Chapter 73: Chapter 71: Earthquake, Xiangjiang Grassland

The White Tiger had been listless ever since rescuing Jiang Chengwu and Zhang Qingfang from the ravine.

Fearing he was injured, Jiang Si started the helicopter and asked Lu Zhifeng to check on him.

Lu Zhifeng approached the White Tiger, who merely lifted his eyelids to glance at him. His dark eyes held a natural authority, and the intimidating aura of the king of the forest was overwhelming.

’It was as if no one but Jiang Si was allowed to touch him.’

’He’d been so docile just a moment ago.’

Lu Zhifeng told Jiang Si, "He won’t let me examine him. He might really be in discomfort."

Jiang Si didn’t have time to fuss over him right now. With her back to the White Tiger, she said, "Are you hungry? If you are, have some sausage to tide you over."

The White Tiger suddenly stood up. Thinking he wanted to eat, Shen Baoying quickly pulled some sausage from her bag, eager to serve their great benefactor first.

But the White Tiger walked towards Jiang Si in the pilot’s seat, startling everyone. They worried he would distract her from flying, but the tiger just gave them a sweeping glance before lying down behind her chair. He draped his long tail over her leg, patting it rhythmically.

It took a moment for everyone to realize what had happened: the White Tiger had just looked down on all of them.

He had no intention of disturbing Jiang Si’s piloting. He just wanted to be close to her, and a chair between them was perfectly fine.

’He’s supposed to be this incredibly majestic and cool white tiger, but he’s as clingy as a big housecat. It’s just too cute.’

If Lu Zhifeng hadn’t been holding her back, Niu Niu would have run over to stroke his big, fluffy tail.

Jiang Si glanced down at him, and he looked up at her. A warmth spread through her chest, and her exhausted body seemed to regain a sliver of energy.

While giving water to Jiang Chengwu on the stretcher, Jiang Linhai asked casually, "Dad, how exactly did the White Tiger get you two out?"

He was curious. After falling into the ravine, they must have been buried under tons of sand and rubble. The White Tiger wasn’t human, yet he had managed to find them and get them out in such a short time.

Jiang Chengwu recalled, "Your mother and I were buried. I felt like my stomach had been pierced, and I was covered in blood. The next thing I knew, I woke up and the White Tiger was right there. He must have dug us out with his paws."

Jiang Linhai was startled and quickly lifted Jiang Chengwu’s shirt. Seeing his father’s stomach was perfectly fine, he breathed a sigh of relief. "That tiger is incredibly smart. We really have him to thank for saving you."

Jiang Chengwu nodded. "Yeah. Without him, your mother and I would have been goners."

Even now, he felt the profound relief of having survived a catastrophe.

Everyone’s gazes toward the White Tiger grew warmer and more grateful.

Of course, everyone was still worried about Qin Shen’s safety. Once the helicopter was airborne and had reached a stable altitude, they all pressed their faces to the windows, scanning every inch of ground illuminated by the searchlights.

They all hoped that Qin Shen would see the lights and signal for help.

The helicopter circled for a long time, revealing only an endless, devastated landscape below.

Occasional aftershocks sent already precarious peaks crumbling to the ground.

Jiang Si mapped out a probable search area for Qin Shen and circled it a full eight times. She kept going until dawn, by which time the fuel was nearly gone and she could barely keep her eyes open. Still, there was no sign of him.

A wave of disappointment washed over them. Niu Niu even started to cry.

’Such a good person... gone just like that.’

With Qin Shen nowhere to be found, they couldn’t afford to stay any longer.

They had to get to a region unaffected by the earthquake.

The reality of leaving meant abandoning Qin Shen, a thought that pained Jiang Si more than anyone.

’What if he’s still alive somewhere? I’d be the one giving up on him.’ 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

But she had her family to think about. It was a gamble she couldn’t afford to take.

No one else could fly the helicopter. Her eyelids felt heavy as lead, and she still had to watch out for another attack from Vultures or other airborne threats.

As Jiang Si made the decision to leave, everyone fell silent, gazing down at the ravaged, lifeless landscape.

Niu Niu silently prayed for Qin Shen, tears streaming down her face as she did. She looked at Lu Zhifeng, her eyes pleading with hope. "He’ll be okay, right?"

Lu Zhifeng sighed softly, wanting to give her hope but needing her to face the truth. "Maybe."

Everyone could see that Jiang Si had done everything she could.

Jiang Linhai, worried that Jiang Si was reaching her breaking point, felt a pang of distress. He asked Shen Baoying to look after his parents before moving to the co-pilot’s seat. "Sisi," he said, "teach me how to fly."

’If I can learn quickly,’ he thought, ’she won’t have to be so exhausted.’

’Flying a helicopter isn’t like riding a motorcycle,’ Jiang Si thought. ’You can’t just pick it up instantly.’

’You have to handle turbulence, avoid bird strikes, and deal with all sorts of other dangers.’

’In my past life, after the grid came back online, there were even sky pirates. The dangers in the air were just as great as those on the ground.’

Jiang Si didn’t expect her father to learn right away. No matter what, she would have to be the one at the controls until they reached a safe zone. "Dad, for now, just sit and watch. But first, can you get me two cups of coffee and rub some Wind Oil Essence on my temples?"

She had been awake for nearly a full day and night.

She was so, so tired. ’I’m afraid I might just drop dead from exhaustion.’

Jiang Linhai hurried to do it. A few moments later, after two cups of coffee and a dab of Wind Oil Essence, Jiang Si felt a little more alert.

But the White Tiger seemed to hate the smell of the Wind Oil Essence. He kept wrinkling his nose, his brow furrowed just like a person’s.

Jiang Linhai chuckled. "The White Tiger is just like our old cat, Mimi. She hated the smell of Wind Oil Essence, too."

Jiang Si reached out and gave the White Tiger’s fluffy tail a gentle squeeze. "A cat’s sense of smell is many times stronger than a dog’s," she explained. "And tigers are the kings of the feline world. The smell of the Wind Oil Essence is too pungent for him; it irritates his nose." She instinctively turned and smiled at the tiger. "Sorry to put you through it this time. I’ll try not to use it again."

This only made everyone’s hearts ache for Jiang Si more. They could at least catch a few moments of sleep, but she had to keep pushing on for their sake, with no end in sight.

The helicopter flew north for two hours. According to the map, the Xiangjiang Grassland, within Jiang City’s territory, was just ahead.

All Jiang Si wanted was to find a flat place to land and rest. The Xiangjiang Grassland seemed like the best bet.

Full of hope, she flew toward the grassland, only to find that it, too, had been ravaged by the earthquake.

The fissures crisscrossing the ground looked like a massive, coiling dragon—an astonishing, terrible sight.

But because the terrain was generally flat, there was one patch in the middle large enough to land the helicopter.

Jiang Si descended decisively. The moment the helicopter was stable on the ground, before anyone could even unbuckle, she leaned back in her seat and was instantly asleep.

She was only human, after all. She had reached her absolute limit.

Everyone stayed quiet, careful not to disturb her. They simply peered through the windows, surveying their new surroundings.

The White Tiger’s tail remained curled around Jiang Si’s wrist. With his eyes shut tight, he hadn’t stirred at all.

After some time, a rumbling sound suddenly echoed from the sky.

Everyone looked up. Another helicopter!