C5 Settle Her Parents!

Standing amidst the bustling crowd on the street, Lin Chen pulled out his phone, a mix of emotions playing across his face as he excitedly scrolled through his contacts.

The entry labeled "Dad, Mom" softened Lin Chen's icy demeanor. His eyes stung, and tears he hadn't shed in ages threatened to spill over.

He'd been fighting the impulse to make this call since he woke up, but now, with his plan in motion, it was time.

Seeking out a quiet corner, Lin Chen's hands shook as he tapped his phone.

The call connected quickly, and a burst of noise spilled from the other end.

His parents' mountain village was usually so peaceful—were they in town now?

"Hello, is that you, Chen? What's going on?" Lin Yuanshan's deep voice resonated through the phone.

Chiang Lian's voice, brimming with joy, followed: "Oh, it's Chen calling! It's dinner time; must be something urgent. Is Chen running low on cash? I've said it before, you stingy old man, we're not short on money, yet you only give the kids three thousand yuan a month. See, now our son is calling for money."

Hearing the voices of his parents, absent for so many years, and his mother's worry, Lin Chen could no longer hold back his emotions. Amidst the throngs of the city, his tears cascaded down. They quickly blurred his vision and his face.

Only through loss had he learned to cherish.

In his past life, he could have taken Yaya back to his hometown. But his own cowardice had made that impossible.

Since then, Yaya's laughter and his parents' tender voices haunted only his dreams.

Since then, he lived without love, a mere shell of a man, until his tragic end.

Ironically, when betrayed by a woman and slain by a brother, he felt little hatred. Instead, he felt a strange gratitude for being released from his misery.

What kind of indifference was this? What kind of resignation?

Perhaps one phrase could capture this state: "There is no greater sorrow than a heart that has ceased to feel."

Thankfully, the heavens showed mercy, and everything had been given a second chance.

There was still time!

Lin Chen dared not speak just yet, fearing his parents might detect the unusual tone in his voice.

He clutched his mouth tightly, tears streaming down his face, as he eagerly soaked in the sound of his parents' voices.

He was filled with remorse for not valuing their love in his past life, rarely calling them unless he needed money.

Now, he truly understood the depth of ‘a parent's heart is always with their children.'

Since Yaya and his parents passed away in his previous life, he hadn't shed a single tear.

He had endured countless nights of solitude, endless pain, and witnessed many sorrows without crying. He had even believed his tear ducts had run dry.

Yet now, tears were flowing in abundance!

With the control Lin Chen had over his body, he could have easily stemmed the tide of tears.

But he chose not to.

He let the tears fall.

Cry, cry, these are the tears of rebirth, and this will be my last time crying. From now on, no one will have the power to make me cry!

Anyone who tries will pay in blood!

And if the universe itself tries to make me cry, I will turn it upside down!

In that moment, all the pent-up negative emotions from a decade in the apocalypse poured out with his tears, and a fierce determination to battle the heavens and earth took root.

From this point forward, he would face the apocalypse and challenge fate with the utmost composure.

Lin Chen's prolonged silence alarmed Lin Yuanshan, whose voice grew urgent with concern, "Chen! Son! What's wrong? Can you hear me?"

"Who is holding the phone? What do you want? Have you kidnapped Chen? Are you calling for a ransom? Please, don't be rash, we can work this out. Just don't harm my son, because I will hunt you down to the ends of the earth."

Chiang Lian's voice, tinged with panic, broke through, "Ah! Kidnapping?! Oh, please tell them not to hurt Chen. We'll pay whatever they ask, we'll pay it all..."

Hearing his mother's frantic tone, Lin Chen realized things had escalated too far.

At that moment, Lin Chen had nearly exhausted his negative emotions. He wiped his face, channeled his energy, and evaporated the tear stains, reabsorbing any lingering tears back into his body. Aside from the faint redness in his eyes, he appeared unchanged.

"Cough, cough," Lin Chen cleared his throat.

"Dad, Mom, it's me, Chen. Nothing's wrong here, so please don't worry."

There was a lengthy silence on the other end of the line before Lin Yuanshan's voice erupted in anger, "Nothing's wrong? Then why the silent act?! You have no idea how worried you made us!"

Chiang Lian's voice interjected, "It's alright, as long as he's fine, that's what matters. Stop scolding him."

"Hmph, this kid is asking for it!" Lin Yuanshan grumbled stubbornly.

"Come on, would you rather he was in trouble? Ask him what's going on," Chiang Lian urged.

With a tone of resignation, Lin Yuanshan asked, "Alright, spill it. Are you out of money again? I know you wouldn't call unless you needed something."

Lin Chen was taken aback, "Dad, Mom, I honestly don't need money."

"Then why call?" Great, his parents had pigeonholed him.

"Dad, Mom, I just missed you and wanted to hear your voices. How are you both doing?" Lin Chen asked with heartfelt emotion.

The line fell silent once more.

Eventually, Chiang Lian's voice, tinged with tears, came through, "He's grown up... Our son is showing his maturity."

Tears welled up in Lin Chen's eyes again.

These were my parents, my family, my mom and dad!

I hadn't done much for them, yet a simple call could touch their hearts so deeply!

Why had I been so clueless in my past life?

Lin Yuanshan's voice, now softer, carried over the phone, "Chen, you've really grown up. I know there must be a reason for your call. Just tell me, are you in some kind of trouble? Don't worry, I'll handle it. I've still got connections in the military district of the ancient capital. I can reach out to them for help."

Tears nearly escaped Lin Chen's eyes. He was aware that his father's comrades were among the middle and upper ranks of the ancient capital's military district, yet Lin Yuanshan, ever the stoic, had never sought their favor.

Even in his past life, during the toughest times, Lin Yuanshan never once imposed on those friends.

But now, for the sake of his son, he was willing to bend his resilient back.

Lin Chen, keen to spare his father any undue concern, got straight to the point. "Dad, there's something I need to talk to you about. It's actually a good thing, but it'll require some effort from you and Mom."

"As long as it's good news, what's a little trouble?"

"Dad, what I'm about to share, and what I'll need you to do, must remain a secret for the short term. Please take this seriously and keep it under wraps."

"Understood, tell me more."

"Our country has found a valuable resource in the mountains behind our home. Don't worry about what it is for now. Y University's Resource Department has been tasked with the survey, and soon, a large exploration team will arrive. They've chosen our place as their base camp and provided me with funds to have you purchase some household and outdoor survival supplies to store at our home, easing their logistical load. I'll send the funds and a shopping list shortly. Dad, pulling this off will count as a significant achievement for me at school. How does that sound?"

"Alright. If it benefits you, what's a little hard work for your mom and me? We're in town right now, and the big golden cup van is ready to go."

"Dad, the shopping list is quite extensive, so you and Mom will have your work cut out for you today. And remember, we mustn't draw any attention. Once you've got everything, let's not have guests over for a few days. Can you and Mom just hold down the fort? And make sure to fill up the water tank at home."

"Kid, don't fret over me. I've been part of secret missions during my military days. I've got more experience in this than you do."

"Okay then, I'll keep it brief. The budget is eight hundred thousand, and we need to buy eight hundred kilos of cured meat, two hundred kilos of sausage, six hundred kilos of salt... What's with all the salt? It's for experiments. Plus, there's a thousand kilos of rice, cooking oil, instant noodles, ham, sausages, various canned goods, cigarettes, liquor, tea, and essential medicines. Oh, and we need to pick up twenty sets of outdoor survival gear, climbing apparel, backpacks, machetes, crossbows, and some military rations. Lastly, find a way to secure a few barrels of gasoline. If the money runs short, call me immediately, and I'll cover the shortfall. The most important thing is to keep this under the radar. Dad, I'm counting on you."

"Alright, kiddo, rest easy. We can fit all this stuff into three trips. Your mom and I might just have to make a few extra runs today. I've done my share of covert work before, so I won't let you down."

"Got it, Dad. I'll send the money and the shopping list to your phone shortly. And please, you and Mom mustn't go out tomorrow or entertain any visitors. We could have people dropping by at any moment."

"I hear you. You sure do fuss a lot. If that's all, I'm hanging up now. Your mom and I have got your errands to run."

Lin Chen transferred eight hundred thousand to his father, Lin Yuanshan's account, and sent the shopping list before slowly pocketing his phone.

For now, this was as much as he could manage for his parents.

He wished he could provide them with endless supplies for survival, but the extent of this deception was limited.

He couldn't possibly reveal the impending apocalypse.

Speaking the truth would only lead to endless questions and hinder any real progress.

The truth about this lie was bound to come out eventually. Yet, once the apocalypse struck, the lie would be inconsequential.

The village was sparsely populated and had plenty of food. With these supplies, even if his parents were overly generous, they would have enough to last over six months.

In his past life, it was the scarcity of supplies in the second year of the apocalypse that led his father to venture out for supplies, resulting in tragedy.

This time around, if he could make it back home within six months, he could prevent that tragedy from repeating itself!

Pushing aside his concern for his parents, Lin Chen set out to take the next steps in his plan.