Chapter 120

“Don’t talk nonsense,” Bob said, a nervous expression flickering across his face—a rare sight. He rarely revealed his true feelings. But Emma’s charm, even during a rock-climbing competition, was overwhelming, causing this usually self-controlled young man to lose his composure. His phone rang.

“Hello, Liam,” he answered, his expression darkening at the caller ID.

“How was camp?” Liam’s voice was flat, tinged with gloom. Bob, astute as he was, understood the subtext. This call wasn't out of familial concern; Liam cared about Emma.

“It went smoothly, and so did Emma,” Bob said, getting straight to the point. “The girl who framed her this morning is in police custody.”

Liam grunted. “Good. The camp still has time to run. Remember to take good care of your aunt,” he added, the emphasis on “aunt” a pointed reminder of Bob's role.

Bob’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “Okay…”

A scream ripped through the air. A rock slab, dislodged by a climber’s foot, came loose high above. Bob hurriedly hung up. Emma had slipped, dangling precariously twenty feet in the air—as high as a three-story building.

Panic erupted among the students. The PE teacher rushed over. “What’s going on? Why did that rock slab come loose?”

The other contestants, none as high as Emma, stopped climbing in terror. Only Emma remained calm, though her fear was palpable. She relied on her safety belt, lock, and other protective gear, relaxing her body and letting the rope swing her back to the rock wall. She regained her grip and continued climbing, seemingly unfazed.

“Wow! She’s incredible!” someone exclaimed.

“If that were me, I’d have wet myself! She’s still climbing!” another added.

Emma’s unwavering fortitude intimidated the other competitors. She’d been about to be overtaken, but her recovery put immense pressure on her rival, who promptly withdrew.

The accident had left everyone tense, but Emma’s return to the wall brought a collective sigh of relief—except for Bob. His brow remained furrowed. The climbing venue was meticulously maintained; the teachers would have inspected it. The falling rock slab was suspicious; he sensed foul play.

“No good, Emma’s in danger!” he declared, rushing to the teacher to halt the competition. But Emma was nearing the top, just one step from the final 65-foot hold, poised to win. Then, a sickening crack echoed through the air. Everyone looked up in horror as the safety lock on her waist unfastened, and her main safety rope plummeted.

Emma was now clinging to the 65-foot wall with bare hands, utterly exhausted from her previous climb, unable to descend without risking a catastrophic fall. It was blatant attempted murder.

The atmosphere froze.

“Quick, call the police… the fire department!” someone shouted.

“Emma! Hold on, I’m coming!” The PE teacher started to ascend, securing a safety rope, the only way to rescue her short of waiting for emergency services.

“Teacher, but that wall’s too dangerous…”

“Exactly! What if another slab falls?”

The teacher hesitated.

“I’ll do it,” Bob said, stepping forward.

The students were stunned. They knew Bob’s intellect, but not his physical prowess. He clipped in a safety lock, then shouted to Emma, who clung desperately to the rock face. “Emma, hold on! I’m almost there!”

Emma gritted her teeth, perilously close to falling. The loosened slab, now the fallen rope, threatened to crush her. Then she saw Bob’s rapid ascent.

“Bob’s incredibly fast…”

“He’s almost as fast as Emma was!”

Soon, Bob reached her, carefully navigating unstable areas, reaching Emma steadily. “Here’s my rope. It’s secure.” He began to unfasten his own safety line at the 65-foot height.

“No!” Emma stopped him. “These rocks are too unstable. We’ll both fall before you can get it on me!”

He'd been fast, but not fast enough. Emma's strength was failing, the rock holds loosening around her. She realized her attacker had anticipated her reaching the top.

She looked down at the crash pad below. A jump might work, but spinal injury was certain. It was a gamble she couldn't afford.

“Do you know the Vanguard Climb?” she asked.

Bob understood. “You want me to descend, reinforce the holds, then you can follow?”

Emma nodded. “Exactly.” She’d seen Bob’s strength—with a rope, he could carefully descend, reinforcing the holds as he went.

Vanguard climbing required immense physical strength, skill, and mental fortitude. Though Bob would perform it, Emma, without safety equipment, was the true vanguard.

Bob shook his head. “But you have no safety rope. The risks are immense!”

“I believe I can,” Emma said firmly.