Chapter 66: The End of the Rescue

At the breach of the dam, the force of the flood was growing stronger, and the human wall formed by Team Five began to waver. Seeing this, Mu Nanhe immediately sprinted over to join their ranks. He stood at the front, the raging waters crashing against his chest, icy and cutting, as if countless small knives were slicing into him. Yet he stood firm, like an imposing mountain, unyielding.

As he resisted the onslaught of the flood, he shouted words of encouragement to his comrades: “Comrades, we are the guardians of the people! These challenges will not intimidate us! As long as we unite as one, there’s no obstacle we can’t overcome!”

His voice, firm and powerful, resonated across the dam like a bell tolling. Reinforced by his motivational words, the team members regained their spirits, linking arms and standing shoulder to shoulder, forming an indestructible line of defense with their bodies.

Whenever a teammate showed signs of exhaustion, he would notice immediately and call out, “Hang in there! You can do it! We’ll carry this together!” Meanwhile, he adjusted the positions in the human wall to optimize their strength distribution for better resistance against the flood’s impact.

With time passing, one challenge after another arose. The relentless rain caused the supplies of sandbags and other flood defense materials to dwindle rapidly. Meanwhile, the supply lines behind them were severely hampered by muddy roads and damaged bridges.

When Team Four searched for materials, they found that the available sandbags and soil were far from sufficient, causing anxiety among the members. Upon learning this, Mu Nanhe swiftly organized part of the team to expand the search radius while assigning another group to effectively redistribute the existing sandbags, prioritizing the needs at the dam breach.

The soldiers, soaked in the floodwaters for hours, had their hands and feet swelling due to prolonged exposure. Their feet felt like doughy buns; the shoes that once fit comfortably now felt tight and uncomfortable, each step resembling walking on sharp stones, painful to the core. The skin on their calves shriveled and creased like that of a hundred-year-old man, lined with deep grooves.

The soldiers’ fingers had also become swollen; nail beds were pale, and fingernails lost their usual luster, appearing dull and lifeless. When they clenched their fists, their finger joints emitted a “crackling” sound, as if they might lose strength at any moment.

One of the team members, Xiao Li, had started to suffer from peeling and sores on his feet due to the prolonged immersion in the cold water. The skin had peeled off in places, exposing tender, raw flesh that stung painfully under the chilling floodwaters, causing him to break out in a cold sweat. Nonetheless, he persevered through the pain, tightly gripping the hands of his teammates while standing firm in the human wall.

Noticing Xiao Li’s condition, Mu Nanhe said with concern, “Xiao Li, you don’t look well; go take a break. We’ll hold the line here!”

But Xiao Li grit his teeth and firmly replied, “Captain, I can still hold on! I can’t let you down at this time!”

Mu Nanhe looked at Xiao Li’s resolute expression, feeling a swell of admiration and respect. He patted him on the shoulder and said, “Good job! Just remember, if anything feels off, don’t push yourself too hard!”

Local volunteers also spontaneously organized, setting up temporary rest areas in the back, preparing hot meals and clean clothes for the rescue team. The busy figures of volunteers wove through the rescue scene, adding warmth and strength to this grueling rescue operation.

Time ticked by, and after twelve long hours, the team members seemed like tireless warriors, never stopping even for a moment.

Team Four continuously transported sandbags, their hands blistering and feet sore from being soaked, yet they simply bandaged their wounds and carried the sandbags again;

Team Five remained steadfast in the freezing floodwaters, their bodies growing blue from the cold, yet they held hands, using their iron will to resist the flood’s onslaught.

Finally, through the unyielding efforts of everyone, the floodwaters began to subside. Meanwhile, the relentless rain also started to ease, and sunlight broke through the dense layers of clouds, illuminating the land ravaged by the flood.

At the dam breach, layers of sandbags and stones had been stacked together, successfully sealing the gap. The team looked at the successful outcome before them, weary smiles breaking through on their tired faces. They knew that the twelve hours of hard-fought battle had been worthwhile, as they had safeguarded this land and its people.

With the mission complete, the military vehicles slowly drove back to the base. Yang Qingyan and the families had long been waiting at the drill ground, their eyes filled with urgency and concern. As soon as the vehicles stopped, Yang Qingyan eagerly scanned the crowd until she locked her sight on Mu Nanhe. His military uniform was caked in mud and grime, his hair wet with rain and sweat, tousled against his forehead, revealing an unmistakable fatigue. Yet even in his exhausted state, he stood tall, his steps heavy, but resolute.

Yang Qingyan hurried over, taking his hand, her tone laced with gentle reproach, “You must be exhausted.”

Mu Nanhe’s eyes softened as he reassured her, “I’m fine, as long as everyone is safe.”

After changing clothes, Mu Nanhe headed to the medical station. Yang Qingyan was already waiting for him, a prepared ointment on the table. She gestured for him to sit down, and skillfully and carefully applied the ointment to his swollen, chafed hands without a word, occasionally blowing gently to alleviate the sting. Watching the wounds on Mu Nanhe’s hands, Yang Qingyan couldn’t help but think of the scenes of him fighting bravely in the flood, feeling a surge of respect for soldiers. These warriors faced danger without flinching, using their flesh and blood to protect the safety of the people. Their presence loomed larger and more heroic in her heart.

“Mu Nanhe, you are truly great,” she whispered, her voice tinged with admiration and emotion.

Mu Nanhe smiled wearily, replying, “This is our duty; as long as we can protect everyone, it’s all worthwhile.”

After applying the ointment, Mu Nanhe leaned back in the chair, waves of fatigue sweeping over him like a tidal wave. During those ten hours of rescue, he had remained highly alert, but now that he could finally relax, the overwhelming sense of exhaustion flooded in.

He quickly fell into a deep sleep, his breathing growing regular, the lines of worry on his brow slowly smoothing out. Yang Qingyan sat quietly beside him, gazing at him with a softness in her eyes that conveyed a deep tenderness.