Operation Blackout

》 CHAPTER 8│ Just In Time《

Everyone got out from their vehicles to see the landslide in front of them. The medical team had worried expressions on their faces especially in Weizhou. Jingyu noticed it and went over to him.

"The gods must be playing with us huh." Despite the worried expression of Weizhou, he still has a weak smile on his face. Weizhou didn't seem to notice the stare of Jingyu at him.

"If the gods are playing with us then we shall break the rules and win the game doc.." Jingyu winked and patted Weizhou's back, trying to cheer him up. Weizhou chuckled at Jingyu's statement.

"That would be cheating you know.." Weizhou replied. He finally smiled.

"You're cute when you smile.." Jingyu mumbled.

"Huh.. I'm sorry, I didn't catch that? What?.." Sadly, Weizhou didn't hear it clearly.

"I said, we need to get back to the others for our 'plan B'..." Jingyu tapped Weizhou's shoulders and walked away. Weizhou felt a tingling sensation in his shoulders where Jingyu just tapped. He was puzzled at first but just brushed it off and followed Jingyu. Ara'u explained that there was a strong rain last night that might be the cause of the landslide. Jingyu immediately ordered Wang Qing, Andy and Fengsong to have an ocular inspection on the range of the landslide in the road. While waiting for them to come back, JIngyu showed a map to Ara'u to let him pinpoint their current location.

"I think we are here right now...just a few kilometers away there is a crossing here that connects the trails for mountain hikers. It is a very rough road but trucks can still pass to it. Once we reach a shrine, that's the dead-end. You walk until you get to a valley where the bridge is... you see that mountain? That is Mt. Kan'laon**..Just over that is the village... " Ara'u pointed over the horizon where Mt. Kan'laon is visible..

"You said there is a track for mountain hikers. Why just don't we follow it??" Weizhou asked.

"The track does not go beyond the valley where the bridge is. For the safety of the hikers and tourists, the track does not lead to Mt. Kanlaon because that is the village's territory..." Ara'u explained.

"Why don't we just go back and wait for the helicopters to take us there Zhou?? Going over that mountain is impossible!" Shi Hui whined as she grabbed Weizhou's arm. She pouted thinking Weizhou would change his mind. Weizhou was about to say something to Shi Hui but Fengsong, Wang Qing and Andy arrived from their inspection. Fengsong showed the group a drone shot of the landslide. It was massive!! It looks like the whole side of the mountain just broke off. Ara'u noticed and told everyone that the track all the way to the shrine was also damaged by the landslide. Hence, their location right now is the dead-end. Everyone was silent. Maybe thinking if it was really a good idea to continue on this journey. Jingyu reviewed the drone shot and saw something.

"This tree is huge! Does the valley go all the way until there??.." Everyone looked at him. Weizhou and Ara'u seem to have snapped their necks turning their heads towards Jingyu. Weizhou immediately went over to him and looked at what Jingyu had discovered.

"Aaahh, that's the Balete** pass! That Balete Tree has roots that overlap the valley. The bantays usually pass over there as a shortcut to Mt. Kan'laon...They are the only one who knew about it. urgghh.. I must be really so old. I totally forgot about it. This will be your alternate path doc!.." Ara'u happily informed them.

"This will take more or less a 2-day hike for us, am i right Ara'u?.." Jingyu reaffirmed to their guide. Ara'u was quite amazed by Jingyu. He never set foot in these mountains yet he never once struggled to analyze their situation. He just nodded to confirm it.