Cecilia Gu was startled and quickly reached out to steady Earl Field.
Her palm touched Earl Field's body and she realized his temperature was alarmingly high.
Oh no, he's running a fever!
Cecilia glanced at his clothes and noticed they weren't dried by the fire, but by the wind.
Did this fool go to the cave entrance to catch the wind?
Cecilia sighed inwardly. Now it was just the two of them here, and with him running a fever, she wasn't a doctor. What was she supposed to do?
Cecilia gently laid Earl Field down flat, moved the campfire aside, exposed the warm ground, and pushed him over to it.
She opened the medical kit, found some fever-reducing pills, and helped him take them with water.
Looking at the fish he'd dropped on the ground, Cecilia quickly pulled out a dagger, cleaned the fish, washed them at the pond, and, figuring they were already salty from the sea, skipped the salt and simply skewered them on branches to roast.
Compared to Cecilia and Earl Field's smooth progress, Rona Muir and Miles Gu were having a hellish time!
When Rona Muir woke up, it felt as if every bone in her body had been run over by a steamroller and ironed flat several times. The pain was so intense she almost wished she'd just pass out again.
"Godmother." Miles Gu's voice sounded in her ear. Rona Muir jerked awake—no matter how much her chest felt like it had been flattened, she had to wake up!
Miles Gu was okay!
"Godmother, wake up, quick! If you don't, we're going to be crocodile food!" Miles cried urgently.
Huh? Crocodiles? What does that mean?
Rona Muir's eyes snapped open and she sat up immediately.
As soon as she sat up, her heart nearly leapt out of her throat.
Four crocodiles were eyeing her and Miles Gu hungrily, slowly crawling toward them!
Can I curse now? Can I? No? Fine—
Forget talking! Run!
Right now, Rona Muir couldn't care less about her pain.
They say that when people are on the brink of death, their fighting spirit and willpower are almost superhuman.
Rona Muir felt like she'd been possessed by some supernatural power. The pain didn't matter anymore—she grabbed Miles Gu's hand and, braving the storm, dashed madly toward the shore.
Dragged along by Rona Muir, Miles Gu was utterly disoriented, rain pelting his head and face so hard he couldn't get a word out.
"Quick, up the tree! I refuse to believe these crocodiles can climb!" Rona Muir scooped Miles Gu up, slung him over her back, glanced at the slow-moving crocodiles, and scrambled up the tree trunk.
Once Rona Muir set Miles Gu down, the four crocodiles arrived at the base of the tree, patiently looking up at them.
Miles Gu and Rona Muir clung tightly to each other, rain pouring down from above, while four crocodiles glared hungrily from below.
Rona Muir felt like nothing in life could be more miserable than this.
Miles Gu curled up against Rona Muir, his teeth chattering. "Godmother, are we going to be stuck in this tree for three days?"
Rona Muir, looking like a tragic hero about to meet her doom, shook her wet hair and said, "No worries, if we get hungry we'll just gnaw on tree bark. I refuse to believe these crocodiles won't leave!"
Miles Gu blinked a few times, then suddenly hugged Rona Muir and kissed her on the cheek.
Rona Muir was a little flustered. What was that supposed to mean?
When did my sweet boy get so forward?
How shy! Did he suddenly realize I'm even better than his mom?
Miles Gu said, "Godmother, you're amazing!"
Huh? What does that mean now?
Miles Gu continued, "We actually have food—you don't need to gnaw on tree bark."
Rona Muir looked confused. "Food...?"
Miles Gu immediately rummaged through his little backpack and pulled out a pile of food. He blinked and said, "I was carrying Ethan Yin's backpack, so I have two bags. Plus yours, Godmother, we've got three sets of rations!"
Rona Muir nearly burst into tears of joy when she saw the food!
Heaven finally took pity and didn't cut off every escape route!
Rona Muir opened a ration pack, took a sip of water, and swallowed it all down.
With food in her belly, she didn't feel nearly as cold anymore.
She pulled out a rain tarp, wrapped Miles Gu up, and said as she worked, "You've just recovered, so you can't get chilled. But there's nowhere dry to shelter, so take a fever pill just in case."
Miles Gu obediently swallowed the pill Rona Muir handed him and sat quietly on the branch.
Luckily, the tree was sturdy, having survived the Gale's rampage and proven its solid roots. The two of them felt much safer hiding in its branches.
Rona Muir hugged Miles Gu for warmth, resting her head on his shoulder. "Let me lean on you, sweet boy. I'm so tired!"
Miles Gu replied thoughtfully, "Mm, you take a nap. I'll keep watch. We've got three flashlights, so we can use them day or night."
Rona Muir was truly exhausted. After scrambling up the tree, her whole body felt like it was falling apart—every muscle ached.
Worried she might get a fever and be unable to care for Miles Gu, she took a few pills herself before sleeping.
Then she pulled out the rest of the rain tarp, wrapped it around her head, leaned against a branch, and drifted off to sleep.
Miles Gu looked at Rona Muir's pale face and began to worry about the others.
He wondered how his mom and Ethan Yin were doing. Had they managed to escape?
He and his godmother had been swept here by the water, but he had no idea which island this was.
Judging by the look of this island, it probably wasn't the one Dad and the others chose to rest on.
He had nothing useful on him—how could he help Dad and the others find them?
Miles Gu instantly fell deep into thought.
Rain still poured down from above, the gloomy weather was truly terrifying, and it felt like they'd never make it through.
Stifling. Frustrating. Oppressive.
Charles Yin slowly made his way ashore, following the current to this island, but saw nothing—just emptiness.
Cecilia Gu and Earl Field had been swept away together; Rona Muir and Miles Gu had vanished as well.
Had they managed to find each other by now?
Charles Yin prayed silently, hoping everyone would be safe.
He contacted Hans, who had already landed, and learned that dozens of people were still missing with no sign of them.
Charles Yin's heart sank even deeper.
He didn't even dare imagine everyone was gone. He'd go crazy—he really would!
Hans was stranded on another island, but his communicator still worked, so he could stay in touch with the outside world.
Charles Yin felt like their luck was at rock bottom on this trip.
One thing after another kept happening.
With no clear leader, Grandpa Mo stepped up and took charge of Charles Yin's team, organizing a systematic search.
Of course, Grandpa Mo could only command Charles Yin's people thanks to Assistant Alex's help.
With Assistant Alex in charge, everyone followed orders without question.
Grandpa Mo was truly a seasoned veteran. He directed everyone to search in a fan-shaped formation, covering every inch of ground.
Grandpa Mo looked at the gloomy weather outside and muttered to himself, "The Yin family produced a good kid! If we make it back home safely, that engagement with the Yun family can be called off. It's clear this boy truly cares for Cecilia. At least the Yun family's honor hasn't been wasted."
Just then, Assistant Alex knocked and entered: "Sir, we've just reestablished contact with the outside. Mr. Mo said he'll be here in about two days. They're stuck on land by the storm and can't move yet."
Grandpa Mo nodded.
Two days should be about when the rain stops.
Grandpa Mo instructed, "Tell everyone to search and rescue with all they've got. Focus on the islands—the underwater currents are fierce, but they all flow toward land. If they're lucky, they'll be washed up on an island. There are so many islands nearby, maybe they're on one of them."
Assistant Alex took the order and went off to carry it out.
At that moment, Captain Hans was just as anxious as the rest.
His engine had failed, and he'd drifted to an island with the current.
Of everyone, he probably had the best situation.
The boat was broken, but all the equipment was intact, and none of the supplies were lost.
Everyone worked together to haul the gear ashore, then set up tents on high ground.
With the Gale gone, ordinary tents were enough to handle the rain.
Ethan Yin kept his eyes fixed on the sea, silent as ever.
Captain Hans, now in fresh clothes, sat down beside the still-brooding Ethan Yin and said, "Hey, kid. Staring like that won't make them pop out of the water. If they're unlucky, they're probably fish food by now."
"No way." Ethan Yin finally spoke. "They're not fish food."
Hans chuckled, "Why are you so sure?"
Ethan Yin glanced at Hans but didn't answer.
Hans touched his nose, tempted to just leave him there.
But Cecilia Gu, at the brink of death, had risked everything to hand her son to him. For her sake, he decided not to hold it against the boy.
Captain Hans comforted himself with that thought.
Just as Hans was about to leave, Ethan Yin spoke softly: "Three years ago, Mom survived incredible danger. Back then, she sacrificed herself to save me. Three years later, she's risking her life for me again. Captain Hans, I haven't repaid her for giving me life and raising me. There's no way she'd die now, right?"
Hans stopped in his tracks, looking down at Ethan Yin.
Suddenly, he had a strange feeling.
The child sitting there wasn't a three-and-a-half-year-old, but an older kid.