Xu Jian, who had been nearly driven to total despair, suddenly saw a few figures walking along the mountain path not far away. In a split second, his will to survive reawakened, stirred, and swelled within him.
Perhaps this was his last chance to leave Silver Lake alive; no matter what, he could not afford to miss it. Since he had no way to make a sound from his throat, he had to find another way. Seeing those people on the mountain path drawing closer and knowing they would only pass by Silver Lake for ten minutes or so, he had to make them notice him, to see him, within that tiny window of time.
For the very first time in his life, Xu Jian forced himself to stay calm, racking his brains for any way to draw the attention of the people on the shore. He used every ounce of his strength to break free from the ropes binding him, knowing full well that it would likely be useless. The ropes seemed to have grown into his body; no matter how he struggled, he could not break such a tight binding. Gradually, however, he could feel the ropes loosening bit by bit, and the wooden stake in the water shaking slightly, emitting faint sounds.
Chapter 499