After the Divorce, My Ex-Wife Suddenly Became an Alpha - Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Underground Rescue

“Reporting in, Team A has reached the exit of the grid tunnel. No signs of the target along the way. Over.”

“Team B also found nothing. We’re preparing to return to the entrance.”

Inside the dimly lit pit, Gu Jin Xiao held the walkie-talkie to her ear, attentively listening to each squad’s report. Her delicate face was focused, while Ding Yao stood diligently beside her, shining a flashlight to illuminate her surroundings.

In the dark mining cave, that single beam of light was the only source of illumination. The narrow tunnel, supported by wooden beams, was scattered with faintly glowing ore fragments embedded near the surface—like tiny stars dotting the ground. These were the primary resource of the N92 mine: Wusi ore.

And yet, despite their value, these precious minerals grew in a stifling, pitch-black environment. After trekking underground for over an hour, even the well-trained Ding Yao found herself sweating slightly and desperately missing the feeling of breathing fresh air. She quietly swallowed and glanced at Gu Jin Xiao.

This young Executive Gu looked more delicate than the average Alpha, but surprisingly, she was incredibly resilient. Not a single trace of discomfort had shown on her face during the entire trek. That made Ding Yao genuinely admire her. She adjusted her arm to hold the flashlight even steadier.

After walking a bit farther, she checked the electronic map and whispered, “Director Gu, we’ve been searching for an hour and forty minutes now. A little further ahead, we’ll reach the exit to the central tunnel. Should we head up from there?”

Gu Jin Xiao stopped walking, her clear eyes gazing into the seemingly bottomless dark mine ahead. After thinking for a moment, she nodded. “Mm. Let’s exit that way. But before we go up, let’s check these rest tunnels thoroughly to make sure we haven’t missed anything.”

She pointed to several red dashed lines on the map — those were scattered side paths branching off from the main shaft. Most were too narrow or unstable to be worth excavating and were occasionally used by workers to store lunchboxes or miscellaneous items. Since the spaces were cramped, it wasn’t impossible that a child might have accidentally gotten stuck inside.

Ding Yao agreed it made sense. When Gu Jin Xiao pointed her to the right-side path, she quickly folded the map and headed off in that direction.

Gu Jin Xiao took responsibility for the tunnels on the left. As she walked, she swept her flashlight across the path and carefully searched for any clues. The tunnel grew narrower as she went, and her footsteps instinctively lightened to avoid triggering any instability.

In the silence, the only sound was the faint rustling of her boots brushing against the ground. When she entered a particularly tight, winding path, she suddenly heard something rustle and fall nearby.

Immediately, she aimed her flashlight toward the sound. Her eyes widened as she reached for her walkie-talkie and called out, “Xiao Ding!”

Ding Yao, searching the opposite tunnel, froze the moment she heard her name, assuming something had gone wrong. She quickly turned back and ran toward Gu Jin Xiao, who was standing by a hole, untying a rope. Seeing her approach, Gu Jin Xiao handed one end of the rope over and said, “Hold this for me.”

She was clearly preparing to jump down.

The flashlight beam followed the hole downward, revealing what lay below: a small, pale figure at the bottom — unmistakably the body of a young child.

Realizing what she was seeing, Ding Yao rushed forward, took the rope, and secured it with a safety clip. Worried, she asked, “Director Gu, we don’t know what’s down there… Maybe I should go instead?”

Gu Jin Xiao shook her head and tested the rope’s strength with one hand. She answered honestly, “It’s not that I don’t trust you. I injured my arm a long time ago and don’t have much strength in it. If I stay up here, I might not be able to pull both of you up.”

Ding Yao was visibly surprised by that, but Gu Jin Xiao didn’t offer further explanation. Once the rope was secure, she didn’t hesitate. In one fluid movement, she dropped into the pit, her descent graceful and light. Ding Yao, fully alert now, focused all her attention on keeping the rope steady.

Gu Jin Xiao landed smoothly. Sure enough, the figure lying there was a child. The little girl was facedown, seemingly unconscious. She crouched down and gently turned the girl over, placing a hand on her body — there was still warmth. She breathed a sigh of relief.

But the girl was badly injured. As Gu Jin Xiao tied her securely and prepared to hoist her up, the child remained motionless. Not wanting to lose time, she signaled to Ding Yao above to pull them up.

The rope began to move, lifting the child out first. Once the girl was safe, Gu Jin Xiao glanced around the pit to ensure no one else was there, then climbed back up using the newly lowered rope.

While she rested briefly, Ding Yao examined the child. There was a bloody patch on the girl’s forehead — possibly from the fall, or perhaps from earlier. Ding Yao took off her camouflage jacket to wrap the girl and carried her on her back. “Looks like a head injury. Probably knocked her out.”

Head injuries could be dangerous. Gu Jin Xiao understood the stakes. She took the map and said, “Take care of her. We’ll get her to the nearest exit as quickly as possible.”

They picked up the pace. After about ten minutes, faint coughing broke the silence behind them. Ding Yao turned around — and met a pair of wide, frightened eyes.

Despite the dirt and injuries, it was easy to see this was a beautiful little girl. Clearly terrified, she stared blankly at the strangers. Her lips trembled, on the verge of tears.

“Don’t cry, don’t cry,” Ding Yao stammered. She had no experience with children and instinctively stopped walking.

Gu Jin Xiao turned back as well. Seeing the teary face, she blinked, recognizing something familiar. She crouched down and gently asked, “Sweetheart, have we met before? You’re Kasha’s little sister, right? Lulu or Lili…?”

The girl, hearing her name spoken so surely by this kind stranger, began to calm down. But the terror of the experience had shaken her badly. Shivering and still sobbing, she mumbled, “Wuwu… My sister disappeared…”

She was still dazed, held awkwardly in Ding Yao’s arms. Between sobs, she managed to explain that she’d gone into the mine with her sister but got separated and fell into the pit.

From the sound of it, Lulu might still be trapped nearby.

Gu Jin Xiao immediately picked up her walkie-talkie to alert the rescue team at the central tunnel exit, then turned to Ding Yao. “Take the child up. I’ll keep looking nearby.”

Several hours had passed since the children entered the mine. Every minute counted. Ding Yao knew that, but still hesitated. “Director Gu, don’t go too far. I’ll come back down as soon as I’ve handed her off.”

Gu Jin Xiao waved her off. “Don’t worry. I’ll just be searching the nearby paths we passed earlier. I’ll direct the next team when they come down.”

She motioned for Ding Yao to go, then turned and quickly retraced her steps.

Let’s hope it’s not too late.

Unlike the calm underground, the central tunnel exit was already bustling with people. As soon as Ding Yao appeared with Lili on her back, someone shouted excitedly, “They’re up!”

A wave of people surged forward. A female security guard carefully took the child, while Ding Yao was about to turn back and re-enter the shaft.

But someone beat her to it.

A flash of movement crossed her vision — a tall figure stepped in front of the tunnel entrance. Cold, bright eyes swept across her face.

“Where is Gu Jin Xiao?”

This was an Alpha woman with striking features and a commanding presence. Her peach blossom eyes held a sharp glint, as if they could see right through you. Under that gaze, Ding Yao felt a sudden, inexplicable fear.

“Director Gu is still down there. She went to look for the girl’s sister,” she replied instinctively, standing straighter like she was facing a strict military instructor.

Chi Yue Jing’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Just then, Sister Yan stepped forward, smiling carefully. “Colonel Chi, our team is going down to meet Director Gu now. Don’t worry — nothing will go wrong.”

As the long-time head of security in the mining district — someone who’d dealt with both mercenaries and black-market thieves — Sister Yan still unconsciously used formal, respectful language in front of Chi Yue Jing.

After all, this woman had driven a rugged off-road vehicle straight through the gates of the mining zone. Three or four security guards hadn’t even had time to stop her before being left in the dust — and these were seasoned professionals used to dealing with danger.

Who would’ve thought this gentle-looking heiress was married to such a… intense partner?

Chi Yue Jing didn’t care what others thought. Once she confirmed Gu Jin Xiao’s location, she was already on the move. Her tall figure cut through the crowd and stepped directly onto the lift platform. “I’m going down with you.”

Her voice was calm, but the way her hands clenched the railing betrayed her emotions — knuckles white from the pressure. She was clearly suppressing a rising panic. Ever since hearing that Gu Jin Xiao had entered the old mine, that anxiety hadn’t gone away.

How could she take such a risk without even telling her? Didn’t she know her body was weak from the susceptibility period? What if something had happened? How worried would others be?

She pressed her lips into a thin line, then angrily deleted that last thought from her mind and fastened her headlamp.

Fueled by that frustration, she was the first to descend into the mine. While others were still lowering themselves step by step, she had already landed and pulled up her digital map. With a quick glance to orient herself, she dashed headlong into the darkness.

That woman had better be fine.

Otherwise… no matter how sweetly she tries to talk her way out of it, I’m giving her a serious scolding.

At the very least… no snacks for her tonight.