Night had fallen completely, swallowing the mountains in darkness as the storm raged across Torres del Paine. Rain poured through the trees in relentless sheets, drumming against rock and foliage, turning the earth slick and treacherous. Flashlights cut through the darkness in moving beams, sweeping over trees, ravines, and jagged slopes as voices echoed through the wilderness.
"Zi Han!"
"Ming Ye!"
The calls rose and fell through the rain.
Search teams from the park, hotel staff, and dozens of anxious students had spread through the area in groups, combing the trails despite worsening weather.
Yu Wuxian clutched a flashlight so tightly her fingers had gone pale. Her hair was damp from the rain, her breathing unsteady as she kept calling Zi Han's name until her voice sounded strained.
"They have to be somewhere," she said, panic slipping into every word. "They have to answer…"
Shi Xian walked beside her, rain collecting along his lashes, though his voice remained composed.
