Return to the City: The Strongest King
Chapter 955 - 956 You Must Survive

Chapter 955: Chapter 956 You Must Survive

"How are you doing?" Qingqing asked nervously, looking at Song Xiaodong.

"I’m fine!" Song Xiaodong smiled lightly.

Xuanxuan’s eyes were slightly red as she softly said, "Husband, during the crash, were you hurt so badly because you were protecting us?"

Both Qingqing and Xuanxuan had come out unscathed, but seeing someone as strong as Song Xiaodong so severely injured left no doubt in their minds about the reason why.

Song Xiaodong said gently, "You’re my wives. Protecting you is my responsibility."

Qingqing choked up a little and said, "You should have protected yourself first. It’s not just us you need to think about; you have other sisters too. If something happens to you, how will we explain it to them?"

Song Xiaodong smiled faintly and said, "Whether it’s you or them, in a situation like this, I’ll always choose to act this way. I love you all, and that means I cannot let anything harm you. Otherwise, what right would I have to call myself your husband?"

"But you need to take care of yourself too," Xuanxuan said, biting her lip.

Song Xiaodong gently kissed both of them on the cheeks and said, "Aren’t I doing just fine now? Don’t worry. My injuries aren’t too severe—just a few days of rest, and I’ll recover."

Qingqing sighed and said, "But in our current situation, it’s hard to say how many days we can survive."

She wasn’t being overly optimistic. Plane crashes rarely lead to quick rescues, especially in the vast, open sea, where the currents could soon carry them to unknown places.

Even though they had a large wing fragment and over forty people, in the middle of the ocean, finding them would be nearly impossible—unless someone had a tracking system on them right now.

But clearly, everyone’s phones were either lost or waterlogged, making them completely unusable.

Some people’s phones might have been waterproof, but keep in mind that even quick reactors like Song Xiaodong managed to surface only after sinking more than twenty meters underwater. At that depth, the water pressure would render any waterproof phone useless.

Song Xiaodong was even more concerned than Qingqing, and it wasn’t just about food and water. Night was about to fall, the temperature was dropping, and the first night would be the initial test.

Then there was the weather. If no rain or wind came, it might be manageable. But if rain and wind started up, they’d be clinging to just this one wing fragment. The waves would be unstoppable; nobody would be able to stay on the wing. Not to mention, even trying to hold on would be futile.

At that point, everyone would be scattered by the waves.

Xuanxuan said, "Husband, if it really comes to a point where survival isn’t possible, you must promise to look after yourself."

Qingqing nodded firmly and said, "That’s right. It’s not just us; you have others to think about. If you can’t save us, you must ensure your own survival. You’re responsible not just for us, but for them too."

Song Xiaodong frowned slightly and resolutely said, "I will make sure you all survive."

Qingqing sighed softly and said, "Of course, surviving is best. But... sigh, husband, promise us—if, and I stress if, it becomes truly impossible, don’t die with us. I believe that, given your ability, you have a better chance of making it on your own."

Xuanxuan hugged Song Xiaodong tightly, gripping the wing fragment with one hand, and said, "Husband, sis is right."

Song Xiaodong was deeply moved. He closed his eyes for a moment and exhaled a long breath before saying, "Don’t worry. Just give me one night, and I’ll have enough confidence to get us through this. Even if unexpected situations arise, I’ll still ensure your safety."

From Song Xiaodong’s resolute tone, Qingqing and Xuanxuan gained a sliver of confidence. After all, nobody wants to die; everyone wants to cling to life. If they could survive, neither Qingqing nor Xuanxuan was willing to let Song Xiaodong sacrifice himself.

Children and elderly were allowed on the wing fragment for the first half-hour, then the women had their turn, and finally, the men.

The first round went fairly smoothly as everyone was cooperative.

But by nightfall, differing opinions had started to emerge.

With the sky now pitch-black, visibility in the water was nearly nonexistent. The fear of the dark heightened everyone’s anxieties.

No one wanted to risk accidentally drifting away from the wing fragment, because facing the vast, open ocean alone meant virtually no chance of survival.

Fortunately, Wu Xiaoya, the flight attendant, kept encouraging and comforting people, trying to stabilize their emotions.

"Ah! Help! Help me!" Out of the thick darkness came a sudden, desperate scream. "Someone, please come help me—I can’t swim!"

It was a woman’s voice, anguished and desperate, drifting further and further—about ten meters away from the group.

It was already the middle of the night. The woman, exhausted and weary, had let go of her grip and was carried away by the current.

"Quick, someone go pull her back!" Wu Xiaoya shouted anxiously.

But no one moved.

Wu Xiaoya grew even more frantic. "What’s wrong with you people? If we don’t get her back now, she’ll be separated from us for good. It’s almost impossible to survive in a situation like this alone."

"That might be true, but it’s so dark. If we swim over there, we may not even find our way back ourselves. She’s only one person; we can’t risk everyone over her."

"Exactly. She should’ve held on tighter. If she doesn’t want to save herself, she shouldn’t expect others to risk their lives. I’m not going."

Wu Xiaoya was momentarily speechless. These words, however cold-hearted they sounded, didn’t completely lack reason.

Out of the darkness, a single shadow suddenly swam toward the distressed woman—it was Song Xiaodong.

His True Qi had been shattered and hadn’t recovered yet, but his stamina was in decent condition, so saving one person wasn’t beyond him.

He knew the woman bore responsibility for her own carelessness but, at the end of the day, a human life was at stake. If it were truly impossible to save her, Song Xiaodong wouldn’t act recklessly. But since he had the ability, how could he stand idly by?

He brought the woman back safely, and she thanked him profusely. However, once he returned, Song Xiaodong quietly went to Qingqing and Xuanxuan without drawing any attention to his actions.

Wu Xiaoya raised her voice again to remind everyone, "Listen, everyone! Whatever you do, don’t fall asleep tonight. You must hold on. If you fall asleep, we could lose our lives. You have to stay awake and endure."

An elderly woman weakly said, "I’m too tired; I don’t want to go back down."

Wu Xiaoya said, "Let’s let the weaker ones stay on top for a little longer; otherwise, they’ll die."

After a moment of silence, someone loudly objected, "No way. We agreed to rotate every half-hour. If we break the rule now, everyone will start taking advantage, and what happens later?"