Forced to marry a disabled man in the countryside? I'll repay you tenfold!

The group looked at each other in bewilderment. It was very quiet around them, with only the sound of the wind and the chirping of unknown insects in the distance. There were no insects or wolves, and it couldn't be safer.

Zhou Yanshen strode over, his voice steady and powerful: "I blew it. An earthquake is very likely coming. Everyone, pack quickly, take the injured and equipment, and move with me to a safe area! Hurry!"

Old Zhang and Li Guodong, two old men, ran out wrapped in their clothes, shivering from the cold. Old Zhang's hair was a tangled mess of dry straw, and his shoes were on the wrong feet. He frowned and said, "Captain Zhou, what kind of joke is this in the middle of the night? You say there's an earthquake, and then there is? We old bones can't take this!"

Li Guodong, his face grim, replied, "Earthquakes are not child's play; they require scientific evidence. What makes you make this judgment?"

Commander Zhao was furious: "Are you out of your mind? Give me an explanation, or I'll make you pay for disturbing people in the middle of the night!"

Zhou Yanshen said, word by word, "It was my wife, Su Wanqing, who told me. She observed unusual insect migrations, groundwater gushing, and animals fleeing in panic by the river—these are all signs of an impending earthquake. There's no time to explain; everyone evacuate to the open area to the east! She's looking for a safe place over there!"

Commander Zhao was taken aback, rubbing his eyes: "Did Xiao Su say that?"

Zhou Yanshen nodded.

Commander Zhao took a deep breath, and without another word, turned around and roared, "Did you all hear that? That's what Xiao Su said! I believe her!—You few, help Old Zhang and Old Li get out of here first! Logistics guys, take the pots and pans! The wounded evacuate first, those who can move, come with me to move the equipment!"

Old Zhang and Li Guodong also became serious. Although they were geologists, not specializing in earthquakes, they vividly remembered the devastating earthquake in China a few years ago that killed so many people. Since Xiao Su said that, there must be a reason. The two exchanged a glance, then immediately turned and ran back—they needed to bring the most important data with them.

Li Guodong shouted to the two students as he ran, "Bring the map, notes, and data! Don't forget anything! Hurry!"

The entire camp was like a hornet's nest that had been stirred up; everyone sprang into action. Some carried equipment, some lifted the wounded, and some piled supplies onto the carts. Squad Leader Ma stacked two large iron pots on the cart, took the most important piece of wolf meat, and then scooped up all the chestnuts—these were hard-earned and couldn't be lost.

The wounded were piled on top of each other on the cart, the lightly injured helping each other, some pushing, some pulling, limping eastward. Under the moonlight, this disheveled group looked like a group of refugees fleeing a disaster, but no one complained, no one dawdled.

Seeing that no one questioned or hesitated, Zhou Yanshen felt a surge of warmth in his heart—his wife was here, and she had already won everyone's trust.

Su Wanqing stood by the river, her heart filled with anxiety.

Time was of the essence; a safe evacuation point had to be found immediately. Gritting her teeth, she directly consumed 1000 grams of precious gold power, expanding the scanning range of her Eye of Insight to a radius of five miles!

Topographical data flooded her mind like a tide—mountain contours, rock strata structure, groundwater levels, fault zone distribution… She quickly analyzed and compared them, her gaze locking onto an open plain 500 meters away.

The terrain there is flat, far from the risk of landslides, with intact underground rock strata and a stable foundation. Moreover, large numbers of insects and ants are migrating in that direction—animal instinct is the best guide. Before an earthquake, they always manage to find the safest place.

After determining the route, she marked several potential landslide hazards: the ridge west of the camp showed signs of loosening, and a section of the path to the east was close to the cliff face, which had to be avoided.

Just as I put away my Eye of Insight, I heard a cacophony of footsteps and the rumble of wheels in the distance.

Old Zhang and Li Guodong limped ahead, followed by a string of people. Old Zhang was barefoot on one leg, his shoe nowhere to be seen; Li Guodong was only wearing trousers on one leg, the other bare and blue with cold. The two were panting heavily, their hair still covered with bits of grass they had rolled around in while sleeping.

On the cart, the wounded were piled up like a small mountain, their groans rising and falling. Those with minor injuries helped each other up, some pushing, some pulling, some even forgetting to pick up their shoes when they ran away.

Upon seeing Su Wanqing, Old Zhang staggered over and grabbed her arm, shouting, "Little Su! What happened? Tell me quickly, where is safe around here? Which way should we evacuate?"

Li Guodong also came closer, his lips turning purple from the cold, but he forced himself to ask, "What early signs did you observe? The direction of the insect swarm's migration? The location of the groundwater seepage? Tell us quickly!"

Su Wanqing steadied herself and pointed east: "When I was patrolling yesterday, I learned that there is an open plain about 500 meters away. It's flat and far from the mountains, and it's currently the safest place. I just observed that the insects and ants are all heading in that direction, so there's no mistake."

She paused, then added, "But be careful, there are signs of loosening on the ridge west of the campsite, and a section of the path on the east side hugs the cliff face, so you have to go around it. Follow me, I'll lead the way."

Old Zhang and Li Guodong exchanged a glance and nodded in unison.

Old Zhang turned around and shouted to those behind him, "Did you all hear that? Follow Xiao Su! We'll go wherever she points!"

Li Guodong, unusually, didn't argue, but simply urged the two students, "Protect the materials well, and stay close!"

Su Wanqing took a deep breath and started walking eastward. Behind her, dozens of people, with their families, pushing carts and carrying bags, followed her with a limp.

They walked ahead, with Zhou Yanshen and Commander Zhao leading their men carrying various items behind them. Five hundred meters was neither a long nor a short distance, but Su Wanqing was pregnant, Old Zhang and Li Guodong were elderly men, and there was also a group of wounded soldiers. They walked and stopped, dragging their feet, looking like a defeated army.

However, we finally arrived safely on this plain.

The grassland offered unobstructed views, with no mountains to block the view, nor steep slopes or cliffs. The ground was flat and firm, and Su Wanqing glanced around, quite satisfied—it was safe enough here.

They had just arrived when the main force followed. Commander Zhao and his men salvaged quite a few things, but the heavy tables, the tents that hadn't been dismantled in time, and some miscellaneous belongings were left behind.

Zhou Yanshen stood out the most. He carried most of their luggage by himself—bedding, baskets, food, and supplies—piled up like a small mountain, almost obscuring him from view. Even with his strength, he was drenched in sweat from the hurried journey.

As they evacuated to this area, more and more insects swarmed into the plain, crawling densely across the grass in a sight that was terrifying. Fortunately, they were only concerned with escaping and paid no attention to the people.

Commander Zhao, panting heavily, looked at the camp in the distance, feeling unwilling: "I think this place is quite safe. Should I take a dozen men and make another trip? We've retrieved quite a bit of equipment, but the guns and weapons are still over there. If they're lost, we won't be able to explain it when we get back."