Chapter 330 Wild Animals Appear
Not long after, the motorcycle team leader called via satellite phone: "Advisor Xia, all team members and vehicles at the foot of the mountain have been evacuated to a safe area!"
However, the atmosphere in the camp became increasingly anxious.
The long-awaited crowd began to grow impatient, with some questioning loudly, "It's been so long and there's no sign of anything. Is your prediction completely inaccurate? Are we going to freeze all night on this desolate mountain?"
Xia Lili's face was calm. She just shook her head and said in a soft but unquestionable voice, "Wait a moment."
The moment she finished speaking——
Suddenly, a dull roar came from the distance, like a roar from deep within the earth.
Immediately afterwards, a clear vibration came from under people's feet!
The mountain on the downhill road in the distance collapsed suddenly, and mud, sand and rocks rolled down, engulfing the entire road.
The loud noise even reached the camp with a sense of oppression, which was heart-wrenching.
Xia Lili stood in place, feeling the vibration coming from under her feet.
This was different from the earth-shattering shaking that occurred during the Lincheng earthquake a week ago. It was a dull and continuous rumbling sound, as if the earth itself was tearing and roaring.
Her heart beat faster and cold sweat broke out on her back.
The landslide lasted for dozens of seconds before gradually subsiding.
The camp fell into a dead silence. All the people who had been complaining and making a commotion just now stared at Xia Lili in shock, their eyes filled with shock and fear.
Someone whispered first, "...it really collapsed."
The people who had been noisy just now became completely quiet.
No one raised any objections, and no one urged them to go down the mountain.
Everyone silently followed the rescue team's instructions, organized supplies in an orderly manner, and helped arrange camping.
Everything suddenly became orderly.
Faced with the irresistible force of nature, they finally chose to trust the young consultant who stood in the night and saved everyone with just one word.
At this time, the roar of propellers was heard in the night sky.
Several helicopters flew over the camp, and airdropped supply boxes landed one after another in a temporarily designated safe area.
When Xia Lili was helping to count the supplies, she noticed that many boxes were printed with the logos of "Xia Xubai Global Fan Club" and "Heqi Entertainment".
A warm feeling welled up in Xia Lili's heart.
My brother and those kind and enthusiastic fans whom I have never met are protecting everyone here in their own way.
The airdropped supplies included a large amount of cold-proof clothing, tents and food.
This time, no one was scrambling. Under the command of the rescue team, the people lined up in an orderly manner and received supplies in turn. Then they divided the work and cooperated tacitly, set up tents on a relatively flat ground, and lit emergency heaters.
Taking advantage of the break, Xia Lili took out the small mirror she carried with her and looked at herself in the mirror with the help of a flashlight.
The mirror clearly reflected her slightly tired but determined eyes.
This time, no foreseeable images flooded in.
Xia Lili breathed a sigh of relief.
As the night deepened, the temperature in the mountains dropped sharply and a cold wind swept through the camp.
The rescue team leader arranged team members to stand guard in batches and patrol around the camp to prevent sudden geological changes or the approach of wild animals.
Xia Lili noticed that the number of people on duty was limited, so she stepped forward and said, "Captain Bai, I can also take turns on duty with you. One more person means more strength."
Her voice was not loud, but calm and clear, echoing in the cold night.
The rescue team leader, Bai Ling, was a young man of about 27 or 28 years old. He was tall and straight, with bronze skin and a neat crew cut. His brows showed the roughness and decisiveness honed by years of field operations.
When Bai Ling heard Xia Lili's request, he turned his head and a hint of surprise flashed across his eyes.
Along the way, Xia Lili always showed unquestionable coldness and toughness. He originally thought that this consultant from the superior would be an aloof, reserved and risk-averse "office role".
However, I didn't expect Xia Lili to take the initiative to ask to join the night watch.
Most of the team members held hunting rifles to guard against wild animals.
Large-scale mountain disasters not only destroy people's homes, but also destroy the nesting and foraging areas of wild animals. They are more likely to disturb or even anger them, causing them to break into temporary human gathering areas.
Manpower was indeed tight, and Bai Ling hesitated for only a moment before nodding in agreement. "Thank you."
Bai Ling handed over a long-barreled hunting rifle and began to explain in a concise tone how to hold the gun, load it, aim and fire. His tone was as steady as a coach, but also revealed a hint of patience for "laymen".
Xia Lili listened quietly without explaining why she had repeatedly achieved excellent results in the police academy's live-fire shooting courses.
The shotgun was indeed the first contact.
She carefully imitated his movements, holding the gun, putting it against her shoulder, and looking through the crosshairs, as if she was really a "newcomer" who was handling a gun for the first time.
Bai Ling stood aside, watching Xia Lili concentrate on learning how to hold a gun and aim, a hint of surprise and change flashed in his eyes.
He didn't expect that she would not only take the initiative to participate in the night watch, but also take this not-an-easy task so seriously.
After a three-hour break, it was Xia Lili's turn to be on duty, and Xia Lili's alarm clock rang.
She quickly packed her equipment, handed over to the previous team, took the hunting rifle, and stepped into the night outside the camp.
The forest was silent, with only the sound of the wind and the rustle of her footsteps on the grass.
Not long after, Captain Bai Ling came over quickly, his voice low but clear: "Everyone, alert!"
He had just discovered a patch of wet mud that had been clearly disturbed on the southeast slope. "There are signs of large animal activity, so everyone should be on high alert."
Almost at the same time, another team member quickly retreated from the darkness and reported in a low voice: "I was patrolling just now and heard a rustling sound in the bushes. It didn't sound like wind."
Bai Ling's eyes flashed, and he immediately ordered, "Everyone, be alert."
"If you encounter large wild animals, especially aggressive species like wild boars or jackals, you must prioritize the safety of people in the rest area and decisively subdue the target if necessary!"
The night seemed to become more solemn all of a sudden.
Xia Lili gripped the hunting rifle tightly in her hand, her eyes sharp as torches as she looked at the dark, swaying shadows of the trees.
Everyone was on edge, and Xia Lili also clenched the hunting rifle in her hand, her knuckles turning slightly white.
This was her first time facing potential wildlife threats at such close range in the wild. Unlike exercises in the city, this was a real and unknown danger!
In this oppressive silence, Xia Lili, with her excellent eyesight and night vision, keenly caught a glimpse of a bush southwest of the rest area shaking unnaturally, as if something was passing through it.
She immediately lowered her voice and warned, "Attention everyone, there's movement in the southwest!"
The team members reacted quickly, turned their guns around, and moved cautiously and swiftly to the southwest to surround the enemy.
At this moment, a rough and abrupt wild boar howl pierced the night sky, followed by a rapid and heavy running sound coming from far away, obviously rushing towards the camp!
All team members tightly gripped their hunting rifles and got into combat readiness posture.
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