Chapter 98: Entering the Mine Shaft

“Take your tools and try to break through the mine entrance before nightfall!”

There were only thirty minutes left before darkness fell.

Lu Yunzhou continued to give orders.

“Second team, stay alert and be ready to evade danger!”

“Third team, organize the rescue—”

“Yes, Captain.”

As everyone took their assigned roles and prepared for the rescue, Lu Yunzhou glanced at the collapsed mine entrance ahead, then turned to address them with a warning.

“Be careful. The mountain could collapse again at any moment. Everyone must prioritize safety!”

“Yes!”

Thus, the rescue operation began, racing against time.

This mine was vast, flanked by mountains on both sides. The landslide had been most severe at the entrance directly in front of them, nearly burying it entirely.

Shen Chaoxi observed the collapsed mine site, her brow furrowing slightly.

It was clear that the situation was perilous.

The mine entrance and the surrounding mountain were at constant risk of a secondary collapse.

Though Lu Yunzhou and his team appeared swift, decisive, and courageous—as if forged from iron—she knew better.

They were putting their lives on the line.

Saving lives took precedence.

Standing there, Shen Chaoxi thought that with such sudden torrential rains and flood dangers in the Jingnan region, the local armed forces were insufficient, and rescue personnel were in short supply.

The capital would surely organize special reinforcements, dispatching military district troops to assist.

But before that could happen, no one knew this downpour was a rare event occurring only once every few decades—a catastrophic deluge.

In less than half a day, the disaster had already become severe.

At that moment, a nearby migrant worker ran over, seeing her standing in the rain. He seemed like a relative of the soldiers and quickly called out, “Miss, you should come inside to shelter from the rain. They’ll need some more time to dig out the mine entrance.”

These workers outside were all employed around the mine.

The landslide had struck suddenly, frightening them as well.

They were the ones who discovered the trapped miners inside and sought rescue forces.

Shen Chaoxi looked toward the area. Outside the mine, battered by rain, two makeshift shelters had been erected. Mud splattered everywhere, and pools of dirty water had formed around them.

This spot was used as a refuge from the rain.

Under the migrant worker’s warm invitation, Shen Chaoxi was led inside.

They all gazed at her intently.

An older woman in charge of meals at the mining site noticed her, then glanced toward the rescue workers digging at the mine entrance.

“Hey, miss, is that team leader your boyfriend?” she asked.

Shen Chaoxi blinked in surprise.

In such a dangerous situation, this question was unexpected.

Her heart stirred briefly.

“Boyfriend?” She stared at the woman, frowning slightly, clearly puzzled by the question.

No one knew her connection to Lu Yunzhou here.

She wondered how the woman had even guessed.

Seeing her silence and thin frame wrapped in a man’s jacket, her pale face, the woman quickly smiled. “Oh, I know, no need to be shy.”

It wasn’t that the woman was teasing her in this tense moment; rather, she had seen Shen Chaoxi staring blankly at the rescuers and assumed the young lady was alone and scared.

So she brought up the topic to distract her.

Besides, it was true in a way.

“Isn’t that right?” she said, nudging the middle-aged man beside her—her husband.

“Hey, miss, how old are you?”

Mostly, they had never seen such a beautiful young girl.

Her skin was so fair, as if untouched by the sun—completely unlike those who worked in the mine year-round.

It was a world of difference.

Shen Chaoxi’s appearance had long been described by Sheng Ting as pure and alluring, with a hint of mischief in her eyes.

Many were easily fooled by her looks.

Her exterior resembled an innocent, delicate young lady, seemingly harmless.

Yet beneath it lay a calculating mind sharper than anyone’s.

She had studied military strategy from a young age.

By seven, she was fluent in multiple languages.

By eight, she had adapted to life at the military academy.

What was there she couldn’t do?

Only those closest to her truly understood her.

Shen Chaoxi said nothing.

Her pale hand was still stained with blood, unwashed.

Her slender body wrapped in an oversized black jacket, she stood quietly inside the shelter.

Like pure snow, clean and untouched, yet now dirtied by mud that seemed at odds with her nature.

This image, seen by the workers, as she gazed silently toward Lu Yunzhou and his team rescuing others, was striking.

The mine entrance lay buried deep.

They worked tirelessly in the rain.

After resting briefly, the workers under the shelter returned to assist.

They looked after Shen Chaoxi because she was related to the military personnel, but there were still people trapped underground who needed help.

The rain intensified, the cold droplets striking their faces like cuts from knives—painful and sharp.

Despite the harsh conditions, they continued to dig deeper through the darkness and storm.

Unlike other places, the mine entrance couldn’t be cleared with machines.

It might collapse further at any moment.

This made the rescue especially difficult.

Everything required utmost caution.

Time passed—how long, no one knew.

Suddenly, a shout of joy came from the mine entrance.

“It’s open! It’s open!”

“The mine entrance has been cleared—”

The migrant workers broke into smiles, faces smeared with mud and rain.

Even Lu Yunzhou and his team were filthy after less than half a day of work.

Rain mixed with thick soil made everything wet and slippery.

They sent people down to begin the rescue.

The mine was deep, extending far underground.

It was impossible to imagine the conditions below.

The entrance was supported with steel reinforcements and wooden beams.

No one knew when the mountain might collapse again.

Everything was uncertain.

Danger lurked at every moment.

Yet they had no choice but to descend and save those trapped.

They switched on flashlights as they went deeper.

Darkness enveloped the tunnels, with water constantly dripping down.

They climbed down the mine ladder with difficulty.

Finally, they reached the bottom—a long, pitch-black passageway.

Lanterns hung above, but their light was faint.

Lu Yunzhou led a dozen men down, while others stayed above to coordinate.

Suddenly, a surprised voice called out in the darkness.

“Miss Shen?”

Lu Fifteen had been trailing behind but saw Shen Chaoxi had followed them inside.

His eyes flickered with surprise.

“What are you doing here?”

Frowning, he spoke impulsively, knowing Shen Chaoxi was the eldest daughter of the Shen family, a prominent household in the capital.

A pampered young lady like her—what could she possibly do in this dangerous mine?

With the captain leading the way, searching for those trapped below, unsure of what lay ahead, he thought Shen Chaoxi’s presence would only complicate matters.

“I’m here to help,” the girl said, her voice cold and clear.

In the darkness, Lu Fifteen couldn’t clearly see her face, but he sensed something different in her tone.