Chapter 151: You Are Not In Exile You Are Clearly Traveling!
Chapter 151: Despair
Everyone worked together, starting to search around the valley. Some of the Chen family guards and servants began digging through the snow with their hands, hoping to find Chen Xue this way.
"No knives!"
Some officers, reluctant to dig by hand due to the cold, took out their knives, but Xu Tian stopped them.
"What if you injure Master Chen?" Xu Tian glared at them.
Reluctantly, they abandoned their knives and continued digging with their hands. However, after a while, they found it increasingly difficult to continue.
Although the valley seemed large, with hundreds of people searching, it felt small. Despite their concerted efforts, they couldn't find Master Chen's family anywhere.
"Master Chen!"
Someone couldn't help but shout.
Buzzing sounds followed.
"Not good!"
Xu Tian's face changed instantly. "Run!"
Everyone turned pale and started to flee. Even though they had been at a distance, they had felt the terror of the avalanche and didn't dare to stay.
Fortunately, they were lucky this time.
There was no second avalanche, just some snow sliding down the slope.
Breathing a sigh of relief, they looked at the valley with lingering fear.
"After searching for so long and not finding even a worm, is there any point in continuing?"
Even those who had confidence in Chen Xue began to waver. They hadn't dug three feet deep, but they had searched the entire area and found nothing.
"The snow is thick; Master Chen and the others must be deeper down," Zhao Guang said as he continued to dig furiously, not knowing if he was talking to himself or to others.
"But..." Kuang Wei frowned, "With such a large area of snow, how long will it take to dig three feet deep? We can't stay here forever. We've already delayed a lot; if we don't leave for the southern border soon, we'll be too late."
His words resonated with many, including several officers who agreed with Kuang Wei. They were the ones who would be punished first if they delayed too long.
Some of the prisoners, still fearful of the avalanche, also agreed with Kuang Wei. They had narrowly escaped the fate of the Chen family and didn't want to risk staying.
While they were reluctant to accept Chen Xue as a deity, they acknowledged her impressive abilities. But if she couldn't survive this natural disaster, what chance did they have?
"This avalanche could happen again. If we stay, who knows…"
His words made many shudder.
They were grateful to the Chen family, but sacrificing their own lives was too much to ask.
So, many started to waver. They had searched thoroughly but found no trace of Chen Xue's family. It was possible they were buried meters deep, beyond reach.
"Xu Tian!"
Kuang Wei turned to Xu Tian, "Now is not the time for stubbornness. As the leader, you must be responsible for everyone's lives!"
Kuang Wei had never respected Xu Tian, believing his position was due to luck. He never called Xu Tian 'Captain' and saw this as an opportunity to undermine him.
"Are you going to risk everyone's lives for your selfishness?"
"Enough!"
Before Xu Tian could speak, Zhao Guang snorted, "If you want to leave, take your men and go."
"Until we find Master Chen, I won't leave."
"Then you're a deserter," Kuang Wei sneered. "Can you bear the consequences if the court pursues this?"
"What does it matter to you if I can or can't!" Zhao Guang retorted. "It won't affect a coward like you!"
"You—"
Kuang Wei, enraged, almost attacked Zhao Guang.
"Enough!"
Xu Tian, eyes red and voice hoarse, said, "We'll search one more day. If we still can't find Master Chen, we'll…"
He sighed deeply, "We'll… continue our journey."
These words seemed to drain him of all energy.
Kuang Wei relaxed. He didn't want to push too hard, fearing it would backfire.
Zhang Yiquan also felt relieved, worried that continued searching might indeed lead to the Chen family's rescue.
Though he doubted anyone could survive such a terrifying avalanche, he feared Chen Xue's mysterious abilities.
He had seen her fly over the snow. Who knew if she had escaped…
Despite witnessing them being buried, staying longer increased the risk.
The group returned to the valley to search again. However, shouting earlier had caused more snow to slide, triggering a small avalanche.
Although small, it still terrified them.
Thus, fewer people joined Zhao Guang in searching.
But Zhao Guang didn't give up, even searching by torchlight at night.
They didn't know that deep beneath the snow, there was a small space where Chen Xue was buried.
"Xiao Xue!"
Inside the space.
Master Chen and the others, taken into the space by Chen Xue, were frantic and shouted loudly.
Without Chen Xue's help, they couldn't leave the space.
"Emperor Jade, gods, please protect my Xiao Xue."
Madam Chen wept, kneeling and praying.
Beside her, Xiao Die also knelt, knocking her head on the ground. "God, I am willing to trade my life for Miss's life. Please, God, grant this."
But there were no gods!
Chen Xue's talk of transactions with the God of Wealth was fabricated; she was actually dealing with the system.
The system only listened to Chen Xue and ignored the Chen family's pleas.
Moreover, if something happened to Chen Xue, the system would just find a new host.
Master Chen, after shouting for a long time, eventually knelt with Madam Chen to pray to the gods.
He had never knelt to anyone except his parents and the emperor. Now he knelt to the gods, hoping they would save his daughter.
But their prayers went unanswered.
"How could this happen…"
Madam Chen was despondent. "If Xiao Xue is gone, how will I live!"
"It's all my fault!" Master Chen slapped himself, blaming himself for being useless. If he had been capable, Xiao Xue wouldn't have faced the avalanche alone, while he hid in the comfortable space.
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