Chapter 1145: Special Cases, Special Handling

As the woman screamed, another massive wave crashed over, sweeping the figure of the boy even farther out to sea.

In an instant, not just the woman but everyone on the beach cried out in alarm: "Ah, Gangzi!"

The experienced men all shouted: "Swim with the undertow, Gangzi, swim with the undertow!"

Gangzi's mother lunged desperately toward the sea, wailing.

The team leader shouted quickly: "Hold her back! If we don't save Gangzi, we'll have to save her too!"

Liu Chuxue was drenched in sweat, her arms aching so badly she could barely lift them, but no matter what, the fact that she had rushed into the sea the moment she saw someone drown proved this child was trustworthy.

She threw the rope loop again and again with all her strength, but the waves were too wild—most of the loops drifted uselessly halfway, leaving those on shore frantic.

The team leader saw that delaying further was unacceptable: "Hu Cheng, take a few men and bring out the village's new boat—we're going to rescue him at sea!"

Someone called out: "Team Leader, that boat was only brought back last month, and with waves this big, what if..."

The team leader raised his hand to cut him off: "Don't say another word. Even if Gangzi didn't jump in to save someone, he's still a living soul—can we just stand by and do nothing?"

Fearing further delay might cost the boy his life, the team leader no longer hesitated—he personally selected a few men and headed straight for the nearby docking spot.

Gangzi's mother had collapsed, limp, onto the sand.

Seeing that Gangzi was now beyond the reach of her rope loop, Liu Chuxue abandoned all caution and ran after the team leader and the others.

As she ran, she shouted to the people nearby tending to Xiangbao'er: "Don't stop! Keep going until he shows any sign of movement!"

When Gangzi's mother saw Liu Chuxue running off, she struggled desperately to rise: "Don't leave! My son's still out there—you can't..."

Before she could finish, she fainted.

Gangzi's uncles and elder cousins, who had just arrived upon hearing the news, rushed to leap into the sea to save him—but the village secretary immediately ordered men to hold them back: "Look at how high these waves are! If you can't save Gangzi, you'll just add more trouble for everyone."

As the secretary was speaking, the team leader and his men reached the new boat. It was the village's latest vessel—and its largest by tonnage—chosen precisely because its weight could crush the waves and prevent it from being easily overturned.

Since the boy was one they had watched grow up, many village men followed aboard, hoping more people would stabilize the boat.

When Liu Chuxue arrived, the team leader was just stepping onto the boat: "Team Leader, can I come aboard? My rope loop can't reach the boy anymore!"

The team leader hesitated—for in their fishing village, women were never allowed on boats—but now...

Just then, the old village chief arrived from the village: "Uncle Dewang, saving lives comes first."

Gangzi's male relatives urgently echoed: "Team Leader, Gangzi can't wait any longer—we don't have this girl's accuracy. Saving him is what matters!"

The team leader knew that steering the boat close to the boy was too risky; though the boat carried fishing nets, precision was impossible, and the net ropes might injure him—he feared delaying further. This girl's rope loop was safer. He waved his hand: "Special case, special handling—get on!"

Soon, the boat sped out from the dock.

Gangzi's luck held—he was just as the boat neared him that the waves briefly subsided.