Chapter 575 I''ll Bring Her Back Safe And Sound


    Before Wesley left, Hartwell reminded him, "Be careful!"


    Wesley nodded. "Don''t worry. I''ll bring her back safe and sound."


    Staring at his retreating figure, Hartwell had mixed feelings about this. ''I know he cares for ir a lot.


    Why does he keep pushing her away?''


    After half an hour, Wesley''s phone buzzed. He stopped to drink some water, and then fished his phone


    from his waterproof holster. It was a WeChat message from ir.


    A myriad of feelings welled up in Wesley when he read it. He didn''t reply to the message, but instead


    picked up the pace.


    On his way up the mountain, he met quite a few rescue workers and tourists, but ir was not among


    them.


    As time went by, the four people that hade with him descended the mountain once more, bringing


    some tourists they had saved with them. Still, ir was nowhere to be found.


    The rain was beginning to ease off, which made it a little easier.


    When Wesley located Miller, the water was already chest-high. The rescue workers had to use flotation


    devices to continue their operation. Miller and his colleagues were stranded where the flow was


    sluggish. Therefore, two rescue workers were able to lead them to safety and wrap them in dry


    nkets.


    Wesley scanned the crowd carefully, but ir was not among them.


    His heart started racing wildly and he couldn''t help but me Miller for not having taken good care of


    her.


    Wesley moved forward cautiously, and to his surprise, he spotted two figures on a huge stone, blocked


    by a tree.


    Judging from their slim figures, he could tell they were two girls. They were hugging each other to keep


    warm.


    One of them was wearing a pink coat and leaning on the shoulder of the other girl. Wesley couldn''t see


    her face clearly and was not sure if that was ir.


    Even though he had not seen her for a long time now, his heart told him she must be ir.


    Wesley scanned his surroundings. It wouldn''t be easy to get to her. The current of the flood had


    developed whitecaps, pushing a mass of deadly debris with it. If the current didn''t catch him, the debris


    would surely crush him, carrying his battered body away.


    He called two rescue workers over, who were busy saving Miller and his colleagues. In ten minutes,


    they were at his side. They also saw the two girls. One of them shook his head. "We can''t get there.


    The going is too treacherous. You don''t want to get caught in that. Let''s wait a bit for the rain to let up.


    That might let things slow down and you''d have an easier time of it."


    Wesley''s eyes darkened. "Wait a bit?" he asked.


    "Yeah. It''s courting death if we try to get to them."


    Wesley''s eyes were as cold as ice. "Don''t you see that they don''t have much time? If we keep waiting,


    they''ll die of exposure."


    "But the ce they are—"


    Before the man could finish speaking, Wesley took the rescue equipment away from him and told the


    other rescue worker, "You! Come with me!"


    "Yes!"


    With a bullhorn, the man instructed the girl beside ir to fasten the rescue rope to the big tree.


    ir seemed to have passed out. Shey huddled up on the rock and didn''t respond to their requests.


    The girl took the rope hesitantly, but with some prompting, she tied the rope around the trunk. A little


    more instruction via the bullhorn, and she had the mps and carabiners fastened. After the rope was


    secured, Wesley and the rescue worker fastened their harnesses to the rope and made their way to the


    rock, suspended above the roaring floodwaters. They''d set it up that way so they wouldn''t have to be


    caught in the current; they''d be hanging above it. They inched closer and closer.


    Excited, the girl pulled ir''s arm and yelled, "Hey, wake up! We''re being rescued! Boo...hoo... We''re


    safe now."


    Upon hearing that, ir struggled to open her eyes and saw a rope tied to the tree near the rock. Two


    people were in harnesses, suspended from the rope over the surging flood. They were carefully making


    their way to their position. The rain was still heavy, and her eyes were blurry. She couldn''t see their


    faces, but she was sure the man in the front was Wesley.


    She tried her best to sit up on the rock. Color drained from her, and her face was as pale as a sheet.


    Staring at the man, she shed a happy smile. ''It''s him! My superheroes to my rescue.


    I have no regrets!''


    Suddenly, her eyes dulled and she almost cked out. But luckily, she bit her tongue and shook her


    head to keep herself lucid.


    She had never expected that they would meet again in such circumstances—she would be in danger,


    and he would save her. ''Geez! I must look like something the cat dragged in. Will he hate me more,


    seeing me like this?''


    Wesley could tell that something was not right with her as she was having trouble keeping her feet on


    the rock.


    Her perfect fair skin was covered with mud, and there was even a green leaf stuck to her forehead. Her


    pink coat now looked like a grey one thanks to the rain. Wesley''s heart ached at the sight of her. How


    he wished he could pull her in his arms and console her right now! A girl like her should be loved and


    protected.


    When he was about three meters from the rock, he shouted, "ir, I''m here. Just hold on!"


    ''Just hold on? I want to, but I''m really exhausted. It''s been hours. I''m wet, I''m cold. It''s a miracle I''m still


    awake, '' ir thought with a bitter smile. She had thought that the girl had a stronger physique than


    her. But when Wesley and the rescue worker arrived, she passed out.


    ir reached out her hand in an attempt to grab her, but she failed. She could only helplessly watch as


    she fell into the water. Luckily, Wesley was fast enough to grab her and prevent her from being swept


    away in the current. He passed the girl to the rescue worker and went to help ir.


    When Wesley pulled her into his arms, ir felt this was the happiest moment of her life. She cradled


    his neck and buried her face in his arms. Her face and forehead were burning hot, which made him


    frown. ''She''s got a high fever!'' he thought.


    "Wesley."


    "Hmm?"


    "You''re holding me so tight I can''t breathe," she murmured.


    Wesley loosened his grip a bit, but ir still felt she couldn''t breathe. "Wesley," she called out again.


    "Hmm?"


    "I thought I''d never see you ever again." Her teardrops fell on his chest. They were so hot his heart


    stung.


    Wesley lowered his head and kissed her wet hair, his eyes full of affection. "Don''t be afraid. I''m here.


    You''re safe now."


    "Hmm..." His embrace was the safest ce for her.


    The rain finally stopped, but it still wasn''t safe. He rigged a second line with the help of the rescue


    workers on the other side. He set ir up with a harness, and had the workers pull her along the line.


    Wesley followed. After what seemed like an eternity, Wesley finally reached the river bank. When they


    were both safely on the other side, he took ir in his arms.


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    When people on the bank took ir from Wesley, he tripped in the mud. He staggered and failed to


    steady himself, falling into the water.


    People eximed and ir turned her head to look at Wesley. She happened to see him being carried


    downriver before vanishing beneath the tide.


    "Wesley!" ir yelled hysterically, feeling devastated.