Chapter 168 The 168th Day of the Beginning [Second Update]
Day 168 of the story [Second Update]
Although Yin Yu and his group chose to camp in a relatively low-lying area, the risk of thunderstorms meant that even this place was no longer safe.
"Spread out! Keep at least ten meters apart! But don't be too far apart!" Yin Yu shouted amidst the rain and wind.
He had to admit that his two years as a firefighter had taught him more about how to handle lightning.
The years he spent in Guanshan allowed him to avoid breaking down as easily as others when faced with worse and more embarrassing accident scenes. In addition, he also developed more emergency medical skills, rather than just being a firefighter.
They must be spread out far enough apart to avoid anyone actually being struck by lightning; if they get too close and huddle together, the splash damage from the lightning will hit others at the same time.
But they can't be too far away either, otherwise if someone is hit, they'll have to spend more time getting there to provide first aid, and every second of cardiac resuscitation is golden time.
Eighty percent of those struck by lightning have a chance of survival, and the key lies in proper and persistent cardiac resuscitation.
Yin Yu didn't want him to use that probability for his teammates.
He ordered the others to stand on their tactical backpacks as protective insulators, while crouching down, hugging their knees tightly, and lowering their center of gravity as much as possible to minimize their contact area.
"Received!" Zhou Zhou and the others responded loudly.
They had to remain as still as possible until the thunder and flashes of lightning gradually subsided and stopped.
The prolonged stillness left Yin Yu and his group drenched in damp cold. Yin Yu exhaled a breath of cold air, shivering all over. When he got up, he almost stumbled and fell into the mud, only to be saved by He Lianzhou's tight grip.
He groaned, his face pale and almost bloodless. The heavy rain showed no signs of letting up, and the wind blew in mercilessly.
"Go check on the others," Yin Yu said breathlessly, urging He Lianzhou.
At the same time, he moved his stiff legs to Zhou Zhou, who was closest to him, and gently patted Zhou Zhou's shoulder, calling out softly, "Zhou Zhou? How are you?"
"Hiss, it's cold." Zhou Zhou shivered, shifted his body with difficulty, looked around, and his teeth chattered as he spoke, "The thunder's gone?"
"It's quiet now." Yin Yu responded, clutching his collar to keep the wind out, and hunched his neck, gesturing to Zhou Zhou, "Let's go see Fan Nan and Fan Bei."
Fan Nan and Fan Bei were alright, but they were too cold to speak. He Lianzhou, as if picking up chicks, took them one in each hand and brought them directly to Yin Yu.
Yin Yu rubbed his hands vigorously, his fingers stiff with cold as if they wouldn't obey him. He struggled to pull out the moisture-proof mat, cut it open with a dagger, and tore it into pieces with difficulty. Then he said to Zhou Zhou, "Light...lighter."
Zhou Zhou's hands involuntarily reached for a lighter, nearly dropping it into the mud.
Yin Yu tried to light the lighter, but his fingers were so numb from the cold that he couldn't muster any strength. He tried several times but the lighter slipped open. Finally, He Lianzhou took it from him and successfully lit the lighter.
The inside of the moisture-proof mat, which had been cut open by the dagger, was relatively dry, but with the rain, it hadn't dried much. However, compared to the other branches that had been completely soaked, the moisture-proof mat was still relatively more flammable.
Yin Yu was also desperate and tried to make a fire to warm himself up.
Seeing this, Fan Nan and Fan Bei immediately emptied their backpacks, stuffing the pieces of the sleeping pads into the dry inner pocket of their backpacks. The other, following Yin Yu's example, cut open the other sleeping pads one by one, picking out the relatively dry ones and stuffing them into his backpack.
Everyone stared intently at the flame, as if it were their only hope.
However, the foam moisture-proof mat was blackened by smoke and could not be lit, and the windproof lighter flickered in the wind and rain.
Even He Lianzhou's fingers stiffened and began to sting after holding it up for a while.
He glanced at Yin Yu out of the corner of his eye and saw that Yin Yu's face was extremely pale, and the wound where the stitches had been was partially reopened. He frowned when he saw this, rubbed his fingers together fiercely, and continued to try to light the fire.
After several attempts, aside from blackening the flames, the closest it came was only a few seconds before it went out again, leaving only a pungent smell.
Yin Yu shook his head and said softly, "Forget it, it's too damp and too windy to light. Don't bother trying, it's warmer to stay cozy."
He pulled He Lianzhou's hand and huddled together with the others.
He Lianzhou's hand was like ice; Yin Yu shivered as he gripped it, hissed softly, and looked down to see that He Lianzhou's fingers were turning slightly bluish-purple.
Upon seeing this, Yin Yu's pupils constricted slightly. He immediately rubbed He Lianzhou's hand, glared at He Lianzhou, and hissed, "Don't you fucking feel anything? Are you stupid? If you freeze, you'll really have to be amputated!"
He Lianzhou hissed and took two breaths: "It hurts from your rubbing."
"Be content, bro. It's a good thing you don't feel pain if you're really freezing." Fan Nan said tremblingly from the side.
The group remained huddled together. Yin Yu whispered, "Keep talking, let me know you're still conscious."
Zhou Zhou, shivering, suddenly laughed and cursed, "Trapped underground and still didn't die? Won't you freeze to death from the rain? This is too cowardly!"
The cold in Huailing is different from other places. The wind here blows in like a funnel, and no matter what kind of gear you are wearing, it can always find a gap to get in.
Fan Nan and Fan Bei shushed him, and the others listened to Yin Yu's request, occasionally making fun of his quirks in an attempt to make him laugh.
But after a short while, the brothers' voices also grew softer. After a few more quiet minutes, Fan Bei snorted and asked in a low voice, "Captain Yin? Are you there?"
"Yes," Yin Yu replied. He gritted his teeth and waited two seconds before confirming with each of them, "Zhou Zhou, Fan Nan, Fan Bei, He Lianzhou?"
"Um."
He received some responses gradually.
He closed his eyes, knowing that if the storm didn't stop and they couldn't find a way to keep warm, they would truly be doomed.
There's always a way to shield them from the wind and keep them warm.
Gradually, the wind seemed to stop, and even the rain seemed to lessen.
Yin Yu heard Zhou Zhou let out a delighted hum: "It stopped?!"
Yin Yu subconsciously opened his eyes, feeling dizzy and his vision blurred.
Before he could focus his gaze, Zhou Zhou gasped again: "What the hell is this?"
Suddenly, a dense expanse of broad, loose leaves spread out in front of them, like palm leaves, with thick stems and broad leaves that naturally drooped down on both sides, keeping the rain out.
The thick leaves rolled up layer upon layer, as if wrapping them up tightly, so that not even a breeze could get in.
Fan Nan was also taken aback upon seeing this, muttering, "What is this? It looks like a cabbage."
"I think you're just hungry." Fan Bei rolled his eyes.
As soon as the two finished speaking, Fan Nan was hit by a leaf. He cried out, covered his face, and was even more stunned. Was that blown by the wind? And with such force?
He Lianzhou narrowed his eyes slightly and chuckled softly in a hoarse voice: "Cabbage? Isn't this what you're looking for?"
Yin Yu took out a flashlight and shone it over, finally able to see their surroundings clearly.
They were as if they had been drawn into an upside-down bell, except that this bell was woven from layers upon layers of dense branches and leaves.
At the top of the bells, several meters directly above them, there is a cluster of bright red flowers that are particularly eye-catching.
Yin Yu exhaled and couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth as he murmured, "Land reclamation."
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