The Strongest Brain in the Interstellar

Though he had shown a great fear of water, once Huan Xian actually floated with the help of the simulated vest and the water’s buoyancy, his balance was no worse than Zhou Xiuwen’s, who had been practicing for a while.

Jiang Hui even suspected that he might actually know how to float in water. Perhaps he wasn’t fully water-competent, but he seemed to have at least grasped some basics of floating without struggling.

But with his intense fear of water, how did he manage to develop this skill? Had he suddenly gained some insight? And why did he need to block his ears and cover his eyes for it to work? Jiang Hui had many questions, but looking at his stiff, almost rigid body, she knew it wasn’t the right time to bring them up.

Once he seemed reasonably adjusted, Jiang Hui tugged on the safety strap at his back, pulling him back to the ledge. The three of them were soon back on the wall’s ledge, sitting in a row.

They’d been there for quite a while now, and yet the water level hadn’t dropped by even half an inch.

After checking the points they had marked, Jiang Hui was certain that despite all this waiting, the water level hadn’t lowered at all. She realized they couldn’t keep waiting around. It was time to consider finding a way out in earnest.

Jiang Hui herself was fine. She was the most self-sufficient of the group: she could swim, and her simulated vest still had enough energy to last for a long time. The pool of water wasn’t an obstacle for her—she could leave whenever she wanted. But it would be impossible to bring the other two along without some planning.

The real issue before had been the other two—one couldn’t swim, and the other was terrified of water.

But it seemed that problem was now resolved. Though neither could swim, if they could at least float, she could try to help them move along bit by bit. It was better than staying immobilized here.

This break was meant specifically for Zhou Xiuwen and Huan Xian, to give them time to decide if they were willing to press on. With their limited remaining energy, if they chose to push past their limits and follow her to find a way out, there was no guarantee they could last.

Of course, if they felt like they couldn’t just give up and wanted to give it one last shot, Jiang Hui was more than willing to help as a teammate. After all, they were all on the same path, driven by the same purpose.

“So, what do you both think?” Jiang Hui asked one last time.

This was their final chance. The three of them rested and sipped on the last bit of nutrient solution they had left, gathering energy and making a final decision.

Zhou Xiuwen nodded without hesitation, even with a hint of nonchalance. He hadn’t really set high expectations for himself, so making it this far was already an accomplishment. His father would likely be proud of his progress.

“I’m in,” Huan Xian said, though he looked even worse than after their previous struggle in the water. But under the watchful eyes of Jiang Hui and Zhou Xiuwen, he gave a firm nod, determined to continue.

“Alright. Then let’s… go?” Jiang Hui was more than ready to get moving. Leaning forward, she let herself slip into the water with ease, surfacing smoothly and motioning to the others to join her.

—

Though Jiang Hui was trying to keep things light and prepared, none of them really felt confident. The passageway had been challenging enough to navigate before, and now it was completely submerged.

Jiang Hui not only had to swim, expending twice the energy to move through the water, but also had to use additional strength to guide the others along. It wasn’t going to be an easy journey.

So Jiang Hui took the lead, while the other two—well, they were more or less floating along like “deadweight.” In this strange but practical formation, they would get through it somehow.

Honestly, this was the best solution under the circumstances—if she wanted to bring her teammates along. Although the life vests helped them float, expecting them to suddenly learn how to swim was unrealistic. No matter how quick they were at picking things up, learning to swim that quickly was impossible.

Especially Huan Xian, who clearly had deep-seated fear around water. Even floating along was likely a result of him continuously forcing himself to ignore his surroundings. Actually swimming would be a nightmare for him.

For this reason, Jiang Hui didn’t expect them to paddle or swim. If they sank, she’d have to dive back to pull them up, so she kept a close eye on them and tried to keep things moving.

Without any external help, Jiang Hui could only grit her teeth and gradually pull the two along, all while keeping a close watch on her surroundings.

Of course, she wasn’t naive enough to rely solely on brute strength. She anchored ropes along the walls, using climbing pins to secure herself as she went, moving in segments to bring them along. Her main effort was in forging a path and setting up the connections.

After covering a little over a hundred meters this way, Jiang Hui could feel her stamina depleting rapidly. Her arms trembled, and her legs were beginning to “scream” from overexertion—she was hitting her limit.

It wasn’t that she was weak, but this short stretch was physical and mental “torture” for her. In her previous life, she was an ordinary person who could barely run a kilometer without stopping. Even this body was weaker than most, with a lower baseline for endurance and strength. While the recent military training had helped, she was still far from the level of the military cadets around her.

With her physical limits already low, this sustained effort was beginning to take its toll. Despite her determination, her vision started to blur, and she realized that the path ahead seemed endless.

She’d clearly overestimated herself. She thought she’d be able to swim a few hundred meters, but now, she couldn’t even manage a bit over a hundred.

Reluctantly, she secured them at the nearest wall anchor and pulled her two floating teammates up, deciding they all needed a break.

Once she and Zhou Xiuwen were out of the water, they quickly wrung out their sleeves, pants, and waistbands—any place where water would collect and weigh them down. Without wasting words, they each grabbed a few nutrient tubes and downed them for a quick energy boost.

As for Huan Xian, Jiang Hui waited until she’d caught her breath before glancing over at him. In truth, she could barely stand to look—his face was visibly worse with each pause, his lips now a disturbing shade of blue-purple, with bloodshot eyes and heavy, labored breathing audible even from a distance.

At first, Jiang Hui tried talking to him, hoping it might distract him, but seeing his worsening state, she eventually fell silent, leaving him space to focus on calming himself.

Once they’d all recovered somewhat, Jiang Hui recalled their progress through the twists and turns they’d just navigated. “…Only a hundred meters, and we passed four turns,” she remarked with surprise. Not only that, but the further they went, the narrower the tunnels seemed to get, with the current growing faster. Could it mean that something was different further ahead?