Chapter 94

Chapter 94Wildfire(3)

PM 10:07 Rescue Team Descending from the Sky

Son Dong-joo, a professor of forest resources and an ecologist, visited the natural monument conservation area of Hyangro Peak over the weekend, only to be confronted with a situation as unexpected as a lightning strike.

Communication in the evacuation shelter was cut off, and mobile phones were not working at all. So, the only option was to descend to a point where they could use a fire extinguisher to make a report.

Cough.

Professor Son looked up at the mountainside he had just rolled down, covering his mouth with a handkerchief. A significant accident was narrowly avoided.

Professor!

His student, Jeon Yoon-seok, hurriedly ran toward him, holding a fire extinguisher and aiming it at the surrounding flames.

Sshhh

A white liquid sprayed out. After a while, the sound of the spray stopped.

Oh, we used it all. Are you okay?

Just scratched.

Professor Son got up with a groan, his mouth covered with a handkerchief.

What should we do now? We cant move an inch without a fire extinguisher.

Professor Son couldnt give an answer to this question. Now, it seemed that the only option was to sit here and wait for the flames to pass.

Is the phone still not working?

Yoon-seok shook his mobile phone towards the sky.

Not at all. I think the nearby base station burned down. I heard the sound of a helicopter passing by earlier, though.

Even so, they had probably never seen a place so filled with smoke. Professor Son looked up at the sky with a desperate expression.

Although it was a clear day, the sky was filled not with stars but with sparks.

Lets move a little more. The people in the shelter are trusting us. If the wildfire engulfs that place

Just thinking about it was terrifying.

Now, I dont even know the direction.

Follow the slope down. Standing still wont give us any answers.

They walked briefly in the predicted direction of the highway. Suddenly startled by flames shooting up, Yoon-seok avoided them and stumbled.

Yoon-seok!

Ugh.

Yoon-seok grimaced. His wrist, hitting the ground, was sore, and his palm was scraped, blood dripping.

Surrounded by heat, the two of them huddled next to a rock. With their bodies lowered, they could only watch helplessly as the forest in front of them burned.

It was a hellish scene.

There was fire everywhere, and there was no path.UppTodated from nô/v/e/lb(i)n.c(o)/m

Professor.

Yoon-seok, who had been sitting idly, spoke.

The people left at the shelter must be finished now, right?

Dont say such things.

They were all nice people, who loved animals. Especially the veterinary sister

At least, if only this place could escape the disaster. Professor Son prayed to the sky.

If I knew it would be like this, I would have called in the morning. Sorry, Mom.

Professor Son patted his students back with a bitter expression.

-Hey, you two! Can you hear me?

At that moment, the heads of Son Dong-joo and Jeon Yoon-seok turned simultaneously at the strange sound that echoed like a mountain stream.

-Rescue teams are approaching from the direction youre looking at. Dont move. Fires are everywhere around you.

The two, who never thought someone would appear in these mountains, looked around hesitantly in the foggy smoke.

Crack!

However, in the midst of the flames, the appearance of rescue team members emerging one by one made them realize that this was not a dream.

Unbelievable

Professor Son felt a sudden relief as the eight members of the rescue team approached in formation. One of them stepped forward.

Im Rescue Team Leader Kim Jae-ho. Is anyone having difficulty moving?

Yoon-seok quickly stood up and helped Professor Son to his feet.

Were fine. But how did you come? Did you manage to make a report from the shelter?

Shelter?

The rescue team leader looked at Yoon-seok with a puzzled expression. Professor Son, regaining his composure, spoke.

Firefighter, sir. There are still five people at the Hyangro Peak shelter. Since the phone is down, we came down forcefully to make a report

Unable to understand the explanation from Professor Son, the rescue team leader immediately grabbed a radio.

Situational room. Situational room. This is Rescue Team 1.

Click.

-Did you secure the rescuees?

Rescue is complete. But there are more isolated individuals in the direction of Hyangro Peak. Please confirm the shelter location and provide support.

-What? That ridge is all surrounded by the danger of combustion. Helicopters cant enter at a low altitude in the center of the wildfire.

A serious conversation about the rescue ensued.

-What does Jeong-woo say?

Just a moment. Let me switch.

While the rescue team leader approached the lone firefighter wearing a Beware of wildfires safety helmet, another member handed Professor Son and Yoon-seok portable heat-blocking masks.

Mr. Jeong-woo. Its Captain Ma.

Jeong-woo grasped the radio handed to him by Kim Jae-ho.

Click.

-Jeong-woo, what do you think? Do you remember the topography to Hyangro Peak?

I remember.

With each rapid growth of the wildfire, the released energy was sending sparks flying hundreds or even thousands of meters away.

The spectacular display of flames, resembling missiles, flying here and there with a speed of 10 meters per second, was producing new ignition points that hadnt been witnessed an hour ago.

This looks serious.

A phenomenon not detected when observed from above. In this state, Miles ignition point map would need to expand much further.

There it is!

At the shout of the lead member, Jeong-woos gaze turned back to the middle of the ridge.

The shabby shelter came into the rescue teams view. Since it was already halfway burned, the rescue team hurriedly ran towards it.

No one here.

Upon the report from the leading member who had inspected the inside, Jeong-woo scanned the surroundings with eyes assessing the heat.

Where are they?

On the slightly sloping hill on the opposite side of the shelter, where the flame assault was relatively subdued, a figure was vaguely visible.

They seem to be taking shelter over there.

Pointing in that direction, Kim Jae-ho turned on the flashlight, illuminating the path ahead.

Hey there! This is the rescue team!

The figure, confirming the arrival of the rescue team, emerged from between the rocks.

Firefighter? Is this for real?

You guys came to rescue us?

Were alive

Since there were only four people visible, Jeong-woo, still searching for the remaining one, witnessed a sudden suction of heat.

Something big is coming!

At this warning, the experienced rescue team members immediately stopped and lowered their posture. However, the people on the opposite side, eager to meet the rescue team as soon as possible, did not stop walking, expressing confusion on their faces.

Kim Jae-ho shouted to the team as people approached the danger zone.

Protect each one!

Even with this warning, the chaotic wind, akin to a hurricane due to the massive wildfire below sucking in oxygen, caused tree branches and embers to shoot upward.

Kuoooo!

Burning branches fell like rain.

In the midst of this, Jeong-woo spotted the fifth person staggering on the other side of the steep path.

Why is she alone over there? Its dangerous.

The four rescue team members were each wrapping around their respective partners, making it impossible to move.

Pil-du, theres a person here too!

Jeong-woo rushed toward the fifth figure.

Jumping over rocks and avoiding a medium-sized burning tree, he managed to approach the person who was crouching to avoid falling embers.

Just before a large burning branch fell, Jeong-woo could cover the person with his outerwear as protection.

Are you okay?

The trembling person, under the protection of Jeong-woos outerwear in the dark shadows, looked around with cautious eyes.

A slender figure of a woman. Due to maintaining thermal vision and moving, all that could be confirmed was her long hair; her expression couldnt be seen clearly.

Fi firefighter?

In the shadow cast by the outerwear, a stranger, a man with glowing eyes like a cat in the darkness, appeared. The woman, taken aback, asked.

Are you here to rescue us?

Jeong-woo closed his eyes tightly and then looked at her with normal visible light, pointing to the helmet he was wearing.

Be careful of the wildfire. I came to check because of this campaign.

What?

Realizing that this was a joke, the frozen woman smiled awkardly.

The hurricane storm that had raged for a while finally subsided.

Jeong-woo shouted towards the back.

Now its safe!

The team members helped each other up. A man who was far away ran towards the woman.

Are you okay?

Yes. Im fine, Chief.

The woman grabbed Jeong-woos arm and stood up, welcoming the approaching man.

Why did you go there alone?

I thought Professor might come

Jeong-woo quickly spoke in response to this conversation.

If youre talking about the two who went down first, we received a radio saying they reached a safe place. We met them on our way here.

Really? Phew, thats a relief.

The woman sighed in relief.

Jeong-woo, looking at the womans face illuminated by the light of the wildfire, felt a strange sensation. The eye features seemed like those of someone he had seen somewhere before.

Healthy-looking skin and lively eyes. Memories of someone from the past who, despite a modest build, used to dominate the neighborhood with a strong hand flashed in his mind.

Is that even possible?

Gazing back at him, the woman also tilted her head, smiling when their eyes met.

Firefighter, whats your name?

Me? Han

As he was about to answer, someone approaching from behind shouted towards the woman.

Eun-sil! I told you not to move alone.

Jeong-woo fell silent.

Eun-sil? Go Eun-sil?

Are you by any chance, Jeong-woo?