I understand. I will act as a professional Chinese to English translator for Chinese novels, strictly adhering to all provided rules. My output will consist solely of the translated English text, with no additional explanations, comments, or formatting instructions.
Zhou Zijuan's condition was not good. Although we disinfected her wound, it was too severe. The sea breeze aggravated it, causing her to cry out in pain.
"This won't do," Dao Zhiyong said nervously. "We must get medical personnel here quickly!"
"I don't know when any support might arrive," I replied. "With the tsunami, even if they could come, they'd be blocked. Zhiyong!"
Dao Zhiyong became frantic. "How can this be? Are we just going to watch Zhou Zijuan die?"
"Zhiyong, listen to me. Regardless of how she treated you before, you can't break the law. Liu Yuning and I have already figured some things out!"
"Team Leader He, you really..."
I didn't answer, just stared at him. Zhou Zijuan was crying, looking wronged. The female painter, however, scoffed, "You two are being so hypocritical. If it weren't for you, we would have escaped already. You're putting on quite a show. Officer Dao, you know the law and still break it!"
"I didn't!" Dao Zhiyong retorted forcefully. The old woman chimed in, "You haven't? Officer He suspects you now. Zhou Zijuan is the prime suspect, and your attitude towards her is unusual. This isn't how a guest treats their host!"
We ignored the old woman and the female painter. Everyone else gradually approached Dao Zhiyong and Zhou Zijuan, surrounding them.
We weren't there to arrest anyone, but to ask Zhou Zijuan if there were any other high points she could access. She seemed to understand, trembling as she said, "Besides the signal tower, there's a lighthouse at the pier to our north. But it will take time to get there, and without a car, we won't make it."
"Are there no cars here?"
"There's one at the hotel, but it won't fit all of us."
"Then what do we do?" Xia Hou asked, looking at us. Without hesitation, I went to the hotel garage. It was an electric scooter. "Seriously!"
I had expected something more substantial. The hotel's amenities were abysmal. Seeing the scooter, everyone felt a surge of despair. The sound of the waves grew louder. Though we couldn't see it, I guessed it was less than two kilometers away.
What could we do? We would all be swallowed by the waves. Just then, the female painter suddenly declared, "I'll take the electric scooter. No one stop me!"
"How can you be so selfish?" He Xin scornfully asked. "What will happen to us if you leave?"
"I don't care. I don't want to die!"
I realized then that the female painter feared death the most. Before we could react, she lunged for the scooter. He Xin then said, "I think you're the murderer. You're the one most desperate to leave. This is because you came here to complete a task, and now you're in danger yourself, which you resent. That's why you want to leave immediately!"
"You're spouting nonsense! How could I be the murderer? Didn't we say it was Dao Zhiyong and the others?"
She blurted that out herself. Liu Yuning added, "We're only suspicious. Regardless, there are only two possibilities. First, Dao Zhiyong and Zhou Zijuan are the murderers, and you're running because you fear they'll harm you. Why? If I'm not mistaken, you're involved in what happened thirteen years ago, aren't you, Miss Female Painter? Second, if they aren't the murderers and you flee, then you become the prime suspect."
"This..." The female painter, already on the scooter, was struck speechless by Liu Yuning's words.
"Whoever is most eager to leave now is the most suspicious!" He Xin summarized.
Liu Yuning and He Xin had effectively cornered the female painter. When I mentioned the events of thirteen years ago, her face darkened considerably. I suspected Yuning had hit the mark.
I approached her. "If you still wish to leave, we won't stop you. If you can find the lighthouse, try to send a distress signal."
"How?"
"Lighthouses historically served as navigational aids for sailors. They are tall structures with lighting equipment at the top, positioned prominently. They should have a distinctive shape, easily recognizable by ships, and stand as one of the highest points of a harbor. Due to the Earth's curvature, the tower must be sufficiently tall for its light to be visible to distant vessels, typically within a range of 15-25 nautical miles. To send a distress signal, simply press the switch at the top, causing the light to flash continuously."
"I understand. Officer He, I will find it and send a distress signal to the city!"
"Then good luck!"
With that, the female painter drove off on the electric scooter. I hadn't checked if it was functional, but she was in such a hurry. All we could do was hope.
We watched her disappear, the electric scooter moving surprisingly fast and appearing quite stable. I wondered about the brand, thinking I might buy one myself later – I was amazed at my own thoughts at that moment. Suddenly, under everyone's gaze, the female painter let out a scream. I immediately dashed out!
Those behind me thought I'd gone mad, trying to race an electric scooter.
For some reason, the scooter's front wheel detached as if it had been tampered with. Due to inertia, the female painter was flung from the vehicle!
Before us lay a cliff. Though there was a simple railing, it was barely a deterrent. The female painter plunged over the edge. But I had already reached out and firmly grabbed her wrist!
In such a situation, gripping a wrist was much better than fingers, as the sleeve could provide more friction. The female painter cried out in terror, "The scooter was faulty! They did this! It must have been them! Officer He, I don't want to die!"
"Hold on tight! Don't speak! Gather your strength in your dantian!" I urged anxiously, concentrating all my power in my palm. Nearby, the booming roar of the approaching tsunami crashed against the reefs. Everyone knew that even if we didn't fall, we would all perish when the wave hit.