46 046

◎The King of Scrolls, Day Forty-Six◎

Jiang Wanzhou's brows did not relax; she turned to Shen Xinglian.

Shen Xinglian pulled Jiang Wanzhou along, saying, "Sister Xiaomei, thank you for taking good care of the family. We need to go to the regimental headquarters."

"What are you going to the regimental headquarters for?" Su Xiaomei asked, puzzled.

"Let's go and ask them in person."

"Alright."

On the way, Shen Xinglian said to Jiang Wanzhou, "I need their alternate landing routes for this mission, as well as the terrain features of this area, to see if we can get them."

"If all else fails, the three of us will just cry, make a scene, and threaten to hang ourselves," Jiang Wanzhou coaxed.

"That's a possibility." After thinking it over, Shen Xinglian agreed that it was indeed feasible.

Jiang Wanzhou pulled her along: "Xingxing, more important than saving people, I don't want you to be exposed and arrested for research."

Everyone has their own destiny; just do your best.

Shen Xinglian was startled by Jiang Wanzhou's words "arrested and studied," and instantly calmed down from her impulsive moment.

Yes, they are anomalies; any words or actions that deviate from the norm could lead to their demise.

She took a deep breath, squeezed Jiang Wanzhou's hand tightly, and whispered.

"You're right, I was too anxious." She composed herself, her eyes regaining their usual clarity.

“We can’t force the issue, but we can’t just sit here and wait. Let’s go to the regimental headquarters and try to put it another way.”

The two rushed into the rain.

When I arrived at the regimental command post, it was still busy inside, but the atmosphere seemed a bit more tense than before.

Clearly, the continued loss of contact left everyone on edge.

Shen Xinglian found the young staff officer who had been in charge of coordination before and seemed easy to talk to.

"Comrade, excuse me."

Shen Xinglian's face showed just the right amount of anxiety and earnestness, her voice trembling slightly, making her look exactly like an ordinary military family member worried about her husband's safety.

"I am Jiang Renzhou's wife, and this is my sister, Jiang Wanzhou. We are really worried and wanted to ask again if there is any new information? Or is there anything we, as family members, can do to help? Even just helping to organize information or pass on something would be helpful!"

Jiang Wanzhou stood behind Shen Xinglian, and at the same time, she also showed a pale and worried expression, but her eyes quickly swept over the simple area map hanging in the command point and some documents scattered on the table.

The young staff officer looked at the two female comrades in front of him, who were soaking wet and had hope in their eyes, sighed, and softened his tone.

"Comrade Shen, Comrade Jiang, we understand your feelings very well. Please believe that the search and rescue work is going all out, and we will notify everyone as soon as there is any news. The situation outside is complicated right now, so please go home and wait. Ensuring your own safety is the greatest support you can give us."

He paused, looking at their disappointed but not lingering expressions: "We have already increased our manpower and will do our best!"

"Thank you, comrade! Thank you! Then we won't bother you any longer, we'll go back and wait for news!" Shen Xinglian quickly thanked them and pulled Jiang Wanzhou out.

After moving a distance from the regimental headquarters and making sure no one was around, Shen Xinglian lowered her voice and asked, "How is it?"

Jiang Wanzhou's eyes flickered slightly, and she said in a low voice, "I'll draw it for you when I get back."

Shen Xinglian remained silent for a moment, as rainwater streamed down the edge of her straw hat, splashing tiny droplets at her feet.

She finally let out a long breath and put her arm around Jiang Wanzhou's shoulder.

The two supported each other as they walked back into the vast rain.

They may not have the earth-shattering power to turn the tide, but in the face of this sudden storm, they must do their best to protect the people and things they care about.

Meanwhile, in the dark forest, Jun Yanghong was exhausted. The rain had taken away most of her body heat, and her teeth were chattering uncontrollably.

That tiny flame, fueled by obsession, proved utterly vulnerable in the face of reality's storms and hardships.

Fear began to replace ambition; she began to regret, to be afraid, and cried out in vain, her voice quickly swallowed by the wind and rain.

Finally, she was found by another search and rescue team that had expanded their search area when she slipped again and nearly rolled down a steep slope.

Seeing her like this, the team members were both angry and helpless. They quickly helped her up and took her to a safe area.

In the Jiang family's courtyard.

Jiang Wanzhou drew what she saw.

After observing, Shen Xinglian quickly went into the inner room, took out an ordinary notebook and pencil, spread them out on the table, and began to sketch quickly under the dim light.

"Based on the current wind direction and rainfall, the areas where they are most likely to make an emergency landing should be in these directions..."

Her fingers traced across the rough paper.

"I'm handing this over to the search and rescue team. Even if it can only narrow down the search area a little bit, it will be good."

"Why is there a back mountain? We can go directly to the back mountain."

Jiang Wanzhou carefully folded the paper and held it tightly in her hand.

“These days, you need a letter of introduction for everything. Wherever Jun Yanghong can go, I’ll go with you!” Shen Xinglian said immediately.

"No need, sister-in-law, someone has to stay home." Jiang Wanzhou shook her head, picked up a straw hat and raincoat from the corner and put them on. "I'll be back soon!"

Just then, the sound of neighbors asking questions came from outside. It turned out that several familiar military family members had heard the commotion and had come to visit despite the rain.

Shen Xinglian quickly opened the door, briefly explained the situation, and deliberately raised her voice: "I drew a map of a possible emergency landing, and I'm about to send it to the regimental headquarters!"

A relative of the company commander, surnamed Wang, immediately said, "I'll go with Wanzhou! It's not safe for her to go alone in the dark!"

Jiang Wanzhou gave her a grateful look and did not refuse.

The two trudged into the rain, their straw hats offering no protection against the flying rain, and their clothes were soon soaked through.

When we arrived at the temporary command post set up by the regiment headquarters, it was still brightly lit, with many people and a tense atmosphere.

Jiang Wanzhou handed the slightly damp drawing to a staff officer in charge of coordination, and clearly explained the basis of Shen Xinglian's deduction.

The staff officer was initially surprised, but after taking the blueprints and examining them carefully, his eyes flashed with approval. He immediately passed them on as reference information.

"Comrade Jiang Wanzhou, thank you! This provides us with very valuable insights!" the staff officer said solemnly.

After doing all this, Jiang Wanzhou felt her tense nerves relax slightly, and her legs felt a little weak.

Sister-in-law Wang helped her up and exclaimed, "Wanzhou, you guys are really something!"

Back home, Shen Xinglian had already boiled water, and Su Xiaomei's emotions had stabilized considerably; she was holding her sleeping daughter, Niu Niu, lost in thought.

Seeing Jiang Wanzhou return safely, Shen Xinglian breathed a sigh of relief and quickly handed her a dry towel and hot water.

"It's been sent over, and the staff officer said it was very useful," Jiang Wanzhou said simply, taking the towel to dry her wet hair.

Looking at her pale face, made even paler by the rain, and her still incredibly bright eyes, Shen Xinglian felt both heartache and pride.

Her best friend from another time is more reliable than anyone else when it matters!

"Xingxing, thanks to you so much," Jiang Wanzhou said softly, squeezing her hand tightly.

The back mountain.

Jun Yanghong was wearing a tattered raincoat that was almost useless, and she was struggling to move forward in the knee-deep mud and water.

Rain blurred her vision, and the icy chill seeped into her bones. She had fallen countless times, her body covered in mud, looking utterly disheveled.

"Zhou Qingyu...you must wait for me there..."

She gritted her teeth, relying on a twisted obsession and vague memories of her past life, that Zhou Qingyu had been injured and forced to land during this mission, and that the incident occurred near the military region.

She imagined finding the injured Zhou Qingyu, taking good care of him, and then he being moved to tears, realizing that she was the one destined for him.

This fantasy sustained her like a poison, making her ignore her physical limits and the real dangers around her.

In the kitchen of the Jiang family's courtyard, the oil lamp was refilled again and again, casting a dim, yellowish light that illuminated the faces of three worried women.

Mingyuan had already fallen asleep restlessly in Shen Xinglian's arms.

Niu Niu was also dozing off on Su Xiaomei's lap, while the adults were wide awake, listening intently to any sound outside the window except for the wind and rain.

Jiang Wanzhou sat on the stool, unconsciously stroking the small wooden box containing red beans in her hand. The cool wood had been warmed by her body heat.

Her gaze seemed to be fixed on nothingness, but her mind kept replaying every moment since she met Zhou Qingyu: his steady voice, his patient guidance, and the light in his eyes when he looked at her.

She gripped the wooden box tightly.

Suddenly, a commotion, distinct from the sound of wind and rain, came from afar, seemingly mixed with human voices and barking dogs!

The three women stood up almost simultaneously, their hearts pounding.

"Is he... back?" Su Xiaomei's voice trembled uncontrollably.

Shen Xinglian rushed to the window, pushed it open a crack, and peered out despite the rain.

Jiang Wanzhou also walked quickly to the door, placed her hand on the latch, and held her breath.

In the darkness in the distance, flickering lights appeared—flashlights! And there was more than one! The voices grew clearer, a weary yet relaxed clamor!

"She's back! She must be back!" Shen Xinglian's voice was choked with sobs as she flung open the door.

The wind and rain poured in instantly, but no one cared at the moment.

Jiang Wanzhou also rushed out and stood under the eaves, staring intently at the approaching light and figures.

The first thing you see is a few search and rescue team members, soaked to the bone and covered in mud, with relieved smiles on their faces.

Immediately afterwards, several equally disheveled but determined figures appeared in the center of the light: Jiang Renzhou, Zhou Qingyu, and other members!

Although they were soaked to the bone and looked exhausted, they seemed to be alright, with bright eyes and a sense of relief at surviving a disaster.

"Renzhou!" Shen Xinglian could no longer hold back her tears. She rushed down the steps, ignoring the rain, and threw herself into her husband's arms.

Jiang Renzhou hugged his wife tightly, patting her back reassuringly with his large hand, his voice hoarse but steady: "It's alright, it's alright, we're back."

Jiang Wanzhou's gaze swept past everyone and landed directly on Zhou Qingyu.

He was looking at her too, their eyes met, and a thousand words were contained in that deep gaze.

He walked toward her, his steps hurried, raindrops sliding down his angular face.