Chapter 213

“Up to now, we still haven’t found Mu Jingmei,” Song Nianchu said, her red lips parting slightly.

“Still haven’t found her?” Mu Shi’an looked at her steadily.

“Mm.” Song Nianchu nodded. “Whether she’s alive or dead, we haven’t found any sign of her.”

For a moment, Mu Shi’an didn’t know what to say.

Nearly six days had passed since the accident, and the rescue operation was already nearing its end.

Anyone with even a little common sense knew that if she still hadn’t been found by now, there was essentially no chance that she had survived.

A faint shift passed through Mu Shi’an’s eyes.

“I understand.”

“Shi’an, don’t worry. I won’t give up until the very last moment. Whether she’s alive or dead, I’ll help you find her,” Song Nianchu said firmly.

“You don’t need to force it. This was her own choice. Whether she lives or dies is her fate.” Mu Shi’an did his best to make his voice sound calm.

“All right. I won’t disturb you, then. I’ll come back to see you tonight.” Not wanting Mu Shi’an’s emotions to fluctuate any further, Song Nianchu ended the subject directly.

“Okay.”

“…”

After Song Nianchu left, Mu Shi’an remained standing there for a long while, his gaze fixed in the direction of the dam.

Alive or dead, and still no sign of her?

Mu Shi’an let out a long sigh before turning and returning to the tent.

When Song Nianchu went back to the front line, she searched as thoroughly as possible through the places they had not yet checked, hoping to find Mu Jingmei.

Unfortunately, even after night had completely fallen, Song Nianchu still had nothing to show for it.

Almost everyone from the team had been accounted for. Apart from Mu Jingmei, they knew whether everyone else was dead or alive.

She was the only one missing.

But there was no more time. Song Nianchu could only give up for now and go find Mu Shi’an, intending to have him leave with the rest of the team.

Before she could go look for him, however, someone came to find her first.

It was one of the team members under Tian Daqing. The moment he saw Song Nianchu, he hurried over to her.

“Comrade Song… something happened to Comrade Mu!”

“What did you say? What happened to him?” Song Nianchu’s voice immediately turned urgent. She stepped forward and grabbed him by the hand.

She had been so agitated that she had failed to control her strength, and the man’s face went pale with pain.

“It hurts… It hurts…”

Song Nianchu released him belatedly, but her eyes never left his face.

“What happened to Mu Shi’an?”

“He… After you came to see him today, he told us that one of our measurements seemed to be wrong. He and Captain Tian went back to the dam to take the measurements again.”

“Didn’t I tell him not to go? Why did he go anyway?” Song Nianchu’s voice trembled.

“Nothing happened while they were taking the measurements. They brought back the latest data, and we ran the calculations again. We finally arrived at the final result. If the breach in the dam can’t be sealed, there will be a second collapse by tomorrow at the latest.”

“…”

Song Nianchu pressed her red lips tightly together.

Meng Yingying had been right after all.

“What exactly happened to him?” Song Nianchu asked hoarsely.

“After reaching that conclusion, Comrade Mu and Captain Tian became very anxious. They went to find the soldiers stationed here and tried to seal part of the breach first, reducing the force of the water and buying everyone a little more time to evacuate.”

“If you had already notified the troops stationed here, why didn’t anyone come and tell me?” Song Nianchu clenched her teeth.

“It was Comrade Mu who told us not to.”

“He didn’t want you to tell me? He was afraid I’d stop him.” Song Nianchu’s voice was rough.

“Probably. Comrade Mu wouldn’t have gotten into trouble under normal circumstances. He had already told the soldiers stationed here what they needed to use to block the breach. But the placement and angle had to be controlled with absolute precision. The soldiers didn’t have that kind of instinct, so Comrade Mu went up onto the dam with them without hesitation. Then…”

“Then what happened?” Song Nianchu’s voice was already hoarse beyond recognition.

“The current was too strong. Comrade Mu had to stay at the front and direct them. When he wasn’t paying attention for a moment… he… fell in…”

The man’s voice grew quieter and quieter until it was barely audible.

But Song Nianchu heard every word.

“You’re saying… Mu Shi’an fell into the dam?” she asked, each word distinct.

“…Yes.”

“Have you found him?”

“We’re… still looking. Captain Tian told me to come and notify you as soon as possible.”

Song Nianchu took a deep breath. “Take me to him.”

“…All right.”

The man had not expected Song Nianchu to remain so calm. He stole a glance at her, only to find that her eyes were bloodshot and that both hands hanging at her sides were clenched tightly into fists.

Of course she was devastated.

During the few days Mu Shi’an had spent with them, whenever everyone was exhausted from doing calculations and took a break, he would keep gazing in the direction outside the tent.

Knowing that Song Nianchu was here too, everyone would tease him, asking if he missed his wife.

He never denied it. He would simply nod without hesitation.

Their relationship must have been very good. How could she possibly bear news like this?

The man led the way, but his attention remained on Song Nianchu the entire time, afraid she might do something reckless.

When they reached the dam, Tian Daqing and several soldiers were still standing on top of it.

Zhao Yuanshan was there as well.

The moment they saw her, apologetic expressions appeared on their faces, mingled with a trace of pity.

Song Nianchu glanced at the reservoir before her. The breach appeared to have been partially blocked, and the torrent pouring through it had weakened considerably.

“Where is he?” Song Nianchu asked in a hoarse voice.

“We’re still searching,” Zhao Yuanshan said apologetically. “The water is quite deep here, which is making the search difficult. So far, we still haven’t found Comrade Mu.”

“How long ago did he fall in?” Song Nianchu stared expressionlessly at the water before her.

“By now… it’s been about half an hour.”

Half ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‍an hour?

No matter how skilled a swimmer someone was, no one could hold their breath underwater for half an hour.

Song Nianchu’s pupils trembled violently, and her feet instinctively carried her forward.

“Comrade Song!” The moment Zhao Yuanshan saw what she was about to do, he grabbed her by the arm.

“That idiot! I told him before that this place was dangerous and that he wasn’t allowed to come here. Why wouldn’t he listen?” Song Nianchu’s eyes were red, and warm tears seemed to spill down her cheeks.

“It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have called him here. I knew how dangerous it was—why did I still ask him to come?”

“I…” Song Nianchu’s voice broke with sobs, and she could no longer continue.

Seeing her like this, the eyes of the others grew red as well. One after another, they turned their gazes away.