Prologue

The person in the passenger seat could no longer hold back and, looking at the congested vehicles ahead, reminded, "Young Master Qin, should we eat something first? President Qin ... ... "

At this moment, aftershocks continue to occur, some slight and some distinctly felt, yet he seems completely oblivious, with a pair of eyes that are shockingly blood-red, heavy enough to make it hard to breathe

How could that person leave him so utterly at a loss

The main traffic routes in City K are already congested, and the rescue personnel have proceeded on foot, as vehicles are completely unable to enter the city as they approach the entrance.

Qin Zhaoyang's pair of eyes, however, sank to the extreme; amidst this aftershock, he was in a state of utter confusion and anxiety.

"Um." He had just opened his mouth when he realized that his voice had become so hoarse that he could barely make a sound. He cleared his throat gently, disregarding the still rough and unpleasant tone, and asked eagerly, "How is it? Is there any news?"

During this period of waiting, his phone kept ringing incessantly. He held it in his palm, quietly listening to the live reports on the radio, while he directly cut off calls from irrelevant numbers

The pendant in front of the car suddenly shook violently, producing a clattering sound, and even through the layer of the car window, the alternating screams from outside could be heard

Disappointment and fear engulfed him boundlessly. He glanced at the gray, overcast sky outside the car window for a moment, then forced himself to calm his mind. "Is there still no result?"

Having finished speaking, he said no more, directly hung up the phone, and hurriedly walked out.

As soon as his words fell, he had already stood up, deftly taking the coat that was resting on the back of the sofa chair, "You cannot imagine how important that person is to me"

The "rustling" sound of the broadcast current is like a countdown, and the atmosphere inside the car is so oppressive that he can hardly breathe

The person in the passenger seat was taken aback, and without saying anything further, turned around to continue the phone call

Young Master Qin!" He trembled as he spoke, somewhat in disbelief, "There is news about Miss Su, but..." He paused, pressed his lips together, and said with great difficulty: "However, the situation is not optimistic."

His voice was so deep it was almost frightening, "I can't wait any longer, I must know her news immediately"

Just as his heart grew heavier, about to sink to the deepest bottom, the person in the passenger seat suddenly turned around

Zhaoyang, the traffic in City K has already come to a standstill, and there is no communication signal. Could you please wait a little longer...

At 10 PM tonight, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake occurred in City K. Five hours have passed since the incident, and the death toll has risen to 2,568 people

"I apologize, Young Master Qin," said the person in the passenger seat, glancing at him with concern. "Currently, there is no news regarding Miss Su."

We apologize, but the number you have dialed is not being answered. Please try again later

At that moment, the landline phone rang loudly. He picked it up, and an extremely anxious voice came from the other end, "Zhaoyang"

At that moment, the aftershocks suddenly intensified, causing the very land to sway and tremble

Staring at the ever-increasing death toll on the screen, Qin Zhaoyang felt a strain in his eyes that was beginning to ache. With trembling hands, he pressed the familiar number on his phone, dialing it repeatedly.

He feels that he is constantly on edge, and the string in his heart has become extremely fragile; even the slightest piece of bad news could cause it to snap completely.

Have there been any updates? He interrupted him, his eyes as deep as an ancient well, seemingly calm yet unfathomable.

Qin Zhaoyang arrived at the airport in L City, near K City, and the person who came to pick him up had already arranged for a car to take him directly into K City

The surroundings are shrouded in a dim grayness, as it is still raining due to the earthquake. The entire world seems to be covered by a layer of gray fabric, with even the air filled with fine particles of dust

It has been a full 12 hours since the incident, yet there is still no news of her

He deftly unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, casually opening it, and only then did he feel somewhat better

"Not yet..." After a brief pause, he immediately added, "I know you are waiting, so I called to inform you. Don't worry, Xiaocheng's message has already been sent, and we are currently working hard to confirm it. You should go get some sleep; we should have news by tomorrow morning."

The mechanical and cold female voice had never made Qin Zhaoyang feel so desperate

Upon hearing this news, he turned pale with anger, yet he still managed to suppress his emotions, waiting for the road ahead to clear.

He has not slept all night, and at this moment, his eyes are already bloodshot. Yet, despite this, he continues to make phone calls to contact Su Chenche, who is participating in the earthquake relief efforts in City K.

Tomorrow morning

It was still a series of busy signals, and the clear "beep beep beep" sound felt like a knife cutting at the tip of his heart, causing his back to become drenched in sweat.

When Qin Zhaoyang heard the words "not optimistic," his heart suddenly sank into the sea, and in an instant, he felt utterly exhausted, lacking even the courage to ask another question, sitting there in stunned silence.

The mobile phone he had been holding in his palm was heating up due to prolonged use, yet he seemed completely oblivious to it. After a brief pause, he began to repeatedly dial that familiar phone number.

At three o'clock in the morning, in the empty living room, Qin Zhaoyang sat alone on the sofa, his lips pressed tightly together, staring intently at the news channel broadcasting live, his brows furrowed.