Shuangling: Braving the Rapids

After an anxious hour of waiting, Qin Xiaofu finally returned to the mine with his helpers.

Qin Geda, carrying a hemp rope, walked in front, followed by none other than Qin Huozi, Maodan'er's father, who was running wildly with a limp. After receiving the news, this lame man actually used a tree branch to help him come from the village, stumbling along the way.

Poor Huozi had just walked up to Ma Xiangju when his wife slapped him to the ground.

Why was I beaten?

Of course it's because the father didn't take good care of the child. So, does that mean Ma Xiangju has no responsibility? Never mind, that's Huozi's status at home anyway, and he's destined to be the punching bag for now.

No one paid any attention to the couple; Aimin and Qin Xiaotian were already discussing a rescue plan.

"Xiao Tian, ​​let's bring ropes and find a few strong men to go up to the top of the pit. We'll lower me down to catch Mao Dan'er. Do you have any objections?"

Before he could finish speaking, Qin Xiaotian immediately objected, "Brother Aimin, this is a big deal. We probably won't be enough. When we go down the mountain, I'll ask Xiaotian to pass a message to Secretary Laishun. Maybe the main force will arrive soon..."

"The fire is still raging over Xiling, and Big Brother might not be able to get away. We can't wait any longer! If Maodan suddenly wakes up and accidentally falls from the tree, then everything will be over!" Aimin's idea was not unreasonable, but he obviously did not understand Qin Xiaotian's implied meaning. It was not that the other party was unwilling to help, but that he did not want Aimin to take the risk himself.

Qin Xiaofu, a shrewd man, pulled Aimin aside and whispered, "Brother, there are so many people here, don't be the one to stick your neck out. If all else fails, let Ma Xiangju or Qin Huozi tie them up and go down! They're their own sons!"

Aimin sighed, pointed at the sulking couple and Qin Xiaohu and the others who were only interested in avoiding the limelight, and said, "I know you mean well, but look at those two, and then look at them, which one of them can do this job?"

Qin Xiaotian shook his head and remained silent. Yue Chuan, who had been eavesdropping, suddenly jumped in front of the two, patted his chest, and said to Aimin, "Uncle! I can do it! Lower me down with a rope to rescue them. I'm lighter than you, so the chances of success are much higher!"

Aimin was taken aback at first, then decisively refused: "Don't be ridiculous! You're too young! Instead of wasting your time, you should go and talk to that couple!"

Seeing his nephew pouting and looking unconvinced, Aimin smiled and comforted him, "Hey! Keep the key safe for me, and remember to return it when you're done!"

After saying that, he tossed his keychain to his nephew.

Yue Chuan wanted to argue, but Ai Min had already left with his men. The boy clutched the Chinese knot attached to his keychain, his eyes filled with worry…

There were still sporadic fires flickering on the western ridge, while the eastern ridge was completely plunged into darkness, with thick smoke constantly sweeping in from the west, making the eastern ridge increasingly chaotic.

Aimin, Qin Xiaotian, Qin Geda and others covered their mouths and noses and groped their way to the top of the west side of the mine pit.

Once a stable boulder was selected, ropes were wrapped around its body, creating the core component of the hoisting mechanism—a simple fixed pulley. Qin Geda and two villagers stood on the east side of the boulder, the three of them lined up and holding hemp ropes as counterweights; while Aimin on the west side of the boulder had become a human hoisting harness. After Qin Xiaofu secured the hemp rope around his waist, the hoisting mechanism was complete.

Seeing Aimin carefully inching towards the edge of the mine, everyone's hearts were in their throats. Since the division of labor had already been made, no one said anything more. This opportunity to be a hero should be given to the brave.

A strong wind, carrying thick smoke, rushed towards Aimin, making his hair disheveled. However, he simply rubbed his eyes and aimed his flashlight beam at the cliff cypress. The light traveled in a straight line, and after aligning it perpendicular to Maodan'er, Aimin turned his back to prepare for his descent.

"Xiao Tian, ​​you stand by the mine pit and hold up a light for me. When I give you a thumbs up, you tell Geda and the others to slowly loosen the rope. When I wave to you, you tell them to stop immediately." Aimin patiently instructed him, his tone calm and composed.

"I understand, please be very careful..."

Qin Xiaotian replied and then gestured to the counterweight personnel behind him. Upon seeing this, Qin Geda and the others immediately became more alert. Then, the three of them loosened the rope together, while Aimin bent down close to the ground and slowly extended his feet toward the pit wall. A few seconds later, his body sank down, and his shoulders were level with the edge of the mine pit.

With Qin Xiaotian acting as the coordinator, the coordination between the "counterweight" and the "lifting gear" became increasingly seamless. Aimin also began giving the messenger hand signals more and more frequently, and in no time, he had descended nearly three meters.

At this moment, everyone standing at the bottom of the pit held their breath and focused their attention on Aimin, only to see him fall down like a giant spider spinning silk.

To reduce the pressure on the weight carriers, Aimin would find a rock protrusion every one or two meters to use as a foothold, rest briefly, and then give Qin Xiaotian a thumbs-up. But this time, just as he was about to make the gesture, the rock he was standing on suddenly fell. Caught off guard, Aimin's body swayed abruptly, sending a chill down everyone's spine.

Fortunately, Qin Geda was there; he held onto the rope tightly, which prevented Aimin from falling further.

To avoid "falling into a hole" again, Aimin became more cautious. Unless he was absolutely sure, he would not concentrate all his weight on an unreliable rock. He was worried that the falling rock would hit the cliff cypress and damage Maodan.

Time passed slowly, and Aimin's feet could now touch the crooked cypress tree. At this moment, he could even see the mud spots on Maodan'er's back.

Seeing Mao Dan'er's body heaving, Ai Min breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed his judgment was correct; the child had fainted. If they could successfully pick up Mao Dan, the chances of a successful rescue were still quite high.

A dozen seconds later, Aimin's waist was already the same height as the cliff cypress, which was the best height for him to strike. He took a deep breath, gently grabbed Maodan's armpits with both hands, and then suddenly exerted force, pulling Maodan tightly into his arms without hesitation.

At this moment, the drowsy Mao Dan opened his sleepy eyes, sneezed several times in a row, and then looked at the slightly unfamiliar man in front of him with a confused little look.

The next second, Mao Dan'er burst into tears. Then he struggled desperately, trying to break free from Ai Min's arms. The child was unaware of his situation and had no idea how much danger this would bring to his rescuer.

Fortunately, Aimin had anticipated this. He held Maodan tightly and, without saying a word, wrapped the extra rope around Maodan's armpits and waist. The two were now firmly tied together, so at least there was no need to worry about them slipping away.

"Don't be afraid, don't move, Uncle will play a game with you!"

Aimin whispered comforting words into the child's ear, but Maodan was a shy child and didn't believe the man's "nonsense" at all. He kept calling out "Dad, Mom" ​​while kicking Aimin randomly.

"Egg, don't move around in Uncle's arms! Mommy's right here below you, not going anywhere, just waiting for you to come home together!"

Ma Xiangju tried to calm herself down and called out to comfort her son, but her words had no effect. Instead, they made Mao Dan even more agitated. With Ai Min controlling the little guy's hands and feet, he simply rammed his head against the man's chest, causing Ai Min to cough several times.

In this situation, Aimin couldn't possibly argue with a child. He tried his best to maintain his balance and calm Maodan down. But the child seemed to have already decided that he was a bad guy and kept struggling, so Aimin had to hold onto the cliff cypress tree to keep himself steady.

Unexpectedly, the cliff cypress could not withstand the impact. Its entire trunk was completely bent and deformed. Then, with a "whoosh," its roots broke off from the rock wall, and in an instant, the cliff cypress fell to the bottom of the pit.

Seeing the cliff cypress fall to the bottom of the pit, many people screamed, and Mao Dan was so frightened that he trembled. He probably realized that he was hanging in the air for 20 meters.