Zhu Su was so dazzled. The intense light entered his eyes forcefully. So dazzling. At the same time, he was weightless.
And vaguely, that familiar, pleasant voice came into his ears.
"Your Highness..."
That voice... impossible?!?...
"Ruina!"
Impossible?! Ruina has died, hasn't she?! Or, I've made false in recognizing the remains?! Ruina is still alive?!
"Ruina! You are still alive?!?"
Zhu Su blinked. Nothing he could see. The light glowing to his face was too dazzled.
"Your Highness..."
The voice reappeared. It was clearer than before. Zhu Su fully believed that the one who called him was really Feng Ruina.
Without hesitation, Zhu Su stepped forward. The voice became much clearer. He was more convinced that he had been getting closer to his wife.
But suddenly, everything went pitch black. The dazzling white glow had turned completely into a blinding black gloom. Zhu Su yelled, "Ruina?! Where are you, Ruina?! Answer me! Ruina!"
Then, a severe pain hit his body. As if he had just been stomped by a weighing-tons giant elephant. All of his bones got crushed. He would not be surprised if some parts of his bones had been broken.
Zhu Su had his eyes opened.
Above him, the sun was shining brightly. The sky was an expanse of sapphire blue. No lush trees there. Instead, a sound of flowing water filled his ears. He then realized that his body was moving.
My body is moving?!
Zhu Su shook his body. He was like a person who had lost his balance as he was swaying and oscillating on the water.
I am on the river now?!
Zhu Su gained consciousness rapidly. He immediately changed his position. Not letting his body floated submissively, he began to try swimming. But he soon found that his body was in severe pain as he moved his arms and legs.
No... I can't lose to pain... I must not be floated off on this river!
Fortunately, he found a riverbank not far from his current location. Panting, he could reach the river bank at last. His fingers, which filled with blisters and even were bleeding, reached the river bank surrounded by several quite-sharp rocks. Zhu Su gnashed in pain as his injured hand touched the rock.
"Auch... it hurts... But I can't give up!" Forcing his another injured hand to reach the bank, and by enduring the pain which gave the sensation as if he was slashed by dozens of knives, Zhu Su exerted all of his effort to ascend to the land.
Finally, he made it. He had been on the land. But now he was so tired that he decided to lay down, to recover his depleted energy.
He was indeed very tired. To the extent that he was unwilling to wake up again. His energy that once appeared earlier, went out right now. Just like a big flame, it blazed fiercely in the first, but being extinguished at once.
He did not want to fight anymore. Because, even if he wanted to fight, it would end in vain.
He just wanted to sleep here. Forever. Forever and ever.
Joined Feng Ruina.
"Youdun..."
Zhu Su was fully awake. His thought of Zhu Youdun waked him up. Absolutely. He could not give up living. He still had a valuable treasure that he could not leave behind.
With great difficulty, Zhu Su stood up. Although it was painful, Zhu Su could move his entire body freely. Slowly, he hobbled, his eyes turned around, busy looking for Zhu Youdun and Hu Nayin.
"Youdun! Nayin! Can you two hear me?! Where are you?! Youdun! Nayin! Answer me!"
Zhu Su's eyes went round. Vaguely, he could see a figure of hand behind the rocks. Zhu Su quickened his steps, his heart pumped anxiously.
"Youdun!" Zhu Youdun was lying in front of him. Zhu Youdun's body crossed in a peculiar position - head was dropping to the right, left hand was being squeezed between the mossy rocks, and legs were submerging into the river. Zhu Su hurriedly corrected his son's position. He could lift Zhu Youdun's legs, but could not get his hands out from the squeezing of the rock.
"What a heavy rock!" Zhu Su gnashed his teeth. The stone squeezing Zhu Youdun's hand was indeed very big, however, by exerting his best effort to push it, at last, the rock moved. But it only moved slightly.
"I mustn't give up!" Zhu Su took a deep breath, then exhaled, by then he got some energy to push the rock. But the result was still disappointing.
"Ah! This is a result of not training my body seriously! So now I turn to a weak intellectual who is only good in theory but posseses no male strength!" Zhu Su was completely exhausted now, his injured hands were too painful to push that heavy rock.
However, he was still trying. If he surrendered, his son would be squeezed forever by this heavy rock.
When he returned to exert his effort and endure his pain to push the rock, his eyes caught the figure of a man standing before him, and looking at him.
That person kept staring at him. Zhu Su stopped his activity, looking back at the stranger. He was an old man in his sixties. At first glance, he appeared like an ordinary old man, but then Zhu Su got a feeling that this old man was really weird, also full of mystery. The first reason, his behavior was weird. Like a person who actually wanted to move forward, but then his brow furrowed, his stepping foot was pulled back, and his face was filled with anger and fear. The second reason, and also the most important reason, Zhu Su was sure that he had seen this person somewhere, even acquainted with him very well - however, he could not remember who this strange old man actually was.
"Sir... please help me to push this rock! My son is squeezed by it!" Unwilling to analyze the old man's oddity for too long, Zhu Su asked for his help in hurry.
The old man glared, his brows furrowed much deeper than before and it was clear that he got furious. The next second, he snorted, then turned around and went away.
"Dear Sir! Please, don't go away! Please help me!"
"Yes, Your Highness! Of course, I will help you!"
Zhu Su blinked. The one who answered him was not the old man, but Hu Nayin.
"Nayin! Are you alright?! Thank Heaven!" Seeing Hu Nayin was standing before him in a fit and healthy state, Zhu Su was letting out a relieved breath. Hu Nayin looked dirty, her clothes were soaked and slightly torn, but all of those did not prevent her from helping Zhu Su to push the rock.
"If we push it together, we will be able to move this rock and save Shi Zi!" She said firmly.
Standing next to Zhu Su, Hu Nayin now helped to push the rock.
Slowly, the heavy rock began to move.
"Awesome, Nayin!" Zhu Su shouted happily. "A little more!"
Hu Nayin was breathing hard. She tried her best to exert all of her energy so that she immediately collapsed onto the ground in sitting position right when they managed to move the rock and free Zhu Youdun completely.
It then appeared, Zhu Youdun's arm was all covered with blood.
"Youdun!" Zhu Su shook his son, trying to resuscitate him.
Zhu Youdun opened his eyes.
"Fu Wang..." He said in a weak voice.
A broad smile appeared on Zhu Su's face, which was covered in sweat as he was so worried. "Thank Heaven, Boy... you're fine!"
Zhu Youdun began to move his arms and legs.
"Aauuucchh! My left hand... is so painful!..."
It was the hand that had been just squeezed by the removed rock. Zhu Youdun showed such a miserable expression.
"Your left hand was squeezed by rock, Son. It must be very hurtful. Don't force yourself," Zhu Su tried to cheer him up. He helped Zhu Youdun to stand up. "Can you walk?"
"Yes..." Zhu Youdun forced his trembling knees to support his weight, and he began to step forward.
"You look okay, except your left arm. Alright then, we are now complete." Zhu Su looked around. "But actually, where are we? Are we being floated by the river to this place?"