Chapter Fifteen: Searching for Thunder Beneath the Water

On the way down the mountain, Li Long and Bai Lu walked ahead, appearing very close; if just days before there had been awkwardness and unfamiliarity of first acquaintance, now they had passed through the stage of adjustment and blended seamlessly. It seemed they deliberately hurried, as if to avoid everyone's gaze, and the rest obligingly slowed their pace—except for Yang Tian, who had descended earlier with Vico, and Wang Yue and Shuang Ning, who had excused themselves for other matters. Soon, even Wang Yaxin and Yang Qing wandered off on their own.

In the blink of an eye, the group of eleven was reduced to three: Hua Feng, Xiao Meng, and Wang Yuxuan. Hua Feng couldn't help but feel dejected—was it true that, once in love, everyone preferred solitude? He could only shake his head with a bitter smile. Xiao Meng seemed to have something to say, but Wang Yuxuan quickly spoke up, claiming she remembered the instructor needed her, and dashed away, vanishing from sight. Watching her descend the mountain, Hua Feng and Xiao Meng exchanged awkward smiles, sighing gently, wishing to speak yet ultimately remaining silent.

After a while, it was Xiao Meng who broke the awkward silence. "Shall we go for a walk as well?"

"Certainly. Ever since my cultivation reached level twenty-two, I haven't truly tested my skills. I was just thinking of seeing what I can do now."

"Alright, let's see if you can catch up with me," Xiao Meng teased. Without waiting for Hua Feng's reply, she summoned her inner energy, leapt gracefully down the mountain, light as a feather. Clad in a white dress, her steps ethereal, her black hair fluttering in the wind, she looked like a fairy, her silhouette drifting away. Behind her, a handsome, refined young man sped after her with the agility of an ancient master, chasing down the mountain as if flying atop the grass.

On this ancient, poetic mountain, the most beautiful sentiment in the world—love—was being enacted. Perhaps this peaceful, idyllic present was but temporary, yet it did nothing to diminish the beauty unfolding in tranquil Mount Lu.

"In heaven, may we be like birds flying side by side; on earth, may we be like branches entwined." What a lovely poem!" Nestled in Hua Feng's arms, Xiao Meng couldn't help but sigh.

"Yes, it's beautiful, just like us," Hua Feng replied softly, gazing into Xiao Meng's clear eyes.

"I wish this moment could last forever." Hearing Xiao Meng's wistful words, Hua Feng said nothing, only held her tighter.

Elsewhere on the mountain path, Li Long and Bai Lu—whose relationship had advanced swiftly—were making their way. Li Long, with Bai Lu on his back, her ankle twisted at some unknown moment, moved with remarkable speed, soon overtaking Yang Tian and Vico, who strolled hand in hand. There was no helping it; their affection was deep, and their skills impressive. Bai Lu's expression as she clung to Li Long's back was one of contentment—a blissful, little woman. Yang Tian and Vico smiled and shook their heads, continuing their leisurely walk, their playful banter echoing into the distance.

Wang Yue and Shuang Ning kept a modest distance, holding hands but nothing more, though their affection was clear.

Deep within the sea of clouds, in the splendid valley beside the bamboo forest shrine's stone stele, Hua Feng, full of love, handed Xiao Meng a white violet he had specially requested from the old colonel after much effort. Seeing Xiao Meng's pretty face flush with emotion, Hua Feng suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

They had been together as a couple for nearly six years now, and after so long he no longer knew how to express his love. Watching tears well up in Xiao Meng’s eyes—he wasn't sure if they were from joy or anger—Hua Feng was flustered. Suddenly Xiao Meng threw herself into his arms and gave him a deep kiss; the two embraced tightly, reluctant to let go.

The eastern sky began to pale—dawn had come, and unknowingly they had spent the whole night together. With their cultivation at this level, going a few days without sleep was nothing. Hua Feng and Xiao Meng drifted to the mountaintop, cuddling together to await the sunrise, everything as peaceful as ever.

"Still cherish old feelings, but treasure the one before your eyes." This phrase perfectly captured the mood of these young lovers on Mount Lu. In the remaining days of their seven-day holiday, aside from occasional relaxation, no one forgot to practice diligently and train hard.

During this time, Zhang Yu and others made several calls home to reassure their families, but since the military had sealed off communications with the outside world, they could only apply to do so through their instructor, making each call especially precious. Their company commander and instructors would regularly provide guidance on cultivation, as well as assign training tasks to temper them.

The seven-day holiday ended. That morning, after breakfast, the sub-commander announced a new urgent mission. Fifty members of the second company quickly boarded helicopters. Once airborne, Hua Feng noticed there were other helicopters besides their own, suspecting the entire regiment had been mobilized—clearly, it was an emergency training exercise.

Everyone was excited; the roar of the engines could not drown out their anticipation, and they were all focused, ready for any challenge.

Helicopter technology in 2116 had advanced greatly, easily accommodating fifty people in a sub-company, so Flying Dragon Regiment’s ten sub-companies boarded ten helicopters and soon were above the Yangtze River.

When everyone thought their destination was still ahead, the helicopters suddenly stopped in midair. As confusion spread, the sub-commander’s words nearly made them spit blood.

"Comrades, this is the final stop—prepare to disembark!"

"Commander, we're more than eight hundred meters up! Even if we were made of iron, we wouldn't dare jump! Besides, we haven’t trained to be impervious to blades and bullets," Yang Tian complained, and the others chimed in with their own protests.

"Are you planning to defy orders? Enough talk—put on your gear, jump down, locate the mission objective, swim back to the dock, and your task is complete!" The commander ignored the protests and issued his order.

"Commander, do we have parachutes?" a girl asked timidly.

"No parachutes, but there’s one umbrella—any takers?" The commander’s response left everyone dumbfounded, faces full of disbelief.

Sensing their concern, the commander paused and said, "Relax! It's all water below—you can treat it like bungee jumping. Besides, you're the heirs of Flying Dragon, the elite of the military. What's a little hardship? No more nonsense—execute the order!"

Wang Yue, bold and skilled, was the first to leap. Hua Feng, Li Long, Yang Tian, Yun Meng, and several others quickly followed. After dropping more than three hundred meters, Hua Feng and four others used their palm force to strike the water below, cushioning the impact. Seconds later, the sounds of splashes rang out as more trainees jumped, and at the moment of contact, Hua Feng felt the water explode in waves around him, pain like knives slicing through every nerve—but such pain was nothing to the battle-hardened Flying Dragon members, especially experts like Hua Feng and Li Long.

After sinking more than ten meters, the force dissipated. Gradually, Hua Feng felt himself begin to rise, using buoyancy to swim upward, soon reaching the surface. He swam back and forth, searching for Yun Meng, Shuang Ning, Li Long, Wang Yue, and the others. When he finally found them, all had safely landed in the water.

At that point, Hua Feng opened the mission receiver on his wrist—shaped like a watch—to check their assignment: using limited equipment, locate the underwater device, bring it to a safe area, detonate it, and then swim upstream to return to the Flying Dragon dock on the riverbank.

The six formed a temporary team, unanimously electing the cautious, steady Wang Yue as leader. "You all know the mission, right?" Wang Yue asked, glancing around.

Everyone nodded in turn. After a brief discussion, the six dove into the river. None noticed the fleeting black shadow silently slipping into the depths, unseen by all.