Short, Light, Free Chapter 80

Chapter 80: All-seeing Eye (Part 2) II

I clicked on the trending page and saw my clip right at the top . It had been viewed and shared over 800,000 times .

Out of the ten most popular threads, five were related to me and they were all negative .

Only half an hour had passed and the incident was already taking over the whole Weibo . I smiled bitterly .

I wanted to get angry but I can't . The world might not live to see the next day .

I scrolled through the private messages and there were all kinds of comments .

Needless to say, all of them were taunting me .

I saw an official warning stating that I had created panic on the web . They demanded me to release a statement within three hours or my account would be banned .

I continued browsing the pages and noticed even more things .

The whole situation wasn't something I could control or turn around any longer .

I shut off my Weibo . I understood that there was no way that I could explain this to the people .

Only one thought crossed my mind . I had to see my father .

If the world was going to end, I would rather spend the time to eat my last meal with him .

I flagged down a taxi and headed to Dad's house .

I had moved to a suburban district a few years ago upon becoming financially secure .

I enjoyed the silence in the suburban area . Why did I even join the television program?

I gave Dad a monthly allowance but went home only during Chinese New Year .

On the road, I asked the driver, "What would you do if the world is going to end within the next twelve hours?"

He stopped at a red light and turned to look at me . "Isn't this the hottest topic nowadays? Every passenger is talking about it . "

"Is it really that popular?" I asked, smiling .

The driver returned the smile and answered, "I think there's a fraud making a scene in a television station, predicting that the world is going to end . But, I did think about what I would do . "

"And what's that?" I asked .

"I thought about spending extravagantly with my family . I would think they're more important than money . " 

I took a look around the cab . There were two kids with bright eyes in the photograph .

"Your children?" I asked .

"Don't underestimate them . One of them is at Beijing University while the other is in Yale . Their school fees cost a bomb, of course, but it's quite alright since I'm minimizing my expenses and driving around more . They're really well-behaved . This little one knows to work part-time while studying . Do you know how many scholarships he's been offered?" the driver went on proudly .

I smiled before stuffing the photograph back to its original place .

After much talking, he turned over, embarrassed . "Sorry, I've been talking too much . What about you? What would you do if the world is about to end?"

"I'll go home to my family, exactly what I'm doing right now," I smiled .

"So you're convinced that the world is about to end? I remember someone predicting the same thing for 2012 over 20 years ago . There was even a movie about it . It's already 2036 now and history's repeating itself . I don't believe it anymore . Plus, I'm still waiting for my children to get married and have children," he shared .

"I'm not convinced as well but I am still using this as an excuse to visit my family . "

"So you're escaping work to rush back to your family? Using the end of the

the world as an excuse? What a good idea! It's a pity my children aren't here or I would use it too . It's been tiring enough today," he said laughingly .

"Is it? How much do you earn in a day?" I inquired .

"On bad days, 2 to 300, on good days 1 to 2,000 . There's no lower and upper limit . I just work hard every day . Other than driving, there's really nothing else I'm good at," he answered .

I took out my wallet . There was 800 in there .

I held onto the bills as I waited to reach my destination .

We arrived at my dad's and the driver glanced over at the meter . "25 please . "

I put 800 on the front seat . "If I were to give you 800, would you go home? Spend time with your family and give your children a call?"

"Are you really taking the news seriously, sir? The same thing happened years ago and tons of money had been wasted . That cannot happen again . Please clear your mind, sir," he urged anxiously .

"Don't worry about that . I'm pretty wealthy, 800 isn't much to me . Isn't it good for you to end the day a little earlier? You're already tired, right?" I smiled .

"Thank you then, sir," he responded gratefully .

I looked at him with my left eye and saw Mom .

I got off the car, shut the door, and walked toward my house .

The familiar neighborhood, familiar stairs .

Familiar neighbors, familiar sunset .

I walked slowly toward unit 402 and knocked on the door .

Dad opened it .

He never remarried after Mom's death .

"Why are you here?" he asked .

"I missed you and wanted to see you . "

I could sense that something was amiss . Dad hadn't questioned my motive whenever I returned in the past .

"I'm out of soy sauce . Go get me some," he asked, taking out a folded 10 cent banknote .

It was a rare piece that seldom appeared in this era, yet he was asking me to use it .

"I lost my wallet on the way here, Dad . This isn't enough for soy sauce, is it? Can you give me more?" I asked, waving the 10 cent bill .

He took the bill and pulled it open .  

On it was two messily written words: Run, quick .

I took a deep breath . "I'll go get the sauce, Dad . "

As I turned around to leave, I saw, out of the corner of my eye, the people in the house .

They were in the special forces' uniform and seemed to be getting ready to make a move .

I quickened my pace and heard them shouting for me shortly after .

Dad blocked the door, trapping them inside the house .

Before I could go far, I noticed that there were more soldiers waiting downstairs .

Over ten of them surrounded the neighborhood .

I stood still, struck dumb .

The soldiers in the house broke free, dashed over and held me against the corridor wall .

My mind was blank . Since when did the government become so efficient? It's only been half an hour and they're already lying in ambush?

"I haven't done anything . Don't arrest me," I shouted helplessly .

A soldier spoke up . "We've been following you for half a month now . We even disguised ourselves as reporters but were declined . "

I frowned as memories started resurfacing .

Things weren't as simple . They weren't arresting me because of the rumor I started .

It was a conspiracy . A premeditation .

I was brought downstairs and onto the street .

There were three military off-road vehicles waiting and I was escorted into the middle one .

Inside the car, there were seven fully-equipped soldiers around me .

Each held onto their guns tightly . They weren't aiming them at me but it was still a frightening sight .

"Where are we going?" I asked .

None of the soldiers gave me a reply but the person on the front seat opened the separator a little .

I couldn't see the person clearly but I could hear him say, "An experimental lab about 40 kilometers away from here . We've been waiting for you for a long time now, Mr . Lixia, or rather, Supernova . "

I clicked on the trending page and saw my clip right at the top . It had been viewed and shared over 800,000 times . Out of the ten most popular threads, five were related to me and they were all negative . Only half an hour had passed and the incident was already taking over the whole Weibo . I smiled bitterly . I wanted to get angry but I can 39 t . The world might not live to see the next day . I scrolled through the private messages and there were all kinds of comments . Needless to say, all of them were taunting me . I saw an official warning stating that I had created panic on the web . They demanded me to release a statement within three hours or my account would be banned . I continued browsing the pages and noticed even more things . The whole situation wasn 39 t something I could control or turn around any longer . I shut off my Weibo . I understood that there was no way that I could explain this to the people . Only one thought crossed my mind . I had to see my father . If the world was going to end, I would rather spend the time to eat my last meal with him . I flagged down a taxi and headed to Dad 39 s house . I had moved to a suburban district a few years ago upon becoming financially secure . I enjoyed the silence in the suburban area . Why did I even join the television program I gave Dad a monthly allowance but went home only during Chinese New Year . On the road, I asked the driver, What would you do if the world is going to end within the next twelve hours He stopped at a red light and turned to look at me . Isn 39 t this the hottest topic nowadays Every passenger is talking about it . Is it really that popular I asked, smiling . The driver returned the smile and answered, I think there 39 s a fraud making a scene in a television station, predicting that the world is going to end . But, I did think about what I would do . And what 39 s that I asked . I thought about spending extravagantly with my family . I would think they 39 re more important than money . I took a look around the cab . There were two kids with bright eyes in the photograph . Your children I asked . Don 39 t underestimate them . One of them is at Beijing University while the other is in Yale . Their school fees cost a bomb, of course, but it 39 s quite alright since I 39 m minimizing my expenses and driving around more . They 39 re really well behaved . This little one knows to work part time while studying . Do you know how many scholarships he 39 s been offered the driver went on proudly . I smiled before stuffing the photograph back to its original place . After much talking, he turned over, embarrassed . Sorry, I 39 ve been talking too much . What about you What would you do if the world is about to end I 39 ll go home to my family, exactly what I 39 m doing right now, I smiled . So you 39 re convinced that the world is about to end I remember someone predicting the same thing for 2012 over 20 years ago . There was even a movie about it . It 39 s already 2036 now and history 39 s repeating itself . I don 39 t believe it anymore . Plus, I 39 m still waiting for my children to get married and have children, he shared . I 39 m not convinced as well but I am still using this as an excuse to visit my family . So you 39 re escaping work to rush back to your family Using the end of the world as an excuse What a good idea It 39 s a pity my children aren 39 t here or I would use it too . It 39 s been tiring enough today, he said laughingly . Is it How much do you earn in a day I inquired . On bad days, 2 to 300, on good days 1 to 2,000 . There 39 s no lower and upper limit . I just work hard every day . Other than driving, there 39 s really nothing else I 39 m good at, he answered . I took out my wallet . There was 800 in there . I held onto the bills as I waited to reach my destination . . . . We arrived at my dad 39 s and the driver glanced over at the meter . 25 please . I put 800 on the front seat . If I were to give you 800, would you go home Spend time with your family and give your children a call Are you really taking the news seriously, sir The same thing happened years ago and tons of money had been wasted . That cannot happen again . Please clear your mind, sir, he urged anxiously . Don 39 t worry about that . I 39 m pretty wealthy, 800 isn 39 t much to me . Isn 39 t it good for you to end the day a little earlier You 39 re already tired, right I smiled . Thank you then, sir, he responded gratefully . I looked at him with my left eye and saw Mom . I got off the car, shut the door, and walked toward my house . The familiar neighborhood, familiar stairs . Familiar neighbors, familiar sunset . I walked slowly toward unit 402 and knocked on the door . Dad opened it . He never remarried after Mom 39 s death . Why are you here he asked . I missed you and wanted to see you . I could sense that something was amiss . Dad hadn 39 t questioned my motive whenever I returned in the past . I 39 m out of soy sauce . Go get me some, he asked, taking out a folded 10 cent banknote . It was a rare piece that seldom appeared in this era, yet he was asking me to use it . I lost my wallet on the way here, Dad . This isn 39 t enough for soy sauce, is it Can you give me more I asked, waving the 10 cent bill . He took the bill and pulled it open . On it was two messily written words Run, quick . I took a deep breath . I 39 ll go get the sauce, Dad . . . . As I turned around to leave, I saw, out of the corner of my eye, the people in the house . They were in the special forces 39 uniform and seemed to be getting ready to make a move . I quickened my pace and heard them shouting for me shortly after . Dad blocked the door, trapping them inside the house . Before I could go far, I noticed that there were more soldiers waiting downstairs . Over ten of them surrounded the neighborhood . I stood still, struck dumb . The soldiers in the house broke free, dashed over and held me against the corridor wall . My mind was blank . Since when did the government become so efficient It 39 s only been half an hour and they 39 re already lying in ambush I haven 39 t done anything . Don 39 t arrest me, I shouted helplessly . A soldier spoke up . We 39 ve been following you for half a month now . We even disguised ourselves as reporters but were declined . I frowned as memories started resurfacing . Things weren 39 t as simple . They weren 39 t arresting me because of the rumor I started . It was a conspiracy . A premeditation . I was brought downstairs and onto the street . There were three military off road vehicles waiting and I was escorted into the middle one . Inside the car, there were seven fully equipped soldiers around me . Each held onto their guns tightly . They weren 39 t aiming them at me but it was still a frightening sight . Where are we going I asked . None of the soldiers gave me a reply but the person on the front seat opened the separator a little . I couldn 39 t see the person clearly but I could hear him say, An experimental lab about 40 kilometers away from here . We 39 ve been waiting for you for a long time now, Mr . Lixia, or rather, Supernova .

Chapter end