As time passed minute by minute, the traffic finally began to move.
However, it was moving much slower than Qi Xia had anticipated.
It seemed that the area closest to the entrance had indeed been the site of an accident due to that strange weather phenomenon.
By the time the eerie crack disappeared and traffic resumed its flow into Qingdao, it was already 8 a.m.
During this time, Qi Xia had been continuously calling Yu Nian’an, but there was never an answer.
After much thought, only one explanation made sense—
Yu Nian’an had been detained by the police.
“Driver, let’s change the destination,” Qi Xia said, having quickly realized the situation and knowing he couldn’t return home. “Forget the place where I got in the car. I’ll give you a new address.”
With that, he searched for a location on his phone and handed it to the driver.
“Oh?” The driver took the phone, glanced at it, and immediately recognized the destination. “Got it. The distance is about the same. I’ll take you there directly.”
Finally, around 10:30 a.m., the driver pulled up to the new destination.
It was a cluster of cheap rental apartments in the old district of Shibei.
“Finally here, kid,” the driver exhaled deeply. “Didn’t expect it to take this long.”
“It’s fine, driver,” Qi Xia said, pulling another 1,500 yuan in cash from his pocket and handing it over. “Thank you.”
“No problem! It’s my job!” The driver excitedly took the money. “Kid, if you need anything else, just call me!”
Qi Xia nodded and was about to head toward the rental unit when he suddenly turned back. “Driver, I know you must be exhausted, but don’t go home before noon. If you’re tired, just rest in the car for a while.”
“Huh?” The driver was taken aback. “What do you mean? I can’t even go home?”
“I have no reason to lie to you,” Qi Xia said. “Something big is about to happen. Staying outside will be safer.”
Without waiting for a response, Qi Xia turned and walked toward the rental unit.
This was a backup hideout he and Yu Nian’an had rented precisely for emergencies like this.
He planned to gather a few clothes here before figuring out his next steps.
After taking seven steps, the phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated.
Startled, he quickly pulled it out and checked the screen.
**”A” Calling.**
“An?” Qi Xia froze, feeling as though his earlier assumption might have been wrong.
Had Yu Nian’an not been detained by the police after all?
Or… was someone else forcing her to make this call?
“Hello?” Qi Xia answered, keeping his tone neutral.
Even if this call was from the police, he knew he had to get them—and Yu Nian’an—out of the building. Otherwise, the consequences would be disastrous.
“Xia!” Yu Nian’an’s weak voice came through. “I’m sorry… I think I’m sick. I’ve been asleep since yesterday afternoon and just woke up now.”
“Sick?” Qi Xia frowned slightly. “Did you feed the fish yesterday?”
“Pfft…” Yu Nian’an chuckled. “What’s this? A ‘code word’? Nothing’s wrong, I just really don’t feel well.”
Realizing the situation, Qi Xia immediately said, “An, listen to me. Pack a few things and wait for me downstairs. I’m coming to get you.”
“Huh?”
“There’s no time to explain. Just trust me,” Qi Xia urged. “I’ve lied to many people, but never to you.”
“Okay…” Yu Nian’an agreed. “I’ll pack now. How long will it take you?”
“I…” Qi Xia glanced at his phone, sensing the urgency.
Getting a ride from here would take at least an hour—just in time for that terrifying earthquake.
“Don’t worry about how long I’ll take. Just leave the house as soon as possible. Even standing outside the door is better than nothing.”
“Oh… alright.” Yu Nian’an nodded. “I’ll wash my face and be down in about ten minutes.”
“Good!”
Qi Xia hung up and immediately turned to look for the taxi driver. As expected, the man hadn’t left yet—he was sitting in the driver’s seat, inspecting the cash with a small UV flashlight.
“Driver!” Qi Xia knocked on the window, startling him.
“Good heavens!” The driver hastily pocketed the money before realizing it was his “big client.”
“Kid?” He rolled down the window, looking around. “What now?”
“Take me back to where you picked me up yesterday!” Qi Xia said. “Same urgency—100 yuan extra!”
“Ha!” The driver grinned and waved him in. “Got it. Hop in!”
Qi Xia got in, his expression still tense. He kept checking his phone, frustrated that he hadn’t memorized the exact time of the earthquake.
He only knew it had struck around noon—but was it 11 a.m. or 12 p.m.?
“Can you go any faster?” he urged again.
“Kid, you’re really pushing it. I’m driving on fumes here…”
“Driver, I’m really in a hurry.”
“Alright, alright…”
Unable to resist, the driver pressed the accelerator harder.
The usual hour-long trip took only forty minutes.
“Thanks, driver.” Qi Xia tossed another 100 yuan and stepped out without looking back.
But as soon as he looked around, something felt off.
Yu Nian’an wasn’t waiting for him downstairs.
“What’s going on?”
His first thought was that she might be in a nearby convenience store. He dialed her number again—still no answer.
“An, where are you…?”
Before he could think further, a distant rumble echoed through the air.
The deafening roar grew louder, as if thousands of trains were barreling down the street.
The next second, the ground violently shook. Qi Xia lost his balance and crashed hard onto the pavement.
“No!”
He knew this was bad. The last time the earthquake struck, he had been standing in this exact spot.
It was as though fate had ordained it—same time, same place.
Even if everything had reset, nothing had truly changed.
Cars around him began colliding in a chain reaction, and screams erupted from all directions.
Ignoring everything else, Qi Xia sprinted toward his apartment building. Even if there was the slightest chance Yu Nian’an was still inside, he had to save her. But moving during an earthquake was nearly impossible. He fell five or six times before finally regaining his footing.
“An!!” He roared toward the upper floors. His apartment was only on the third floor—she should have been able to hear him.
Steeling himself, Qi Xia entered the building’s entrance.
He remembered that the last time he had stepped inside, the hallway had collapsed—killing him instantly.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, he sidestepped abruptly, and a massive boulder crashed onto the exact spot where he had been standing.
The rock was enormous—being hit by it would have been fatal.
“So… I really did die last time…”
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