Secretly Married for 4 Years, He Regrets to Tears After the Divorce-Chapter 205: Finding Adrian Lancaster’s Watch
The horizon began to pale with the light of dawn.
The members of the search and rescue team were geared up and ready to depart.
Sean Sterling stood at the entrance of the hotel, his expression grave as he checked the data on an electronic map. His gaze shifted between the flashing coordinates.
Caleb Caldwell, responsible for calibrating the equipment, was just as focused and meticulous.
Theodore Lancaster stood to one side, tightly gripping the peace charm his daughter-in-law had given him as he stared into the distance.
A few minutes later, the convoy arrived at the hotel entrance right on schedule.
"Sir, the cars are here. We can head to the helipad now," Sean Sterling said respectfully, walking over to Theodore Lancaster’s side.
Theodore Lancaster snapped out of his reverie and put away the peace charm. He patted Sean Sterling’s shoulder, gratified.
"This whole time, it’s been thanks to you and Caleb. You’ve arranged everything perfectly, so I haven’t had to worry about a thing."
"It’s our duty, sir."
Theodore Lancaster gave a wave of his hand. "Let’s move out."
The convoy left the hotel, arriving at the helipad about an hour later.
The cockpits of the six helicopters shared a satellite map.
Sean Sterling was in the command center directing the operation, with Theodore Lancaster and Caleb Caldwell seated beside him.
Sean Sterling pointed to an area on the map covered by red markings.
"The terrain in this region is complex. Based on satellite image analysis, this red dot marks the center of the rainforest. Head there now."
"Roger that."
After all five team leaders confirmed, the six helicopters roared to life and took off. They ascended in formation, climbing higher and higher until they disappeared into the clouds.
From the air, the tropical rainforest looked like an endless ocean of green. The canopy was impenetrably dense, with occasional flocks of birds taking flight and streaking across the sky.
Inside the cabins, rescue team members scanned the ground with high-definition cameras, infrared detectors running at full capacity, searching for any sign of life.
It was impossible to tell how long they had been flying when the weather took a sudden turn. The once-clear sky was devoured by dark clouds, and gale-force winds carrying torrential rain battered the aircraft.
The pilots gripped their controls, trying to stabilize the helicopters, but visibility had dropped to near zero.
The situation was critical. Sean Sterling’s face was grim, but he kept his composure and issued the command to the other team leaders over the radio: "Land immediately."
"Roger that!"
The six helicopters struggled to find a place to land. After a tenacious battle with the severe weather, they finally touched down safely on a relatively open stretch of riverbank.
The rescue team was forced to abandon their aerial search and proceed on foot. All members put on protective suits and donned gas masks.
In the tropical rainforest, the trees were tall and the foliage so dense that almost no sunlight could penetrate the canopy.
The air was hot and humid, and swarms of unidentifiable insects descended upon them, making soft PITTER-PATTER sounds as they struck the masks.
"Everyone, stick together! Don’t fall behind!"
Sean Sterling shouted, his machete continuously hacking away at the vines blocking their path.
The deeper they went, the more rugged the path became. A thick layer of rotting leaves carpeted the ground, forcing them to tread carefully with every step to avoid sinking into a bog or falling into a hidden pitfall.
Along the way, a team member suddenly stumbled and collapsed; the filter in his gas mask had become clogged by the humid air.
Caleb Caldwell quickly pulled out a spare medication tablet and put it in the man’s mouth, simultaneously directing the others to climb to higher ground to avoid the pooling miasma.
Just then, a black swarm of insects descended on them like a dark cloud. A PITTER-PATTER sound filled the air as they bit at the protective suits.
Caleb Caldwell remained calm. He lit an insect-repellent smoke disk and smeared a mixture of mud and herbs over the seams of their protective suits, forcing the swarm to retreat.
After trekking for several hours, the rescue team finally emerged from the forest and saw the sun again.
Before them lay a swamp.
Sean Sterling was at the head of the team.
"Careful, everyone. There could be crocodiles lurking here."
No one dared to let their guard down. They were on high alert, watching and listening for any movement, proceeding step-by-step in groups.
Dark shapes seemed to glide through the murky water, and the air was thick with a sense of danger.
As they ventured deeper into the swamp, the mud ahead of them suddenly began to churn.
A five-meter-long crocodile shot out, its massive jaws wide open, and swept its tail toward the rescue team.
"Crocodile! Get back!"
Sean Sterling shoved a teammate aside. The crocodile’s sharp teeth scraped against his backpack, ripping it open. It had nearly taken a bite out of him.
The crocodile floated on the surface, its cold eyes fixed on the rescue team.
...
The team members quickly formed a defensive circle, weapons in hand.
The crocodile launched its deadly attack.
"Fire!"
On Theodore Lancaster’s command, the crocodile was hit with a tranquilizer dart and lost its will to fight.
"Let’s keep moving. We need to get through this swamp quickly."
Several more hours passed before the rescue team finally emerged from the swamp.
Everyone was exhausted. They needed to rest and eat. After a brief discussion, they decided to make camp where they were.
As the sky darkened, the pitch-black forest grew unnervingly quiet.
Outside the tents, a tall bonfire blazed, its strong flames providing both warmth and a deterrent against wild beasts.
In the middle of the night, the sound of a wolf pack echoed from the distance.
Sean Sterling and Caleb Caldwell were startled awake. They emerged from their tents and scanned the surroundings warily.
The other team members emerged one by one, weapons in hand.
"Light the firecrackers."
"Right."
Soon, the POP-CRACKLE-POP of firecrackers echoed through the night.
The wolf pack retreated.
Sean Sterling and Caleb Caldwell high-fived, breathing a sigh of relief.
"We’re clear. The rest of you, get back in your tents and sleep. Those on watch, stick to the schedule. We’re moving out again in the morning."
...
For more than two weeks, the rescue team faced daunting challenges every single day. They risked their lives, enduring a brutal test of both physical stamina and mental fortitude.
But not one of them gave up.
Then one day, a team member spotted human footprints by the path.
"The prints are about 26 centimeters long. The edges haven’t been completely washed away by the rain, so they must have been left recently." 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚
The news lifted everyone’s spirits.
They followed the footprints onward. After pushing through a dense thicket, the landscape suddenly opened up before them. A wide river shimmered, golden in the sunlight.
Theodore Lancaster happened to glance down and saw something familiar in the mud. His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly went over to pick it up.
It was a shattered watch, its hands frozen in place.
He recognized it instantly. It was Adrian Lancaster’s watch.
"This is Adrian’s watch," Theodore Lancaster said, his voice trembling with emotion.
Caleb Caldwell and Sean Sterling came over to examine it, confirming that it was indeed one of Adrian Lancaster’s personal effects.
"That’s right. It’s Adrian’s watch."
In that instant, hope and fear surged through them. The cracks on the watch hinted at a violent struggle, but it also proved that Adrian Lancaster had been here.
Sean Sterling carefully observed their surroundings. "The river flows southeast."
He pointed downstream. "Let’s keep moving. Keep an eye on both banks for other clues."
