Wu Haoyu's POV
The helicopter's searchlight hit us like a punch, blinding white and relentless, turning the night into a stark, unforgiving stage. Its roar drowned out everything—the waves, the engine, even my own heartbeat thundering in my chest—as it hovered low over the water, blades churning the surface into a frothy mess. Li Mei's voice crackled through the speaker, cold and sharp as a blade: "Surrender, or we sink you." My grip tightened on the throttle, knuckles white, every muscle screaming to fight, to run, to do something—anything—to keep Yanyan and the others alive.
"Haoyu, move!" Yanyan shouted beside me, her voice cutting through the chaos, fierce and steady despite the fear I knew she was hiding. She clutched that damn paddle like it was a sword, her eyes blazing as she glared up at the chopper. My girl—stubborn as hell, ready to take on the world even when it was crashing down around us.
