Chapter 94 Ever the Same
As the seconds ticked by, the traffic finally began to move—but at a much slower pace than Qi Xia had anticipated. It seemed that the area closest to the entrance had indeed experienced the traffic accident due to the emergence of this strange climatic phenomena
By the time the eerie crack disappeared and the cars once again began entering Qingdao, it was already eight o'clock in the morning.
During this time, Qi Xia had repeatedly called Yu Nian'An, but there was still no answer. After much contemplation, only one explanation could account for the current situation: Yu Nian'An had already been detained by the police.
"Driver, let’s change the destination," Qi Xia said, keenly aware of this realization. Knowing that returning home was no longer an option, he continued, "I have a new address for you." After searching for the location on his phone, Qi Xia extended it to the driver.
"Oh?" The driver took the phone, glanced at the destination, and said, "Okay, it’s about the same distance; I’ll head there directly."
Finally, around ten-thirty in the morning, the driver brought Qi Xia to his new destination. It was a rundown rental property in the old district of Shibei.
"Here we are, young man," the driver said with a sigh of relief. "I never expected it would take so long."
"It’s fine." Qi Xia pulled out one thousand five hundred yuan from his pocket and handed it to the driver. "Thank you for your hard work."
Qi Xia nodded, about to head toward the rental property, when a thought suddenly struck him. He turned back and said, "Sir, I know you’re tired, but don’t go home before noon. If you’re exhausted, just rest in the car for a bit."
"Uh?" The driver paused, confusion crossing his face. "What do you mean? Why can’t I go home?"
"I have no reason to lie to you," Qi Xia replied. "Something significant is about to happen, and it’s safer for you to stay outside."
After concluding his conversation, Qi Xia disregarded the driver and headed toward the rental unit. This was a backup location he and Yu Nian'An had secured specifically for emergencies . He intended to pack a few clothing items before deciding on his next steps.
After walking seven steps, Qi Xia’s phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket. Startled, he quickly pulled it out to check—it was a call from {A}.
"An?" Qi Xia was taken aback, sensing that his earlier deductions might have been off. Could it be that Yu Nian'An hadn’t been detained by the police after all?
Or perhaps... someone else had asked her to make this call?
"Hello?" Qi Xia answered, keeping his tone neutral. He knew that even if this call was from the police, he had to ensure they took Yu Nian'An out of the building; otherwise, the consequences could be dire.
"Xia!" Yu Nian'An’s voice was faint. "I’m so sorry… I think I’m sick. I’ve been in a deep sleep since yesterday afternoon and only just woke up."
"Sick?" Qi Xia furrowed his brow and asked, "Did you feed the fish yesterday?"
"Pfft..." Yu Nian'An chuckled softly. "Why are you using the {secret code}? Nothing happened; I really just feel unwell."
Realizing the urgency of the situation, Qi Xia quickly replied, "An, listen to me. Quickly pack your things and wait for me downstairs. I’m coming to get you right now."
"There’s no time to explain; just trust me," Qi Xia urged. "I’ve swindled many, but never you."
"Alright…" Yu Nian'An agreed. "I’ll pack my things now. How long will it take you to arrive?"
"I…" Qi Xia turned his hand to glance at his phone, sensing that the situation was taking a troubling turn. Getting a ride from here would take at least an hour, and he feared it would coincide with that impending catastrophic earthquake. "Don’t worry about how long it’ll take me. Just get out of the house as quickly as you can; even standing outside the door will make a difference."
"Oh… alright," Yu Nian'An replied. "I just need to wash my face; I’ll be down in about ten minutes."
After hanging up, Qi Xia quickly turned to look for the taxi driver, relieved to find he hadn’t left yet. The driver was sitting in the front seat, examining counterfeit bills with a small ultraviolet flashlight.
"Sir!" Qi Xia knocked on the window, startling the man.
"Aiya! Goodness!" The driver quickly tucked away the money, only to realize that the person before him was none other than that {big client}.
"Young man?" The driver rolled down the window, glancing around curiously. "What’s the matter now?"
"Take me to the spot where I got in yesterday!" Qi Xia replied urgently. "And make it quick; I’ll give you a hundred!"
"Sure thing!" The driver smiled, waving Qi Xia in. "Get in!"
As Qi Xia settled into the car, his expression remained anxious. He kept glancing at his phone, frustrated that he hadn’t noted the time when the earthquake struck. All he remembered was that it was expected around noon, but he couldn’t recall if it would be at eleven or twelve. With this troubling thought, he urged the driver again, "Could you please drive a little faster?"
"Come on, young man, you’re really asking too much of me; I’m already driving while fatigued…"
"Sir, I’m really in a rush."
"Ok, ok, ok..." The driver relented, pressing down on the accelerator.
What should have been an hour-long journey took only forty minutes.
"Thanks." Qi Xia tossed a hundred yuan at him and jumped out of the car without looking back.
However, as he scanned the area, a strange feeling washed over him—Yu Nian'An wasn’t waiting downstairs at all.
"What’s going on?" His first thought was that she might have stepped into a nearby convenience store. He dialed her number, but there was no answer.
‘An, where are you...?’
Before he could process what was happening, a series of deafening roars erupted in the distance. The thunderous sounds followed one after another, resembling the cacophony of thousands of trains barreling down the road. In the next moment, the ground violently shook, causing Qi Xia to lose his balance and crash to the pavement.
‘This is bad!’ He realized with a sinking heart that he was in the same position as before, the last time an earthquake struck. It felt almost as if fate had orchestrated this moment—same time, same place. Even though everything had reset, nothing had truly changed.
Surrounding vehicles began to collide in a multi-vehicle accident, with the air filled with the frantic sounds of people screaming.
Qi Xia had no time to think; he sprinted toward his residential building. Even if there were only the faintest chance that Yu Nian'An was inside, he had to rescue her. Yet, navigating through the chaos of the earthquake proved to be exceedingly challenging. He stumbled five or six times before finally regaining his footing.
"An!!" he called out, directing his voice toward the upper floors. Given that they resided on the third floor, she should have been able to hear him.
Steeling himself, Qi Xia stepped into his unit. He vividly recalled that when he had last entered, the entrance balcony had collapsed, an event that cost him his life. With this thought in mind, he swiftly dodged to the side as a massive rock crashed down where he had been standing moments before. The stone was colossal; there was no way anyone could survive being struck by it.
"It seems I really did die before..."