Chapter 119: The Young Girl Came Looking for Him

They were resting.

The men of the First Military District, however, never stopped for a single second; it was as if they did not know the meaning of fatigue. A dense, dark mass of troops was assembling, drawing the eyes of the others. Suddenly, they felt themselves to be profoundly insignificant.

Initially, they had felt exhausted from working all night in the nearby town amidst the flood crisis, with some crying out in fatigue or collapsing, too drained to speak, needing only a moment to rest. But as they witnessed the heart-stirring scene before them, they fell silent. They felt ashamed of their own inadequacy.

At this moment, Lu Shiwu’s gaze followed theirs. Through the vast, mist-shrouded rain, he watched as the troops rapidly finished assembling. The group was clad in black raincoats, appearing from a distance like a dark, crushing tide. Despite being covered in mud, they paid it no mind; their uniforms were soaked, yet their expressions remained unchanged. In their eyes, there was only a yearning to complete their mission.

Suddenly, two military vehicles arrived and pulled up to the side of the road at the rescue point. Three people stepped out. Leading them was a young girl in a military uniform, her cap pulled low, obscuring her dark eyes. Her tall, upright figure walked toward the First Military District’s camp.

Xiao Xiao, face expressionless, had come straight here after finishing her duties in Tongshan Town. The First Military District’s camp was to the right of the rescue point, yet it remained at a distance from their own unit. The moment Lu Shiwu saw her, his expression shifted. He stared at that figure disappearing into the rain and mist. That profile—why did it feel so familiar to him? He felt as though he had seen her somewhere before. But the rain and fog were too dense, and she was too far away; he could not see her face clearly. Just like that, she was blocked from view by the dense mass of troops. Lu Shiwu wanted to look again, but she was gone. Was it just his imagination?

In truth, the people of the First Military District were not made of iron. It was simply that their discipline was strict, and they had long since cultivated the habit of remaining ready for battle under any circumstances, facing all difficulties to complete their tasks and missions.

***

Country Y could be considered the fastest nation in terms of providing support. The moment the flood occurred, all armed forces in Jingnan were mobilized. Subsequently, troops from several other military districts were called in to rush to Jingnan. They provided support at the highest speed, clearing roads and transporting supplies.

At a hospital near the rescue point, Lu Yunzhou looked at the unconscious girl on the hospital bed and turned to ask the person beside him, "Have you found out who she is?"

"Report, Captain, we have," a soldier replied. "She is from the capital and is a student at Jing University. According to the information, she appears to be a student who came to the Jingnan area to sketch. She was injured when the sudden flood struck."

Hearing this, Lu Yunzhou’s eyes turned cold as he looked at the person on the bed. He spoke in a low voice to his subordinates, "Contact her family as soon as possible. Have them come to take her home."

"Yes, Captain!"

They had rescued many people in the disaster zone today, but most were local residents trapped by the flood. Their relatives were easily reached, and their backgrounds were quickly verified. Only this girl, from the moment she was brought in unconscious, had no family to claim her. It was obvious she was not from Jingnan, which was why they had specifically investigated.

The sky was overcast, and the rain had eased slightly. Throughout the town, the floodwaters were receding, and most of those who had been trapped were rescued. It was not until nearly dark that Lu Yunzhou learned from one of his men that the young girl had been looking for him.

"What did you say?" Lu Yunzhou frowned.

"Captain, didn't you know?" The soldier, who had previously reported to Lu Yunzhou's quarters at the military base, had accidentally witnessed a moment between Shen Zhaoxi and Lu Yunzhou. He had seen Shen Zhaoxi in the disaster zone that afternoon and assumed she was there to find him. "I saw Miss Shen in the vicinity earlier today and thought she was looking for you. So, she wasn't?" The soldier scratched his head awkwardly, looking confused by his captain's reaction.

But hearing this, Lu Yunzhou’s expression became unsettled. He stared at the soldier, a surging emotion flashing in his dark eyes. She had come to find him?

Lu Yunzhou asked coldly, "Then where is she now?"

"Ah, this..." The soldier did not know where to begin. He had seen her in the afternoon, but as for where she was now, he truly did not know. After all, an entire afternoon had passed. How could he possibly guess where Miss Shen was?

Seeing his silence, Lu Yunzhou frowned, his face turning cold. He turned abruptly and headed outside the hospital to search for her. This place was so far from the rescue point; how had she managed to find her way here? If she hadn't found him, where was she now? The area was filled with dangers. Accidents could happen at any moment. He knew that in areas flooded by the water, many buildings were at risk of collapse, and roadside power lines could be leaking, creating a danger of electrocution.

He was worried that something might happen to Shen Zhaoxi. With this thought in mind, Lu Yunzhou quickened his pace. The sky was about to turn dark. He had to find her!

***

On the other side, after discussing work with Quan Jing and reallocating the troops of the First and Second Military Districts—as the floods had receded in some areas—Shen Zhaoxi finally headed to where Lu Yunzhou was stationed.

The sky was growing darker. After all, he was the one who had brought her to Jingnan; she could not return on her own. Moreover, the bet with her grandfather... the mere thought of it caused Shen Zhaoxi's eyes to dim. Unknowingly, she arrived at the place where Lu Yunzhou was leading his rescue efforts.

"Is anyone there?"

"Someone is trapped under a car here!"

"Does anyone know first aid?"

"I do." Just as everyone felt helpless and at a loss, a low, cold voice came from the side.

Shen Zhaoxi stepped forward and crouched down. Once they pulled the man from underneath, she took action, working to save the critically injured person. She appeared like a beam of light in the grey, rainy veil, breaking into everyone's view. Before their eyes, she brought the dying man back to life. She also provided basic disinfection and bandaging for the injured. The people around her were local civilians, not medical personnel, who had simply gathered to save their neighbors. Without Shen Zhaoxi, the injured man might have died.

"Thank you! Thank you so much, young lady!" It was the injured man's wife who spoke, her eyes brimming with tears. Her husband had been on the verge of death; it was fortunate someone knew first aid. "If it weren't for you, I don't even dare to imagine..."

"Thank you all, as well."

Facing Shen Zhaoxi, the woman was deeply grateful, and the gazes of the surrounding crowd were filled with immense admiration. Shen Zhaoxi, a light sheen of sweat on her forehead, stood up with a faint smile. Suddenly, she felt a gaze from not far away land upon her.

The rain had eased compared to the previous night, and even the sounds of people talking were much clearer. The dark, crow-feather-colored mountains stretched on, shrouded in mist. She raised her eyes and saw that tall, upright figure in the distance. The man was in his military uniform, his brow furrowed, his dark eyes seemingly filled with turbulent emotions as they rested on her face.

Their eyes met across the pouring rain. Shen Zhaoxi’s long lashes trembled slightly, veiling the emotions in her eyes.