The Strongest Brain in the Interstellar

Jiang Hui was startled and quickly stepped back, not because she had second thoughts about helping but because she knew that if Zhou Xiuwen was in a drowning state, reaching out to help could drag her down with him. However, she couldn’t just stand by and watch either, so she used the retractable rope to assist him in breaking through the water’s surface.

Huan Xian, who was near the hook, also lent a hand. In no time, Zhou Xiuwen’s head emerged from the water, his soft black hair plastered limply against his forehead, water dripping down his face, giving him a thoroughly miserable look.

As soon as Zhou Xiuwen’s head broke the surface, his face showed a fierce expression.

Yes, his expression could actually be described as menacing, almost as if he was holding his breath in frustration.

Wait a second. You’re awake, aren’t you? Why on earth didn’t you respond earlier? Jiang Hui muttered to herself, annoyed, but she quickly reached out to help, intending to use the rope to pull him up entirely.

But as soon as his head emerged, he gasped, “Quick, help me! I can’t hold on any longer; I’m slipping!”

Help? Help with what? She had already gotten his head above water, so breathing shouldn’t be an issue. Could he have gotten injured in the earlier chaotic currents?

“It’s… what I’m holding onto… Get it up first, it’s too heavy! I can’t stay afloat like this,” he said, panting and sounding a bit exasperated. She could see that his shoulders and arms were straining as he clung to something beneath the water, unwilling to let go.

Perhaps Zhou Xiuwen’s expression was just too “fierce.” Jiang Hui didn’t bother asking what he was clutching so desperately that he’d risk drowning for it. She simply decided to help first and ask questions later.

Huan Xian, still uneasy around water, remained seated on the makeshift ledge, doing what he could to support the hook’s anchor point, but he wasn’t up for wading in himself. The real hands-on assistance fell solely to Jiang Hui.

She took a roll of retractable rope and instructed Huan Xian to secure it to the wall as an anchor. Then, Jiang Hui dove down, aiming to retrieve the object that Zhou Xiuwen claimed was weighing him down to the bottom.

It wasn’t until she reached the submerged item that she could see it clearly—a large, square box with a sleek black surface that reflected faintly. Whatever it was made of, it looked heavy, and who knew what it contained.

Not wanting to stay in the water any longer than necessary, she looped the rope securely around the box and surfaced.

After another ten minutes, Jiang Hui, Huan Xian, and Zhou Xiuwen were all sitting side by side on the makeshift platform, drenched and dripping. Their legs dangled, with only their calves submerged in the water, but at least they were finally out of the depths.

The three of them exchanged glances, feeling an odd mix of relief and amusement—grateful for their own survival and that of their teammates.

The heavy black box had been hoisted up with a rope, now suspended between two platforms. To keep it from slipping, they had crisscrossed several layers of rope around it.

After all the effort, the group was exhausted and had to pause to catch their breath.

As for the box…they’d open it later. It wasn’t like it was going anywhere. What they didn’t want to admit was that they were too tired to even move the two steps it would take to reach it. So, they decided to rest a moment.

“Is this supposed to be a supply point? Since we got here, we’ve been non-stop on the run without even knowing what we’re supposed to be doing. This is way worse than outside! And where are the actual supplies?” Huan Xian muttered, no longer able to keep up his usual calm demeanor.

Jiang Hui agreed. This so-called “supply point” had brought them nothing but trouble, and in just a few hours, they’d expended more energy than they ever had outside. Whatever resources they had managed to scrounge felt meager, and they’d been draining supplies faster than they could gather them.

And as for the simulation suits…would there even be a chance to recharge? Their hopes for that were growing thin, especially after that recent flood.

Feeling somewhat frustrated, Jiang Hui wrung out her soaked pants, the rough fabric chafing her skin, but she kept silent.

Zhou Xiuwen was still slumped by the edge of the platform, staring blankly into space, looking utterly worn out.

When Jiang Hui finally felt a bit more recovered, she called his name a few times, but he didn’t respond, so she left him be and turned to Huan Xian, who seemed in better shape.

Both of them focused on the box suspended over the water.

Jiang Hui doubted that something so heavy could be just a random piece of junk—especially given the circumstances.

After confirming with Zhou Xiuwen, she and Huan Xian each took a side of the box and began to open it… only to be momentarily blinded by an intense flash.

Were they finally having a stroke of luck? Or maybe the organizers, seeing them struggling through this “escape room” challenge for so long, finally decided to reward them with some resources.

So, they finally remembered that this was supposed to be a “supply point” and fixed the bug of having no supplies at all! Took them long enough.

And Zhou Xiuwen, honestly, he was something else. When everyone else was knocked out by that sudden flood, he somehow managed to grab onto something—and not just any old item, but a massive box of supplies.

How did he even know it was valuable? He clung to it for dear life, even at the risk of drowning. Jiang Hui couldn’t help but recall the times he’d narrowly avoided attackers by slipping just in time, or when he kept finding stray supplies on the road as if by sheer luck.

It seemed that traveling with him meant being unexpectedly lucky. No matter how rough the journey got, the outcome always seemed to turn out just right, making him seem like a genuine good-luck charm.

Jiang Hui felt, for the first time, that Zhou Xuiwen was one of those people who seemed to have an odd streak of fortune—the kind of person who, even when caught in a storm, could still manage to pick up a benefit or two.

It was honestly envy-inducing. In the same situation, all she had managed to fish out was an empty nutrient base, while he had snagged an entire crate of supplies. There was no denying it: his luck was on another level.

No wonder it was so heavy… as they stared at the neatly stacked ammunition packs inside, both Jiang Hui and Huan Xian were left speechless.

If Zhou Xiuwen had lost his grip earlier, or given up trying to hold on, they would have completely missed out on this treasure trove. Maybe this was why the organizers had chosen a ridiculously heavy black box instead of the lighter, more portable military packs.

It was their first real find in this supply point. Now she wondered, would there be any chance of finding more if they went back to check underwater again?