Chapter 360: Chapter 350: No One There

Using Qiao Jin’s memories, Tang Mo easily found the Qiao residence. After all, for the past seventeen years of her life, Qiao Jin had spent most of her time at home when she wasn’t at school.

Qiao Jin’s home appeared to be an inconspicuous unit in an apartment building, but this was just a clever ruse by Mr. and Mrs. Qiao to protect their daughter. In reality, the Qiao Family had bought the entire building. Although they only lived on one floor, the other floors were unoccupied.

The Qiao Family lived on the 7th floor. The elevator was broken, so to avoid startling Mr. and Mrs. Qiao, Tang Mo dutifully climbed the stairs. Her first instinct had been to fly straight up to the window, which would have been far more convenient.

However, when Tang Mo reached the 7th floor, she found the front door hanging wide open.

’Something’s wrong.’

That was Tang Mo’s first thought.

’Don’t tell me those mutant beasts can climb stairs? If one actually managed to make it all the way up to the 7th floor...’

But when Tang Mo stepped inside, she felt a great sense of relief. The tidy apartment showed no signs that a mutant beast had broken in.

The food in the refrigerator, however, was long gone. It seemed that after finishing all the food in the house, Mr. and Mrs. Qiao had no choice but to leave and search for more.

’I was a step too late...’

Tang Mo carefully examined everything in the apartment, trying to figure out exactly when Qiao Jin’s parents had left.

’Since they were out of food, they had to leave. But if they encountered mutant beasts out there, would they be able to protect themselves?’

It was all a complete unknown, and Tang Mo was sick with worry.

The safety of Mr. and Mrs. Qiao was her top priority. If they had met with disaster, she wouldn’t be able to fulfill Qiao Jin’s wish. If that happened, would she be erased, or would she be trapped in this world forever, unable to leave? Everything was uncertain.

’No, I can’t let that happen. Back in my own world, my mother and brother, Qin Ling, Xiao Tao, Lin Yu, and so many others are holding out hope, waiting for my safe return. They’re all waiting for me.’

Her mind in turmoil, Tang Mo sank onto the sofa.

Ever since arriving in this world, she’d had a clear purpose. She knew exactly what she needed to do every step of the way.

She had anticipated this possibility, but seeing it for herself was still hard to accept.

The longer she spent here, the more danger her own world would be in.

The temperature in that world was dropping bit by bit. In her absence, there was no telling how long the Protective Shield would last.

’What is the flow of time between this world and my original one? Am I really going to have to spend years here looking for Mr. and Mrs. Qiao?’

Her original plan had been to get out of the mountains, return to the Qiao Family’s home, and use her spiritual power to cure Mrs. Qiao’s illness. No matter what incurable disease she had, Tang Mo was confident she could heal her, as long as the woman was still breathing.

But now, having to search for them in this vast, empty world was not a task that could be accomplished in a few days, or even a few weeks or months.

’But...’

’It’s not like I have any other choice, is it?’

’Since I chose to come to this Illusion Space to do this mission, I was already prepared for the possibility of never getting out, wasn’t I?’

’Time was already short to begin with. I need to make every second count.’

’As long as I can complete the missions in both worlds, my world will be saved, everyone will be saved, and everything can go back to the way it was.’

Tang Mo clenched her fists, steeling her resolve.

「Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, in the very area Tang Mo had just left...」

The Qi Residence.

Qi Jiaming stood at the front door of his home. He raised his hand to knock but hesitated, unable to bring it down.

’I’ve been away for so long. Are Mom and Dad okay? Could they have left?’

’If no one’s home, what will I do? Where else can I look for them?’

It was the classic fear of returning home after a long absence; the closer you get to a moment of great happiness, the more you fear it might not be real.

If not for the well-fed mutant beast still loitering behind him, Qi Jiaming might have really stood there for a while longer.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

His hand finally struck the door.

The Qi Family’s door originally had a keypad lock that used Qi Jiaming’s fingerprint. But with the power out everywhere, it had reverted to a simple, manual lock.

"Jia Ming? You’re back?"

"I’m sorry, who are you?"

Seeing a stranger open the door, Qi Jiaming was instantly on guard.

"Where are my parents?"

"Jia Ming, your parents are both home. Come on in first, we can talk inside."

The man glanced warily at the well-fed mutant beast still wandering about outside, a wave of relief washing over him.

’It’s a good thing Qi and I used the last of our food to satiate those monsters. Otherwise, how could Jia Ming have gotten home safely?’

If Tang Mo had been there at that moment, she would have recognized the man opening the door for Qi Jiaming as none other than Qiao Jin’s father, George Lin.

But because of a single, simple choice, Tang Mo had missed her chance to meet George Lin.

"Dad, what on earth is going on?"

Qi Jiaming asked worriedly, sitting on the sofa and taking in the sight of his gaunt father and frail mother.

’His family was in the food production business; they were well-off. Even in an apocalypse, his parents shouldn’t have ended up looking like this after just a few short months.’

"My son, you’re back! That’s all that matters. I thought I’d never see you again."

Seeing her long-lost son, Qi Jiaming’s mother grabbed his hand and burst into tears.

"We’re so sorry, son. We’re so sorry."

Seeing Mrs. Qi in such a state, the two other men in the living room couldn’t help but wipe away their own tears.

They knew all too well why she was apologizing to her son, and it was a source of unspeakable pain for all of them.

They knew their son had been trapped in the mountains, lacking food and supplies, utterly alone, yet they, his parents, had been powerless to do anything.

At first, they had been able to send him supplies by helicopter. But then, the appearance of the Meat Dragons plunged the entire world into a state of panic.

No one was willing to fly supply runs for them anymore, and there were no spare supplies to send out.

These ravenous monsters were everywhere. To survive, people could only continuously toss food at them, hoping to be left alone.

"Mom, don’t say that. I would never blame you. What on earth happened at home while I was gone?"

Qi Jiaming gripped his mother’s hands. He had grown up in a happy, loving home, with a carefree life. He knew without a doubt how much his parents loved him.

Even back when the rescue missions stopped while he was in the mountains, he knew in his heart it must have been because circumstances made it impossible. His parents would never, ever give up on him.

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