Chapter 1

"Lucas, the winds are at Force 10, and Suzy is still trapped on the bungee platform!

"How could you lock the door at a time like this?"

Deputy Team Leader Tom Cook noticed something was wrong and quickly grabbed Lucas.

Lucas Hunt shook him off and calmly straightened Vivian Watson’s disheveled hair.

"Tom, don’t you understand protocol? I’m in charge here. When I order an evacuation, everyone has to leave!"

He gave a cold laugh, his face full of disdain.

"Suzy is certified in high-angle rope rescue and is a trained safety officer. She can climb down by herself with her eyes closed.

"I locked the door to keep the typhoon from blowing in and damaging the equipment. She knows how to unlock it herself."

Vivian nestled into Lucas’ arms and let her eyes well up with tears.

"Lucas, why don’t you go rescue Suzy? I’ll be fine here on my own."

Lucas touched Vivian’s hair sympathetically, and his voice instantly softened.

"Vivi, if you stay here any longer, you’ll have an asthma attack.

"Forget that crazy woman. She’s only pretending to be helpless up there, trying to force me to give in with this pity act.

"Once she realizes that no one is going to pay attention to her, she’ll climb down on her own."

After saying that, he walked past Tom and left with Vivian without looking back.

I stood on the platform and listened to his footsteps fade away. Then I calmly closed my eyes.

[The host’s vital signs are rapidly declining. Irreversible damage has occurred to the physical body.]

[The system detachment procedure has officially begun.]

[Due to the world’s restrictions, the soul will be forcibly retained for seventy-two hours.]

[Countdown: 72 hours]

I opened my eyes again, and my soul followed Lucas.

He returned to the emergency shelter halfway up the mountain and carefully helped Vivian into the medical vehicle.

"Doctor, give her oxygen! She’s afraid of heights and has asthma. She was also frightened just now!"

The doctor examined her and looked completely speechless.

"Mr. Hunt, Miss Watson’s vital signs are perfectly normal. Medical resources are stretched thin right now, so I don’t recommend wasting them."

Lucas frowned and forcibly took the oxygen mask before securing it over Vivian’s face.

"What do you know? An asthma attack can be fatal.

"Vivi is tough and doesn’t want to be a burden, but she’s our guest. We’re responsible for her safety."

Tom rushed in with a radio.

"Lucas! Suzy’s radio has gone completely dead! I just checked through the binoculars. There’s no one on the bungee platform!

"We have to organize a search-and-rescue team and search the bottom of the ravine immediately!"

Lucas’ hand paused as he peeled an apple for Vivian, but his expression quickly returned to normal.

"Tom, Suzy is my girlfriend. I know her. She’s won the city rock-climbing championship three times. Do you really think she would fall from the platform?

"She probably saw how strong the wind was and hid inside the fully enclosed equipment room!"

Tom finally lost his temper.

"That equipment room doesn’t even have a window! You locked the outside door, so she’ll suffocate even if she did hide in there!"

Tom anxiously tried to connect to my radio, but the only response was the crackling static of a lost signal.

He immediately frowned and headed outside.

"Team medic, come with me. I suspect Suzy is in serious trouble. We have to rescue her."

Lucas grabbed Tom by the collar.

"If you dare waste rescue resources playing along with a jealous woman, don’t blame me when I discipline you after we return!"

He snatched the radio from Tom’s hand and pressed the call button.

"Suzy, are you really disregarding the entire team’s discipline over that ridiculous jealousy of yours?

"I locked the door to keep out the dangerous winds. I was protecting you! You don’t need to pretend that you’re dying just to get my attention."