Chapter Forty-Seven: True Qi Breakthrough, Part One

Give them one more chance!

The big man’s eyes, too, shone with unwavering resolve. If Zhao Li would not abandon these so-called comrades, then what right did they have to abandon him so lightly?

Swept into the towering wave, Zhao Li could not catch a breath and was instantly swallowed by darkness. Instinctively, he clutched Kang Hongyuan in a death grip, then fumbled with the lifeline that was no longer taut and hurriedly lashed himself to Kang Hongyuan.

It was the best solution available in a hopeless situation. If he wanted to get back onto the raft, both of Zhao Li’s hands had to remain free. If he held onto Kang Hongyuan, then he could only be dragged along like this.

The pressure in his chest grew heavier by the second. The oxygen in his lungs was nearly gone, and a burning pain spread through him. Behind him, Kang Hongyuan seemed utterly motionless. Zhao Li could not tell whether the man was alive or dead, but there was no time to check. Surviving the crisis at hand mattered more.

When his hand found the lifeline at Kang Hongyuan’s waist, he felt it drawn tight. It was less that he was dragging Kang Hongyuan than that Kang Hongyuan was dragging him. Gripping the rope, Zhao Li began to strain forward, trying to haul himself out of the water.

But the moment he forced himself, his lungs clenched with suffocating pain. Clearly, his oxygen was almost exhausted, and the hand holding the rope seemed to loosen.

That was no good. If he could not even summon strength for himself, then the only ending would be the two of them dying together. Only then did Zhao Li seem to realize just how perilous everything he had done since the alarm had sounded truly was. Until now, he had never once considered that he might die.

Only now, on the brink of ruin, did Zhao Li understand the horror of death and the preciousness of being alive. He had never known that before. All those things that once seemed so important—being a lab rat, keeping a low profile, putting on a show of arrogance, life, ideals, the future—were all worthless. Put together, they still could not compare to the importance of surviving this moment.

As though sensing his change of heart, the nameless inner energy within him once again revealed its overbearing nature. The force that had already been slowing because of his labored breathing now, at the impulse of that single thought, flared into wild combustion.

Not just his lungs, but every meridian in his body seemed to ignite. His whole body felt as though it were no longer in the cold sea, but immersed in searing magma, every inch of him aching in the blaze.

The burning nameless energy erupted with a terrifying momentum. After spinning furiously through his energy core, it began to charge along its fixed channels with mad intensity.

Zhao Li had never, at any time, sensed such an astonishing speed of circulation. It seemed that in the time it took to draw a single breath, the energy had already completed an entire cycle. The suffocating tightness in his chest, starved of oxygen, also seemed to ease considerably within that one revolution.

As the pressure in his lungs lessened, strength returned to Zhao Li. He strained with both arms and frantically worked his hands. Even he could hardly believe that, under such conditions, he could still unleash that kind of power. The pressure above his head suddenly lightened, and he was already out beyond the waves.

He had never before found the feeling of breathing freely so wonderful; this easy, untroubled air was sweet beyond words. He gasped several times, drawing in great lungfuls, and then immediately returned to the danger before him.

The strength in his arms was still there. He tightened his grip a few more times, drawing himself and Kang Hongyuan closer to the inflatable raft. Then, carefully controlling his hands and feet, he slowly stood in the water.

Kang Hongyuan remained motionless against Zhao Li’s back. What Zhao Li feared most at that moment was that Kang Hongyuan would suddenly move, sending the two of them back into the danger they had just escaped.

The people on the raft had already seen them and burst into cheers. But the distance was still too great, and the sea too loud; Zhao Li could only see their wild expressions of joy and their mouths opening and closing. He could not make out what they were shouting.

James above must have seen what was happening as well. Zhao Li could clearly feel the speed increase, and he and Kang Hongyuan were soon falling behind the wave.

With that brief cushion of distance, the danger was much less severe. Zhao Li drew in another long breath, feeling the power of the nameless inner energy surging through him as it completed another mad circulation. Then he forced himself again, inch by inch pulling their bodies closer to the raft.

Having another person on his back made balance extremely difficult. He could only move with care, inch by inch, with utmost caution. The people on the raft watched anxiously as well, and the gaze that put the greatest pressure on Zhao Li was still that bright, slightly reproachful pair of eyes.

At last, Zhao Li’s hands were nearly touching the rolling side of the raft. He steadied himself again, took several breaths, and, timing the rhythm of the raft’s pitching, seized the edge firmly with both hands and hauled himself and Kang Hongyuan behind him toward the raft.

With a stable point of leverage, things became much easier. Even so, the raft was rocking violently up and down, making it far less steady than the lifeline had been.

Zhao Li was afraid that Kang Hongyuan might be thrown off again at this moment, so he did not dare untie the rope binding them. He could only endure the miserable sensation of being squeezed between the raft and Kang Hongyuan, crawling forward with all his strength until he finally made it inside.

Someone quickly grabbed him and pulled him to a place where he could get a secure hold. Zhao Li hurriedly stretched out both hands and clung on tightly, gulping down great breaths of the comparatively safe air.

That trip had nearly cost him his life in the waves. The experience of being unable to breathe in the water was still vivid in Zhao Li’s mind, and it had been unbearable.

“Good work, Sergeant!”

A heavy blow landed on him, as if someone were celebrating his narrow escape by pounding him hard on the shoulder. Zhao Li suddenly felt weak all over, every bit of strength leaving his body. He did not even bother to look and see which bastard had hit him so hard. He only wanted to lie there and never move again.

The raft seemed to pick up speed once more. James was still sharp when it came to judging the situation; at least when it came to piloting the craft, no matter how hard Zhao Li tried, he could never match that man.

At last, he caught his breath and strength returned to his body. He raised a middle finger toward James in the sky and shouted, “Damn it, nice work!” Only then did he slowly untie the rope that secured Kang Hongyuan to him.

“Damn it, if anyone else tries to use this chance to break out of prison, I’ll personally sentence him to death!”

Even now, in the midst of tension, he did not forget to crack a joke. The others nearby seemed to be in a good mood as well. Hearing Zhao Li’s shout, they all burst out laughing.

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I got up a little late this weekend, so please forgive me!