Chapter 218 Andrew, He's Panicking!
Up on the mountain, Olivia was still searching for medicinal herbs with Evelyn.
She had originally planned not to go too far since Andrew and Bianca were nearby, just looking around the surrounding area.
Although it was a rare opportunity to gather wild herbs for a new formula, these specific ones weren't absolutely necessary - there could be alternatives.
The effects might just be slightly less effective.
What Olivia hadn't expected was that Evelyn would wander off far.
She was organizing the herbs she'd just dug up, thinking Andrew and Bianca should be done sketching, and was about to call them to get ready to head down the mountain.
But just as she looked up, she saw Benjamin rushing over asking, "Have you seen Ms. Thomas?"
Olivia paused for a moment and said, "No."
She'd been so focused on searching that she'd forgotten to keep track of Evelyn's whereabouts.
David, standing nearby, saw Benjamin come over and asked him with confusion, "Mr. White, weren't you competing with Ms. Thomas to see who could find more? Didn't you see where she went?"
Hearing this, Olivia's expression was somewhat hard to describe. "You guys were competing over that?"
More childish than elementary school kids.
But Olivia also started to worry.
She asked Benjamin, "Which path did you take earlier?"
Benjamin seemed to sense something was wrong. His expression changed slightly as he quickly said, "We were walking together at first, but later, Ms. Thomas took a different path."
David also told them, "This mountain - part of the area at the foot is developed, but the peak isn't. Further out, it's pure natural wilderness with a rocky forest area and countless branching paths.
I heard before that some tourists got lost there.
Ms. Thomas wouldn't be unlucky enough to have that happen too, would she?"
Olivia checked the time.
It was already afternoon when they came up, and in the blink of an eye, it was past three o'clock now. They definitely couldn't stay on the mountain much longer - they'd need to head down soon.
If Evelyn got lost on the mountain, that would be very dangerous.
Olivia also gave up on continuing to search for herbs and immediately told them, "No more talking, finding her is what matters!"
"Right."
Since Evelyn got lost because of Benjamin, he naturally didn't dare delay.
David wanted to go search with them too, but Benjamin stopped him. "Didn't we bring bodyguards on this trip? Go get them - more people means better efficiency."
"Okay, I'll go right now!" David quickly responded, then hurried back the way they came.
Olivia didn't dare delay. She followed Benjamin toward the direction where they'd been gathering herbs to search for her.
"Evelyn! Where are you?!"
"Ms. Thomas! Ms. Thomas!"
Walking and calling out, while searching, they also left marks along the way so David could follow with the others.
After walking for a while, they indeed saw a fork in the path ahead.
They just didn't know which way Evelyn had gone.
Olivia knew it was getting late. She made a quick decision and told Benjamin, "Let's split up and search - that'll be more efficient!"
"No way!" Benjamin refused without thinking. "We've already lost Ms. Thomas. If you get lost too, wouldn't that be even more troublesome?"
Dr. Garcia, if something happened to you, he wouldn't know how to explain it to Andrew.
Olivia remained calm. Not to mention that Evelyn was her only friend, she'd gotten lost while helping her find herbs - no matter what, she had to find her!
She told Benjamin, "If we keep delaying, it'll be even worse when it gets dark.
How about this - we'll both leave marks on the path. Every time we reach a fork, we'll mark it on a tree or on the ground. That way we definitely won't get lost, and the people behind can follow us!
Don't worry, my sense of direction is pretty good."
Olivia tried hard to convince Benjamin.
Benjamin understood she had a point.
Much of the mountain was undeveloped. Once night fell, it would only become more dangerous.
So he didn't object anymore and could only agree. "Alright, we'll do as you say. Just be sure to stay safe, and don't go too deep even if you don't find her."
"Okay!" Olivia agreed, and then they split up, each taking one path to continue the search.
On the other side, David also went back to find the bodyguards.
This group had been staying around Andrew the whole time.
When David came to find them, the commotion caught Andrew's attention.
He glanced at David and asked him, "What happened?"
David didn't dare hide it and immediately reported, "Ms. Thomas is lost. Dr. Garcia and Mr. White have already gone to look for her. Mr. White asked me to get some bodyguards to help search."
Andrew frowned. "They've already gone to look?"
David replied, "Yes, they've already gone ahead."
Andrew's expression darkened. He immediately ordered, "Have them all go help. Make sure to bring everyone back safely!"
"Yes!" David didn't dare delay and quickly turned to make arrangements.
But Andrew spoke again, "Wait, I'm coming too!"
He couldn't worry about anything else. He just hastily packed up Bianca's things and hurried off with his people to find Olivia and the others.
The situation suddenly became chaotic.
Andrew's group came very quickly. Unfortunately, they still couldn't beat the changing weather.
The sky that had at most been cloudy earlier started to get windy as time passed, and the air became increasingly oppressive.
Before long, dark clouds gathered on the horizon, and raindrops began to fall.
Large raindrops hit her body. Olivia hadn't expected things to develop this way at all.
After splitting up with Benjamin, she'd already passed three forks in the path. To prevent them from not being able to find her, she'd left double markers along the way.
One was drawing large arrows on the path, the other was breaking branches by the roadside as markers.
But now, with this sudden rain and wind, she started to worry that the road markers she'd made would be washed away, and the broken branches would be blown away too. That would be terrible.
Thinking they might not be able to find her, and she might not be able to get back, Olivia didn't dare go any deeper.
She instinctively started heading back.
But the more you fear something, the more likely it is to happen.
As she was rushing back, there was a thunderous boom in the sky, as if a crack had been torn open. Torrential rain poured down, and Olivia was already soaked through.
As the rain got heavier, everything before her eyes became blurry and she couldn't see the path clearly. The wind was also blowing fiercely, breaking tree branches.
Olivia felt that if she kept going, she'd be blown off the mountain. Even if she was lucky enough not to be blown away, the ground was slippery and there was a risk of rolling down the mountain.
Olivia didn't dare take the risk. In her haste, she remembered that not far ahead, there seemed to be a very run-down wooden shed. She'd passed by there not long ago.
It should have been built by hunters who used to come up the mountain long ago. After no one used it anymore, the wood on the outside had rotted away, leaving just a few posts, two mud walls, and a roof that appeared to have been patched up.
Although it was shabby, at this moment it could serve as a temporary shelter.
Given the special circumstances, Olivia couldn't afford to be picky. She quickly picked up her pace and rushed in that direction.
Fortunately, her memory hadn't failed her. A few minutes later, she finally saw the wooden house.
When she pushed the door open, dust fell down and Olivia couldn't help but sneeze several times. Her soaking wet body also belatedly felt a wave of cold.
She hugged her arms, found a clean corner to crouch down in, and thought to herself - she shouldn't catch a cold from this little bit of rain, right?
At the same time, she worried again.
Evelyn was picking herbs, so she probably didn't take this path. Most likely, she herself had gone the farthest.
What a mess this was.
She didn't blame anyone else, only felt regretful. If she'd known, she shouldn't have looked for any herbs. Then Evelyn wouldn't have gotten lost either.
Olivia tried to pull out her phone, wanting to contact Evelyn.
But there had never been much signal at the mountain peak, and with the rain, the signal completely disappeared - there was none at all.
She couldn't help but feel troubled.
If everyone discovered she was lost too, they'd probably all be worried.
Bianca still didn't know what had happened. She wondered if she'd be scared.
Probably not, since Andrew was still with her.
Olivia thought about many things, which eventually turned into prayers.
Praying for this rain to stop quickly, so she could still rely on her vague memory to find her way back!
On the other side, things were just as Olivia had guessed.
Evelyn hadn't taken the path she'd taken, but had gone down the one Benjamin searched.
Not long after they set out, Benjamin found her.
When the two were rushing back, they also encountered the rain and were both drenched like drowned rats.
But overall they were much better off than Olivia. After walking back for a while, they met the bodyguards and Andrew who'd come looking for them.
Andrew didn't see Olivia and his expression changed. "Where's Olivia?"
Benjamin heard his voice, paused for a moment, and said, "We just split up. Dr. Garcia took the other path."
From the looks of it, Olivia hadn't come back yet, and they hadn't found her either.
Benjamin instinctively tensed up, feeling like he was about to get beaten up by Andrew.
Evelyn was the first to get anxious. "What do we do now? Olivia is in danger alone!"
Andrew remained very calm, not losing his composure over this.
He handed Bianca over to Evelyn to hold, along with the umbrella in his hand, then instructed, "You guys take the child down the mountain first. It's raining now, and if Bianca stays on the mountain, she'll easily catch cold and get sick. As for Olivia, the bodyguards and I will find her and bring her back."
"Andrew, should I come with you guys?" Benjamin's tone was hesitant.
Andrew's eyes lowered, his expression carrying a layer of coldness. He said, "When I tell you to go, you go. Cut the chatter. Keep Bianca and Ms. Thomas safe."
This tone that brooked no argument made it impossible to disobey.
Benjamin, remembering this man's temperament, could only agree in the end. "Alright then, we'll do as you say."
Bianca looked at the situation, somewhat afraid, and asked Andrew, "Daddy, will you bring Mommy back?"
Hearing Bianca's voice, Andrew's expression softened a bit. He coaxed her, "Yes, so you need to be good and not worry, okay?"
Bianca really wanted to cry, but she didn't want to cause trouble for Daddy, so she nodded softly and said, "I'll be very good!"
Andrew rubbed her head, then led the bodyguards to start searching.
The rain was fierce. Olivia's worries were completely justified.
All the markers were washed away, and some of the smaller branches by the roadside were also impacted - her markers could no longer be distinguished.
Therefore, when Andrew and his group were searching and encountered forks in the path, they had no choice but to split up their manpower.
Olivia hid in the small wooden house, shivering from the cold.
After waiting for over half an hour, the heavy rain outside finally showed a slight tendency to weaken.
But it was only a little bit - the wind had stopped, but the rain was still quite heavy.
Olivia looked outside, feeling a bit panicked.
Could it be that this rain wouldn't stop even when it got dark?
She even started to consider whether she should run back in the rain.
If she didn't go back soon, the situation would probably get worse, and she might even drag Andrew and the others down.
Just as Olivia was uncertain, rustling sounds came from not far away.
Olivia looked over from the broken window. In the curtain of rain, a man holding a transparent umbrella was walking quickly toward her.
That person who usually stood at the peak, like a god descending, was walking toward her.
The cold rain fell like silk threads, wetting his clothes.
His hurried steps carried a trace of anxiety.
On that composed face, there was less of his usual calm and collected manner.
Andrew - he was panicked!