Future Pet Shop

"Ugh, it's caught on the thorns again!" The pitiful hikers below watched the rope land on the thorns time and time again. The flicker of hope that had risen in their hearts began to fade. Some of the more fragile ones even started crying again. "SOB... How much longer do we have to stay here before we can get out? My mom calls me every day, and she hasn't been able to reach me for two days now. She must be worried sick!"

'Sigh, who asked you to go looking for trouble in the first place? Haven't you ever heard the saying, "Don't court death, and you won't die?" Where's all that bravado you had when you insisted on coming to this place?' Hearing them, Shen Yibin didn't even know what to say. 'Isn't this all your own fault? The park staff warned you repeatedly when you entered the mountain, but you didn't listen. Who can you blame? And now you've dragged Captain Qi and his team out here in the middle of the night to rescue you. They're the ones who are really having it rough, aren't they?'

"The rope is coming down again! Huh? Why is a parrot still carrying it?" This time, the college student hikers below felt like their brains couldn't keep up. What was going on? Did the search and rescue team actually have parrots as members? 'If you brought a search and rescue dog, we could understand that, but what's the deal with a parrot?'

"Whoa, it made it through the gaps in the thorns! We're saved!" Seeing Cheeky deftly bypass the thicket of thorns and bring the rope down, the group of unlucky souls cheered once again.

"Stay calm! Don't make any sudden movements, and don't push! Now that we're here, we will definitely rescue every single one of you. This ledge isn't very big, and jostling for position could easily lead to an accident. Women first! Whoever feels the worst, tie the rope securely, and we'll pull you up!" Captain Qi commanded loudly from above with a megaphone.

But the people below had been trapped for a long time. They were cold and hungry, and everyone wanted to be the first one up; how could they possibly listen to his words? Before Cheeky had even landed, many of them started pushing toward its direction. The situation on the platform grew tense again. Captain Qi and his men were burning with rage, barely restraining themselves from cursing out loud. 'The platform is tiny! Aren't you afraid someone will get killed if you keep shoving like that?'

"What are you doing? What do you think you're doing?" Seeing this, Cheeky immediately stopped its descent, hovering in mid-air by flapping its wings and letting loose a torrent of abuse. "Your rescuers are here, so what's the rush? Have you no decency? Are you worse than a bird? At least I know you have to wait in line for things! Just look at yourselves! Everyone stop right now! I'll give the rope to whoever stops first..."

"We have our cameras on and are recording now. If anyone's excessive movements cause an accident, we will submit the video to the public security authorities and pursue criminal liability..." Captain Qi had also snapped back to his senses. He immediately took out his phone, started filming the scene below, and explained the gravity of the situation.

Under the combined deterrence of Cheeky and Captain Qi, the group finally calmed down. They stopped moving and cleared a space below Cheeky for a girl who was sitting on the ground, unable to stand. Cheeky dropped the rope, and a few of the male students took the end and tied it to the girl's climbing harness. Still worried, Captain Qi had Cheeky take down another rope. They secured her with both ropes, then he took out his binoculars to carefully inspect where the ropes were tied. Only after confirming that everything was secure did he have the rescue team members pull together, hauling the girl up from below.

"It's okay, it's okay, don't be afraid. You're safe now. Drink some hot water and have some glucose to replenish your energy. We'll get you down the mountain to the hospital right away." A female member of the rescue team held the girl in her arms, giving her water and checking her injuries. Finally having escaped with her life, the young woman buried her face in the rescuer's arms and began to wail. It seemed this ordeal had truly terrified her.

"Alright, let's keep going. Same as before, pull another one up!" The rope was thrown down again, and another young woman was pulled up. After two people had been rescued, some space began to open up on the platform. Leading by example, Captain Qi was the first to rappel down. With him there to help the stranded hikers tie the ropes, the rescue operation sped up.

After half an hour of intense work, all the stranded hikers were finally rescued safely. However, having been trapped for so long, they had suffered a huge blow to both their physical stamina and mental state. They needed to be taken to the hospital at the foot of the mountain immediately.

"Alright, everyone grab one and carry them on your back! Let's get them down the mountain as quickly as possible!" Captain Qi and the rescue team members each hoisted one of the cold, hungry, and utterly exhausted hikers onto their backs. Shen Yibin also volunteered to carry one, taking the lead with Carmen, who guided them back along a different path.

When they reached the top of the cliff, they saw that Sakai Kaori, Sun Qian, Hah'Er, and Egg were still waiting there. Seeing Shen Yibin and the others return, they could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"Miss Sakai, I'm so sorry. I was supposed to show you the beautiful mountain scenery, but it looks like we have to head back now. I owe you for this one. I'll be sure to make it up to you and show you a good time next time we have a chance," Shen Yibin said apologetically. Their planned scenic tour had unexpectedly turned into this.

"Please, don't say that! Mr. Bin, you're a great hero for saving so many people! I'm overjoyed for you, how could I possibly complain? Mr. Bin, you're truly a good person!" Sakai Kaori's eyes were sparkling with stars. In her eyes, Shen Yibin had become a great hero. The young woman was full of admiration; she wouldn't dream of complaining.

"Then let's get going. We still need to get them to the hospital!" 'Huh, that was clearly a compliment, so why does it sound so awkward to me?'

"Mr. Bin, let me help you with this!" Sakai Kaori took the backpack off Shen Yibin's back and, with some effort, hoisted it onto her own shoulder. Sun Qian, Hah'Er, and Egg also came forward to help, each taking a portion of the contents from the backpack. Shen Yibin's load was instantly lightened.

With Carmen leading the way, the journey down the mountain was exceptionally smooth. That, combined with the fact that Shen Yibin and the rescue team members were all in excellent physical shape, allowed them to get everyone to the foot of the mountain before dark. Shen Yibin then got in his car and led the way, getting them all to the hospital in the shortest possible time.

"The doctor said they were mostly just starving, suffering a bit from exposure, and had some minor issues like sprains and scrapes. Nothing too serious. They'll be fine after a couple of days of rest!" Captain Qi came out of the room and relayed the results to Shen Yibin. After saying this, he couldn't help but ask, "Bin, would it be possible for Carmen to join our search and rescue team?"