The darkness dissipated, and a faint light shone through.
It was small and fragile, seemingly on the verge of vanishing, yet it was unmistakably there.
Everyone stared at Si Fuqing in stunned silence.
The scene before them was overwhelmingly shocking, beyond the scope of mere words.
They couldnât fathom how a stone slab so heavy could be lifted by a girl not even twenty years old.
Such a weight would crush several grown men.
Moreover, she was already exhausted before the second collapse occurred.
She had injuries on her back, with fresh blood seeping through her rescue uniform, staining it entirely red.
It was a harrowing sight.
Yet she didnât give up, straightening her back to create a small haven of safety.
Tears welled up in the girlâs eyes as she choked out, âMiss Si! Miss Si, put it down. Youâll lose your life if you continue like this.â
She wasnât a fan of celebrities or involved in fan circles; she was just an ordinary drama enthusiast.
Never had she imagined that Si Fuqing could achieve such a feat.
âGo quickly!â Si Fuqingâs breathing had turned into gasps. âThereâs not much time. Listen to me, the aftershocks wonât stop anytime soon. This place will only collapse deeper!â
âThe rescue team is above. Climb up from here, and those who get out first should pull the others up. Donât waste time!â
A man was the first to react, carrying the elderly and children on his back, moving through the small space Si Fuqing had cleared.
The higher they climbed, the brighter and more open it became.
The rescuers on the ground were overjoyed to see survivors, rushing to pull them up.
After being trapped for ten hours, the man collapsed onto a stretcher, utterly exhausted.
With the help of the Thousand Army Alliance members, passengers were rescued one by one.
A few girls stayed until the end; they were fans of Si Fuqing.
Before the signal was lost, they had posted in the forums and sent private messages to Si Fuqing.
They had thought they would die there, but Si Fuqing had descended from the heavens.
No one had expected to meet their idol in such a dire situation.
At that moment, Si Fuqing was no longer just their idol; she was their beacon of hope, their faith.
Watching Si Fuqing gritting her teeth and supporting the stone slab, the girls couldnât stop their tears from falling.
âDear Qingqingâ¦â
âQingqing, weâll hold on. You go up.â
To these fans, Si Fuqing was a perfect star on the big screen, unreachable.
She played the role of a formidable goddess of war in âCrossing the Demon Realm,â slashing through the Nine Heavens with a single sword.
But that was just a TV show, fiction.
No matter how powerful, Sui Yanwas a character from a script.
But in that moment, they realized that a goddess of war truly existed.
âYouâre ordinary people; you canât hold on,â Si Fuqing bit her tongue, forcing herself to stay awake, her voice becoming sharper. âGo, if you donât, do you all want to die here? You said online that youâd listen to me, but now you donât?â
âAnd tell them not to waste manpower looking for me. Iâm fine. Save the others first!â
The girls could only suppress their tears and force themselves to leave.
After confirming everyone was rescued, Si Fuqing let out a muffled groan, fresh blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
Her strength exhausted, she could no longer support the massive stone slab.
With a loud crash, the slab fell, but she quickly rolled to a corner, narrowly avoiding it.
Breathing out slowly, Si Fuqing touched her blood-soaked back.
Looking at her hand, she clenched it, âSuch weak strengthâ¦â
Her eyelids grew heavy, fatigue overwhelming her, and she slowly closed her eyes.
She just wanted to rest for a few minutes.
The slabâs fall and the ensuing tremor alarmed the rescuers above. The ground shook again, the third collapse.
âIs everyone out?â Shang Lu shouted. âWhat about Miss Si? Has anyone seen Miss Si?!â
The last girl pulled out was dazed, âQingqing is still down there. She cleared the path for us. Sheâ¦â
Shang Luâs expression changed drastically.
It was the third quake, and they had no way to pinpoint Si Fuqingâs location.
Moreover, they feared another quake during the rescue, reducing her chances of survival.
âShe-She said she would be fine,â the girlâs voice trembled. âShe asked you to follow her instructions to save others first, not to worry about her.â
As she spoke, she broke into sobs, âPlease save her. You must save her. How could she be so foolish?â
Si Fuqing could have easily escaped with her strength, but she had given up her chance for others.
ââ¦â
The scene fell into a solemn silence.
The members of the Thousand Army Alliance were profoundly moved.
Si Fuqing had single-handedly saved so many people.
She wasnât a deity.
Even a deity couldnât achieve what she did.
Ji Qingyao clenched her fist tightly, her eyes red, âIâll find her. I wonât give up. Sheâs so strong; sheâll be okay.â
Suddenly, someone shouted, âMiss Siâs dog!â
Shang Lu lost grip, and Little Bai leaped from his hand, darting into the rubble.
Small as a palm, it slipped through narrow gaps effortlessly, too quick for Shang Lu to catch.
âDamn! Find it!â Shang Lu shouted again. âWe must find Miss Si! First team, escort the civilians. Second team, follow me!â
**
The sky began to lighten, dawn breaking.
At this time, in East State, the JI family.
The April sky was cloudless, the wind carrying the early summer heat.
âOld man, what are you looking at?â JI Xingzhi looked up, âDid you see the news? Thereâs heavy rain in North State , and Shan City is flooded. Iâm planning to go and check it out.â
The sky cooled, with only a few stars left. He wasnât skilled in astrology and couldnât discern any anomalies.
Old Master JI still frowned at the sky, silent for a long time.
The shifting clouds reflected in his cloudy but sharp eyes.
âSomethingâs wrong. Someone has tampered with Great Xiaâs dragon vein!â Suddenly, his expression changed. He quickly calculated, his face growing grimmer, âThe dragon vein is damaged, the celestial phenomena are disturbed, itâs an omen of great disaster!â
JI Xingzhi was shocked, âWhat?!â
âA great disaster.â The elderly Ji took a deep breath, âIf the dragon vein in North State is completely severed, Great Xia will lose one-fifth of its luck!â
âBut didnât you inspect Zhaoyao Mountain in Sijiu last time?â Ji Xingzhi frowned, âHow could something happen now?â
âThis dragon vein is naturally formed, its course unpredictable. Destiny can be measured but not changed!â Old Master JI pushed him, âQuick, the situation is urgent. We must go to North State to stabilize the dragon vein, or more disasters will follow, causing countless deaths!â
JI Xingzhi understood the severity, âWith the heavy rain, we canât get in. Iâll find someone to take us. Heâs also heading to Shan City.â
Old Master JI asked, âWho?â
Recalling the poison he suffered from Jiang Changfeng, Ji Xingzhi gritted his teeth, âA poison master with a stoic face.â
Old Master JI was puzzled, â???â
Stroking his beard, he pondered, âDid he poison himself while making poison?â
âWhat kind of scoundrel did the Miracle Doctor Alliance produce?â JI Xingzhi muttered, âFine, since we need his help, Iâll reluctantly call him brother.â
**
At eight in the morning., daylight fully broke.
The last aftershock had occurred half an hour ago, and the Thousand Army Alliance still hadnât found Si Fuqing.
She had helped locate other survivors, but left no sign of herself, causing everyone great anxiety.
Ji Qingyao hadnât slept for over ten hours, still searching tirelessly.
JIANG Shuihan was also looking for Si Fuqing, equally exhausted.
âCaptain JIANG!â The deputy ran over, excited, âReinforcements are here!â
JIANG Shuihanâs spirits lifted as he turned around.
It was the Mo familyâs plane.
The Mo familyâs meticulously crafted aircraft, all three of them, had been dispatched.
A large group disembarked.
There were elderly men, and young boys and girls.
âJiang Changfeng of the Miracle Doctor Alliance,â Jiang Changfeng clasped his fists, âHere to lend a hand.â
JI Xingzhi was about to speak but was kicked by Old Master JI, who solemnly said, âJI family, JI Xingzhi. This is my grandfather.â
More people arrived on foot, unfamiliar faces but with the same determination in their eyes.
âWe are the Green Light Rescue Team,â a young man waved a flag, âHere to support! You rest, weâll take over.â
The Green Light Rescue Team, a civilian rescue team, had saved many lives.
Upon hearing that Shan City residents were trapped by the rain and earthquake, they rallied all their members and rushed to the city.
More and more people converged on the storm-ravaged, near-ruined city.
It was reminiscent of a long-ago time, during the summer of Year 704 of the Xia Calendar.
Back then, East State suffered a severe drought, causing countless deaths. The five states of Great Xia aided, with family alliances arriving, and countless ordinary people stepping up.
In the face of disaster, this vast empire always showed that while times changed, the backbone of Great Xia remained unwavering, never to fall.
If heaven does not protect Great Xia, its people will.