The Human Game

人间游戏

the-human-game

Chapter 10 Part 1

Time rewound to that afternoon.


 Back then, the sky was still bright. The light rain falling overhead was like the tender affections of lovers, whispering sweet nothings.


 The sea breeze was a little strong, but it only added a bit of charm for those strolling along the shore.


 Bo He was attending the meeting in place of her supervisor, so she originally didn't have to join the team-building event.


 But the meeting wouldn't officially start until the next day, and Bo He was, after all, just a junior rookie temporarily filling in for her supervisor to give a speech. When her department superior called and told her to go out to sea for team-building with her colleagues that afternoon, she couldn't well refuse.


 So, Bo He, who had planned to spend the afternoon relaxing comfortably in her room, had no choice but to put down her game, head to another hotel to meet up with her colleagues, and then take a speedboat out to sea.


 The team-building location was another small island near the main one. Everyone spent the afternoon pleasantly, barbecuing and chatting under the eaves in the light rain, admiring the flowers and watching the sea.


 But as evening approached, the rain suddenly grew heavier.


 There was no place to stay overnight on the small island, so the group had no choice but to head back in the wind and rain.


 Several speedboats entered the sea one after another. It hadn't seemed so bad from the shore, but once on the open water, they felt monstrous waves crashing towards them, drenching them from head to toe.


 A fierce gust of wind blew, and they could no longer open their eyes. The refreshing summer air instantly turned bone-chillingly cold.


 Lightning flashed overhead, accompanied by thunderous roars, seemingly striking the sea surface not far away and illuminating half the sky!


 A few of the more timid girls screamed in terror.


 Everyone's face was deathly pale, their hands clutching the railings, not daring to let go.


 "The wind and waves are too strong! Hold on tight!"


 The boat's captain yelled back, his voice reduced to a mosquito's buzz in the storm.


 When they had come out in the afternoon, with the gentle drizzle and waves, everyone had found it quite romantic, full of interest as they teased each other.


 It was different now.


 Everyone's expression was scrunched up. Even with their mouths tightly shut, rain mixed with salty seawater kept seeping through their lips.


 Even the experienced captain said he hadn't encountered a storm this severe in many years. If they weren't in a hurry to get back, and if there weren't any hotels for overnight stays on the island, they shouldn't have set out at all, logically speaking.


 The speedboat sliced through the water, lurching forward, the vibrations making everyone's palms numb and their hearts pound violently in their chests.


 Rong Rong was about to cry.


 She felt that ever since she failed the internal recruitment and couldn't get into the CEO's office, her luck had been terrible.


 It was bad enough that she couldn't be with her beloved senior, Qin Chuan, day and night, but even coming out for fun, she had to run into a storm seen only once in decades.


 What kind of luck was this?


 She had originally thought that for this team-building trip, although Senior Qin was busy with meetings, if he could occasionally show up, they might have a chance for a romantic encounter. That's why she had carefully put on makeup before heading out in the afternoon.


 But now, with the wind and rain beating down on her, even waterproof makeup couldn't withstand such an assault. She could imagine her face must be starting to look like it was melting. If Senior Qin was waiting for them on the shore...


 Rong Rong didn't dare to imagine it.


 As more and more rain collected on her face, sliding from her forehead into her eyes, Rong Rong felt a stinging pain and subconsciously freed a hand to wipe the water away.


 Who would have known that a large wave would crash from the left just then, surging high and forcefully pushing her outward? Rong Rong's hand, gripping the railing, slipped without her realizing. While she was still in a daze, her body was already involuntarily falling out of the speedboat!


 The girl sitting behind her saw this and screamed immediately, but she didn't dare to get up and pull her back, as that would only cause them both to fall.


 Everyone turned their heads at the sound, their faces filled with horror!


 Although they were all wearing life jackets, in such strong wind and waves, if someone really fell into the sea, they would be swept away to who knows where in an instant.


 A male colleague reached out to grab her, but he was too far away and couldn't reach.


 The next second, Rong Rong's thigh was grabbed tightly!


 It was Bo He.


 Bo He, sitting next to her, had reacted faster than anyone. In the half-second before Rong Rong was about to be flung out, she acted decisively, grabbing Rong Rong's waistband with one hand and yanking her back with sheer force!


 "Quick, quick, pull her back!"


 Their colleagues snapped back to reality and rushed to help, pushing Rong Rong, whose upper body was already hanging over the sea, back into her seat.


 The captain roared back at them, "Hold on tight, are you stupid?!"


 He was also frightened in hindsight. If Rong Rong had really fallen in just now, he would definitely be held responsible and might even lose his job.


 "Grab the railing!" Bo He snapped sternly.


 Rong Rong, still in shock, gasped for air, seemingly not yet recovered. She woodenly followed Bo He's command.


 The short twenty-minute journey was a heart-pounding ordeal for everyone; they had almost used up a lifetime's worth of fright.


 But only almost.


 Amidst the assault of the wind and rain, the group could finally make out the silhouette of the coastline, and everyone grew excited.


 The speedboat's speed gradually decreased.


 This year's team-building event coincided with a meeting and a training session, so the staff was quite spread out. Some had taken leave for personal reasons, and others had stayed at the hotel due to illness. The people on these few speedboats constituted almost everyone who participated.


 Including Rong Rong, not a single one was missing.


 When they finally docked at the shore, everyone was soaked to the bone from head to toe.


 Without a second thought, the group scrambled off the speedboat, supporting each other as they ran towards a nearby building.


 "I... my legs feel a bit weak. You guys go on ahead!"


 Rong Rong was only now feeling the delayed fear, her voice trembling and on the verge of tears.


 Without another word, Bo He grabbed her by the arm and started walking.


 Rong Rong could only feel the other's immense strength, half of her body being dragged forward. She just needed to muster the other half of her energy to drag her half-soulless shell along after Bo He.


 In this situation, she wanted to say something, but her lips trembled, and no words came out.


 The beach where they landed was the hotel's private beach, not too far from the hotel lobby. But a walk that usually took ten minutes took them nearly twenty in the storm before they reached the lobby.


 By this time, the lobby was already crowded with guests. Some, like them, had just returned from the sea in the storm, while others wanted to leave but couldn't.


 Only then did everyone truly feel the lingering terror of having survived a calamity.


 The HR supervisor who had organized the sea trip gathered everyone.

The Human Game

The Human Game

Chapter 10 - Chapter 10 Part 1

Ember