Chapter 131: The Rainstorm

When Wang Qian gathered his bodyguards for a meeting, Zhang Can used his X-ray vision to discover that all eight of them were carrying firearms, which came as an immediate shock.

If they were merely bodyguards, they would have no way to carry guns, and on an express train like this, they certainly would not have been able to pass through security. The only explanation was that these eight men were either police officers or military soldiers; only those with such status could openly carry weapons without any sense of panic or concealment.

Judging by their movements, they were exceptionally agile and elite. It was clear that these eight were similar to Su Xue—highly skilled individuals. Thinking of Su Xue, Zhang Can remembered she was still in the next cabin, along with Zhu Senlin. That fat man was likely so exhausted that the broadcast hadn't woken him, and the torrential rain outside had masked the fact that the train had come to a halt.

Zhang Can scanned the surrounding carriages and saw that at least half of the passengers were checking to see what was happening. Fortunately, the train itself was not in danger. Although the rain was heavy, this section of the railway was unaffected and situated on flat terrain, meaning it was not at risk of landslides or slope failure, regardless of the storm's intensity. However, the disaster-stricken section ahead would certainly be impossible to repair or reopen in the short term. While the passengers grumbled, they were fortunate that the train itself had not been struck by the disaster. They could only complain; no one wanted such a thing to happen, and even if they were to switch to another train, it would be unable to pass. There was no choice but to wait.

Wang Qian’s influence was indeed significant. Although he did not make any calls himself, after one of his subordinates made contact, five military off-road vehicles arrived about an hour later on the road running parallel to the tracks. The road was about three hundred meters away from the landslide area and remained unaffected, though no one could be certain if that road, too, would be blocked by debris in such heavy rain.

The bodyguard returned to report to Wang Qian, "Mr. Wang, the person who arrived is a close friend I met while visiting the Southwest Military Region. He is a major and battalion commander of the local garrison, named Zhu Shiyuan. When I mentioned his name while contacting the garrison, I didn't expect them to send him directly!"

Wang Qian waved his hand. "Good. We will transfer vehicles immediately. Notify the others to be careful. The rain is too heavy; watch your safety."

Zhu Shiyuan arrived with four soldiers, bringing twelve sets of raincoats. Upon seeing Wang Qian, he snapped into a crisp military salute and said in a low voice, "Greetings, Chief. Major Zhu Shiyuan, commander of the 11th Battalion, 37th Brigade of the Southwest Military Region, reports for duty. Please provide your instructions, Chief!"

Wang Qian waved his hand again, saying cordially, "No need for formalities. We ran into a natural disaster while passing through, and I’ve troubled you, Battalion Commander Zhu."

"It is no trouble at all. Please put on the raincoats and follow us, Chief. The distance to the road is three hundred and fifteen meters. We have ten people and five vehicles in total. We will ensure the Chief’s safety and complete our assigned mission!"

Wang Qian smiled and added, "I am quite familiar with Commander Wu of your military region; I call him brother. However, I am not a military man myself, so you don't need to use that tone. Relax; just treat me as an ordinary guest."

"Yes, Chief!" Zhu Shiyuan saluted again.

Wang Qian smiled helplessly and ordered his men to wake everyone else up.

In reality, only Su Xue and Zhu Senlin had not yet come over. The reason for Su Xue was unclear, but Zhu Senlin was purely an ordinary person with no sense of vigilance; he only woke up when the bodyguards went to fetch him, and even then, he was disoriented.

Su Xue had risen long ago and was quite alert. However, faced with such a natural disaster, she could only wait, as the train was not under immediate threat. Had there been a genuine life-threatening danger, she would have acted immediately.

Once they emerged and donned the raincoats brought by Zhu Shiyuan, all twelve were fully covered. The coats fit the eleven men well, but Su Xue’s figure was completely swallowed by her raincoat. Zhu Senlin, however, faced trouble; it wasn't that the coat was too small, but he was so obese that the zipper on his chest couldn't even come close to closing, leaving a gap of two or three inches. In the end, he simply left it open. It was only three hundred meters, so he figured he would just keep his head down and push through.

In Jincheng, the weather had been sweltering, but here, in this desolate, mountainous wilderness surrounded by torrential rain and void of human presence, the cold was biting the moment they stepped off the train.

Zhu Senlin shivered and huddled at the train door. It was not yet dawn, and the soldiers were using waterproof flashlights. As people stepped off the train, they were immediately engulfed by the rain, vanishing from sight.

Seeing Zhang Can and Wang Qian step off, and even the delicate and beautiful Su Xue, Zhu Senlin stopped being afraid. He dashed into the rain. The downpour drenched him instantly, leaving him cold and blinded. He wiped the rain from his forehead, his face numb with cold. He could only vaguely see the faint light of the flashlights and his own feet, so he stumbled forward, following the glow ahead.

After walking only a few meters, Zhu Senlin began to groan. The rain ran down his face and chest into his undergarments, making him shiver violently. He instantly regretted the trip. Was it really necessary to make this money? He had lived fine on a million a year before. Now, earning forty or fifty million in a single month—tens of times more than before—he had been too greedy, and now he was suffering for it.

But regret was useless now. No one was turning back, and regardless, he had to keep moving forward.

Zhang Can felt uncomfortable at first. His physique wasn't as robust as the others, and he stumbled along. After only a few meters, his right hand was grabbed by someone and held firmly, pulling him forward.

From the warmth and softness of the hand, Zhang Can knew it was Su Xue. Feeling a bit embarrassed to have a woman looking after him, he realized it didn't matter; in such heavy rain and darkness, no one could see anything anyway.

Zhang Can’s discomfort lasted only a short while. When he looked up at the sky, the torrential rain hit his face, and the energy of the Water-Averting Pearl within his body was suddenly stimulated. The rainwater transformed into a nourishing dew. The heavier the rain, the more excited Zhang Can felt.

Without needing to look, the pouring rain allowed Zhang Can’s spiritual energy and the power of the pearl to clearly perceive the surroundings. It was as if a high-resolution photograph were imprinted in his mind. Although the rain was heavy, he could now walk with ease.

The four soldiers accompanying Zhu Shiyuan were tasked primarily with looking after Wang Qian, Su Xue, Zhang Can, and Zhu Senlin. Su Xue seemed fine, so they focused on the three men. In their eyes, Wang Qian was the most important, so Zhu Shiyuan personally guided him.

After only a few dozen meters, Zhu Senlin exhausted two soldiers. Because he was so heavy, even supporting him was difficult. The soldiers were worried he might trip and roll down the mountain, where they wouldn't be able to catch him. Fortunately, despite his obesity, Zhu Senlin was accustomed to a comfortable life and had decent physical fitness. Being extremely cautious—knowing that one misstep could send him into a ravine—he managed to stay safe, though his speed was significantly reduced.

Two others were responsible for Zhang Can and Su Xue. The other eight bodyguards were elite special forces who frequently worked in such environments and had no trouble caring for themselves.

At first, Su Xue had been pulling Zhang Can, and her reaction time was far superior to the two soldiers assigned to them, so the soldiers actually lagged behind. But once Zhang Can adapted and the map of the environment became clear in his mind, after another dozen meters, when Su Xue began to struggle, it was Zhang Can who began pulling her forward. He moved quickly, and though Su Xue was dragged along, she was surprised to find that Zhang Can never chose the wrong path and always picked the easiest route.

While Su Xue was wondering how Zhang Can had become so strong, he sped up, eventually leaving the eight bodyguards and Zhu Shiyuan’s group far behind.

In such heavy rain, traversing this three-hundred-and-fifteen-meter slope would normally take at least an hour. In this region, heavy rain was synonymous with disaster; one mistake could cost a life. Zhang Can, caught up in his excitement, forgot he was still holding Su Xue. Feeling physically invigorated, he longed to cast off his clothes and let his body revel in the joy the rain brought him.

Five soldiers remained at the vehicles, one in each, to guard against accidents. If a landslide occurred, they needed to be ready to move the cars. They had been watching the approach, communicating over their radios, and could vaguely see a few specks of light about a hundred meters away.

The soldiers aimed their headlights in that direction and turned on their high-beams and fog lights. In the heavy rain, the intense light of the vehicles was far brighter than the waterproof flashlights. Within the beams, they suddenly saw two figures emerge about twenty meters away, running toward them at an incredible speed. This stunned them!

In such total darkness, in such heavy rain, and on such treacherous terrain, the fact that anyone could run like that without lights—and at such speed—was truly bizarre.

Zhang Can pulled Su Xue all the way to the road, stopping only when they reached the glare of the vehicle headlights. Su Xue was panting. In truth, her physical stamina was far superior to Zhang Can's, but she had been at a disadvantage because she couldn't see anything. Being dragged along by Zhang Can had left her feeling like a blind person; the faster they went, the more anxious and frightened she became. When they stopped and she realized they were on asphalt and in front of several cars, she knew they had arrived. But she couldn't help but wonder—how had Zhang Can been able to run so fast?