Chapter 212

Vincent Cruz's face darkened as he shot up from his chair, the legs scraping harshly against the floor.

"Quick! Get the raincoat!"

His wife hurried from the inner room with a faded blue raincoat, her fingers trembling slightly.

Evelyn Sullivan sensed something was wrong. "Village Chief Cruz, what's happening?"

"Several downstream villages are flooded." Vincent hastily tied the raincoat strings as water seeped under the door. "Stay put for now."

Watching his figure disappear into the rain, unease settled in Evelyn's chest.

This storm was unnatural.

The downpour continued relentlessly through the night, showing no signs of easing. Outside, the water had risen past the doorstep, forcing Evelyn to move everyone upstairs.

At dawn, the village loudspeakers crackled to life with a jarring announcement.

"Emergency alert! All villagers must evacuate to higher ground immediately! Repeat, evacuate immediately!"

Bianca Rose's cup slipped from her fingers and shattered on the floor.

"Ms. Sullivan... Should we—"

Evelyn strode to the window. The murky floodwaters had already swallowed the stone bridge at the village entrance.

"Grab essentials. We're leaving."

Meanwhile, at Sullivan Group's headquarters.

Ethan Sullivan stared at his phone screen—"Call Failed"—his knuckles whitening.

"Colin!"

The office door burst open as Colin Keller stumbled in with an armful of files.

"Mr. Sullivan, all communication towers in Qingcheng are—"

"Is the helicopter ready?"

Colin wiped sweat from his brow. "The meteorological bureau just issued a red alert. It's too dangerous to—"

Ethan snatched his suit jacket, his gaze sharp as a blade.

"You have thirty minutes."

Chaos engulfed Shili Village.

Vincent directed panicked villagers toward the ancestral hall, the highest structure in the area. A deafening crash echoed as boulders tumbled down the mountainside.

"Look out!"

He shoved an elderly man aside just as a flying branch gashed his leg.

Blood instantly soaked through his pants.

"Chief!"

Villagers scrambled to carry him into Uncle West's nearby home.

Evelyn was packing medical supplies with Sophia when the news reached her.

"I'm going." She grabbed the first-aid kit.

Quincy Howard blocked her path. "The water's waist-deep out there!"

Evelyn pushed past him. "He got hurt saving others."

The icy rain needled her skin.

When she finally reached Uncle West's house, she froze at the sight of a familiar figure kneeling beside Vincent.

Daniel Sterling glanced up, deftly wrapping bandages from his medical kit.

"How did you—"

Dripping wet, Evelyn knelt beside him and took the scissors from his hands.

"Let me."