“How is it? In time?”
“Do not worry. For clouds thousands of li away, I need time to gather them. But for just one valley, I can bring heavy rain right away.”
“It will probably be another X-file.”
A whole forest fire, but rain only in one valley, saving a team of people. No matter how you look, it feels very strange.
“Better than knocking them out and shifting them out.”
That would fully reveal supernatural power.
Lu Zheng shook his head, pinched a seal in his hand, was about to cast rain, but suddenly paused.
“What is it?”
“I think I found the highlight.”
“Highlight? What is that?”
“The blind spot.”
Lin Wan was speechless. At a time like this, you are still playing word games. Even you did not catch on.
“What blind spot?”
“I have a better way.”
“What way?”
“The Fire Avoidance Art.”
“Huh?”
The Fire Avoidance Art from The Left Precepts of Chisongzi on Jade Water Elixir Scripture. Though just a spell cast by the cultivator, once mastered to a profound level, it naturally leads to analogous applications, other uses.
And Lu Zheng had clearly reached a quite profound level.
So…
Lu Zheng rose to mid-air, gently reached out, traced a circle along the firebreak cleared by Professor Gu and the others, cast his power, and attached the fire avoidance incantation.
Then, sparks and fire snakes that occasionally breached the break were now all stopped by an invisible wall at the midline.
But Lu Zheng only isolated the flames, not the heat, so they still felt stifling hot, completely unaware the violent fire had slightly receded.
Lin Wan reminded. “And those firefighters rushing in.”
Lu Zheng nodded, then the two joined hands and withdrew from the valley.
…
Soon, a team of twelve firefighters rushed in, covered in soot.
“Professor Gu.”
“I am here.”
“Firefighters are here.”
“Woo woo. Great. We are saved.”
“Any injured?”
“No.”
“Good.”
The firefighters reached the group, about to spray extinguishers around, but found no fire threat.
“Huh?” The commander was stunned. “Why no fire?”
“We set a firebreak.” A girl said hurriedly.
“That should not be enough. Anyway, not important. Quick quick. Liu Yuhao, carry Professor Gu on your back. You miss, come on. We carry you out.”
“No no. It is fine. We can walk ourselves.”
“Get on quick. Do not delay. We need to charge out at top speed.”
The commander turned his back and squatted before the girl without a word.
Professor Gu nodded. “Time is life. Do not trouble the firefighters.”
The seven or eight firefighters unloaded their tanks, held them in hand, carried the researchers on their backs, formed up, and broke out towards the valley mouth.
Before leaving, the commander could not help looking back, then saw flames surge over the break, completely engulfing where Professor Gu and the others had been.
The commander’s pupils shrank sharply.
…
They broke out all the way. The fire was fiercer than before. Trees dozens of metres tall burned, truly flames filling the sky.
“Quick quick.”
The few firefighters without loads charged ahead, using extinguishers to clear path, opening way for the group. The remaining seven or eight followed in order, steps unrelenting.
Just then, a whirlwind suddenly swept over. A wave of fire rushed at the two leftmost front firefighters, instantly engulfing them.
“Da Hu.”
“Lao Duan.”
“Huff.”
The whirlwind rolled past the front. The fire wave, after its rush, suddenly receded, revealing two firefighters with faces full of lingering fear.
“Da Hu.”
“Lao Duan.”
“Captain, I am fine.”
“Me too.”
“Fuck, you two are so lucky.” The firefighters exclaimed.
“No chatter. Hurry. Everyone move fast. Quick quick.”
The commander roared, then charged out with the girl on his back.
“Captain, wait.”
The two who just got scared, nearly closing eyes to await death, rushed up fast, overtook the commander.
Then, alternating extinguisher use to clear road, the group finally burst out of the fire before extinguishers ran dry.
“Captain.”
“All people saved. Quick, call for aerial firefighting.”
“Yes.”
“Block the fire line for me.”
“Rest easy Captain. Support from brother units has arrived.”
The commander looked back, found more firefighters on scene.
He breathed out, then realised his strength was nearly spent. His legs buckled, and a team member caught him.
“Captain, you are past your peak. Still dared charge in, carry one out. Awesome.”
The commander pursed his lips. “So I only dared pick the lightest to carry.”
The girl in the distance heard, could not help showing a happy smile.
In the distance, Lu Zheng clapped and laughed. “See. All sorted.”
Soon, a plane flew in from the distant sky, circled over the fire, and began spraying suppressant wildly.
On the ground, firefighters launched counterattack. Under high-pressure hoses, they pushed flames back step by step.
Not long after, as they still stalemated with the fire, a large cloud suddenly gathered overhead. Drizzling rain fell from the sky, pouring on the fire.
“Good luck. Weather report said clear skies for half a month.”
“Can you trust weather reports?”
“Ha ha, true.”
The firefighters laughed heartily, then together lifted high-pressure hoses, advancing steadily.
Of course they were glad. Though the forest fire did not spread wide, the blaze was intense. Crucially, a research team was trapped inside. They needed to rescue.
Theoretically, sacrificing a few was possible. But now, not one lost. And heaven helped, rain even fell.
Though not heavy, it drizzled nonstop, suppressed the wind, stopped fire snakes whipping about. Absolutely a huge help.
Two hours later, clouds dispersed, rain stopped. The forest fire mostly extinguished, affecting only a small area. Compared to the vast Northeast primeval forests, no impact.
Seeing firefighters start cleanup, no danger left, Lu Zheng and Lin Wan naturally did not stay.
After all, the initial Northeast purpose not achieved yet. Needed to hurry.
“Go go. Target, outside the country.”
Lu Zheng pinched invisibility art. The two rose on clouds, flew straight east.
Below, helmet off, shirt buttons undone, one hand with towel, one with water bottle, the commander sat back against a big tree, gazing at the fire site, who knows what he thought.
