CH 9

On the side of the production crew, everything was in turmoil and a great mess. 

When the earthquake struck, they have suffered far greater damages than Luo Xi and the party. Lots of machines fell and broke and there were several injured people. 

The worst thing was that cupboard has directly smashed the six computers that were connected to the flying cameras and they have turned off as result. Some screens were cracked, some weren’t but went black so the guests’ situation could not be monitored by them.

The chief director’s heart clenched, afraid that something will happen to guests. He commanded a staff member to set sail and bring the guests back as fast as possible. 

The one in charge of communication with the boatman rushed back in anguish: “Director, the boatman refuses to go out to sea. He says that a tsunami is coming. Going out to sea right now would mean death.” 

The chief director was anxious: “Tsunami?! Guests are still on the island!” 

“I said that too. But the boatsman refuses to go.” The staff member was about to cry. He was both alarmed and scared. 

He was alarmed because if something happened to guests, the consequences would be inconceivable and scared because the place they were currently staying on was also an island. In the event of the tsunami coming, could these resort buildings on the island hold out? 

The director knew that blaming the boatman right was meaningless. They were the ones who rented the boat. They paid the boatman to navigate the vessel, but they could not let him sacrifice himself. These people who have been running around on the sea for many years were wise and knowledgeable. Since they all said that there was a tsunami and going out to sea would mean throwing life, then it was certainly extremely dangerous. 

When the director realised this fact, his whole body turned ice-cold. 

The guests….what should he do with them? 

“Will it be helpful to call the police?” The staff member asked while trembling with fear. 

One sought police in case of trouble. The credibility of Chinese military police was quite high in the heart of ordinary folks. 

Upon hearing his words, the chief director immediately run to find the boatman.  

The phone signal on the island was already bad. After the earthquake, it was completely wasted. However, there was a satellite telephone on the boat. It could be used for an emergency call to the Chinese maritime search and rescue team.  

Once the phone connected, the chief director directly told them about the situation of six guests being trapped on a deserted island. The maritime search and rescue team did not waste any time. After learning about the location, they immediately dispatched a patrol boat to pick the people. 

The chief director hung up the phone. He, who had no faith, for the first time ever prayed, for the Jade Emperor, for the queen mother of the west, for Taiyi Zhenren1, for the God, for the Jesus, anything would do. Heaven, bless the patrol boat and let them pick people in time. 

Unfortunately, luck was not on the director’s side. The tsunami came before the patrol boat left the harbor. The storm swept up the sea, making the turbulent water hit the coastline. The waves built up, carrying the power of nature that humans couldn’t overcome. 

The production crew was moved to a much safer and higher ground. As they looked at the tsunami outside the window, everyone’s expression turned grim. 

The situation over here was already grave enough. That being the case, the island…..

———

Luo Xi hauled Li Mo and Xie Ze, to swim to a relatively calm spot on the sea. 

When the tsunami arrived, this not big island was almost completely swallowed up by the waves. There were many plant debris scattered on the sea. To people, they were all invisible killers. Under the power of the tsunami, these seemingly weak things were able to bruise and pierce people.

Luo Xi picked up a floating object which appeared like some plant’s branch. It could be used as a floating board. She used vines to tie this branch under Xie Ze. 

Xie Ze was knocked out by the huge waves of the tsunami. He hasn’t yet regained consciousness. With the help of this floating object, he could lean over it instead of keep sinking. 

Luo Xi then grabbed a smaller one and handed it to Li Mo to hold on to it. 

Li Mo was still conscious, but her face was pale due to being hit by the waves of the tsunami. She shook her head, “Hold on it. You’re dragging the two of us. You need this more.” 

Luo Xi pushed the wooden block into her arms, “Your swimming skill cannot compare to mine. Hold on it.” 

Li Mo: “…….”

Although it was true, but hearing it made people unhappy. 

“I wonder how are Gong Xu and the rest doing……” Li Mo held on the wooden block with a haggard face. 

The moment the vines broke, the giant waves have separated them away. When Li Mo was swept under the sea by those huge waves, she thought she was going to die. Even if she could swim, in the face of a natural disaster such as a tsunami, the little bit of swimming technique she learned was for no use at all. 

As she was being pushed down into the sea, she struggled, wanting to swim upward. Yet, she was being pushed back time and again. Her lungs hurt as if being on fire. When she was short on oxygen, she even felt despair.  

As she was at the end of her rope, left with no strength to struggle, she saw Tang Luo Xi dive into the sea to rescue her. At that moment, she vaguely thought that she saw an angel. This scene made Li Mo’s complicated heart that was tainted by society suddenly soften. 

It turned out that this newbie truly wasn’t acting. 

It turned out that there was never a shortage of good people in this world. It was merely that she used to assume the worst about people. 

Only after Li Mo was pulled out to the surface by Luo Xi did she find that Gong Xu and the others were gone. The two stayed afloat on the sea. After finding Xie Ze, they saw no one else again. They guessed that others were swept far away by the waves. 

Li Wei didn’t know how to swim. She only hoped that the three of them were together. In any case, Gong Xu and Mo Nan could watch out a bit for Li Wei. 

Li Mo was abruptly poked by Luo Xi. Exhausted, she turned her head while using her eyes to inquire her. 

Luo Xi blinked. She pouted her lips at a not distant place, “Is that…..a leopard?” 

Her knowledge about the creatures on the Earth was seriously insufficient hence her question was asked hesitantly. 

Li Mo didn’t think much of it. She stared at the animal swimming not afar from them with wide eyes. 

The leopard’s gold-colored fur was covered with black round spots. Only its head was exposed. It was small and round and had short ears. Its eyes were almond-shaped. Whiskers adorned both sides of its mouth. From time to time, one could see its white fangs. 

Although it looked a bit like a cat, based on its appearance and size, one could tell that it was definitely not a kitten!  

“…..leopard? Why is there a leopard on the sea?!” 

Li Mo freaked out a little. That animal kept coming closer to them. The animal that tried its best to swim was clearly a leopard. Looking at the color of its coat and the pattern, it must be purebred.  

“Maybe it was swept into the sea by the tsunami?” Luo Xi took a glance at the leopard. Oh, this fellow had quite a lot of meat. It could be eaten, couldn’t it? 

“Leopards generally inhabit the forests, wetlands, or arid terrain. No matter how powerful was the tsunami, it can’t carry here a leopard!” Li Mo thought that this newbie’s general knowledge was worrying. That was not a seal but a terrestrial animal. 

“Maybe it is from the island.” Luo Xi said nonchalantly. 

She didn’t care about the leopard’s origins. This leopard had so much meat. Under the current circumstances, it was their proper food stock.

A chill ran through the leopard that was swimming toward them. It had turned its head in perplexity. Only after confirming that no deadly creature was in the sea for the time being did it continue to swim toward Luo Xi. 

Li Mo’s teeth began to chatter, “I-it is coming. What does it want to do….could it be that it wants to eat us?!” 

Luo Xi murmured: “It’s not certain who will eat whom.” 

“What?” Li Mo did not hear her clearly. She muttered nervously: “Didn’t you have a good affinity with animals? Could it be that he came to make friends with you?”  

“I don’t like fluffy animals. They’re difficult to tidy up.” 

Luo Xi took trunk debris and compared them with each other. It was quite suitable for smashing the leopard. If she knocks it out, she can tie it up and take it away. 

When the leopard swam over, Luo Xi raised her hand and, under Li Mo’s unbelievable gaze, hit the leopard’s head with a sturdy and heavy wooden block in a fast, firm, and accurate fashion. It has produced a sharp and loud sound.

Li Mo: “!!!”

The leopard was stunned by the hit. Its almond eyes rolled up. 

Upon seeing that one strike didn’t knock it out, Luo Xi immediately hit again. 

Unbeknownst, whether the leopard was exhausted or dizzy from the two consecutive smashes, it wobbled as if going to lose consciousness. 

Luo Xi deftly fished out the leopard. She tied it up properly with the vines and fastened it on the same tree trunk as Xie Ze. One was tied on one end while the other was shacked on the other. Even if the leopard woke up, it won’t be able to bite Xie Ze. The floating object under Xie Ze was big enough to enable a man and a leopard afloat on the sea. 

Li Mo was shocked by Lou Xi’s move. It took her a while to mumble: “…..you’ve hit a grade one state-level protected animal.” 

Luo Xi was stupefied. She asked abruptly: “Can you eat a grade one state-level protected animal?” 

Li Mo: “…….”

Li Mo wiped her face, finally understanding Luo Xi’s train of thoughts. She uttered quietly: “You can’t.” 

Treating a leopard as food stock. What’s more, knocking it out with a wood brick. Do you have to be so cruel?! 

“So you cannot eat it…..” Luo Xi was disappointed. It had so much meat, yet it couldn’t be eaten. It grew into such a big proportion for nothing. 

“You cannot eat it. If you hand it over to the country, you will probably be rewarded.” Li Mo quickly said, afraid that Luo Xi will slaughter the leopard. 

“Reward what? Food?” 

“A commendation covered by the news, admirable people, and exemplary deeds pennant I presume…..” Li Mo has never saved an endangered animal. From what she saw on those few occasions in the news, this seems to be the case. 

Luo Xi turned up her nose, “Humans are such hypocrites. Why is it all bogus?”

Li Mo thought that her words were full of points for roasting. Yet, for the time being, she couldn’t call to mind what was odd about it. Thus, she could only utter: “……there should be also an award money.” 

When Luo Xi heard these words, she tightened the vines that tied up the leopard. The award money was not bad. She wondered if it was enough to build a swimming pool. 

As they were talking, that leopard woke up. The wild animal’s vitality was indeed powerful. It was just when those leopard’s eyes opened up, they seemed to be a little at loss. The throbbing pain on its head made it recall how it ended up being like this.

Translation notes:

[1] Taiyi Zhenren was the savior of all beings of the ten directions in Traditional Taoism (read here to learn more)