Chapter 211:Crossing.
Silver kept his breathing slow and even. The moment their vehicle rolled fully onto the submerged bridge, he felt the force of Hell’s River.
It was like driving into a giant that continuously shoved against the side of the vehicle. The muddy current slammed into the doors with tremendous force, making the entire car tremble.
Water surged around the tires, rising almost halfway up the doors before racing onward. The steering wheel felt heavier in his hands; every correction required deliberate effort.
"Don’t fight it too much," Ravenna said quietly, watching the bridge rails barely visible beneath the muddy water. "Guide it."
Silver nodded.
"I know."
He had already realized the mistake many inexperienced drivers would make.
If he turned the steering wheel too sharply, the current would catch the broad side of the vehicle and push them off the bridge.
Instead, he kept the wheels pointed almost perfectly straight with small corrections, nothing more.
The engine growled steadily; second gear and constant throttle, without sudden acceleration or braking. Exactly as the veteran drivers had done before them.
Around them, contractors on both riverbanks kept their weapons trained on the water. The opposite side had become a firing line, every marksman watched for the slightest ripple.
Every elemental Awakener prepared their next attack. Nobody wanted a crocodilian reaching the bridge.
Silver’s vehicle advanced another twenty meters, the water becaming deeper. For a brief moment, the current lifted one side of the vehicle enough that Ravenna instinctively grabbed the dashboard.
"...Still good."
Silver didn’t answer, his full attention remained on the road beneath the water or rather... Where he believed the road to be.
Only the tops of the guardrails occasionally emerged through the muddy waves. Everything else had disappeared.
Suddenly, a sharp whistle echoed across the river.
"Left side!" One of the snipers shouted.
Silver saw it.
A dark shape raced beneath the surface toward them, far faster than something that size should have been able to swim.
The crocodilian.
Its armored back briefly broke the surface before disappearing again.
"It’s coming."
Ravenna had already raised her sniper rifle. She lowered the window without taking her eyes off the water, the rifle resting against the frame.
She patiently waited.
The shadow vanished beneath the muddy current, then, it erupted. The enormous beast burst upward beside the passenger door.
Its jaws opened wide enough to swallow half the vehicle, rows of yellow teeth gleaming beneath the sunlight.
Ravenna fired.
Boom!
The sniper rifle thundered, the bullet striking the crocodilian just below its eye. Blood exploded across its armored face.
The beast recoiled instinctively but before it could fall back, gunfire erupted from both banks. Dozens of bullets hammered into the exposed beast. Unable to maintain its attack, it disappeared beneath the muddy water.
Silver never slowed.
"Nice shot."
Ravenna pulled the bolt.
"It’ll be back."
"I know."
They continued forward. Halfway, the current seemed even stronger near the center of the river.
Broken trees floated past at frightening speed. One enormous log slammed against the bridge railing before spinning away downstream.
Silver tightened his grip, the steering wheel vibrating violently. Behind them, Captain Harry watched through binoculars.
"Doing well..." He muttered. "Keep going."
One of the veteran escorts beside him nodded.
"That young man’s got steady hands."
"He’s not fighting the river."
"No." Harry smiled faintly. "He’s driving with it."
Silver couldn’t hear the praise, his attention remained entirely fixed ahead.
Another ripple came, then another. This time, there were three.
"They’re circling." Ravenna whispered.
Silver had seen them too. The crocodilians no longer attacked recklessly, they remained beneath the surface, swimming in wide circles around the bridge.
One contractor on the opposite bank cursed.
"They’re learning."
Another answered.
"They’ve probably hunted this bridge for years."
The beasts suddenly accelerated, all three at once.
Silver’s eyes narrowed.
"...Now."
The first crocodilian surged upward behind the vehicle; instead of biting, it slammed its entire body into the rear bumper.
Bang!
The impact jolted the car forward, Ravenna nearly loosing her balance. The second struck the driver’s side, water exploding across the windshield.
The entire vehicle slid sideways nearly half a meter, the left tires reaching the edge of the submerged bridge.
Silver immediately corrected, the tires finding the concrete again. Before relief could settle, the third crocodilian attacked.
Its enormous jaws clamped around the front bull bar with a deafening crunch. The beast planted all four limbs against the bridge beneath the water and pulled.
The vehicle stopped moving, the engine roaring. The wheels spun uselessly against the flooded concrete.
"...Damn."
Silver immediately understood; they were trying to let the river do the work. If the vehicle remained stationary, the current would eventually push it sideways off the bridge.
Ravenna opened the window fully.
"I’ll drive it off."
Silver shook his head.
"Too risky."
He reached for the door handle.
"I’ll make it let go."
She immediately grabbed his arm.
"Silver."
He looked at her.
"I won’t jump."
She relaxed slightly.
Silver opened the door just enough to lean outside. The crocodilian’s head remained visible beneath the muddy water, only a few meters away.
He drew his pistol.
[Phantom Draw Lv3 Activated. ]
Bang!
The first bullet struck one eye. The beast convulsed, still, it refused to release.
Bang!
The second entered through its nostril, its jaws loosening slightly. It was not enough.
Silver holstered the pistol, his hand immediately found his sword.
[Space Slash Lv2 Activated.]
The invisible blade cut downward through the rushing water. For an instant, nothing happened, then, a deep crimson line appeared across the crocodilian’s neck.
Blood burst into the river. The beast released the vehicle instantly before sinking beneath the current.
"Go!" Silver shouted.
Ravenna didn’t hesitate, she slammed the accelerator. The engine screamed. Freed from the crocodilian’s grip, the vehicle lurched forward. Silver took his seat and took over the accelerator.
The remaining two beasts attempted to pursue but they never reached them. Sniper fire rained down from both riverbanks.
Several heavy-caliber rounds punched through the water, forcing the crocodilians to dive deeper. Meter by meter, the opposite bank drew closer.
The front tires climbed onto dry concrete, then packed earth. The rear wheels followed moments later. Finally, the entire vehicle emerged from Hell’s River.
Water poured from every surface,mud coated the doors and the front bull bar hung twisted from the crocodilian’s bite.
Silver brought the vehicle to a stop beside the waiting transport truck. Only then did he release the steering wheel.
His fingers ached. Ravenna leaned back heavily against her seat.
"...I think..." She let out a long breath. "...I prefer the ravine."
Silver laughed tiredly.
"I was just thinking the same thing."
An older contractor walked over, shaking his head with a grin.
"I’ve crossed Hell’s River more than thirty times." Je looked at their damaged bull bar. "And somehow every crossing finds a new way to surprise me."
Silver climbed out to inspect the damage.
"The vehicle’s fine, mostly."
The contractor nodded approvingly.
"Good driving."
Silver smiled modestly.
"The river deserves more credit than I do."
One by one, the remaining vehicles completed the crossing. A few endured close calls. One truck nearly stalled before recovering at the last moment. Another lost part of its rear bumper to an especially determined crocodilian.
But thanks to the coordinated covering fire from both banks, every remaining contractor reached the opposite shore alive. When the final vehicle climbed out of the river, a loud cheer erupted across the convoy.
Even the exhausted contractors couldn’t help smiling, they had overcome another obstacle.
Captain Harry checked his watch before climbing back into his truck.
"We’ve lost enough time. Lets move."
The convoy immediately reformed, engines starting. Within minutes they were once again traveling through the Yellow Zone.
This time, however, the atmosphere felt lighter, hell’s River gradually disappeared behind them. The crocodilian beasts did not pursue.
A few kilometers later, Gareth found a broad clearing surrounded by scattered trees.
He raised his hand.
"Lunch break!"
The convoy rolled to a gentle stop. Contractors climbed from their vehicles with noticeably brighter expressions than before.
Some immediately began preparing food. Others inspected fresh bite marks and dents left by the river crossing.
Silver leaned against their mud-covered vehicle while Ravenna unpacked their lunch. The smell of warm food slowly drifted through the clearing.