But Liu Ergou still came up with nothing.

His heart leaped into his throat. He estimated that he hadn't swum that far, but to have covered such a distance without finding Zhang Man meant her chances of survival were slim.

The thought made Liu Ergou break out in a cold sweat. Had a vibrant life just vanished before his very eyes?

A sudden fear gripped his heart. Life is so fragile.

For a moment, his mind was in chaos. Even so, he kept shouting Zhang Man's name as he swam forward.

Another five or six minutes passed, and Liu Ergou still came up empty-handed.

Just as he began to fear the worst for Zhang Man, a weak cry for help, carried by the crashing waves, reached his ears.

Hearing the faint cry, Liu Ergou's spirits lifted instantly. Who else could it be but Zhang Man?

He took a deep breath, gathered all his strength, and roared, "Zhang Man!"

His shout echoed far and wide over the desolate sea.

Soon, a response came, though it was very weak.

"Help… I… I'm here!"

Hearing the faint reply, Liu Ergou immediately stopped shouting. He calmed himself, listening intently.

Soon, another cry for help came over the water. This time, he pinpointed the direction.

He swam swiftly toward the source of the sound. As he drew closer, he could finally make out the situation ahead. A figure was struggling in the waves, bobbing up and down.

Seeing this, Liu Ergou swam with all his might and finally reached her.

Upon closer inspection, who else could it be but Zhang Man?

Without another moment of hesitation, Liu Ergou reached out and pulled Zhang Man into his arms.

Zhang Man, who had been flailing in a panic, instinctively began to struggle fiercely against the sudden embrace. Her thrashing was so abrupt that it caught Liu Ergou off guard, and he nearly lost his grip on her.

Fortunately, at the critical moment, Liu Ergou yelled, "Stop struggling, Zhang Man! It's me, Liu Ergou!"

At the sound of his voice, Zhang Man immediately stopped struggling. Without any hesitation, she clung to him like an octopus.

Looking at the woman in his arms, Liu Ergou breathed a sigh of relief. This woman really has a strong will to live. To think she held on for so long in these conditions… And I was just thinking she was a goner.

With that thought, Liu Ergou tried to swim back, but after a few strokes, he realized that Zhang Man was holding him far too tightly, making it impossible for him to swim.

"Zhang Man, let go! Don't hold on so tight!" he shouted. "You're holding me so tight I can't swim!"

But Zhang Man didn't respond to his yells; if anything, she clung to him even tighter, so much so that Liu Ergou felt like he was suffocating.

He knew she was acting purely on survival instinct, but the current situation didn't allow for it. If it had been anyone else in his position, they both would have likely died right there.

Thinking of this, Liu Ergou wasted no more time and forcefully pried her off of him.

As soon as she was pushed away, a look of terror filled Zhang Man's eyes. She immediately tried to latch onto him again with her arms and legs, but he stopped her.

"Stop it, do you hear me?"

"Zhang Man, calm down!"

Unfortunately, his words had little effect, only making her struggles more frantic.

This left Liu Ergou feeling utterly helpless. He had no choice but to raise his hand and slap her hard across the face.

SMACK!

The sharp sting instantly brought Zhang Man to her senses.

"Ah! Liu Ergou, why did you hit me?" she demanded.

Liu Ergou replied coldly, "I hit you to snap you out of it, of course! How am I supposed to swim if you're choking me?"

Zhang Man was completely unconvinced. She was just about to say something when a large wave crashed over her, plunging her under the surface. She choked on several gulps of seawater before sputtering her way back up.

Having resurfaced, Zhang Man instantly fell quiet and didn't utter another word.

Liu Ergou sneered when he saw this.

"Hold on from behind! And don't use so much force!"

Zhang Man obediently did as she was told. She draped herself over his back and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Liu Ergou moved his arms a bit, confirming he had enough mobility, and then finally started for the shore.

He thought the ordeal was finally over.

But what Liu Ergou never expected was that something seemed to snap in the woman's head. At some point, the hands that were holding his neck began to slowly move downward.

Her hand first brushed over his neck, then traced a line down his chest, and finally came to a stop well below his waist.

Liu Ergou was just about to tell her to behave.

But in the next second, Zhang Man gasped.

"Liu Ergou!"

"I can't believe you're that kind of person!"

"At a time like this, you still have a reaction!"

Zhang Man's words made Liu Ergou's face instantly darken.

This woman is seriously nuts! What is she even talking about at a time like this? Most importantly, I'm *not* having a reaction at all!

He said through gritted teeth, "Shut your mouth! Who's having a reaction?"

"How could anyone have a reaction at a time like this! Stop your slander! I'm in a perfectly normal state!"

However, Zhang Man simply didn't believe him.

"I don't believe you. If this is you in a 'normal state', I'd hate to see you when you're not!"

Zhang Man had barely finished speaking when Liu Ergou roared.

"Shut the hell up!"

"If you don't believe me, then feel for yourself!"

Gritting his teeth, he grabbed her hand and shoved it back where it was.

Instantly, Zhang Man fell silent, not daring to utter another word. Her face flushed red with shame, but it was too dark for Liu Ergou to see.

However, he could feel that she had finally quieted down.

"Alright, you've confirmed it for yourself, so I won't waste any more words on it."

"Now hold on to me properly, and I'll get you back to shore. And remember, don't cause any more trouble!"

"If you dare cause any more trouble, I swear I will leave you here!"

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