Rebellious Game C23.1

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Chp23. part1

“Generally, the government will immediately mobilize rescue teams,” Yun Xin said reassuringly. “They’ll also make arrangements to house survivors who can’t return home for now, providing food and water. The most important thing is that everyone is safe. As for the rest… we’ll just have to wait and see. There will be an explanation eventually.”

Zhou Rui countered, “With communication lines down and so many buildings collapsed, even if people are safe, how many years will it take to rebuild and restore the city to its pre-earthquake state?”

Zhu Lin, a local who had lived there her whole life and deeply cherished the city, retorted stubbornly, “Whether it takes three years or five, it will eventually be restored to its former glory!”

Zhou Rui, being an outsider, approached the problem more rationally. “But the economy will inevitably suffer during those three to five years. For locals whose homes are still standing, it’s manageable—they only need to worry about daily necessities. But for those whose homes and workplaces have collapsed, losing both their homes and their jobs overnight, how will they survive the next three to five years?”

Zhu Lin was speechless.

“Besides,” Zhou Rui said, gazing at the devastated landscape, “after this earthquake, would you still dare to live here? What if there’s another one in a few years?”

Zhu Lin remained silent.

Despite her emotional attachment, she was still afraid to stay in this city.

“Let’s talk about it later,” Zhu Lin sighed. “When we get home, I’ll discuss it with my parents.”

An hour passed.

Finally, someone led them to a temporary shelter.

It was a large hall filled with the pungent aroma of instant noodles. A few people sat scattered in the corners.

Staff members were distributing bottled water and instant noodles. Some survivors clutched their bowls and wolfed down the noodles, their hunger evident.

“We’ll be spending the night here,” their guide said with a hint of apology. “Given the circumstances, everyone will need to make do.”

Yun Xin collected a bottle of water and some biscuits, then sat down against the wall.

Zhu Lin quickly followed suit.

Zhou Rui came over. “Why did you choose this spot?”

“I like sleeping against the wall,” Yun Xin replied.

Zhou Rui said nothing more.

Yun Xin turned to Zhu Lin. “Try to get some rest if you’re tired. Tonight’s going to be restless, and the sleeping conditions won’t be ideal. Take advantage of any chance to sleep.”

Zhu Lin nodded vigorously.

Perhaps due to the alcohol or the terrifying experience, a sense of relief washed over her upon learning she was safe. She closed her eyes and soon fell asleep.

At the same time, Yun Xin had closed her eyes, trying to get some sleep. But a gaze so intense she couldn’t pretend not to notice.

She had no choice but to open her eyes. “What is it?”

The owner of the gaze was Zhou Rui. He showed no embarrassment at being caught, instead stating plainly, “I find it quite remarkable.”

“What’s remarkable?” Yun Xin asked.

“When I first met you, I thought you were a recent graduate—introverted, needing care. But after the disaster, everything changed.” Zhou Rui’s expression was complex. “All the way here, you’ve been taking care of us.”

“Isn’t it nice to be taken care of?” Yun Xin countered.

“It is. As long as we survive, anything goes.” Zhou Rui chuckled bitterly. “I just never expected to be the one being protected. It’s a strange feeling.”

Yun Xin said decisively, “Then you’d better get used to it quickly.”

Zhou Rui smiled. “Are you not holding back at all anymore?”

I wanted to live an ordinary life, Yun Xin thought. But with disasters becoming more frequent, it’s impossible to stay low-key.

So she’d finally decided… To hell with it! I’ll just do whatever makes me feel comfortable.

“You’ve been busy all day, aren’t you tired? How can you still be in the mood to think about these things?” Yun Xin asked, her curiosity piqued. “If you’re not tired, you can take the night watch. Consider taking care of two girls.”

With that, she closed her eyes to rest, refusing to engage in further conversation.

Zhou Rui smiled wryly and dutifully took up his post.

The night was far from peaceful.

Survivors kept being led into the hall—men, women, old, young… The murmur of voices and rustling sounds never ceased.

Around midnight, Zhou Rui needed to use the restroom.

Before leaving, he planned to wake Yun Xin and warn her to be careful. With so many people in the hall, he couldn’t guarantee there wasn’t a bad person among them.

But the moment his hand reached out, before it even touched her, Yun Xin’s eyes snapped open, her gaze sharp and piercing.

Zhou Rui: “…”

Well, so much for my worrying.

He withdrew his hand. “I’m going out for a bit.”

“Go ahead,” Yun Xin approved.

Beside her, Zhu Lin slept soundly, like a little pig, showing no signs of waking.

Zhou Rui sighed. If Yun Xin had malicious intentions, Zhu Lin wouldn’t even know she was being sold.

How can the gap between people be so vast?

At least have some self-awareness when you’re out and about.

Zhou Rui shook his head and left.

Nothing happened overnight.

The next morning, as the sky brightened, Zhu Lin finally woke up with a yawn, having slept soundly.

The events of the previous night flashed through her mind, and she froze.

Being talkative, slow to react, and a burden was one thing, but why did I cry so much?!

“Awake?” Zhou Rui, who was eating instant noodles from a bucket, greeted her as she stirred. “You slept like a log. All the people coming and going, the noise… none of it woke you.”

Zhu Lin: “…That’s because I was drunk!”

She explained earnestly, but Zhou Rui paid no attention, lowering his head and slurping his noodles with gusto.

“Where’s Yun Xin?” After last night, Zhu Lin had developed a strange condition called “Yun Xin Dependence.” It manifested as a constant unease whenever Yun Xin wasn’t within her sight.

“Right here.” Yun Xin appeared behind Zhu Lin, holding a freshly prepared bucket of noodles.

Zhu Lin’s tense shoulders relaxed. “You went to get noodles?”

“Yeah.” Yun Xin explained, “The lobby was crowded, and you were still asleep. Zhou Rui and I took turns making noodles while the other stayed to watch you.”

Zhu Lin: “…Drinking makes you do stupid things. I’ll never drink again!”

Zhou Rui glanced up. “Let’s talk later. Go get the instant noodles quickly. You don’t want to end up with Mushroom Chicken flavor, do you?”

Zhu Lin:?!

She turned and rushed to join the queue.

Though the temporary shelter was basic, in this situation, being able to get a cup of hot water and a bowl of hot noodles was already a blessing. Plus, staying put meant they’d be notified immediately if any news came.

“This magnitude 8.6 earthquake is extremely rare in history. Fortunately, the government evacuated people promptly, preventing massive casualties. But half the buildings collapsed, and public infrastructure was severely damaged—the losses are immeasurable.”

“The earthquake ruptured a natural gas pipeline, causing an explosion and fire. So far, 24 people have died and 7 have been injured.”

“Due to the extreme heat, some elderly and children suffered heatstroke during the evacuation. The high temperatures have already claimed 31 lives.”

“Latest news: The fire has been extinguished. The government is clearing roads and sending ambulances to transfer injured civilians for treatment.”

“Some people went home to pack, trying to retrieve important items like ID cards, property deeds, bank cards, and gold jewelry. They were unable to evacuate in time and were buried in the rubble. Rescue teams are working to save them—56 people have been rescued so far.”

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