Emerging from Xu An’s home, Qin Chuan immediately headed for a secluded location.
He specifically sought out a hidden spot and gathered several scientists who had no factional affiliations on the lighthouse. Among them was a renowned brain specialist from before the apocalypse. His objective was to thoroughly understand what was happening with Weng Quan's brain. He harbored numerous doubts that needed to be confirmed, one by one. He always felt there was some connection between the rabbit-headed monster and Xia Jin.
After exiting her spatial ability, Xu An glanced at the sky and gradually drifted off to sleep.
The next morning.
While still in a hazy state of sleep, she noticed a missed call on her communicator. Upon checking, she realized it was from her mother. Xu An didn't hesitate to call back, but there was no answer. A strange feeling lingered in her heart, refusing to dissipate.
"Beep, beep, beep..."
Xu An made several more attempts, but the communicator consistently showed "not connected." A sense of unease washed over her, and she immediately got out of bed and began to get dressed. Just as she finished, Xu An received a message transmitted through her communicator.
【Urgent Notice: Zone B of the Lumina Sector has been attacked by an unknown creature. Residents are advised to stay home. Please do not leave your residences unless absolutely necessary. Lock your doors and windows and await further instructions.】
Xu An felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Zone B was precisely where her mother had gone visiting yesterday. A chill spread from the soles of her feet, encompassing her entire body. Immense panic seized her heart, as if she were about to lose something precious. She dared not delay any longer and immediately rushed out.
As she burst out of the elevator, she saw Zhou Haimei running towards her with her hair in disarray.
"An'an, are you alright?"
The moment Xu An saw Zhou Haimei, the emotions she had suppressed for so long suddenly broke free.
"Mei Jie, Mei Jie, my mom... my mother..."
This was the first time Xu An had cried in front of someone since her rebirth. She wept like a child, helpless and wronged. At this moment, she felt as though she had lost her anchor, frantically flailing like a headless fly.
Since her rebirth, she had become engrossed in reading novels. Every time she saw a female protagonist showcasing impressive prowess, executing her plans without a flicker of emotion even when it involved her closest relatives, Xu An would fantasize about becoming like them – facing danger without fear, remaining unfazed even as Mount Tai crumbled before her. However, reality proved her wrong. Even the mere possibility of her mother being in danger was a consequence she couldn't bear.
"An'an, don't be afraid. I've already heard about it, don't be scared." Zhou Haimei tightly embraced Xu An, who was sobbing uncontrollably and trembling. "I know Auntie went to Zone B, that's why I rushed to find you. I know you're anxious to go find your mother, but you need to calm down first."
In Zhou Haimei's embrace, Xu An felt a warmth that gradually soothed her inner turmoil. She was like a drowning person who had finally found a reed, gripping Zhou Haimei's hand tightly and refusing to let go.
"Okay, I'll calm myself down. What did you mean by what you just said?"
Zhou Haimei pondered, "The authorities are saying it's an unknown creature now, but the lighthouse is suspended in mid-air, and there's a protective shield outside. How could something attack humans? I suspect it's the corpses of those monsters we brought back earlier. Perhaps the research institute was tinkering with something they couldn't control and are now trying to cover it up."
Seeing Xu An still looking anxious, Zhou Haimei continued, "An'an, listen to me first. I know you're very anxious and want to find your mother, but if my guess is correct, the authorities might directly seal off Zone B to silence people. We are probably all heading to Zone B right now."
"Then what should we do? Should I just stand here and watch?"
Zhou Haimei, being an outsider, was still quite rational in this situation. "We need to prepare for both possibilities. I've already asked someone to inquire, and the cable cars have stopped. It seems the only way to get to Zone B now is by following the waterway that leads from upstream to downstream."
"I'll contact my family and get a small boat for us. We'll sneak over along the creek, but if there are troops stationed there, you'll need military connections to bypass the outer defenses and get inside."
Xu An's mind was in a complete mess. The mention of military connections immediately made her think of Qin Chuan. Without a moment's hesitation, she called him.
Zhou Haimei stood by, watching Xu An, seeing how genuinely afraid she was. Normally, Xu An detested bothering others and was wary of getting involved with the military. Moreover, Qin Chuan’s intentions towards Xu An were somewhat impure, and she had always clearly rejected him. Now, with no other options, she called Qin Chuan in her panic.
"Hello?"
After the call connected, Qin Chuan's husky voice came from the other end of the receiver.
"You... you..." Xu An couldn't get out more than a few words before her voice trembled again, and she dissolved into sobs.
Qin Chuan also noticed something was wrong with Xu An. "Xu An? What's wrong?"
Hearing Qin Chuan's voice, she realized that crying wouldn't help and might even delay the rescue of her mother. She forced herself to suppress her fear and managed to explain the entire situation to Qin Chuan.
Finally, Xu An asked Qin Chuan with a pleading tone, "Can you help me? I really don't know anyone else."
Upon hearing this, Qin Chuan frowned and looked at Zhou Zhe beside him. "There's a riot in Zone B?"
Hearing Qin Chuan talking to someone else, Xu An managed to pull a sliver of thought from her grief. Qin Chuan didn't know about the riot? While she found the situation very strange and had many questions, it was clearly not the time to dwell on them. Her entire focus was on whether her mother was alright.
The conversation on the other end of the line seemed to have concluded. Qin Chuan's tone became serious. "How are you two planning to get there?"
"Mei Jie said she can find a small boat."
"Alright, then you two go directly. I've made arrangements on that end. However, Zone B is in chaos right now. I can only tell you that even I can only get you in, but I can't guarantee you can get out. Do you still want to go in?"
Xu An replied without hesitation, "I'll go."
However, as soon as the words left her mouth, she looked at Zhou Haimei beside her. After all, it was her mother who was in danger. It was fine for her to go alone, but how could she decide for Zhou Haimei? She quickly changed her mind and said to Qin Chuan, "I'll go by myself."