Chapter 4

I unconsciously clenched my fists.

She didn't even truly look at me, instead grabbing Marcus's arm, signaling him to step back, then turned to face me.

“Please.”

“Hayes said you’re the rescue team’s last hope. I don’t know you, but I choose to trust you!”

“My child is still underwater. He’s only ten. He’s terrified of the dark, and he needs to hear my voice every night to fall asleep.”

Tears dripped from her chin.

“If you just go down, I’ll do whatever you ask. Anything, any price.”

I took a deep breath, the emotions suppressed for ten years churning in my chest.

Perhaps this price was greater than they could imagine. Would they still insist then?

Finally, I spoke, my voice low.

“I can agree to come to the site with you.”

Olivia was overjoyed, grabbing my hand and exclaiming.

“Oh, thank God, that’s wonderful! Your name is Ethan, right?”

She paused, a little hesitant. “No matter what your name is, my husband and I will be so grateful.”

I cut her off. “Don’t misunderstand. I agreed to go to the site, not to go in the water.”

Ten years. I stood on the riverbank of Gale Creek Bay once more.

The ground was covered with equipment: multi-dimensional sonar, high-power underwater lights, three top-of-the-line rescue boats on standby.

A dozen experts huddled around a folding table, pointing at hydrographic charts.

“This is Mr. Marcus’s child! We have to save him, no matter the cost!”

I stood outside the crowd, looking at the scene, and suddenly felt a lump in my throat.

Ten years ago, Sophia fell into the same waters.

But on the shore, there was only one inflatable boat, a few ordinary safety ropes, and Olivia’s empty promise.

Today, because it was Marcus’s son lying at the bottom,

the entire command center could mobilize so much equipment within two hours.

What about Sophia’s life then? What was it worth?

At most, it was just a stepping stone for them to gain fame and fortune.

Even if they only retrieved a bloated body, they could still wear the halo of "rescue heroes," attract investors, start businesses, and rake in cash in the business world.

At that moment, the rescue personnel on site gathered around, their faces grim.

“Based on underwater air pressure and the child’s equipment capacity, the rescue window is only twenty minutes. The child is running low on oxygen. If we don’t go down now, he’ll be gone for good!”

“Ethan, since you’re already here, why don’t you go down now?”

Countless mouths opened and closed before me, but I shook my head.

“You have the most advanced sonar in the country here, a top-tier medical team, and all these experts.”

“Besides, didn’t the child’s parents also participate in the Gale Creek Bay rescue ten years ago? If anyone should go down, it certainly isn’t me.”

Olivia seemed to not have expected me to suddenly bring up the past.

She looked up at me, tears streaming down her face, her lips trembling.

“Yes, we went down back then, but we were injured after that rescue and moved behind the scenes. Technically, we can’t even enter the core area now!”

Perhaps with a guilty conscience, she suddenly collapsed to her knees.

Her knees hit the ground with a dull thud.

“Mr. Ethan, please, I beg you. I admit we weren’t skilled enough. We don’t deserve the title of rescue heroes, but our child is innocent!”

“I’m begging you, if you’ll just go down, I’ll do anything!”

She frantically banged her head against the ground, her forehead instantly red and swollen.

“Please go down! Save my son!”

Her gut-wrenching cries instantly ignited the anger of the surrounding crowd.

“Ethan! Are you even human?! How can you treat a grieving mother like this?”

“Ethan, you’re too selfish!”

“She’s kneeling to you, and you’re still playing hard to get!”

Several emotional team members rushed forward, grabbing my arms, desperately trying to push me into the water.

“You’re going down today!”

Malice washed over me from all sides, like a crushing tide.

I spoke, my voice hoarse.

“You all want me to go down so badly?”

“But even if I do go down, even if I reach your child…”

“How do you know I won’t also let go?”