"So it was all a dream…? Well, that's… nice, I guess?"
Just then, the doctor entered Shen Hao's room and said,
"You don't need to worry about anything. You just passed out from the shock and the confusion at the scene — that's all."
Shen Hao suddenly remembered.
The earthquake at school.
He turned to his father.
"Dad! About that earthquake at the school… I suppose your work is related to this, isn't it?"
Suddenly, his father's smile vanished. In fact, everyone in the room — his entire family — went completely silent and serious.
Shen Hao looked at their faces, confused. He'd never seen them act this way before.
Then his father finally spoke, breaking the silence:
"Shen… You should rest first. Once you're feeling better, come downstairs. I'll tell you everything in detail."
(Shen Hao's and his older brother's room was upstairs. His younger brother's room was next to their parents' on the ground floor.)
Still curious, Shen Hao nodded.
"Okay, Dad."
"Good. I'll be waiting," his father replied.
Everyone left the room.
But Shen Hao remained in bed, his thoughts swirling.
"I know it's a serious topic… but Dad's never made that face before. Even in worse situations. What's going on…?"
He thought about the earthquake. The strange figure in the school hallway. The old man's voice. The endless sea.
And now… his family's strange behavior.
There were just too many mysteries.
He lay on the bed for three hours, trying to make sense of it all — but got nowhere. Tired and mentally drained, he finally drifted off to sleep.
Five hours later, he woke up.
It was night. He was hungry — but more than that, he needed answers.
He felt fine, fully recovered, even energetic.
He rushed downstairs.
His father was sitting silently in front of the TV — which was turned off.
He seemed deep in thought. Still, when he noticed Shen Hao coming closer, he looked up and smiled softly.
"How are you feeling, my son?"
"I'm fine now, Dad."
"Good. That's good."
Shen Hao sat beside him.
"I want to know everything that happened at school. It wasn't just a normal earthquake… was it?"
His father took a deep breath and said:
"It's better if you see it for yourself."
He picked up the remote and turned on the TV.
What Shen Hao saw shocked him.
A female news reporter was speaking:
"We're coming to you live from the International Global Activities TV Station.
Today, a massive earthquake struck four major cities:
Xianlong City
Qingyao City
Heifeng City
Luotian City
It was a Class 8 Earthquake — and what's even more shocking is that it struck all four cities simultaneously, down to the exact second!
This strange and unprecedented phenomenon has shaken the entire Neo Continent.
Scientists from across the world are working around the clock to find the cause. So far, no explanation has been found.
We'll keep you updated on the situation. Stay tuned. Stay safe.
Thank you."