Chapter 3

Wendy tugged at Joshua's sleeve and gave it a gentle shake.

"Josh, why don't you take a team to check on her? What if it really was an avalanche?

"If something really happened to Linda, I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

I floated beneath the ceiling and watched her look as if she were about to cry.

I felt sick.

She was the one who pushed me into the crevasse, yet she now wore such an innocent, harmless expression.

Joshua clasped Wendy's hand.

"Why should I go? She deliberately jumped into the crevasse herself. Even if she really ran into an avalanche, she brought it upon herself!"

He took off his gloves and slipped them onto Wendy's hands.

"Wendy, haven't you always wanted to photograph the stars from a glacial canyon? Come on. I'll take you there right now."

Chunk's expression changed instantly, and he stepped directly in front of the door.

“Captain Shaw, leaving the station without authorization is a serious violation of expedition safety regulations!”

"Besides, the snow vehicles have only enough fuel left for emergencies. That fuel is reserved for an emergency evacuation!

"If you use it all, the entire team will be stranded if something happens!"

Joshua shoved Chunk aside.

"Shut up!"

Several team members in the hallway rushed over when they heard the commotion and began urging him to reconsider.

"Captain Shaw, you really can't go."

Joshua ignored them. He grabbed Wendy and headed outside.

"Anyone who tries to stop me today can get out of the expedition team along with Linda!"

Everyone fell silent.

The team members were furious but dared not speak up. They could only watch helplessly as Joshua and Wendy walked toward the main gate.

At that moment, the satellite television mounted on the wall suddenly switched to an emergency broadcast.

"Breaking news. A massive avalanche has just occurred in the glacier region thirty kilometers east of the expedition station.

"An international rescue team is currently rushing to the scene to begin search-and-rescue operations."

Chunk spun around and pointed at the screen, shouting.

"Captain Shaw, look! The news just reported it! The site thirty kilometers away is where Linda fell!"

Joshua had already reached the door, but he stopped and glanced back at the screen.

He let out a contemptuous scoff.

"Linda has really grown capable. She even arranged for the news to be staged to force me to go back for her. Does she really think I'll believe her just because she created such a huge spectacle?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the satellite hotline on the control console began ringing urgently.

Chunk pressed the answer button with a trembling hand.

"This is the International Polar Rescue Team. We have excavated the body of a female victim from the bottom of a crevasse forty meters beneath the avalanche site.

"Based on the identification found on her, she appears to be a member of your expedition team. Please confirm her identity immediately and provide her medical records."

Chunk froze.

His lips trembled for a long time before he managed to say, "That's impossible… Linda really…"

Joshua strode over and abruptly ended the call.

"Linda, haven't you put on enough of this act? You even got an international call involved. How much did you pay those extras?

"I'm warning you, Linda! Making a joke out of someone's life has crossed my final line!

"I'm officially informing you that we're over. We're breaking up!"

He grabbed the vehicle keys and pulled Wendy straight out the door.

I floated in midair and suddenly felt too exhausted even to hate him.

His favoritism had blinded him so thoroughly that he could treat my life and death as if they meant nothing.