CHAPTER 224

Chapter 224 Veronica’s Drowning Episode

“Okay, a bet it is.” As he was worried for her, Matthew had no choice but to agree to the bet. As long as Veronica endured the swim and made her way out, then he would gladly agree to anything she proposed.“I trust that you’ll keep your words. I’ll definitely make my way out alive for the sake of our bet!” She patted herself on the chest smugly while being full of confidence.“Yeah, I trust that you’ll succeed.” He nodded slightly and reminded, “Have a go first, I’ll follow closely behind you. Remember the phone.”“Sure.” She nodded in agreement and soon after, she stood in place and did some warm- ups.When Veronica was a child, her master had taught her plenty of knowledge that she comprehended everything perfectly. It was especially so after she had watched the movie ‘A Letter to Dad’ that starred Johnny Depp, which sparked her interest in learning how to hold her breath underwater. Ever since then, she had been learning it from her master.However, the longest she could hold her breath underwater was five minutes. The two hundred meters swim should be manageable for her as long as she persisted slightly longer.Veronica, in fact, was betting on her life. After all, she knew that Matthew had sustained a serious injury; with the lack of equipment and strength to overcome the slippery cave and climbing condition, that itself was enough of a reason for Veronica to step in. It would be worrisome to ask Matthew, who was wearing leather shoes in a cave with a high fever and injured hand to even do anything. No matter how much she thought about it, she could never come around the idea for him to swim alone. Can a person running a high fever even swim two hundred meters, let alone getting out alive?“Matthew, if the two of us succeed in getting out, then we’re life-and-death buddies from now on. It would be virtually impossible for me to date a player like you, but we can become great buddies; that would be quite nice.” She was stretching her thighs while doing warm-up moves for her entire body.Although it was not nice to be called a player over and over again, Matthew had somehow gotten used to it.He nodded slightly and glanced at the woman by his side. There was a faint smile in his ocean-deep eyes. “Whatever you say.”After two minutes of warming up, the two of them stood by the edge of the stream. Veronica stood by the edge of the stream and took a deep breath with the phone in her hand.“I’m off.” She leaped into the water instantly after the simple

‘farewell’.As soon as he saw her leave, he waited for thirty seconds before entering the water.The temperature of the water in the hidden stream was extremely cold.Veronica could not help shivering as soon as she entered the water, but she clenched her teeth and continued to swim on.The five minutes distance felt like an eternity to her. She recomposed herself and swam forward at a consistent speed while trying to maintain her stamina.In no time, Matthew caught up with her and guarded her steadfastly behind her.She silently calculated the time in her mind as she counted down slowly.Four minutes had gone by, but she was still feeling energized enough to continue.Furthermore, she was mentally in great condition and reckoned that she could persevere for another two minutes. Though it would be hard on her, she was sure that she could manage.However, just when she was lost in her positive thoughts as she found success within reach, there was suddenly an intense pain in her head.Quick but deadly as a lightning, she felt the same pain she experienced in the maze. You know, the feeling of your skull being ripped into two, then yanked around.Veronica tried her best to stifle the pain as she continued hard to swim forward.Keep going! Keep going! Veronica, you can’t die here! Think about your parents who adopted and cared for you! You still have a long life ahead of you!She continued to cheer for herself in her mind.Meanwhile, Matthew could see every move she made from the flashlight of her phone. Although she was swimming along, she had slowed down significantly. He sensed that something was off, so he quickly swam to her side and grabbed her around the waist to swim forward with her.“Umph… Umph…”She could no longer withstand the intense pain in her brain and at last, she inhaled. Next thing she knew, a rush of water was gushing into her nostrils and mouth. Gulp… Gulp… With every chug of water, she was starting to choke.As soon as Matthew noticed that, his heart skipped a beat as he immediately wrapped his arms around her. Without much hesitation, he planted his lips on hers and transferred a breath of air.At this very moment, everything around them— the moving waters and the passing time—seemed to have come to a halt.He continued to look at Veronica struggling painfully in his arms as he kept his lips tightly pressed against hers. He held his gaze intently and continued to pass on a firm message with his eyes. ‘Roni, stop struggling. I’ll get you out of here.’After receiving the breath of air, she felt some slight relief. Despite the overwhelming torture that could easily diminish any human spirit’s for survival, she saw his firm gaze and managed to stifle

the pain.Matthew was afraid for this to drag out more than a second, so he pulled her along while swimming outward.However, Veronica did not manage to keep going any further and the intense pain in her skull was tormenting her to the point that her entire body convulsed from the pain.“Glug. Glug…” As more water entered her mouth, her body started to twitch.Matthew was pained to see her in such a state, but he clenched his teeth and continued to their destination. They were getting closer to the exit and he could already see the light shining in; it felt like a glimmer of hope.At that point, he had used up most of his energy, but the fact that Veronica was on the brink of death persistently popped into his mind. He swam on maniacally and continued to move forward…Whoosh!Finally, he arrived at the long- awaited destination.Matthew immediately popped his head out of the water as it made a huge splash. He took a deep breath before dragging Veronica toward the edge of the shore.After rescuing her, he laid her flat on the ground and saw her abdomen bulging from all the water she had taken in. Seeing her face as pale as a sheet and her body motionless as a corpse, Matthew’s heart was in his mouth. There was a strong sense of anxiety and fear that rained over him and he suddenly found himself terrified beyond words; he had never experienced such terror before.He patted her face in anticipation. “Roni?! Wake up! Don’t go to sleep!”As he yelled out, he started resuscitating her. He pressed hard on her chest and used professional resuscitation techniques.One! Two! Three! He continued to perform CPR for more than a minute, but there was only a little bit of water that came out of her mouth; she had yet to show signs of regaining consciousness.As for Matthew, the wound on his thenar muscle had ripped open and blood spurted out once again. It was inevitable as his hands were immersed in the stream and he had been applying heavy pressure during the resuscitation. The blood from his hand was now trickling down Veronica’s alabaster-like skin and the sight was horrifying.“Roni? Can you hear me? Wake up! Wake up!”Time went by gradually and he had already been resuscitating her for the past two minutes, but to no luck, she showed no signs of recovery.Matthew could feel his heart clench as he continued to call out her name with a trembling voice. It felt like someone was gripping his throat and his heart was sinking deeply.This feeling… it feels like bit by bit, moment by moment, she is slowly leaving me.At that point, he could not contain his anxiety as he pumped her heart and cried out, “I thought you wanted to become rich? Is that all the money you wanted? Didn’t you promise that we

would be best buddies? How are you going to be my best buddy if you’re not here?”The man who was usually calm and composed in every situation he faced had finally lost it.He repeatedly called out her name while exerting pressure on his hand. His eyes were flushed red and he looked almost monstrous.However, that did not stop his action of resuscitation. All he could see in front of him was her lifeless body and he could not stop thinking that this was it. This is it…

“Okay, a bet it is.” As he was worried for her, Matthew had no choice but to agree to the bet. As long as Veronica endured the swim and made her way out, then he would gladly agree to anything she proposed.

“I trust that you’ll keep your words. I’ll definitely make my way out alive for the sake of our bet!” She patted herself on the chest smugly while being full of confidence.

“Yeah, I trust that you’ll succeed.” He nodded slightly and reminded, “Have a go first, I’ll follow closely behind you. Remember the phone.”

“Sure.” She nodded in agreement and soon after, she stood in place and did some warm-ups.

When Veronica was a child, her master had taught her plenty of knowledge that she comprehended everything perfectly.

It was especially so after she had watched the movie ‘A Letter to Dad’ that starred Johnny Depp, which sparked her interest in learning how to hold her breath underwater. Ever since then, she had been learning it from her master.

However, the longest she could hold her breath underwater was five minutes. The two hundred meters swim should be manageable for her as long as she persisted slightly longer.

Veronica, in fact, was betting on her life. After all, she knew that Matthew had sustained a serious injury; with the lack of equipment and strength to overcome the slippery cave and climbing condition,

that itself was enough of a reason for Veronica to step in. It would be worrisome to ask Matthew, who was wearing leather shoes in a cave with a high fever and injured hand to even do anything. No matter how much she thought about it, she could never come around the idea for him to swim alone. Can a person running a high fever even swim two hundred meters, let alone getting out alive?

“Matthew, if the two of us succeed in getting out, then we’re life-and-death buddies from now on. It would be virtually impossible for me to date a player like you, but we can become great buddies; that would be quite nice.” She was stretching her thighs while doing warm-up moves for her entire body.

Although it was not nice to be called a player over and over again, Matthew had somehow gotten used to it.

He nodded slightly and glanced at the woman by his side. There was a faint smile in his ocean-deep eyes. “Whatever you say.”

After two minutes of warming up, the two of them stood by the edge of the stream. Veronica stood by the edge of the stream and took a deep breath with the phone in her hand.

“I’m off.” She leaped into the water instantly after the simple ‘farewell’.

As soon as he saw her leave, he waited for thirty seconds before entering the water.

The temperature of the water in the hidden stream was extremely cold.

Veronica could not help shivering as soon as she entered the water, but she clenched her teeth and continued to swim on.

The five minutes distance felt like an eternity to her. She recomposed herself and swam forward at a consistent speed while trying to maintain her stamina.

In no time, Matthew caught up with her and guarded her steadfastly behind her.Property © of .

She silently calculated the time in her mind as she counted down slowly.

Four minutes had gone by, but she was still feeling energized enough to continue.

Furthermore, she was mentally in great condition and reckoned that she could persevere for another two minutes. Though it would be hard on her, she was sure that she could manage.

However, just when she was lost in her positive thoughts as she found success within reach, there was suddenly an intense pain in her head.

Quick but deadly as a lightning, she felt the same pain she experienced in the maze. You know, the feeling of your skull being ripped into two, then yanked around.

Veronica tried her best to stifle the pain as she continued hard to swim forward.

Keep going! Keep going! Veronica, you can’t die here! Think about your parents who adopted and cared for you! You still have a long life ahead of you!

She continued to cheer for herself in her mind.

Meanwhile, Matthew could see every move she made from the flashlight of her phone. Although she was swimming along, she had slowed down significantly. He sensed that something was off, so he quickly swam to her side and grabbed her around the waist to swim forward with her.

“Umph… Umph…”

She could no longer withstand the intense pain in her brain and at last, she inhaled. Next thing she knew, a rush of water was gushing into her nostrils and mouth. Gulp… Gulp… With every chug of water, she was starting to choke.

As soon as Matthew noticed that, his heart skipped a beat as he immediately wrapped his arms around her. Without much hesitation, he planted his lips on hers and transferred a breath of air.

At this very moment, everything around them—the moving waters and the passing time—seemed to have come to a halt.

He continued to look at Veronica struggling painfully in his arms as he kept his lips tightly pressed against hers. He held his gaze intently and continued to pass on a firm message with his eyes. ‘Roni, stop struggling. I’ll get you out of here.’

After receiving the breath of air, she felt some slight relief. Despite the overwhelming torture that could easily diminish any human spirit’s for survival, she saw his firm gaze and managed to stifle the pain.

Matthew was afraid for this to drag out more than a second, so he pulled her along while swimming outward.

However, Veronica did not manage to keep going any further and the intense pain in her skull was tormenting her to the point that her entire body convulsed from the pain.

“Glug. Glug…” As more water entered her mouth, her body started to twitch.

Matthew was pained to see her in such a state, but he clenched his teeth and continued to their destination. They were getting closer to the exit and he could already see the light shining in; it felt like a glimmer of hope.

At that point, he had used up most of his energy, but the fact that Veronica was on the brink of death persistently popped into his mind. He swam on maniacally and continued to move forward…

Whoosh!

Finally, he arrived at the long-awaited destination.

Matthew immediately popped his head out of the water as it made a huge splash. He took a deep breath before dragging Veronica toward the edge of the shore.

After rescuing her, he laid her flat on the ground and saw her abdomen bulging from all the water she had taken in. Seeing her face as pale as a sheet and her body motionless as a corpse, Matthew’s heart was in his mouth. There was a strong sense of anxiety and fear that rained over him and he suddenly found himself terrified beyond words; he had never experienced such terror before.

He patted her face in anticipation. “Roni?! Wake up! Don’t go to sleep!”

As he yelled out, he started resuscitating her. He pressed hard on her chest and used professional resuscitation techniques.

One! Two! Three! He continued to perform CPR for more than a minute, but there was only a little bit of water that came out of her mouth; she had yet to show signs of regaining consciousness.

As for Matthew, the wound on his thenar muscle had ripped open and blood spurted out once again. It was inevitable as his hands were immersed in the stream and he had been applying heavy pressure during the resuscitation. The blood from his hand was now trickling down Veronica’s alabaster-like skin and the sight was horrifying.

“Roni? Can you hear me? Wake up! Wake up!”

Time went by gradually and he had already been resuscitating her for the past two minutes, but to no luck, she showed no signs of recovery.

Matthew could feel his heart clench as he continued to call out her name with a trembling voice. It felt like someone was gripping his throat and his heart was sinking deeply.

This feeling… it feels like bit by bit, moment by moment, she is slowly leaving me.

At that point, he could not contain his anxiety as he pumped her heart and cried out, “I thought you wanted to become rich? Is that all the money you wanted? Didn’t you promise that we would be best buddies? How are you going to be my best buddy if you’re not here?”

The man who was usually calm and composed in every situation he faced had finally lost it.

He repeatedly called out her name while exerting pressure on his hand. His eyes were flushed red and he looked almost monstrous.

However, that did not stop his action of resuscitation. All he could see in front of him was her lifeless body and he could not stop thinking that this was it. This is it…