, expand the impact of the incident to a new level, and make the absolute most of her “death.”

Therefore, she would swim as far as possible until she was exhausted before going ashore. This would allow her to avoid the primary search area of the early rescue efforts, stretching out the battlefield so that people wouldn’t find her too quickly.

Because of this, the rescue zone mapped out based on the current’s speed was actually far too small.

He Jueyun swam forward, carried by the push of the current. Swimming this way was not very tiring and saved a lot of energy.

Gradually, He Jueyun caught a foul stench in the water, somewhat like wastewater leaking from kitchen waste. The river was no longer clear, filled with murky debris.

There was likely a source of pollution ahead, affecting this particular tributary.

He Jueyun broke the surface to take a deep breath, spitting out the river water that had seeped into his mouth.

He didn’t believe Qiong Cang would sacrifice herself to the point of coming here to swallow a bellyful of garbage water.

Hah, she was such a petty woman, after all.

Further ahead, the current would slow down significantly, and the river would narrow. If she wanted to let the current wash her ashore, that would be a good spot.

Trusting his instincts, He Jueyun swam toward the bank and stepped out of the water.

He wiped his face with his hands and covered his ears, trying to restore his muffled hearing as quickly as possible.

Once the ringing and muffled sensation passed, he heard the faint sound of a cat, though he couldn’t tell where it was coming from.

Wringing the water from his clothes, He Jueyun continued walking forward.

The muddy ground along the bank had become soft and wet from the river’s washing. People had already searched this section, leaving behind numerous footprints. The tracks were jumbled together, making it impossible to discern their original shapes.

Panting heavily, He Jueyun kept scanning his surroundings.

Qiong Cang wouldn’t run too far or hide too well, as that would make people suspect she was using death as a stunt. She would likely stop in the middle of some road, collapsing as if she could no longer hold herself up, waiting for someone to rescue her. It would bring a perfect end to this performance.

The meowing of a cat grew a bit clearer.

He Jueyun frowned. Following the sound, he walked under the bridge pier ahead.

Piles of untreated garbage littered the area, some trampled into the mud, others stacked to the side. Mixed with the stench of the mire, it was hard to approach.

Bypassing the dump, he spotted a dark figure collapsed in a patch of overgrown weeds not far away.

The spot where Qiong Cang had collapsed was well hidden, her body covered by the grass. If not for an incredibly bold cat stepping on her head and meowing rhythmically at He Jueyun, even he probably wouldn’t have noticed her at first glance.

He Jueyun’s heart raced as he ran toward her. Seeing him approach, the stray cat puffed up its fur, leaped to the side, and fled in a panic.

“Wang Dongyan!”

He Jueyun shouted loudly, but his movements were gentle. He turned Qiong Cang over to check her injuries.

Because it had been soaked in the river water for too long, the wound on her forehead had become gruesome, leaving pale bloodstains all over her face. She had likely developed a bacterial infection, and her body was burning with a fever.

“Qiong Cang?” He Jueyun checked for her breath, but his own fingers were too cold to feel anything. He patted her back and called out again, “Qiong Cang?”

Qiong Cang coughed, her eyebrows knitting tightly. Although she didn’t open her eyes, she clearly showed that she was still alive.

“That cat…” Qiong Cang rasped weakly, “kept stepping on my head.”

She was already trembling with annoyance. “It made me so mad!”

He Jueyun burst out laughing, and once he stopped, he told her, “Serves you right!”

His laughter irritated Qiong Cang. She struggled to open her eyes and glared at him.

He Jueyun picked her up and stumbled his way toward the bank.

Passersby froze in shock for a few seconds when they saw them appear, and then reacted, screaming:

“She’s found-“

“Wang Dongyan is found- she’s here! Ambulance!”

Cries of “She’s found” were passed along by word of mouth, drifting into the distance. Some even carried a raspy, tearful tone.

Helpful citizens quickly drove their cars to catch up with them, urging the two to get in so they could take them to the hospital.

The media, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, only managed to capture footage of He Jueyun getting into the car. Carrying their cameras, they ran after the vehicle and shouted, “Is she still alive? Is Wang Dongyan still alive?”

He Jueyun reached his hand out of the car window, flashed a peace sign, and shouted back, “She’s alive!”

“Ah- great!!”

Cheers rang out one after another. Strangers couldn’t help but high-five each other and shout out loud to release their emotions.

This scene was clearly recorded by the cameras.

Reporters quickly uploaded this heartening news to the internet, accompanied by a few blurry pictures.

This was undoubtedly the most comforting news in recent times, sweeping away the previous gloomy atmosphere and giving the name “Wang Dongyan” a special power.

Afterward, the media connected with He Jueyun for an interview and learned about the key head-stepping cat during the rescue. They were very excited and wrote about it as a key detail in their article.

The relaxed netizens once again had the energy to joke around.

“I declare that from now on, besides having dog-shit luck, there is also cat-head-stepping luck! “

“That cop is so handsome, jumping straight into the river to search along the current! If he were a bit younger, I’d marry him.”

“How did she get washed so far away? I saw that her wound was all bloated from the water. Is she really okay?”

“Waiting for the hospital’s update. Everyone should really be glad, otherwise we’d have to live with guilt for the rest of our lives. As for those scumbags from First High School, rot in prison!”

“I’m crying my eyes out. It’s so good that kind people can survive.”

·

By the time Qiong Cang regained consciousness, she was already lying in a hospital bed.

A large crowd of people stood around her, a dense, dark mass.

There were reporters, police officers, students from First High School, and Ms. Wang.

Ms. Wang tightly held her hand. Seeing her open her eyes, she collapsed by her hospital bed and wept bitterly, “Dongyan, I’m sorry… my sweet daughter, it’s all my fault!”

Qiong Cang squeezed her fingers slightly and turned her gaze to the other side.

Under her gaze, the students of Class One, represented by Xu You, all showed ashamed and nervous expressions. Xu You opened his mouth, hesitating several times before finally gathering the courage to speak. Looking as if he was about to cry, he led the crowd in bowing deeply to her and said loudly, “I’m sorry! You don’t have to forgive us… we are truly sorry!”

Qiong Cang curled her lips slightly and finally looked at He Jueyun, who was standing at the back of the crowd.

He Jueyun understood and smiled. “Rest assured. The easy target you picked was indeed very soft. After his audio editing was exposed and he said things he shouldn’t have in your video, his psychological defense almost collapsed. We started with him, nudging him, and successfully got useful confessions and some group chat records. Now we can clearly identify the crimes of that group. Once the evidence is fully organized, they can enjoy their new real estate in prison. As for their reputation, they have none left.”

Qiong Cang nodded, then remembered something. When she opened her mouth, she found her throat was hoarse, making it difficult to speak.

He Jueyun already understood and pointed toward the window.

Qiong Cang looked over. Xiang Qingxi and Xu Manyan were standing side by side outside the glass window, smiling and waving at her.

Their smiles were very bright, and the light refracting through the glass blurred their faces.

Looking at the two of them, Qiong Cang also smiled gently.

The system’s clearance prompt sounded at this moment. After the countdown ended, it ejected the two Players from the Instance. The screen of the Live Stream Room went black, leaving only a line of text.

The netizens of Sanyao still wanted more. While sending tips, they played nice in the comments section, as if their arrogance at the beginning was just an illusion.

“Throwing confetti for clearing the instance~ Scattering it here, scattering it there 【flowers】. Love you, big shot~”

“Welcome back to Case Analysis next time, big shot~ Followed! Your little fan is waiting for you with love~”

“The plot exploration rate this time must be 100%, right? This instance can be locked down now.”

“Another instance where my face got slapped. Leaving satisfied. 【cupping face】”

“As expected of a 92-point big shot, I knew from the very beginning that you weren’t ordinary! Just asking, when is the next instance?”

·

When He Jueyun logged out of the simulator, he felt a wave of dizziness.

He pressed his hand to his forehead, trying to detach his emotions from the instance as quickly as possible.

A young voice called out beside him, “Brother Q.”

He Jueyun glanced over, a faint but distinct trace of murderous intent appearing on his handsome face.

The young man scratched his head and grinned foolishly, pretending not to notice. Holding up a folder, he reported, “The system’s final evaluation is a perfect clear. Can we upgrade her clearance for selecting instances now?”

He Jueyun didn’t answer directly. Instead, he started walking out, asking at the same time, “Where is Qiong Cang?”

“In the lounge. She just logged out too.” The young man followed with quick, cheerful steps. “Boss, are you going over to see her?”

He Jueyun wore a strictly business-like expression. “Yes. I need to check her mental state post-game to see if she is truly suited for this game.”

The young man pursed his lips, silently mouthing complaints behind his back.

Hypocrite. A man abusing his authority for personal gain!

·

The lounge where Qiong Cang was had a massive floor-to-ceiling window. The room was stocked with various nutrient solutions and food, and a doctor was on duty nearby.

Because very few players qualified for 【Case Analysis】, the lounge was still very quiet.

Qiong Cang sat near the door, a paper bag resting by her hand. She wore a trench coat and looked a bit more vivid than she did in her photos.

He Jueyun walked to the door and pressed the fingerprint lock, preparing to enter. Suddenly, a pair of hands reached out from the side to stop him.

He Jueyun turned his head to look and found it was his friend, Xie Qimeng.

Although the name sounded like a woman’s, Xie Qimeng was indeed a grown man, and a muscular, tall one at that.

He Jueyun smiled. “What’s wrong? Why are you looking for me in such a hurry?”

“Didn’t I warn you?” Xie Qimeng said seriously. “You shouldn’t have let Qiong Cang participate in 【Case Analysis】.”

It was precisely because of his last-minute advice that He Jueyun had run an extra qualification check on Qiong Cang.

He Jueyun’s expression turned serious. “Qiong Cang meets the qualifications, and she is highly capable. Sanyao has its own rules. Since they exist, I choose to respect them.”

Xie Qimeng said urgently, “You have no idea how dangerous she is!”

He Jueyun glanced at the figure sitting quietly inside and smiled. “I really don’t.”

The author has this to say:

He Jueyun: This petty woman, surely…

Qiong Cang: This petty man, just how many bad things has he said about me in his head? 【picking nose】

Translator’s Notes