Seven or eight people were spread out along the riverbank, holding onto the rope. The last person, just in case, simply tied the end of the rope to a big tree below the riverbank.

Someone who worked at the mine provided a waterproof miner’s helmet, which could be used for both lighting and as a safety helmet.

David Sullivan put on the helmet, checked the knot at his waist again, faced the embankment, grabbed the rope, and nodded to the people pulling the rope.

“Lower him down!” The person in front acted as a temporary commander: “Slowly! Hold on tight!”

Standing at the edge of the embankment, Brian Sullivan reminded, “Be careful.”

The rope was lowered section by section. David Sullivan slid down the concrete embankment, half his body entering the water. The rushing current immediately pushed him northward, and he almost lost his balance.

Fortunately, David Sullivan was mentally prepared and a strong swimmer. He braced his feet against the water, gripped the rope tightly, and used the tension to stay as close to the bank as possible.

“Ah—pfft—”

He had held his breath just now, but still got a mouthful of muddy sand.

David Sullivan kept his balance, used one hand to push aside a few water hyacinths hanging by the bank, sank a bit deeper into the water, and reached down toward the embankment underwater.

As he felt around, the spot that should have been the embankment was empty!

He kept reaching further in, and luckily, after extending most of his arm, he touched the edge.

The riverbank had been washed out, forming a pit, though it wasn’t deep yet.

David Sullivan needed to determine how long it was, so he signaled to move north along the embankment, still feeling for depth.

Suddenly, something slippery swam past, and a sharp, hard object pricked his palm. David Sullivan cried out in pain.

The thing flipped in the water and was swept away.

“What happened?” a voice called from above.

David Sullivan shook his bleeding hand. “It’s nothing, just got poked by a catfish!”

Chapter 3 No One Can Stay Out of This

Using the tension of the rope, David Sullivan climbed up the embankment, wiped the water from his face—now covered in fine sand—and gasped for breath. Without waiting for anyone to ask, he said directly, “There’s a big hole under the water.”

Walking along the embankment, David Sullivan gestured to show the location. His shoes were turning a muddy yellow, and every step splashed out some yellow water. “From here to here, it’s estimated to be over two meters long and more than half a meter high. The deepest part of the pit goes more than fifty centimeters into the embankment.”

At this moment, Chris Sullivan and a few others ran over. “Third Uncle, there’s no sign of seepage on the back side of the embankment.”

Brian Sullivan’s thick eyebrows moved as he said, “That’s good, we still have time.”

The situation wasn’t too bad. David Sullivan checked his hand—no big problem—then took off his shoes and poured out the muddy water.

Brian Sullivan still prepared for the worst. “Chad, Chris, take some people to the yard and bring over the lamp wires. No one’s sleeping tonight!”

Chris Sullivan was about to leave when Stingy Carter hurriedly gathered up the rope. “Wait, I’ll take the rope back.”

David Sullivan put his shoes back on and said, “Uncle Carter, we might still need the rope.”

“Look at the time!” Brian Sullivan shouted.

Headlights lit up below the embankment, and the rumble of a tractor was especially loud—the sand delivery had arrived!

By now, there were already over a hundred people at the river and below the embankment. Large rolls of fertilizer and cement bags were thrown by the roadside, and the women, shovels in hand, were ready to join in.

Brian Sullivan organized the strong workers into five rows, ready to pass the sandbags up.

In the glare of the headlights, David Sullivan saw his mother, Grace Howard.

She was carrying a thick roll of woven bags, coming from the north along the dirt road below the embankment.

Their family’s apple orchard was over there, not far from the Qingzhao River. Every year when the weather warmed up, his mother would move to the orchard to live. This was also the main source of income for the family.

In the countryside, a woman raising a child alone—even with help from the eldest uncle’s family and the Lü family—had a hard time.

The tractor engine roared as the dump bed poured out yellow sand, and the women got to work.

The five rows of workers lined up and gathered on the embankment. Brian Sullivan came over and patted David Sullivan on the shoulder. “You’ve improved!”

David Sullivan smiled. He’d left a pretty bad impression before.

As time passed, more and more people who had settled their family affairs came to the river to help. The first woven bag filled with sand was passed to David Sullivan.

David Sullivan was strong enough to carry it alone to the edge of the embankment and tossed it down along the outer edge of the concrete.

Splash—

Under the miner’s lamp, a huge splash rose up. It looked like the sandbag was pushed off course by the current.

“Dongzi, don’t just stand there! Keep going!” someone behind urged. David Sullivan took another sandbag from him and threw it down.

This time he watched closely. After hitting the water, the sandbag was swept to the north, toward the outer edge.

Splash—splash—

Others were also throwing sandbags into the water at different spots, but the current kept pushing them off course.

“Something’s not right,” another uncle from the family noticed the problem.

Brian Sullivan came over and asked, “What’s wrong?”

David Sullivan said directly, “The current’s too strong. The sandbags are being swept off course.”

The uncle agreed, “Yes!”

Brian Sullivan waved to the back. “Find bigger bags and try those.”

A sandbag stuffed full of chicken feed sacks was carried over by two people and thrown in.

David Sullivan kept his eyes on it. “Looks like... it’s still being swept off course.”

The water was too high and still rising, and since this was outside the gentle slope of the dam, the current was extremely fast.

Whoosh—