The super typhoon triggered tsunamis and torrential rain that turned out far worse than expected, leaving the entire Lushan Peninsula devastated by the relentless storm.
In particular, cities along the eastern coastline where the typhoon made landfall were in ruins—half of the buildings destroyed, and the other half submerged underwater.
Countless residents were missing, injured, or displaced.
By the next day, the typhoon’s effects lingered, with rain continuing to pour as rescue efforts began under challenging conditions.
Luyuan Mountain Scenic Area had its own power supply facilities, but the intensity of the storm caused a power outage late at night. Early the next morning, as the rain lessened slightly, staff rushed to repair the damage and managed to temporarily restore power after several hours.
However, the most pressing issue in Luyuan Scenic Area wasn’t power or water—it was the travelers who had taken refuge in caves or were trapped on the mountain, still unaccounted for since the previous day.
Originally, they hoped that rescue teams from the foot of the mountain would arrive after the typhoon passed and begin searching for the missing. But by midday, they learned the grim news: the mountain roads were blocked.
According to s from below, a long stretch of the mountain road had collapsed due to landslides. Until the debris was cleared, it was impossible for vehicles to pass.
Moreover, experienced observers noted the risk of secondary landslides due to the unstable terrain. With the rain still ongoing, sending workers to clear the debris now would be far too dangerous.
“What should we do then? Do you know how many travelers are still stranded on the mountain? They’ve been out of contact for almost 24 hours!” Yu Xi and Ya Tong overheard a hotel staff member speaking in a hushed tone on the phone as they passed through the lobby around noon.
The two exchanged a glance but didn’t leave immediately, staying to gather more information.
“We’re aware of the situation outside. Yes, the coastal cities are worse off, and rescue efforts are being focused there… We understand, but the travelers stranded on the mountain need help too.
“Yes, we’ve lost contact with them and don’t know their exact location, but… please, we’re begging you. Oh? That’s great! Thank you. We’ll wait for your updates!”
After hanging up, the staff member immediately began contacting other hotels. As this hotel was linked to the scenic area, they were responsible for the missing travelers on the mountain.
At the same time, their colleague relayed the rescue team’s response to the anxious and restless travelers still gathered in the lobby.
Having lost contact with their loved ones for a full day and night, the travelers were heavy-hearted and irritable, with even minor disagreements sparking conflicts. The hotel staff maintained calm and gentle tones, trying to prevent further disputes.
When the travelers heard the roads were blocked, panic spread quickly—they all understood the implications. Fortunately, the staff followed up with better news.
The rescue teams were applying to deploy helicopters. While vehicles couldn’t reach the mountain, rescuers could still be airlifted there. Once located, the stranded individuals would be evacuated in batches directly to the hotel area by helicopter.
Now, the priority was to compile a list of the stranded travelers, including their names, ages, and hotel accommodations, to expedite the rescue process.
This task required travelers from other hotels to return to their respective accommodations for registration and confirmation. This precaution was to avoid confusion caused by companions mistakenly listing people who might already be safe nearby, which could complicate the rescue.
Qu Yichen’s group included over ten people, all of whom—except himself—had gone up the mountain and remained missing. Therefore, Ya Tong had to make a trip to the neighboring hotel.
Conveniently, she had already planned to go there to collect the supplies and luggage Qu Yichen had stored in his room, stowing them in her spatial space. She could register the stranded companions while she was there.
“I’ll be back shortly.” The two hotels were close by. Ya Tong took an umbrella from her backpack and prepared to leave.
Yu Xi responded naturally, “Alright, we’ll wait for you in the lobby.”
“…” Yu Zhenzhen was at a loss for words, watching “Qu Yichen” stride away before turning to her mother. “Mom, I was wrong…”
Yu Xi: …?
“It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have teamed up with Qu Yichen to trick you just to spite you…”
Her main point was in the final few words: “I really don’t like him. He knows that too. He’s willingly cooperating with me, so there’s no issue of me deceiving his feelings. You don’t need to go out of your way to take care of him because of me…”
The emphasis was that she genuinely feared Yu Xi would assume Qu Yichen was her boyfriend and feel obligated to care for him. That would be far too exhausting.
Yu Xi understood. However, with six more months to spend in this post-apocalyptic world and having encountered Ya Tong now, it was inevitable that they would spend those months together.
“I understand, but he’s also my student. Besides, the other students and parents in their group are still stranded on the mountain. The situation outside is tough right now. We’re from the same school—we need to stay united.”
Yu Zhenzhen thought it over and agreed, though she couldn’t shake a faint feeling of discomfort.
While waiting in the lobby for Ya Tong, a group of people descended from upstairs, and one of them walked straight up to Yu Xi to greet her.
It was a father and son, their faces vaguely familiar. As soon as the man spoke, Yu Xi recalled meeting them at a rest stop on the day they arrived at the scenic area, taking shelter from a thunderstorm.
They had been smart enough to stay in their car to avoid the rain and later helped out when needed. Yu Xi remembered them positively.
It turned out they had also come to the scenic area for a vacation with other companions. However, they were lucky—delayed by the thunderstorm at the rest stop, they arrived at the hotel late that night and avoided getting stranded on the mountain the next day.
The father approached to express his gratitude. Back then, when Yu Xi left the rest stop before the rain stopped, she had explained her reasoning convincingly, persuading them to leave as well.
“In fact, there’s a small motel behind that rest stop. Our group had already agreed to spend the night there. But thanks to your advice, I changed my mind. If we had waited until the next morning to leave, we likely would’ve encountered the super typhoon en route…”
With a typhoon as severe as yesterday’s, staying in a car would have been futile. The storm not only brought tsunamis and torrential rains but also caused floods in multiple areas. Although being trapped on the mountain was inconvenient, it was far safer than being below.
“My name is Chen Lei, and this is my son, Chen Shengxin. We’re staying in this hotel, room 4011 on the fourth floor. The situation outside doesn’t look good, but having more friends means more support. If you need help, just call.” He extended his hand to Yu Xi after introducing himself.
“Yu Xi. And this is my daughter, Yu Zhenzhen.” Calm and rational in the face of challenges, Yu Xi was never cold toward others, making them valuable allies in the long run.
Chen Lei and his son were also in the lobby to gather information and buy supplies. Their group was only here for a vacation, so their luggage had limited food and water.
After some discussion, they decided to head to nearby stores to stock up while the rain had eased slightly.
After greeting Yu Xi, Chen Lei and his son returned to their companions, who were asking the hotel staff about store locations and available goods. Once they regrouped, the party of seven or eight, mostly parents with children, prepared to set out.
Yu Xi glanced at them briefly before looking away. Yet, she had a strange feeling that someone in the group was staring at her in surprise.
When she looked again, all she saw was their departing backs.
Ya Tong returned much later, her clothes faintly carrying the smell of cigarettes.
Yu Xi immediately understood—she had likely indulged her craving for a smoke on the way back.
Yu Zhenzhen, with her sharp nose, caught the scent and glared at her. “Are you crazy? You still have the mood to smoke?”
Ya Tong: …
Being scolded by an eighteen-year-old girl was an… interesting experience.
Ya Tong chuckled. Seeing Yu Zhenzhen’s puffed-up cheeks and annoyed expression, she found her unexpectedly cute and ruffled her hair. “I only smoked because I was in a bad mood.”
Yu Zhenzhen’s eyes widened in shock. “You… are insane! How dare you touch my head? Mom—he’s putting his hands on me!”
Yu Xi: …
She didn’t see, don’t call her…
The three of them returned to the room in a lively manner. To prevent Yu Zhenzhen from suggesting instant noodles again, Ya Tong took out the packed meals she had bought from her hotel and suggested they eat together.
With the typhoon over and the guests still at the hotel, the kitchen was back to work.
Ya Tong ordered a variety of dishes for takeout. While waiting, she also made rounds to all the nearby shops, buying up all the food, water, and supplies she could find. Stockpiling supplies was something she had mastered long ago, inspired by Yu Xi and Yu Qi back in that supermarket in Country M.
The table was laden with dishes: mouthwatering chicken, mapo tofu, celery and lily bulbs, salt and pepper ribs, and three portions of steamed rice.
Yu Zhenzhen wasn’t particularly keen on eating instant noodles either. She just worried about exposing Yu Xi’s spatial ability. Seeing how “Qu Yichen” was so considerate now, she stopped picking on “him” and quietly picked up her chopsticks to eat.
Two hours later, Yu Xi heard the sound of a rescue helicopter.
The three of them left the room, walked through the corridor, and into the back garden, where they spotted a red helicopter flying over the hotel, braving the rain as it headed toward Luyuan Peak.
Hearing the helicopter, both Yu Xi and Ya Tong were reminded of a scene from long ago—sitting in a small plane, flying north along the coastline.
They turned to look at each other and exchanged a smile.
Yu Zhenzhen, who happened to catch this moment: …
Help…
For some reason, she felt utterly baffled, like she was being swept around in the wind.
The noise of the helicopter was so loud that any stranded travelers who were still conscious would have noticed it immediately, making the rescue operation proceed smoothly.
Over the next hour, several groups of travelers were brought down from the mountain.
At the scenic area entrance, there was a large clearing, big enough for the helicopter to land safely despite nearby fallen trees and scattered debris from the typhoon. To save time, this clearing—closest to Luyuan Peak—was designated as the temporary landing point.
Despite the rain, many people with loved ones or friends stranded on the mountain gathered at the clearing. Some wore raincoats, others carried umbrellas, all anxiously watching the helicopter land again and again with hopeful hearts.
Yu Xi’s group of three also came to the clearing. When the helicopter landed for the third time, familiar faces stepped off.
Yu Zhenzhen was the first to shout, “Mom! I see my classmate! Hey—over here!” She waved energetically and yelled in their direction.
The group that had just disembarked turned instinctively at her voice, spotting Yu Zhenzhen waving. They began walking toward her through the rain kicked up by the helicopter blades.
Standing behind Yu Xi, Ya Tong stepped forward with a frown. “Where are my parents?”
The group hesitated upon seeing “him.” After a brief exchange of glances, a parent finally stepped forward and spoke.
“Qu Yichen, listen carefully to what Auntie says. Your parents… they…” She sighed heavily.
“What happened? Can’t you just say it clearly?” Ya Tong’s expression turned cold as she addressed the woman.
“They’re missing. We got separated from them yesterday. We searched for a long time but couldn’t find them… Some of us even got injured trying to look for them. I’m sorry, it’s our fault. We should’ve stayed with them, but we really tried our best…” The woman’s voice trailed off as she began to cry.
Others stepped forward to comfort her, while some turned to “Qu Yichen” and assured “him” that if “he” needed anything, they would be there to help.
Ya Tong didn’t respond, her gaze calm and steady as she watched them leave.
Yu Zhenzhen glanced at “him,” worried that “he” might be sad or upset, but unsure how to offer comfort.
She thought about it—if this were her situation, if Yu Xi had gone missing, she probably wouldn’t want to hear any words of consolation either.
Quietly, she hooked her finger around Yu Xi’s, silently asking what to do.
Just then, Ya Tong, who had been watching the departing group, turned back. Her face was calm and cold as she spoke slowly.
“They’re lying.”
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