Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Qu Yixian didn’t make a sound.

She quietly watched Fu Xun.

Starlight streamed through the open sunroof of the G-Class, tracing into the car. His brows and nose were illuminated by the dim blue glow of the vehicle’s instruments, making his eyes look calm and profound.

She slowly processed what Fu Xun had just said.

To put it simply, he meant—Xun Haichao might have been buried under the desert sand in the Yadan cluster during last night’s sandstorm.

Otherwise, how could one explain that a massive, carpet-style search mobilization still couldn’t find a single trace of him?

Her weariness instantly vanished.

Qu Yixian sat up: “Back to camp. I need to have a meeting with the rescue team immediately.”

Back at camp, Qu Yixian immediately instructed Yuan Ye to notify the relevant members of the rescue team to gather in the large tent.

Yuan Ye had been the leader of the night-shift search team. After returning to camp, he spent two hours consolidating the search results of all the teams and accounting for losses before going to bed not long ago.

Now, being dragged out of the tent by Qu Yixian, he squinted half-open, so sleepy he could barely stand. He hadn’t heard anything clearly, yet mumbled agreeable “uh-huhs” and “ha-has” enthusiastically.

Qu Yixian, seeing this, grew annoyed and kicked.

She controlled her force, sweeping her left leg so that only the top of her foot struck Yuan Ye’s knee. He went weak at the knees, suddenly alert, and she was satisfied, pulling her foot back and gesturing for him to quickly go call people.

Turning around, she saw Fu Xun still standing behind her, about half a meter away. She stayed silent for a few seconds, then cleared her throat twice, offering an explanation: “I’m used to being loud. Normally, I’m very gentle.”

Unexpectedly, Fu Xun didn’t give her an out. He lifted the corner of his mouth and said, “You don’t need to explain.”

Qu Yixian raised an eyebrow, sensing that his next words would not be flattering.

Sure enough.

Fu Xun said: “Someone who can handle rolling knife ridges and ride motorcycles—I’ve never seen them gentle.”

Qu Yixian rolled her eyes silently and retorted in her mind: “You underestimate me. I can do more than just these two. Once this is all settled, I’ll show you next time.”

Fu Xun glanced at the camp, where the lights were coming on one by one, and at Yuan Ye speaking with the rescue team leader in the distance, raising a brow, half-smiling: “Fair enough.”

Fair enough?

Qu Yixian looked at him, and for some reason, suddenly felt… uneasy inside.

She thought: I still need to find a chance to ask Yuan Ye exactly who Fu Xun is.

——

The meeting ended as dawn broke.

Most of the people in the large tent had left. Outside the camp, engines of vehicles started one batch after another, leaving the site.

Qu Yixian sat at the table, sipping coffee that had gone cold, trying to stay awake.

The more exhausted she was, the more she wanted to smoke.

Her hand reached into the back pocket of her pants for the cigarette case. She opened it, only to find a single cigarette left. After thinking for a moment, she put it back and got up to leave.

Outside the tent, Yuan Ye waited by the G-Class, talking to Fu Xun.

Earlier, around midnight, he had been half-asleep and unclear-headed, but remembered that Qu Yixian had returned with Fu Xun. Later, at the meeting, seeing that Fu Xun wasn’t present, he diligently approached early in the morning to act as the messenger.

“Qu Yixian’s in a bad mood. After the meeting, her expression looked like someone owed her money…” Yuan Ye muttered. “But I’m used to it. At times like this, just don’t bother her; once it’s over, she moves on faster than anyone.”

Fu Xun, half-squatting to check the tires, didn’t lift his head, asking: “Who gave her a hard time?”

“Not really.” Yuan Ye touched his ear, looking pleased with himself. “In the Northwest, who could faze her?”

He shifted his tone, explaining: “During the meeting, some people didn’t understand and said things that were a bit harsh.”

“I forgot the exact words, but roughly they said that their goal in the rescue was to bring the person back safely. Otherwise, the social impact wouldn’t be positive enough, too negative. Between the lines, there was some complaint that our convoy handled things poorly, took the lead, yet didn’t execute things well.”

Fu Xun didn’t respond.

From his understanding of Qu Yixian, she wasn’t the type to lose out in such verbal sparring.

“Qu Yixian snapped back: it’s because of people like you who hold everyone back, not proactive in serious matters, but very good at shirking responsibility. With so many vehicles, so many people, running around for someone completely unrelated, who’s digging their own grave to escape, isn’t that energy positive? They’re being paid or receiving perks, yet putting themselves through this harsh desert for someone risking their life to skip a ticket.”

Yuan Ye recalled the moment Qu Yixian slammed the table in anger, his heart still racing from the memory: “Fu Zong, you don’t know, Starshine’s public rescue team has endured so much over the years.”

“People think public service means free. Most of the rescued assume it’s their right, with no awareness of not wasting resources. Like this morning’s incident, it was countless.”

Fu Xun finished checking the tires, got up, and opened the trunk to organize tools.

Yesterday at Guhe Yadan, the G-Class was basically used as a rescue vehicle by Qu Yixian. Tools had to be retrieved often. He found it cumbersome to move them around, so he left everything in the trunk for easy access.

Yuan Ye followed Fu Xun like a shadow; wherever Fu Xun went, he went.

Seeing him organize the tools, he clicked his tongue, impressed: “Fu Zong, you’re really generous to Qu Yixian, letting her toy with the G-Class like that.”

He had seen yesterday how Fu Xun supported Qu Yixian: towing, winching, handing tools… almost on the same level as his own status.

Fu Xun turned his head to look at him.

His gaze carried pressure. Especially when silent, just watching, Yuan Ye felt he could barely breathe.

Did he say something wrong?

No… it’s the truth!

Fu Xun didn’t make it hard for him. Seeing Yuan Ye’s hairs standing on end, almost fainting, he said teasingly: “If you don’t show her attention, then for rough old men?”

Yuan Ye: “…Huh?”

…

Damn! Fu Zong’s intentions are suspicious!

——

When Qu Yixian lifted the tent flap, she saw Yuan Ye looking like he’d seen a ghost.

She looked at Fu Xun, puzzled: “What did you say to the kid? He’s scared stiff.”

She came out to send Yuan Ye to coordinate with the rescue team, to check if the helicopter had been dispatched. Earlier, when she acted up at midnight, the girls inside the tent who were liaising with Dunhuang looked at her like she was a flood beast; she just raised an eyebrow and they gasped.

“Nothing… nothing at all.” Yuan Ye stammered, trying to answer for Fu Xun: “Just, just…”

Just what? He couldn’t make something up on the spot.

He gave up, awkwardly changing the topic: “You looking for me?”

Qu Yixian didn’t pry and gestured toward the big tent: “Go ask Dunhuang what’s happening. If it’s not feasible, we’ll call the helicopter ourselves.”

Yuan Ye happily escaped, quickly agreeing.

Before he could step forward, Qu Yixian grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him back, teasing: “How about we suggest to the investor to have a backup helicopter ready when we return?”

Yuan Ye’s face went pale. He secretly glanced at Fu Xun, feeling tormented: “I don’t think that’s feasible… a helicopter costs at least thirty million. Do you think money grows on trees?”

Fu Xun could tell Qu Yixian was joking from her tone. Seeing Yuan Ye on the verge of tears, he thought: indeed, not much backbone.

This psychological resilience… a few more scares like this, and he might just shake him out.

He formed a loose fist with his right hand against his lips, cleared his throat lightly, helping Yuan Ye out: “Are you still going today?”

“Yes.” Qu Yixian released Yuan Ye: “I have nothing else to do, might as well tire you out for one more day.”

Fu Xun caught the key word—“one more day.”

Yuan Ye had said so much, but not a word was relevant. Qu Yixian’s specific arrangements, content, and plans weren’t mentioned; it was all just expressing emotion.

Clearly, Qu Yixian had made a decision—planning to settle this today. After all, dragging it out would not only consume material resources but also all the rescue personnel’s time.

Time, like life, is precious.

——

The vehicle drove out of the camp, heading alone toward the outskirts of Guhe Yadan.

Qu Yixian briefly went over today’s arrangements with Fu Xun on the way. The search and rescue had to continue, even if it meant recovering a body first.

How to explain it to the family wasn’t her concern, and declaring death wasn’t her responsibility either.

She sat in the passenger seat, bored, making conversation: “Last year, around the same time, Starshine took on a desert missing-person rescue. The family reported it, and after the police received the report, the deputy chief personally led a team into the desert.”

“July in the desert isn’t gentle. The missing person’s location had many dunes, steep slopes. Vehicles couldn’t enter, so they had to walk. Not far in, the police team suffered heatstroke and had to return to the station to recover.”

“That’s when the police thought of Starshine and called Yuan Ye and me to a meeting. When I got there, guess how that person went missing?”

A faint “zzzt” came over the radio; nearby vehicles were communicating on the channel.

Fu Xun lightly tapped the direction, driving over a dune.

He didn’t mention that he had already seen the report. Every Starshine rescue mission, big or small, he received briefings—all sent by Peng Shen.

He glanced sideways, about to play ignorant.

Suddenly, a light sound cracked on a nearby sand hill in front of the vehicle. Red smoke bloomed like a patch of night orchids in midair, holding for several seconds.

A signal flare.

It was only 10 a.m., the temperature not too high. All radios were online. If it were just a vehicle problem or a tow, there’d be no need to fire a flare.

Qu Yixian’s scalp tingled; her expression turned instantly serious.

At the same time, the radio clicked, accompanied by the sound of helicopter rotors in the quiet car: “Qu Ye, Xun Haichao has been found.”

By the time Qu Yixian arrived, the nearby vehicles were lined up in front of the dunes.

The young men in the team, some wearing caps, all removed them and held them in hand.

To protect the scene, they kept a distance from the dunes.

Qu Yixian stood on the outer edge of the crowd, peering through a gap, and saw Xun Haichao buried in the shifting sand.

His body was half-covered, only the upper chest exposed. His blue jacket was dusted with fine sand, blown by the wind into wave-like patterns, making it strikingly visible.

Sand traces covered his mouth and nose, likely buried deeply in the sand the night before and lightly uncovered by the wind.

Even with mental preparation, Qu Yixian’s heart still jolted at the sight.

She stopped at the edge of the crowd, steadied her emotions, and turned to Fu Xun: “Do you have a light? Borrow some fire. I’ll… give him a cigarette.”