Kapitel 28: Chapter 28: Silence
Zhao Ning, her eyes red, answered Su Ming's question.
"Your father has been summoned for investigation."
"Why?"
"This Chirami outbreak started at the garbage site we own, and there was a failure to report it in time."
"You're kidding me… Mom, what do we do now? This incident is serious."
Su Ming was at a loss. To his dismay, it turned out this disaster had originated from his family's property.
"Don't worry, my dear. I'll call your grandfather soon," Zhao Ning said, trying to comfort him.
"Grandfather?"
Su Ming's body tensed involuntarily as a fiery image of his grandfather appeared in his mind. His expression grew uneasy.
His grandfather, the patriarch of the Su family, was known for his irascible and domineering personality. The mere mention of him made everyone in the family tread carefully.
The last time Su Ming had seen his grandfather was three years ago, during the old man's 200th birthday celebration. The memory of that day still gave Su Ming psychological chills.
"Yes, if I tell your grandfather about this, everything should be fine. There's no need to worry."
"Alright."
After some thought, Su Ming felt a bit reassured. If his grandfather was willing to step in, the situation might be salvaged.
"By the way, son, is your school on break now?" Zhao Ning asked.
"Yes, they've told us to study at home for now."
"That's perfect. Stay home and safe; the outside world is too dangerous right now."
Zhao Ning didn't want Su Ming going back to school anytime soon. With her husband taken away, the thought of something happening to Su Ming was unbearable.
"But the city exams are coming up," Su Ming replied with a headache.
"Forget about the exams. Just stay home and rest. I'll make you something nice to calm your nerves. You must've been scared out of your wits yesterday."
Zhao Ning pulled Su Ming toward the house as she spoke.
---
Three days later, in the early morning.
After completing a grueling set of 100 push-ups and 100 sit-ups, Su Ming took a hot shower and changed into loose-fitting clothes. Descending the spiral staircase, he found the house quiet.
Chen Hui, a housekeeper, approached respectfully.
"Good morning, young master. Breakfast is ready for you."
"Where's my mom?" Su Ming asked as he scanned the hall.
"The mistress left early this morning. She specifically instructed me to prepare a hearty breakfast for you. She said you've been working too hard and have lost weight," Chen Hui replied.
Su Ming glanced at the table, laden with dishes—mostly meat and a small plate of greens. He felt a touch of warmth.
"Got it. You can go now."
"Of course, young master."
Chen Hui left, and Su Ming sat down at the dining table, turning on the holographic television as he picked at the greens.
The news was on, showing a reporter in a blue professional suit standing on a city street.
"Attention, citizens. Following the Chirami outbreak in District 13, local defense forces swiftly responded. All Chirami have now been eliminated, and safety has been restored. The lockdown has officially been lifted, and residents are free to travel."
Su Ming watched the report, lost in thought.
Over the past few days, he had tried to review the past two years' worth of textbooks and study materials. However, his progress was dismal—his efficiency was far too low.
With the city exams looming, time was running out. He realized his only option was to seek help from Teacher Tang Yan.
Making up his mind, Su Ming finished his breakfast and left.
---
The streets were eerily quiet as Su Ming jogged along a wide road. Other than patrols of soldiers, there were almost no pedestrians.
Most shops were closed, their doors marked with "Temporarily Closed" signs. Only a handful remained open.
The tension in District 13 was still palpable, but Su Ming paid it no mind as he made his way toward Tang Yan's home.
After over an hour of jogging, he arrived at the gated community where his teacher lived, panting heavily.
As he approached the entrance, a familiar voice called out from behind.
"Su Ming!"
Turning in surprise, Su Ming saw Ming Ke and Chen Tong walking toward him.
"You two? What are you doing here?"
"Don't lump me in with him. We just happened to run into each other," Chen Tong said with a disdainful snort, distancing himself from Ming Ke.
Unbothered, Ming Ke explained with a worried expression, "We came to find Teacher Tang. The city exams are approaching, and studying at home isn't working."
"I feel the same way. Let's go find the teacher," Su Ming replied.
The three of them entered the complex together and soon arrived at Tang Yan's door. Ming Ke stepped forward and knocked.
Knock, knock!
The door opened quickly, and the trio froze in surprise at who answered.
"Zhao Ran?"
"Oh, class president! You're here too. Come on in," Zhao Ran replied, equally surprised.
The three entered to find a cramped living room filled with classmates. Even Huang Mao and his friends were there.
It was clear that not everyone had given up; many were still determined to succeed.
"You guys came too? Find a place to sit if you can. If not, just sit on the floor," Tang Yan said as he emerged from another room, holding a cup of water. His sunken eyes and disheveled appearance made him look utterly exhausted.
"Teacher looks awful. What happened to him?" Su Ming whispered to Ming Ke.
Lowering his voice, Ming Ke explained, "Yesterday, the school held a memorial service for those who died. Teacher Tang was in charge of hosting it."
"Why wasn't I informed?" Su Ming asked, puzzled.
"Of course, you weren't. Only the families of the deceased were invited. Do you know how many from our class died?"
"How many?"
"Eleven. The school-wide death toll is so high they won't even release the numbers."
Hearing this, Su Ming's heart sank. He had known the situation was dire but hadn't realized it was this catastrophic.
"Do as you like," Tang Yan said, setting his cup down before slumping onto the couch.
Su Ming and the others were at a loss for words, the room steeped in an oppressive silence.
Finally, Ming Ke mustered the courage to speak.
"Teacher, the city exams are almost here. With the school closed, self-study at home isn't enough for us to prepare. We're far from ready for Royal Court Academy. Please, help us."
"He's right, Teacher. Please help us," Zhao Ran and the others chimed in.
Tang Yan sighed heavily, lifting his head to address them.
"After everything that's happened, I've realized something. Getting into Royal Court Academy, earning prestigious titles… none of that matters. What matters is surviving. Don't push yourselves too hard over this."
Zhao Ran and the others fell silent, unsure how to respond.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein