Chapter 75: River of Distress
The wind persisted, and the rain fell incessantly throughout the night.
As the sun rose on the next day, the air was significantly fresher. The jungle was damp with waterlogged leaves, and the earth was blanketed in muddy puddles. After walking for some time, the people were utterly drenched. Still, after over two hours of travel, they were greeted by a revitalizing breeze that caressed their youthful faces, providing a much-needed energy boost. Then, as they rounded a few large trees, the view ahead abruptly opened up.
“How strange! I can distinctly hear the sound of water!”
As they walked, many people started hearing the sound of running water.
Before long, a serpentine river appeared in their field of vision, winding from west to east like a white dragon shuttling through a green ocean. The river was an impressive 200 meters wide, its currents slightly tumultuous from the recent downpour. Yet, despite the heavy rain, the water remained crystal clear, and the wind created ripples on its surface. The sun’s rays danced upon the water, giving it a dazzling and breathtaking sparkle. The grass on the river’s banks appeared to glow even brighter after the rain, and delicate flowers dotted the landscape, begging to be left untouched.
Jiang Xiaowen clasped the hand of little Tian Tian; both of them were taken aback by the beautiful scenery before them. “So beautiful!” they both exclaimed in unison.
While everyone smiled at the sight of the beautiful river, Xiao Yu was distraught. After a heavy overnight rainfall, the river had greatly expanded in width and flow. On their last crossing, he had gathered logs from the forest, cut them into pieces, and used them as stepping stones to easily reach the opposite shore. But unfortunately, not everyone possessed his mastery of the task.
No one knew what would appear in the deep river. Hence, crossing the river impulsively would be too risky. Of course, Jiang Xiaowen could effortlessly fly to the other side, but the task of transporting a hundred people across a 200 to 300-meter-wide river would exhaust her after just three to five trips, requiring half a day to recuperate. The feat of transporting everyone there was near impossible and presented an insurmountable challenge.
Xiao Yu devised a plan; then he instructed Jiang Xiaowen to lead Yun Yun across the river first while he attended to the task.