Chapter 307: Tremors of Destiny

Post-event statistics: In Jugang, collapsed buildings accounted for three-fifths of the entire city. Since it happened in the early morning, some people who hadn’t yet awakened were buried under the rubble.

Along the seashore, people barely had time to launch rescue efforts before, as with every previous earthquake, they fled in panic toward higher ground.

Aside from these two cities, even as far as 480 kilometers north in the capital of Ma Kingdom, Gilongpo in Badong County, people felt strong tremors that led to the collapse of some houses and buildings.

Even in Yajiada, the capital located 930 kilometers to the southeast, the distant quake was unmistakable—billboards on the streets were knocked down.

Seismic networks worldwide simultaneously reported a massive earthquake on Sumatra Island, initially pegging its magnitude at 10!

This rating exceeded that of the Japanese Archipelago quake and was an unprecedented figure for Earth.

Some claimed that such an event could only occur at the end of the world or in a sci-fi film—a disaster destined to smother humanity.

Within minutes, all stations revised the magnitude to 9.5, equating it with the massive quake from the 1960s.

Minutes after the quake, a tsunami alert was issued, sending coastal residents scrambling to higher ground.

At Bali, a famed tourist hotspot, many had just experienced a nuclear war alert and felt life was too short to wait—they rushed out to enjoy themselves.

The area was swarming with more visitors than any peak season before, and being nearly 1,800 kilometers from the epicenter in Badong County, the quake’s effects weren’t immediately evident.

Thus, when the tsunami alert sounded, people here did not immediately evacuate to higher ground.

Moreover, many tourists were still asleep and missed the tsunami warning entirely.

Among them was renowned actress Han Bing, who had come to film with a reality show crew.

Shooting had run late the previous night, so the crew kindly postponed today’s filming to the afternoon, causing many to oversleep this morning.

When Han Bing turned on the TV out of habit, she heard the news: a 9.5-magnitude quake had hit Sumatra Island, potentially triggering a tsunami. Everyone along the coast was urged to move to higher ground immediately.

While she was still in shock, a rapid series of knocks on the door echoed through her apartment.

Hurriedly, Han Bing went to open the door and found her assistant and the crew director waiting. The director exclaimed, “There might be a tsunami! We need to leave now!”

Her assistant had already dashed into the room to start gathering belongings.

The director shouted, “There’s no time—leave everything behind and get out now!”

Han Bing quickly replied, “Let’s go—no time for packing.”

Without even changing out of her pajamas, she grabbed a coat and followed the director outside. The hallway was already crowded with people, some dragging their suitcases.

Under the producer’s orders, part of the crew abandoned the elevator and sprinted down the stairs.

This seaside hotel, with seven floors and barely over thirty meters from the ocean, would be utterly doomed if a tsunami hit.

As people rushed downstairs toward the exit, they saw the doorman rush in in terror before slamming the glass door shut.

He bellowed, “Tsunami incoming—don’t go out!”

The producer immediately shouted, “Quick! Let’s head to the top floor!”

A group of people promptly turned back toward the stairs. Amid their scramble, they heard an odd howling noise, but there was no time to investigate—they just had to reach the seventh floor.

In their hearts, everyone prayed that this seven-story building could withstand the tsunami; otherwise, they’d all be doomed.

What’s wrong with this year? Natural disasters keep coming one after another.

Could it be that the end of the world is imminent?

Upon returning to the seventh floor, they found the area overcrowded. Some screamed in terror while others wept hysterically.

Han Bing rushed to a sea-facing room and peered out the window.

The scene before her painted her face with despair.

In the distance on the ocean, a colossal wall of water loomed like a mountain, advancing relentlessly toward the beach.

This wall was a staggering 30 meters high—exceeding even the 25-meter tsunami triggered by the previous 8.9 quake.

Unlike the tsunami that struck the eastern coast of the continent during the Japanese Archipelago’s subsidence, which weakened over hundreds of kilometers and was impeded by the continental shelf…

This tsunami originated right off the coast, triggered by multiple 7-8 magnitude underwater quakes, and surged toward land.

Nothing could diminish its force—it barreled straight ashore.

Han Bing realized that her survival hinged solely on the structural integrity of this building.

She left the room, with her assistant following closely. “Sister Bing, what should we do?” the assistant asked.

Han Bing replied, “Find something that floats—stay in this sea-facing room with the window open. If the building next to us begins to collapse, we’ll cling to the floatation device and jump out of the window.”

The assistant hesitated, “But it’s so high—won’t we get fatally injured when we hit the water?” He thought Han Bing had completely lost her mind.

After a quick search, Han Bing found a table and announced, “Come on, let’s move the table next to the window. We’ll take shelter under it.”

They dragged the table to the window and opened it. Meanwhile, many had fled to rooms on the other side of the corridor, fearing that no sea-facing room was safe enough from the colossal wave.

The assistant asked, “Sister Bing, why are we taking shelter here? You haven’t explained why we need to jump.”

At that moment, the roar of the impending wave grew louder.

With a determined look, Han Bing stated, “When the wall of water crashes in, if it brings down this building, which way will it fall?”

After a moment’s thought, the assistant replied, pointing to the room across the corridor, “It’ll collapse that way!”

He continued, “Once it falls, our floor could become the top. If we jump out the window then, maybe we can float rather than be submerged.”

The assistant beamed, “Sister Bing, you’re brilliant!”

Han Bing responded, “We still aren’t sure if we can escape. But if the two of us hold tight to the table together, we might just make it. If not, then fate has it.”

The assistant said, “I trust you, Sister Bing. As long as I’m with you, I’m not afraid.”

Before they could exchange many more words, a hail of debris began to pelt the room, and soon seawater flooded in.

Just as they began to feel relieved that the building hadn’t collapsed, it started to sway and tilt after a violent tremor.

The assistant shouted, “Sister Bing, the building is really falling apart! We’re sliding over to that end!”

Han Bing roared, “Don’t speak—hold onto the table!”

No sooner had she finished shouting than an even larger wave crashed in. Just as they were about to be swept away along with the table, the seawater suddenly lifted them up.

Clutching the table tightly, the buoyancy of the water carried them out the window.

All around, murky seawater churned, littered with debris—even overturned coconut trees from the shoreline were seen.

The table was large enough to provide sufficient buoyancy for the two of them, yet objects continued to collide with them in the water.

The danger was far from over—one mishap could prove fatal if something struck their heads.

Straining, Han Bing lifted her head from the water and saw that the surge was still advancing inland.

However, its force was gradually waning. If they could avoid further collisions, they might just survive this ordeal.

Suddenly, the assistant cried out in agony and let go of the table.

He pleaded, “Sister Bing, help me!”

Han Bing noticed a streak of blood drifting by in the water. With all her might, she swam toward it and reached out, feeling as if she had grasped something.

She pulled back with every ounce of strength, and amid the relentless churning, she realized she had clutched one of the assistant’s legs.

Her heart leaped with hope. One hand gripped a table leg for dear life while the other held the assistant’s foot tightly. At that moment, she couldn’t pull him all the way back, so she kept holding on, praying that once the water calmed, she could save him.

Time seemed to drag, though only a few minutes had passed.

Once the waters subsided a bit further, Han Bing managed to wedge the table against something and, with a final burst of strength, hauled the assistant back to safety.

When the assistant’s head resurfaced, Han Bing felt a cold chill in her heart.