Wilderness Survival with Druid System

Chapter 455: Chapter 4: Formation of the Search and Rescue Team

Gan Tieshan recalled for a moment and said, ”Anyway, I just heard that officer say you must have some experience...”

”I’ll give it a try!”

Chen Wen was about to get up immediately, but Liu Yu stopped him.

Liu Yu looked at Chen Wen suspiciously and then said, ”You’re not thinking of joining the rescue team just to slip away and go in on your own, are you?”

Chen Wen’s expression froze, as he had been guessed correctly.

Lv Guocheng cleared his throat and said, ”Chen Wen, you better not act recklessly right now. Even if you join the rescue team, you need to follow orders. Otherwise, if you really go in alone, we’ll have to split our forces to save you, which will waste more time.”

”Alright, I promise I won’t mess around. I’ll just go and see how the rescue team is doing.”

Chen Wen said earnestly.

Seeing Chen Wen in this state, Lv Guocheng was relieved.

Liu Yu also nodded: ”Go and come back quickly, I’ll arrange a place for you to stay later.”

Chen Wen stood up, and as he was about to leave, Wang Zhi followed.

The two of them went out together.

After Chen Wen had walked far, Lv Guocheng looked at Liu Yu: ”I feel that if we keep suppressing Chen Wen, he might really go in alone. I know this kid’s personality better than you do; he’s here with the intention of personally participating in the rescue.”

”After all, if he wanted to, he could stay out of it entirely.”

Liu Yu knocked on his head with a headache and said, ”I know, but this time it’s genuinely dangerous!”

”According to our analysis, there are all kinds of dangers: flash floods, landslides, heavy rain, hypothermia, mosquito bites, treacherous terrain, wild animal attacks, poisonous insects, and snakes. Even the military has sent elite scout and special forces personnel to form a top-notch rescue team.”

”Under these circumstances, can I let Chen Wen go in?”

Hearing this, Lv Guocheng also fell silent.

...

Outside, through the [stereo], Chen Wen overheard the conversation between Liu Yu and Lv Guocheng.

To be honest, Chen Wen was very moved.

But he also had things to say.

Flash floods, landslides, rugged terrain—once I fly, they’re no problem at all.

The [Wings (Golden Eagle)] entry isn’t just for show.

Heavy rain and hypothermia—I’m able to grow feathers, and I have various Cold Resistance entries.

Mosquito bites—I got a [Repellent] entry recently in Caprivi.

As for wild beasts and poisonous insects or snakes, the former can’t even harm me, and I can transform into the strongest land mammal.

As for the latter, I have a whole set of speed entries and the divine skill [Swift], which can counter their attacks.

If they can’t bite, poisoning is hard to happen.

In other words, Ailao Mountain’s only real obstacle for me is how to track down Yan Bian and his team.

And ensuring they hold on until I arrive.

Chen Wen thought as he arrived at the area where the rescue team was being recruited.

There, two policemen were reading out the requirements.

”Adult males are preferred, those with deep mountain rescue experience are preferred, familiar with Ailao Mountain’s terrain is preferred, those who can track footprints are preferred, and those with strength are preferred.”

The requirements were simple, but also quite limiting.

Most gathered around were local people recruited earlier by Lv Guocheng, as well as a few local guides.

Someone then asked about money.

The police officers seemed a bit helpless: ”We can’t offer much in terms of bonuses, but you do get goodwill bonuses and honor. Besides, Mr. Lv, who hired you before, is personally willing to provide each entrant with fifty thousand in cash just for entering, with additional rewards for rescuing someone.”

”However, this operation is extremely dangerous, and everyone knows the situation inside, even armed police find it hard to go deep. Everyone should carefully consider and not impulsively risk it for money.”

The local people around were eager, but no one dared to be the first to agree.

As locals, they are most aware of the dangers of the restricted area.

Fifty thousand cash is substantial for them, but not worth risking life and limb.

This is also Lv Guocheng’s idea; he doesn’t offer too much because he doesn’t want local people risking themselves for money.

At this point, someone with a distinct out-of-town accent said, ”We will join. My friend and I are from the Hua Country Exploration Association—Emergency Rescue Committee. We both have extensive mountain rescue experience, having previously worked in the Qinling.”

This statement hit like a thunderclap, breaking the silence and stirring the crowd.

”I’ll join too, I’m from the Hua Country Exploration Association—Survival Branch, I survived in the Ailao Mountain reserve before, and I’m also part of the Yun Province Blue Sky Rescue Team, I participated in rescue operations in the Ailao Mountain reserve.”

The speaker appeared to be in his forties, with a voice unfamiliar to Chen Wen.

His face was outside the light, only his eyes reflected the incandescence, bright and sharp.

Another person extended a hand: ”I’m with the tourist area development. I helped develop this route and am familiar with the environment!”

Four consecutive sign-ups ignited the enthusiasm of others around.

”I’ll join too. I’m a local; before... before, I’ve hunted rabbits in the mountains, so I’m kinda familiar!”

”I’ll join as well. I’m a local and have foraged for mushrooms in the mountains quite a bit.”

”I’m in too, even though I’m just traveling here, I’m good at trekking outdoors. I’ve hiked the Ao Tai Trail; I’m strong, able to carry an eighty-pound load without hindering walking!”

...

With sporadic sign-ups, the two police officers soon noticed that enough people had been recruited.

They even had two extra.

A group of the selected rescuers gathered around the registration table, faces mixed with tension, excitement, and fear.

Yet not a single one of them regretted or backed out.

The officer in charge of recruiting was a young lady, looking at everyone, she felt the surrounding temperature also became much warmer.

She held back the sting at her nose tip, and bowed to everyone: ”Thank you, thank you all!”

Chen Wen quietly left the crowd and returned to the tent.

”What now? You’re not planning to join them?”

Wang Zhi asked.

Chen Wen shook his head: ”Though I really admire them, this team won’t go deeper; they’ll only operate on the periphery, and... this team is too mixed, with all kinds of people. It’s going to be cumbersome to operate, I’m planning to ask Mr. Liu and Mr. Lv if I can join the military’s rescue team.”

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhi looked at Chen Wen in shock.

Joining the military’s rescue team, is it even possible?

And does Chen Wen really intend to go to the depths?

...

Back in the tent, before either Lv or Liu could ask, Chen Wen stated his request.

This time it was Lv Guocheng and Liu Yu’s turn to be silent.

Chen Wen earnestly said, ”If I didn’t want to cause trouble for you both, I would have slipped away in the dark. This time, I really want to contribute.”

”Mr. Liu, I understand your three points. If I wasn’t good at survival, then okay, but I am! You want me to stay here waiting for Mr. Yan’s news. I really can’t do that, and does our Survival Association have people who are cowards? Do I not need to survive in similar environments in the future?”

”I am confident, truly. If I weren’t, I wouldn’t even have come here, but since I’m here, I never thought of sitting outside just waiting!”

The determination in Chen Wen’s words gradually changed Liu Yu’s mind.

He lifted his head, smiling somewhat helplessly: ”Alright, I feel your resolve.”

”I will try to get you on it, but!”

The word ’but’ was what Chen Wen dreaded hearing the most.

Yet Liu Yu still said it: ”But don’t hold too much hope. This time we’re here simply to provide some data support; the police aren’t especially focused on our association’s personnel. You need to be prepared for that.”