In that split second, a choice hung in the balance – honour or survival?
"W-What is happening!?" The words escaped Zhao Yang's lips as he struggled to comprehend the surreal chaos unfolding around him. The aftermath of their ill-fated plan was now a disorienting spectacle.
*Gulp...*
Zhao Yang's eyes fixated on the snowy cliff where Wang Xiao had been standing moments ago. A surge of fear propelled him to his feet, and he sprinted in the opposite direction, an instinctive response to the unfolding calamity.
!?
Zhao Chen and Hao Zemin stood frozen, their initial surprise evolving into wide-eyed astonishment as Zhao Yang's hurried footsteps intensified the ground's trembling beneath them.
*Boom!*
*Boom!*
Each powerful step from Zhao Yang resonated through the earth, creating an ominous rhythm. Panicking, he sprinted faster, his desperate attempt to escape the impending disaster echoing in the forest.
*Crack...*
A chilling cracking noise pierced the air, freezing Zhao Yang and everyone else in their tracks.
"Fuck!" Wang Xiao's curse reverberated through the tense air. In a split second, he propelled himself forward, attempting to escape the crumbling cliff. However, the structure shook violently, and... Boom!
The once-solid cliff disintegrated, crumbling into a cascade of snow and debris.
"Xiao!" Zhao Yang's desperate cry echoed, a poignant note in the chaos, as Wang Xiao clung desperately to fragments of the collapsing cliff.
!!
Adrenaline surged through Wang Xiao as he clutched at anything within reach. The crumbling cliff became a treacherous ride, and he fought to maintain his precarious hold.
*Rumble...*
"W-What is happening!?" Hao Zemin's voice quivered with uncertainty. Even as Zhao Yang reached their side, the ground beneath them continued its violent tremors.
"I-It's an avalanche, run!" Zhao Chen's urgent command sliced through the chaos, the pallor of fear evident on their faces. The trio sprinted back toward the forest, their frantic footsteps marking a desperate escape from the relentless forces of nature.
*Gasp!* Wu Shenji, an unwilling spectator, watched the dramatic scene unfold from his hidden vantage point. Gasping in fear, he instinctively retreated, the once serene forest now a battleground between the elements and the fleeing figures caught in the dance of survival.
"Argh..." Wang Xiao, thrown down the cliff, felt an agonizing pain as he instinctively clutched his head before reluctantly glancing upwards.
The stark reality greeted him – an endless onslaught of snow hurtling towards him, a force of nature he couldn't escape. In that desperate moment, he screamed, "Fuck the ***!"
*Boooom!*
The words, drowned by the roar of the avalanche, lingered in the air as the snow engulfed him, overwhelming his senses.
The world around him turned into a chaotic whirlwind of white, his body numb to the bone, and darkness consumed his vision.
Above the cliff, the spectators, including Wu Shenji, watched in both awe and horror as the avalanche unfolded.
The thunderous cascade of snow painted a picture of nature's unforgiving might.
After the avalanche subsided, an uneasy silence settled over the onlookers.
Zhao Chen, swallowing hard, broke the stillness, his voice laden with fear, "W-Where is Wang Xiao...?"
Hao Zemin's face darkened with concern, "Did he get caught in the avalanche?"
Zhao Yang, still reeling from the shock, protested, "No way! The teachers would crucify us if that happened! Even wor—"
"Shut up!" Zhang Chen's yell cut through the anxious air, a mixture of guilt and fear evident in his eyes. "It's alright; he'll come back within a few hours!"
Hao Zemin and Zhao Yang exchanged skeptical glances. The assurance felt hollow, but the thought of facing the consequences with the teachers loomed larger.
In the end, the group, weighed down by guilt and uncertainty, hastily retreated toward the resort, hoping to escape any potential repercussions.
Wu Shenji overheard their conversation and shivered, contemplating the gravity of the situation. "W-What should I do?"
He stood there, paralyzed by indecision, as the reality of the mountain's wrath sank in. "Let's wait a few hours..." He whispered to himself, trying to find solace in the words, before silently slipping away.
Little did he know, the darkness of that snowy afternoon would cast a long shadow over the night to come.
_______
As the clock struck 8:00 pm on the 15th of January, 2024, a growing sense of unease settled in the air.
"Wang Xiao isn't back yet?" Zhang Sisi's question hung in the room, the impending dinner hour heightening the concern for his absence.
Chen Li and Dong Kai exchanged perplexed glances, trying to make sense of the situation.
Chen Li inquired with a furrowed brow, "Wasn't he with you?"
Zhang Sisi nodded, her worry evident, "He was... But then he separated from us. We thought he found his friend and started catching up with him."
A symphony of question marks echoed in the room as both Chen Li and Dong Kai expressed their confusion.
"Can you go and ask his sister?" Dong Kai suggested, a hint of urgency in his voice.
Zhang Sisi, with a pensive expression, nodded, "I'll check out the senior high section."
With determination, she grabbed her jacket, the fabric rustling as she made her way out to unravel the mystery of Wang Xiao's current whereabouts.
_____
In the cocoon of her room, Wang Xueying found herself perched on the edge of her bed, caught in a whirlwind of anticipation and nervous energy.
'H-He won't really do it? Right...' A rosy blush tinted her cheeks as her mind danced with both curiosity and hesitation. Seeking distraction, she reached for her phone, plunging into the vast expanse of online advice.
[How to keep your boyfriend happy!]
The tantalizing title alone sparked a cascade of vivid scenarios in her imagination. Scrolling through a plethora of articles, each promising insights into the intricacies of relationships, she delved into the digital realm for guidance.
*Knock...*
The abrupt rap on her door jolted her, and in a hurried flurry, she stashed her phone away. "He's here!"
*Gasp!*
Summoning courage, she took a deep breath, preparing to greet her brother with a mix of excitement and trepidation. The thought played in her mind, 'Just a brother and sister, sharing a room? Nothing can go wrong... Right?'
A suppressed laugh bubbled within her as she swung the door open, only to be met with a twist of surprise – not Wang Xiao but Zhang Sisi stood on the side.
In the intimate sanctuary of her room, Wang Xueying's excitement had reached its peak, only to plummet when a knock echoed through the stillness.
"Oh, hi..." Wang Xueying greeted, her initial excitement deflating like a balloon.
Zhang Sisi peeked inside, confusion evident on her face. "Wang Xiao is not here...?" Her inquiry hung in the air like an unexpected storm cloud.
??
Wang Xueying's eyes blinked, a sudden chill sweeping through her. "What do you mean?" An uneasy tension gripped her voice.
Slightly taken aback by the shift in atmosphere, Zhang Sisi managed to speak, "H-He didn't come back to the resort... We thought he should be here."
"He didn't come back? What are you saying?" Wang Xueying's disbelief and concern intertwined in her words.
Zhang Sisi nodded, "He didn't."
"..."
Wang Xueying's expression tightened, and urgency replaced the earlier anticipation. "Come with me." Without waiting for a response, she took Zhang Sisi's hand, leading her towards Wang Jiarong to seek more information.
The night, once brimming with the promise of something intense, now hung in the balance of uncertainty.
____
"He didn't come back?" Wang Jiarong's voice echoed with a mix of concern and disbelief. Her face, once adorned with anticipation, now turned pale as urgency took over. Without a moment's hesitation, she led them towards another building, a reserved enclave for the third-year students.
"Shenji, Xiao was with you, right?" Her direct inquiry cut through the air as she pushed open the door, entering the space designated for the older students.
Inside, the scene unfolded with an unexpected tableau. Three boys, clad in less-than-proper attire, greeted them. Despite the unconventional sight, Wang Jiarong's focus honed in on Wu Shenji.
!!
Wu Shenji felt a tight clench in his chest at the sound of her voice. He flinched, a subtle reaction not lost on his roommate or the attentive duo of Wang Xueying and Zhang Sisi standing behind.
"You know about it, right?" Wang Jiarong's eyes narrowed, her tone demanding an immediate explanation.
Wu Shenji's stammered response echoed through the tense room as he evaded eye contact. "I-I."
His hesitant words only served to stoke the flames of Wang Jiarong's anger. With a surge of intensity, she closed the distance between them, seizing the collar of his attire in a twisting grip. "I told you not to do anything funny with him! Where is he, Shenji!"
!!
The sudden eruption of emotion left everyone in the room in a state of shock. Even Wang Xueying, unaccustomed to witnessing such scenes involving Wang Jiarong, found herself taken aback.
Internally, Zhang Sisi congratulated the man who would become Wang Jiarong's future husband, recognizing the formidable challenge that lay ahead.
Despite the varied reactions, Wang Jiarong's infuriated eyes bore into Wu Shenji, demanding answers. The weight of responsibility pressed heavily upon her; she was the guardian of her siblings here. If anything happened to any of them, how could she face her family?
Wu Shenji sighed, conceding to the pressure. "I will tell everything..."
"You better do," Wang Jiarong nodded, though an undercurrent of unease lingered in her gaze.
With a bitter look, Wu Shenji nodded, fully aware that this words would likely strain his relationship with her even further.