"Alright, everyone give me some space to get a running start."
Wan Yunting, with the rope tied to his waist, asked everyone to move aside. Gu Luotang and Qi Miaomiao looked at him with worried eyes, "Yunting Ge, you shouldn't try it, it's too dangerous."
"Yeah."
Huang Jingshan and Wei Renxin also tried to dissuade him.
Nie Xiaoyu said, "We can find another way, and it won't delay the rescue."
Then Wan Yunting adjusted the rope and his headlamp, smiling, "Don't worry, I can jump it."
Seeing that he was determined, Nie Xiaoyu had Gu Xiaozhuang and the others move aside. Wan Yunting retreated a few meters. Everyone else shone their flashlight beams onto the ground and the opposite side to help Wan Yunting gauge the distance.
"I'm going to jump!"
Wan Yunting exhaled and said. Instantly, his eyes became sharp as he stared at the opposite side. Adjusting his stance, under the worried and tense gazes of Gu Luotang and Qi Miaomiao, Wan Yunting powerfully pushed off with his right foot. In an instant, he rushed forward like a powerful leopard, a gust of wind accompanying him as he sped past Nie Xiaoyu and Gu Xiaozhuang...
For a moment, everyone's eyes widened, and their flashlight beams couldn't keep up with Wan Yunting's running speed. He landed and took off with his right foot, leaping into the air. He maintained his running posture in the air, like a leaping leopard...
*Poof...*
The next second, Wan Yunting flew across the nine-meter-wide crack and landed steadily on the rock on the other side. He looked back and saw that his landing spot was still a meter away from the edge of the cliff.
This meant that his jump was at least ten meters!
The world's longest long jump record is 8.95 meters!
It was American Powell who, at the 3rd National Games of Island Nation, shocked the track and field world with an astonishing 8.95 meters, a seemingly mythical feat.
But now, Wan Yunting's jump, if he were to compete in a long jump event, would directly break this world record.
"Holy crap, he actually jumped it...!"
Seeing Wan Yunting land steadily on the opposite rock, Gu Xiaozhuang, Xiao Zhao, and the other soldiers were completely stunned.
"Wow, he jumped it, Yunting Ge jumped it..." Qi Miaomiao, reacting, hugged Gu Luotang and exclaimed excitedly.
"Amazing, truly amazing..."
Huang Jingshan and Wei Renxin stared, speechless, only managing to give Wan Yunting on the other side a thumbs-up.
Even Nie Xiaoyu was shocked by Wan Yunting's incredible jump. Although she knew he was very capable, being able to jump such a distance was almost superhuman.
"If we could get him to be a soldier, he might become the world's number one elite soldier!"
For some reason, looking at Wan Yunting on the other side, Nie Xiaoyu suddenly had this thought.
Wan Yunting didn't waste time. He untied the rope from his waist, found a large rock nearby, wrapped the rope around it, and then, bracing himself against the rock, pulled the rope taut. He then secured it firmly and called out, "Alright, you can come over now."
"Okay."
Gu Xiaozhuang responded loudly, and he, along with the other soldiers, took out their rappelling equipment from their backpacks. They also helped Gu Luotang, Qi Miaomiao, Huang Jingshan, and Wei Renxin put on the gear and clip onto the pulleys on the rope, and then they slid across.
"Be careful..."
Wan Yunting on the other side caught each of them, and finally, everyone safely crossed the crack and reached the other side.
"Doctor Wan, you are truly incredible."
At this moment, Gu Xiaozhuang, Xiao Zhao, and the soldiers were speechless, all giving Wan Yunting thumbs-ups to express their admiration for his amazing jump.
"Yunting Ge, you're so amazing, to be able to jump that far."
Qi Miaomiao held Wan Yunting's arm, her bright eyes fixated on his handsome leap, wishing she could kiss him.
"If you competed in the long jump, you'd definitely win the world championship."
Gu Luotang no longer held back her praise, her gaze not wanting to leave Wan Yunting for a moment.
Even Nie Xiaoyu nodded in agreement. Although she had seen teammates in the army who were known as elite special forces, Wan Yunting's astonishing jump still felt incredible to her.
"Alright, let's get moving quickly."
Wan Yunting accepted everyone's praise but prioritized the task at hand.
"Xiao Zhao, Xiao Gu, you two lead the way."
Seeing that everyone had put their rappelling equipment back into their bags, Nie Xiaoyu asked Gu Xiaozhuang and Xiao Zhao to continue to the front, following the natural cave passage towards the underground river...
And so, the group continued on, with Nie Xiaoyu consulting her tablet to view the cave's terrain map to prevent them from getting lost.
Then, about an hour after Wan Yunting and his group left the cliff crack, Liu Zi, Liang Dazhuang, and Fifth Brother Mènghūlú appeared. They also shone their flashlights into the cliff crack, and a rope was still connected. Wan Yunting and the others hadn't untied it because they intended to return the same way after the rescue.
"This is truly a good place for killing!" Liu Zi said with a wicked grin.
Fifth Brother Mènghūlú remained silent and simply climbed across the rope, continuing to pursue Wan Yunting and the others...
"It's six o'clock in the evening."
By now, Wan Yunting was supporting Gu Luotang and Qi Miaomiao, with Huang Jingshan and Wei Renxin following. They had been walking in the dark natural cave for several hours.
They had rested and eaten to replenish their energy, but the going in the cave was very difficult, sometimes requiring them to descend along rocks, making the journey arduous.
"Haven't we reached the underground river yet?"
Even Nie Xiaoyu and her soldiers were starting to feel tired.
"We're almost there."
Nie Xiaoyu, holding her tablet, checked the cave's terrain map and saw that they were still two hundred meters away from the underground river. She called back to Wan Yunting and the others, "Two hundred meters to go, everyone push on. Let's reach the underground river and then rest."
"Okay, let's go..."
Hearing that there were only two hundred meters left, everyone gritted their teeth and persevered.
Just then, Nie Xiaoyu's satellite phone rang. She took it out and answered. It was Commander Cai Guowu calling: "Xiao Yu, how are you doing? Have you found the workers?"
"Commander, we haven't found them yet," Nie Xiaoyu replied.
Cai Guowu, in the command center at the settlement camp, frowned and said, "Earthquake experts have just sent word that around midnight, there might be an earthquake of magnitude 5 or higher!"
"Earthquake..."
Upon hearing this news, Nie Xiaoyu froze. She raised her hand, signaling Wan Yunting and the others behind her to stop, and asked, "Are you sure?"
"Yes, it's certain."
Cai Guowu's expression was grave. He glanced at his watch, which showed it was already 6:50 PM. He said, "So, you only have six hours to find them and get out!"
Nie Xiaoyu's eyebrows furrowed. "It might not be enough time!"
Cai Guowu nodded. "That's what I'm worried about. If you don't find them soon, you won't have time to withdraw, and you'll be in great danger if the earthquake hits tonight!"
Wan Yunting then stated, "It took us three hours and eighteen minutes from entering the cave to get here!"
Gu Luotang raised her eyebrows, worried, "So we have to find them quickly and get out within this time!"
"But the crucial point is, we don't know when we'll find them, and we haven't even reached the underground river yet," Xiao Zhao worried.
"How about this."
Cai Guowu said, "I'll give you two hours. If you can't find them within these two hours, then withdraw as quickly as possible. I've already dispatched personnel to meet you."
"Understood, Commander. I'll try my best to find them as soon as possible," Nie Xiaoyu replied.
"Good, hurry up and find a way to locate them. That's all for now." Cai Guowu ended the call.
Nie Xiaoyu turned to Wan Yunting and said, "The commander has given us two hours to find them. If we can't, we have to withdraw."
"Then if we really can't find them, are we just going to abandon those people here to face the earthquake?" Qi Miaomiao asked cautiously.
For a moment, everyone fell silent.
This was a dilemma. There were only six hours left until the predicted earthquake around midnight. Commander Cai Guowu had given them two hours to find the engineers and workers who were digging the tunnel, leaving four hours for withdrawal.
However, if they couldn't find them within these two hours, Nie Xiaoyu and Wan Yunting would have to withdraw within four hours, or they would face the danger of the earthquake.
In such underground caves, a magnitude 5 earthquake, let alone a magnitude 3 or 4 tremor, could alter the geological structure of the mountain and even cause the natural underground cave to collapse.
It was clear that staying here was extremely perilous, and Nie Xiaoyu and Wan Yunting had to consider their own safety.
But failing to find the people within these two hours would be equivalent to abandoning them to their fate!