mchenry-crisis.org Chapter 3 Departure
Chapter 3 Departure
Looking at the hideous scar on his father's arm, Song Chen felt a complex and indescribable feeling welling up inside him.
"I see."
Li Xiuying wiped away her tears for a long time before finally sighing.
"Let's eat, the food's getting cold."
Her voice was hoarse and tired.
The family of three picked up their chopsticks.
The braised pork is stewed until tender and melts in your mouth.
The shredded potatoes were cooked to perfection, resulting in a crisp and refreshing texture.
Song Chen lowered her head and ate slowly, bite by bite.
Li Xiuying chattered on and on, talking about how he didn't like to eat vegetables when he was a child, and she always had to chase after him to feed him;
When he was six years old, he had a high fever, and she and Lao Song held him and waited in line at the hospital all night.
When she mentioned that her blood pressure was only 0.12 when she first tested it, she cried all night. Old Song comforted her and said that she would get better with time.
As Song Chen listened, his throat tightened.
"It's because we're incompetent."
"If I had money to buy you tonics, your Qi and blood levels wouldn't be..."
Li Xiuying's voice was so low it was almost inaudible.
"mom."
Song Chen interrupted her.
Li Xiuying shut her mouth and said no more.
Song Zhengye opened another bottle of Erguotou and filled it to the brim.
"Alright."
"It's a good thing that our son wants to take a gamble. Weren't we the same when we were young? If I hadn't taken that gamble back then, I wouldn't have been able to marry you."
Li Xiuying chuckled softly at his words, but her eyes welled up with tears as she laughed: "Stop being so cheeky."
"I'm telling the truth."
Song Zhengye picked up his glass: "Come on, son, have a drink with your dad."
Song Chen looked at the enamel cup that was handed to him, which was half-filled with baijiu (Chinese liquor).
He had never drunk alcohol before, but he still reached out and took it.
"Thank you, Dad."
He took a sip.
The pungent taste of the alcohol hit his throat, making his eyes well up with tears.
Song Zhengye laughed heartily, patting him on the shoulder: "Good lad, you're a son of the Song family!"
Li Xiuying scolded Lao Song for being improper and setting a bad example for the children.
Outside the window, psionic particles continued to flow through the night sky, casting a hazy glow over the dilapidated buildings in the slums.
Inside the house, the family of three sat around a small dining table, eating simple food and chatting about everyday life.
Looking at her parents' faces, Song Chen swallowed the spiciness in her mouth.
He knew full well the dangers outside the city, but he had to go, not to take the college entrance exam, but simply to survive.
In order to continue to sit down and have a simple dinner with my loved ones.
He picked up his rice bowl: "Mom, give me another bowl of rice."
Li Xiuying paused for a moment, then smiled. The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes were gathered together, but she looked more gentle and beautiful than ever before.
"it is good."
"Mom will serve you some."
……
It was late at night.
Song Chen lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.
He simply got up and walked to the window.
The night sky outside the window was like an overturned palette, with countless psionic particles floating and flowing slowly within it.
The red ones are like fire, the blue ones are like ice, the purple ones have a mysterious glow, the white ones are like diamonds scattered on black velvet, and the gold ones are like silk threads woven together.
They converged into a band of light, intertwined and entwined, and finally disappeared into the horizon.
It was like a dream, so beautiful it seemed unreal.
As Song Chen gazed at the night sky, a sense of absurdity welled up within him.
Fifty years ago, when the meteorite fell, humanity thought it was the end of the world.
Scientists predict that the impact dust will block out sunlight, causing a sharp drop in global temperatures, ecological collapse, and another mass extinction event on Earth, with humanity repeating the fate of the dinosaurs.
But the result?
Meteorites have indeed caused disasters such as tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.
But after the disaster, the world was not destroyed; instead, a new substance called psionic energy appeared.
Animals mutate, humans awaken, and the era of martial arts begins.
A meteorite that could have destroyed a civilization instead paved the way for its evolution.
"That's really interesting."
Song Chen murmured to herself.
He looked up, his gaze passing through the flowing points of light, gazing into the deeper universe.
Where did that meteorite come from?
Is it an asteroid within our solar system, or a visitor from distant interstellar space?
Is it a known celestial body, or an unknown entity?
He recalled the various speculations in the documents.
Some say it's a special celestial body created by cosmic rays, others say it's an experimental product of an advanced civilization, and still others say it's not a meteorite but a passage to higher dimensions.
Some even say that this is humanity's destiny to usher in the era of martial arts.
No one knows the truth.
Humanity has sent countless exploration teams deep into the Pacific Ocean to search for meteorite debris, but to no avail.
It seemed to melt away and dissipate, leaving behind only endless particles of psionic energy that floated in the air day and night.
Song Chen looked at it for a moment, then looked away.
He looked down at his hands.
With a Qi and Blood value of 0.6, you're not even a martial artist. What's the point of thinking about these things?
He's leaving the city tomorrow.
Whether they can return alive from facing real monsters, and whether they can accumulate enough kill points, is all unknown.
"Go to sleep."
He said to himself.
Song Chen lay back on the bed and closed her eyes.
Outside the window, psionic particles continued to flow, adorning the slum's night with a dreamlike, fairytale-like quality.
But the cruelty of this world has no fairytale charm whatsoever.
……
The next morning, Song Chen arrived at the gate of Anning City No. 3 Martial Arts High School.
Although it's called a school gate, it looks more like the entrance to a military base.
The towering alloy gate is flanked by heavily armed guards, while drones patrol overhead.
A huge school emblem hangs above the gate, featuring a sword paired with an open book, with the words "Anning City Third Martial Arts High School" engraved below.
Today is the assembly day for practical training, and a lot of people have already gathered at the school gate.
They were all senior high school students, dressed in various combat uniforms, carrying weapons, their faces filled with tension or excitement.
Song Chen walked through the crowd toward the meeting point.
"Song Chen!"
A familiar voice called out to him.
He turned around and saw Lin Qingxue jogging over.
Today she was wearing a form-fitting white combat suit that accentuated her slender waistline, and her long hair was tied in a high ponytail, revealing her smooth forehead.
In the sunlight, her skin was so white it was almost translucent.
Lin Qingxue ran up to him: "Why are you here so early?"
"Why are you here? I remember you didn't register?"
Song Chen replied.
Lin Qingxue looked at him, hesitant to speak.
She pulled a knife out from behind her back.
It was a standard combat knife with a black alloy scabbard and a handle wrapped with non-slip cloth, about one meter in length.
Song Chen recognized the knife; it was made of C-grade alloy and was of superior quality.
Lin Qingxue handed the knife to him: "This is for you."
"My family has extra swords. The swords the school gives out for free are too poor; they're easy to get hurt when fighting monsters."
Song Chen looked at her.
In the sunlight, her eyes were clear and bright, reflecting his image.
"Thanks."
He didn't stand on ceremony and took the sword directly.
The blade is heavier than I expected, but it feels great in my hand.
He drew the blade, its edge gleaming with a cold, sharp light; it was sharpened and incredibly razor-sharp.
The connection between Song Chen and Lin Qingxue is very simple.
His practical skills and academic performance consistently ranked first in the class. Lin Qingxue often came to him for advice, and over time, they became close.