Chapter 44: Coincidence

"Si Si, what exactly happened? Don't rush; take your time to explain clearly!"

Li Dong said, and led Li Sisi into the room.

At that moment, Su Meiruo Ye Ye came over, his face urgent, and asked:

"May I ask how Director Qu is now? What exactly happened?"

Li Sisi heard the question, and tears instantly welled up in her eyes. Her voice trembled,

"Director Qu... he's trapped in the River God Spring! There are monsters in the white mist; our people were scattered, and only I luckily escaped."

"What?!"

Li Dong's complexion changed abruptly; Director Qu was a well-known good man in Qinghai County and the benefactor of their siblings!

If anything were to happen to him, he would feel guilt for a lifetime.

He felt a chill surge from his feet to the top of his head, and his voice tightened,

"What exactly is going on? Speak slowly!"

"I... I can't explain clearly either!"

Li Sisi spoke with a sobbing tone, her eyes filled with terror.

"Three days ago, after we arrived at the River God Spring, Director Qu said we needed to collect samples, so he led us straight to the spring's source. But that place had already been enveloped by white mist."

"We originally thought it was just a bit thicker fog, but we didn't expect monsters inside the mist!"

"Director Qu, to protect us, split up with us. Everyone was panicked, and then, then..."

Li Sisi's voice grew softer and eventually vanished, leaving only quiet sobbing.

At this point, Su Meiruo also panicked; Director Qu was his teacher and had always taken good care of her.

She could no longer stay calm, stepped forward, grasped Li Sisi's shoulder, and urgently said, "Si Si, you still know the route, right?"

"I don't know... the white mist split us up; those monsters are strong and fast, we are no match..."

Li Sisi's tears kept flowing, and fear and despair made her incoherent.

She clutched Li Dong's arm tightly, her nails almost digging into flesh.

"No, I have to rescue the teacher!" Su Meiruo sprang up and rushed outward.

"Meiruo, calm down!" Murong Wan grabbed her,

The situation outside is unknown; acting rashly would only bring death,

"It's too dangerous outside!"

"But the teacher—"

Su Meiruo's eyes reddened, her voice choked, tears swirled in her sockets, yet she forced herself not to let them fall.

She bit her lower lip, inhaled deeply, and forced herself to calm down.

Suddenly, she recalled Jiangnan beside her, and it felt like grasping a lifeline.

"Mr. Jiangnan, please save Director Qu; he's a good person..."

"Don't rush yet."

Jiangnan rose slowly, his gaze deep, his tone calm yet cold,

"Isn't all this too coincidental for you?"

"Even though the outside is shrouded in heavy fog, Li Dong's sister managed to find us."

Li Dong, flustered, grabbed Li Sisi's arm and hastily explained:

"Mr. Jiangnan, but..."

Jiangnan raised his hand to stop him, walked to the window, his gaze piercing the thick mist as if seeing through everything:

"Director Qu is not in immediate life danger, but we are being watched; acting rashly would be walking into a trap."

"I, of course, am not afraid of this, but you?"

"Being watched?"

Li Dong and Su Meiruo stared at each other, their unease deepening. Li Dong instinctively clenched his fist, his spine chilled, an invisible pressure enveloped him.

Su Meiruo could no longer care about face, and knelt directly before Jiangnan, her voice pleading with a hint of desperation:

"Mr. Jiangnan, please think of a way to save the teacher!"

Li Dong also knelt, his tone heavy yet resolute: "Mr. Jiangnan, as long as Director Qu can be rescued, my life, Li Dong, is yours!"

Jiangnan looked at the two kneeling before him, his gaze still calm, but his tone softened slightly:

"Stand up, for since I came, I won't stand by idly."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the two, as if assessing something,

"However, you must listen to me."

Li Dong and Su Meiruo instantly saw hope, their faces showing excitement.

"Si Si, take us to the River God Spring, and we'll rescue Director Qu at once!"

Li Dong hurriedly said.

"Alright, I'll lead you there!"

Li Sisi wiped her tears, and gave Jiangnan a deep look.

"Brother, this way!"

Li Sisi pointed north, whispering.

Li Dong and Su Meiruo nodded, lifted their feet and walked forward.

But at that moment, Jiangnan spoke again.

"Wait."

Jiangnan raised his hand, pointing opposite to Li Sisi's direction, his tone indifferent,

This way.

Li Sisi was stunned, looking at Jiangnan in confusion:

"What do you mean? The River God Spring is over there, you went the wrong way!"

Her tone carried dissatisfaction and doubt; in her view, this young man, though somewhat mysterious, was still too young to possibly know the situation better than she did.

"I said, this way."

Jiangnan ignored her doubts, his tone still calm yet bearing an undeniable authority.

"You!" Li Sisi was about to say something when Li Dong grabbed her.

"Si Si, stop talking, listen to Mr. Jiang!"

Li Dong whispered a scold, then turned his face, full of apology, toward Jiangnan,

"Mr. Jiang, my sister is immature; please don't mind," he said, his heart also a little uneasy, yet he felt an inexplicable trust in Jiangnan.

Jiangnan gave Li Sisi a faint glance, his tone calm:

"I'm not forcing you to come with me."

At his words, Li Sisi's face flushed instantly; she had been pampered all her life, never subjected to such pressure. She bit her lip, a mix of grievance and anger swirling, and tears began to well up.

"Brother! Look at him, what an attitude! Director Qu is still waiting for us to rescue, and he's making a scene here!"

Li Sisi grew angrier as she thought, stamping her foot, her tone full of grievance and fury.

She glared at Jiangnan, then turned to leave.

Li Dong was torn, with his anxious sister on one side and the unfathomable Jiangnan on the other; he didn't know what to do.

So he sighed, intending to soothe his sister's emotions:

"Si Si, stop messing around, Mr. Jiang is formidable; if he says so, there must be reason. Let's listen to him first, okay?"

"I won't! You go yourself, I'm going to find Director Qu!"

Li Sisi flung Li Dong's hand aside, turned and rushed outward.

Li Dong couldn't force her, quickly ran forward to keep up, his face full of apology as he looked toward Jiangnan.

"Mr. Jiang, my sister is impatient; I'll take her to see the situation first, you…"

He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was obvious.

Jiangnan said nothing, merely gave a slight nod.

"Secure the protective talisman."

Li Dong nodded gratefully, said no more, and led Li Sisi out of the room.