Chapter 43

Liu Shuang was actually happy. Her family was in Xizhou Province—her parents and younger sister were there. Even though being reassigned to the military would keep her busy and her missions wouldn’t be near home, she’d still find opportunities to visit.

But at the same time, she was reluctant to leave the rescue team members who had fought alongside her. They had been on the front lines together, and over time, their bond had grown as close as that of siblings.

She also felt a bit reluctant to leave Shu Fu. She always felt that Shu Fu’s life wasn’t easy. During such a disaster-stricken period, living alone at such a young age, Shu Fu always appeared quiet and calm. But even when she was sitting among people, there was a subtle sense of loneliness about her.

This loneliness was delicate—not lost or helpless, but with a faint sense of detachment. Yet, every time she met Liu Shuang’s gaze, she would always respond with a gentle smile.

If possible, Liu Shuang truly wished she could take Shu Fu back to Xizhou Province with her, to her hometown of Zhicheng. The city was over 500 meters above sea level, surrounded by mountain ranges that shielded it from heavy rains, making it much safer than here.

But that wasn’t an option. Shu Fu wasn’t a direct relative, and Liu Shuang didn’t have the authority to take her along as a team member.

Moreover, she had already probed Shu Fu’s intentions before—she had no plans to leave Lou Yuncheng for the time being.

Liu Shuang also knew about Shu Fu giving up her entry permit to Xizhou Province. Both Shu Fu and her friend had been commended as model citizens for this act. They had chosen a small city in Xizhou Province called Zhicheng and submitted an application.

But the name on Shu Fu’s application wasn’t her own.

Such a rare opportunity—something everyone wanted—yet she had given it to someone else.

To avoid pressuring the other person, she had even asked Cheng Yu to send a rescue team member to the hospital before submitting the application, keeping her identity hidden, and conveyed to Fang Xiwen that there was an opportunity to apply for entry to Xizhou Province, possibly to a second- or third-tier city, and asked if she was willing.

Only after receiving a positive response did she submit the application.

Liu Shuang didn’t quite understand why Shu Fu was unwilling to leave Lou Yuncheng. Was it just because it was her birthplace? But she no longer had any close family here, and even her friends would soon be leaving.

The team members were on leave today, so no one had to drive, and everyone drank. Liu Shuang originally planned to drive back, but she couldn’t resist the toasts and ended up having a few drinks herself.

The team all knew her rank would be promoted once she returned to the military, and they wouldn’t let her off easily. They joked, saying, “You’re getting promoted to lieutenant so quickly. The next time we see you, will you already be a major? We’ll have to stand at attention and salute you from afar!”

Liu Shuang hadn’t attended a military academy and joined the army relatively late, only four or five years ago. Now, rising to lieutenant so quickly made many envious.

“You should be saluting me already!” Liu Shuang joked as she quietly poured the drinks they gave her back into their glasses. “Besides, it’s not that easy to get from lieutenant to major!”

One team member protested, pointing at Cheng Yu: “Captain Cheng’s only been a lieutenant for a little over two years, and now he’s about to be promoted to major!” A thirty-year-old major was almost unheard of in peacetime.

“He’s a lieutenant! I’m just a second lieutenant. And besides, he’s older than me—already 30!”

Cheng Yu, caught in the crossfire: …

Liu Shuang coughed lightly and quickly added, “I mean, Captain Cheng is more mature than me. Plus, he went to a military academy and served on the border for several years, earning big merits…” She turned to the others, pretending to be angry to change the subject. “Are you seriously comparing me to Captain Cheng now? Trying to stir up trouble between us?”

Though she said this, Liu Shuang was confident in herself. If she’d had the same opportunities and time as Cheng Yu, she believed she wouldn’t have done any worse.

But she wouldn’t take it too seriously—it was all in good fun.

The team member who had spoken was playfully pushed to the front by the others, and someone poured him a large glass of alcohol, insisting he drink it to apologize.

He protested but was pinned down and forced to finish the drink, then dragged over to apologize to Cheng Yu with another glass.

He groaned, “You guys just want to get me drunk!”

The group laughed and teased him. Two other team members, who weren’t fully aware of the situation, ran over from across the table and asked Cheng Yu if he was leaving too, wondering why he wouldn’t stay in Lou Yuncheng since he hadn’t been here long.

“I’m not leaving so soon. I’ll be staying for a while,” Cheng Yu replied. Noticing Shu Fu’s focused gaze on him, he leaned over and asked, “What’s up? Got something to ask?”

“So, you’re already 30…” She had thought he was only 25 or 26.

Cheng Yu: …

The farewell meal lasted several hours. Since only Cheng Yu and Shu Fu hadn’t drunk, they each drove a car to take the others home. Shu Fu drove the jeep Cheng Yu had arrived in, and Liu Shuang naturally rode with her. The rest rode in the car Cheng Yu was driving.

To facilitate the rescue team’s operations in the water, Lou Yuncheng had arranged their dormitories on a hill in the eastern suburbs, near Dam No. 1. It was both safe and allowed for immediate monitoring of the dam’s external conditions.

Driving east, Shu Fu could see the towering dam in the pouring rain every time she looked up.

It was still awe-inspiring up close, providing a sense of security with its height.

Non-rescue team vehicles were prohibited in the dormitory area. As they approached, Cheng Yu called Shu Fu, telling her not to drive inside. She could just drop off Liu Shuang at the entrance, and he’d take her in before returning to drive her car back.

“No need, Captain Cheng. I can take the bus back.”

This time, it wasn’t just Cheng Yu who disagreed—Liu Shuang, sitting in the passenger seat, also objected. “The rain’s too heavy, and there aren’t any bus stops nearby. Be good and let Captain Cheng take you.”

Shu Fu looked at Liu Shuang, gave her a nod, and also hummed in agreement to Cheng Yu on the phone.

“That’s better,” Liu Shuang praised.

Cheng Yu could hear Liu Shuang’s voice and understood that she had persuaded her. He wanted to say something more but paused and simply said, “Wait for me,” before hanging up.

Ten minutes later, Shu Fu parked the car and turned off the engine. In the passenger seat, Liu Shuang reached over and gently stroked Shu Fu’s smooth, black hair.

She still remembered the first time she met Shu Fu—her hair was greasy and dirty, clearly not washed in a long time. She looked a mess, squatting alone in a building about to be submerged by water. She’d looked so pitiful.

“Whether you decide to go to Xizhou Province, Xizhou Province, or stay in Lou Yuncheng, you have to take good care of yourself. Most importantly, if you run into trouble, remember to contact me or Cheng Yu. Don’t be afraid to bother us—we’ve faced giant waves and life-or-death situations together.”

Liu Shuang had drunk a bit, and her usual sharp edges had softened. The way she looked at Shu Fu was like an older sister looking at her younger sibling.

There was satisfaction—glad that she was doing well now. There was also heartache—knowing she was alone and had to rely on herself for everything. And there was sentimentality and reluctance for the parting that was about to come.

Shu Fu met her gaze, nodded in response, then asked, “Why are you so good to me?” After all, they were mere acquaintances, yet she had been kind to her from the start.

Hearing this, Liu Shuang was momentarily stunned, then laughed. “I don’t think I’ve done anything particularly special for you…”

“From the first time we met, you were very concerned about me. You offered me water, treated me kindly, and even when you wanted to take me back to the dorm to shower and change, you asked for my consent first. You remembered the things I told you and even considered taking me to Xizhou Province with you… Isn’t that enough?”

Liu Shuang stared at her, genuinely surprised that she remembered all these seemingly trivial things so clearly.

When someone is good to another, most of the time, it’s voluntary, without expecting anything in return. But when the other person silently remembers everything and acknowledges it, there’s a certain satisfaction—a feeling that every word and action has been heard and appreciated.

She didn’t know how to explain it. Relationships between people are about fate. Some people you know for a long time, yet the connection remains superficial. Others, you meet for the first time, and you instantly feel a connection and can’t help but want to get closer.

How could she explain it? That she had a younger sister about the same age? That when she first saw Shu Fu, she thought she was obedient and sensible, which instantly reminded her of her sister?

Or that the more she met her, the more familiar she seemed, as if she hadn’t just met her in Suicheng, but perhaps even earlier, somewhere she couldn’t quite remember…

Liu Shuang reached out, pulling Shu Fu into a gentle hug and patting her lightly. “I just want to be good to you, no reason. It’s like when you helped your former neighbors in Suicheng—did you have a specific reason? In the end, you just wanted to, you were willing, and you could, so you did. It was your choice, your true self.”

Shu Fu leaned against Liu Shuang’s shoulder and patted her back in return.

Those simple words, “true self,” felt like a powerful voice that dispelled the lingering doubts clouding her mind these past days.

Yes, her true self.

She would never forget who she was. No matter the situation, she would always be herself, rejecting all external noise, and simply be Shu Fu!

The passenger-side window was knocked on from outside. Through the glass and the pouring rain, Cheng Yu’s expression seemed a bit complicated as he looked at them.

“Alright, I’m off. See you next time,” Liu Shuang said, ruffling Shu Fu’s hair once more. She grabbed a raincoat from the back seat, put it on, and stepped out of the car.

Cheng Yu gestured for Shu Fu to move to the passenger seat, but she shook her head, indicating she’d drive and that he should sit in the passenger seat instead.

Cheng Yu took off his raincoat and got in the car. Before the door closed, Shu Fu called out loudly to Liu Shuang, who hadn’t walked far yet. “Sister Liu Shuang, I’ll definitely move to Shacheng in the future. I hope your family moves to Fengshang Plateau soon too. Let’s meet there next time! Goodbye! Happy New Year!”

In the rain, Liu Shuang smiled and waved at her.

The car door closed, the engine roared back to life, and as Shu Fu turned the car around, she reminded Cheng Yu, “Captain Cheng, seatbelt.”

Cheng Yu said nothing, quietly pulling the seatbelt across and fastening it. After a while, he couldn’t hold back and asked, “Why is she Sister Liu Shuang, but I’m Captain Cheng?” Was it just because he was 30?

Shu Fu glanced back at him and asked, “So, do you want me to call you… Uncle Cheng Yu?”

Cheng Yu: …

---

On New Year’s Eve, Zheng Feifei’s parents prepared an even more lavish meal than before, and Shu Fu brought along more generous gifts.

Zheng Feifei had already known that Shu Fu changed the applicant for the move to Zhicheng to Fang Xiwen. When she first found out, she was upset for days. It wasn’t until Shu Fu promised that if there was another opportunity, she would definitely apply for a Xizhou Province pass, that Feifei gradually accepted it.

After dinner, Zheng Feifei asked Shu Fu to stay over. Considering that if her application was approved, there wouldn’t be much time left to hang out, Shu Fu agreed and stayed.

The two of them chatted late into the night again, but since it was New Year’s Eve, most people in Lou Yuncheng stayed up late. At midnight, the city had arranged electronic fireworks displays in several places.

There was one set up in the eastern part of the city, but it was far from Jixing Community. Plus, it was raining heavily at midnight, so Shu Fu and Zheng Feifei leaned against the window for a while but could only see some blurry color changes.

Leaning on the windowsill, Zheng Feifei looked disappointed.

“Next year, we’ll do it in Xizhou Province,” Shu Fu comforted her. “It doesn’t rain as much there, and we can set off traditional fireworks on New Year’s Eve.”

“There’s still a whole year to go…” Zheng Feifei turned her head to look at her and asked, “Will you set them off with me next year?”

Shu Fu couldn’t guarantee that, but seeing the expectation in Zheng Feifei’s eyes, she didn’t want to dampen her spirits. So she nodded, “Mm, we’ll set them off together next year.”

“It’s a promise then! Next year in Xizhou Province, we don’t have to buy the big ones—just the small ones you can hold in your hand. It’ll be so much fun…” Zheng Feifei said, her face filled with both anticipation and a touch of concern. “Zhicheng is over 3,000 meters above sea level. I wonder if we’ll get altitude sickness when we get there, especially my parents. It’d be terrible if they did…”

“I heard that if the application gets approved, they’ll distribute medication in advance to prevent altitude sickness. Since this will be an officially organized relocation, the medical side of things will be fully coordinated…”

“Mm.” Zheng Feifei leaned closer to Shu Fu, reluctant to part. “I really wish you could come with me…”

“Don’t worry. Xizhou Province is my dream place too. I’ll go, just a bit later than you.”

“So, it’s a deal?”

“Yeah, it’s a deal.”

---

Two weeks after the New Year began, Zheng Feifei received notification that her application had been approved. Just as Shu Fu had said, the medication for altitude sickness was distributed the same day.

Two days later, the Zhicheng travel permits were delivered to her family. She was so excited she didn’t sleep all night, clutching the permit to confirm that she wasn’t dreaming.

The trip to Zhicheng was scheduled quickly—just three days later.

Fang Xiwen also received her travel permit. She had already been discharged from the hospital, but she didn’t want to return to apartment 1009. After handling Wang Qian’s funeral arrangements, she went to the prison to see Zhong Li.

She knew it was foolish, but she still wanted to ask why in person.

Why would a friend and sister she’d known for so long, who had been under her care and protection for years, hurt her without a second thought?

And why would a complete stranger—someone who had never even met her—give her such a large sum of money after learning about her situation, and even give up a precious permit to the plateau city for her?

She might be foolish, but she wasn’t stupid. Although the rescue team members who handled these matters always said it was government assistance, she was just an ordinary person. She hadn’t contributed anything significant to the city—how could she possibly receive such generous support?

There were many people in Lou Yuncheng like her, transferred from other cities for refuge. Even if the government wanted to help because of her circumstances, at most, they’d provide some food and supplies. Clearly, there was someone behind all this whom she didn’t know.

But no matter how many times she tried to figure it out, she couldn’t uncover who it was.

Through the iron bars, when Zhong Li heard that she was going to the plateau city, the sneer on her face turned into crazed jealousy: “Why you? Why do you get the permit? Why is your life always so good? Why do you always get things others can’t, no matter how hard they try?”

A beautiful appearance, a satisfying job, a handsome, successful husband, and a hefty savings account… Yet she was still ungrateful, constantly complaining about her husband whenever they met. But in Zhong Li’s ears, all those complaints were just disguised bragging!

Asking why she hurt her?

There was no why. She just wanted to do it. “The kind of person I hate the most is someone like you—pretending to be calm and kind, but always showing off in front of other women by talking about your man. If you like comparing so much, why don’t you find another man to compare? Why is it always me? You only dare pick on other women, don’t you?”

“Do you even hear yourself? Is that all you see? Who’s really doing the comparing here? Who’s twisting the facts now?”

“Of course, it’s you! You forced me!”

Fang Xiwen looked at the malice and jealousy in her eyes and finally let out a self-deprecating laugh. So, from the beginning, Zhong Li had never considered her a friend. In the end, it was just fake sisterhood. Back in peaceful times, Zhong Li had hidden it well, and she hadn’t seen the truth.

Fang Xiwen let out a long breath, feeling the weight in her heart finally lift. Before leaving, she smiled at Zhong Li one last time. “I’m leaving, going to a safe plateau city to start my life over. And you? You’ll just keep fooling yourself, blaming others for everything. But no matter what, you can’t hide the fact that you’re a murderer. You’ll rot in prison for the rest of your life—you’re not going anywhere.”

This wasn’t the peaceful era anymore. Punishments had become much harsher. Even though Zhong Li didn’t kill Wang Qian with her own hands, there was no way she’d ever get out of prison.

Fang Xiwen finished speaking, turned around, and walked away, ignoring Zhong Li’s vicious curses and insults from behind. Her heart remained completely unmoved.

---

The people who had applied to relocate to the plateau city had been eagerly waiting for a long time. Many had already packed their bags, ready to leave as soon as they received the notification. Zheng Feifei’s family was no exception.

Since they didn’t own a car, they were assigned to the same group taking the bus to Zhicheng. Those with vehicles could choose to drive themselves and follow the convoy. Driving themselves was naturally more convenient, allowing them to carry more food and supplies. Bus passengers, however, faced the same restrictions as during the previous mass evacuations, with a limit on the amount of luggage each person could bring.

Now, with strict control over intercity roads, it was impossible to travel freely based on GPS directions like before. Trains were faster and safer than highways, so they were reserved for those in greater need, such as key researchers, patients, and the elderly or frail.

The highway migration convoys were led and escorted by military and rescue teams. In case of weather changes or other issues, immediate shelter arrangements would be made, ensuring safety along the route.

The distance from Lou Yuncheng to Zhicheng was over 1,500 kilometers. If luck was on their side and no severe weather was encountered, the journey would take about a day.

“Send me a message when you arrive.” This was the second farewell Shu Fu had experienced in a short time.

Because she was prepared, she accepted it calmly. Compared to Zheng Feifei, who clung to her and silently shed tears before departure, Shu Fu appeared almost too composed.

“We’ll see each other again, I promise.” Shu Fu reached out, hugging Zheng Feifei tightly. “Until next time, Feifei!”

Zheng Feifei’s message confirming their safe arrival came late the next night after they had departed. The journey had taken over thirty hours, with a few minor hiccups, but they arrived safe and sound.

A few days after Zheng Feifei arrived in Zhicheng, Lou Yuncheng experienced two consecutive days of clear weather. The daytime temperature even rose to 28°C. But two days later, the temperature plummeted, and torrential rain poured down.

Beyond the dam, the waters surged into monstrous waves once again. This time, in addition to the giant waves, waterspouts reappeared.

Over the Yun River within Lou Yuncheng, two tornado-like water spouts formed. The river water was sucked into the spirals, lightning and thunder roared around them, and fierce winds howled. The sky turned as dark as ink, as if someone was undergoing a heavenly tribulation in the clouds.

The air raid sirens inside and outside Lou Yuncheng’s dam wailed again. No one could remember if this was the sixth or seventh time recently. Most people were no longer as panicked, ceasing outdoor activities in time, taking shelter indoors, closing doors and windows tightly, shutting off power, and quietly waiting for the disaster to pass.

Shu Fu spent this day as usual in her floating island house.

After the hurricane and monstrous waves subsided, she went online to check for updates. The official report stated that this time the waves had a broader impact. From the northeast region of Huagou, along the border between plains and hills, all three major plain areas from northeast to southwest, now submerged under water, experienced varying degrees of monstrous waves.

The cities situated along this border of plains and hills were hit directly by these waves.

The highest waves were once again recorded in a city in Xiren Province, north of Muzhou Province, reaching a peak of 61 meters—breaking the previous record.

Fortunately, the dam in that city had recently accelerated its construction. When the giant waves struck, the dam’s effective height was above this peak, preventing a repeat of the dam waterfall incident that had occurred in another city previously.

Because of the recent repeated successes of the dams, people living in hilly cities began to yearn for dams in their own cities. Even though their cities were farther from the flooded plains and had not yet suffered from hurricanes and monstrous waves, they were still actively petitioning their local authorities to build dams as soon as possible.

Some cities genuinely considered and even started advancing dam projects.

After all, the rain hadn’t stopped. The global water level kept rising, already surpassing the 70-meter sea-level rise limit stated in expert reports.

When these cities publicly announced plans to build encircling dams, the people were overjoyed.

However, the public was unaware that not long after these cities officially began the projects, they received a suspension order from higher authorities.

The suspension order was communicated secretly, along with another undisclosed directive.

The day after the monstrous waves subsided, Shu Fu finally received a new task on her long-dormant progress bar.

[Between 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM today, complete the check-in task at Jiale Textile Supermarket to gain 5% progress on Raft Level 3. (Current Raft Level 3 progress: 70%)

Note: Failure to complete this task will result in a 30% deduction from the progress bar.]

Shu Fu: What?

Was she seeing things, or had her notebook gone haywire?

It was the first time she’d ever seen such an absurd penalty multiplier!