After receiving her daughter’s response, Wen Yaquan immediately turned around, her mind tangled with complex emotions as she pulled out a fully charged tablet and two bundles of wires from the drawer.
Under Lin Yu’s puzzled gaze, Wen Yaquan skillfully connected the tablet to the screen in front of her using the wires, and the other end was plugged into the wall socket.
At that moment, the tablet lit up, flashing an icon shaped like a cross-shaped star. With a few taps of her fingers, the lights in the room suddenly brightened noticeably.
“Lin Yu.”
Startled by the sudden call of her full name, Lin Yu snapped out of her daze caused by Wen Yaquan’s abrupt actions.
“I’m here!”
No child likes being suddenly called by their full name by their parents. Lin Yu was no exception. Her mother rarely used her full name; if she did, it meant either Lin Yu had made a mistake or something serious was happening.
“Bang!” “Bang!”
At that moment, the sound of objects colliding outside came through the rain.
Filled with an inexplicable fear, Lin Yu cautiously tried to look out the window, but just as she turned her head, Wen Yaquan cupped her face with both hands.
“Mm?”
“Don’t look that way.”
Wen Yaquan’s tone softened slightly as she said,
“Xiao Yu, from now on, every single word I say, you must remember. Do you understand?”
Lin Yu, held by her mother’s hands, nodded earnestly.
“We’ve lost contact with the outside. The situation is dangerous. I can handle it, but I can’t guarantee your safety if you’re involved.”
“So now, go to the first-floor restroom. On the women’s side, there’s a light switch at the entrance—ignore it. Take a mop or something similar and break the tile right next to it. The tile is hollow; just use some force.”
Seeing her daughter nod slightly, Wen Yaquan continued,
“Behind the broken tile, a little deeper inside, there’s a keypad. Press the # key once, then enter 2012, and press # again. Follow the door that opens to the basement. There’s food and drink down there, so don’t worry. Don’t come out until I send you a message saying it’s safe. If I don’t send a message… wait at least a week, then try contacting Dad using the emergency phone there. Remember all that?”
“I remember.”
Lin Yu nodded mechanically, completely overwhelmed by the situation. She didn’t understand why her mother suddenly acted so differently, or why she needed to go downstairs. Was this a movie? These secret codes and passwords felt like something from a spy film like 007.
But Wen Yaquan’s expression was too resolute to doubt.
Lin Yu had seen Wen Yaquan’s videos from her business dealings before — her demeanor was sharp, determined, and calm.
— She only watched those videos because Wen Yaquan kept her work and life strictly separate. At home, she never showed a hint of the powerful businesswoman’s aura; she was usually a carefree homebody, sometimes even indulging in childish hobbies and collecting figurines, almost a completely different person from her public image.
But now, she was just like in the videos — sharp, resolute, and completely unlike her usual self at home. Even as her daughter, Lin Yu found herself intimidated, reluctant to meet her mother’s gaze.
That said, Lin Yu always felt something was missing.
The girl glanced at her mother’s eyes unconsciously and suddenly understood.
It was that sense of calm and composure.
Whether in life or work, Wen Yaquan was always so composed; Lin Yu had never seen her panic.
The most nervous she had ever seen her mother was when she was gaming, with only one life left and the boss’s final phase music just starting.
Yet now, in her eyes was an overwhelming fear.
Lin Yu couldn’t explain how she sensed it, but she just did.
She could feel her mother’s “heart.”
— She was afraid.
This fear made Wen Yaquan’s initial greeting laced with obvious urgency and panic, and even now, she was only barely keeping calm.
Thinking this through, Lin Yu tried to recall when her mother started acting this way. Was it when she said she hadn’t had a nightmare? But not having nightmares was normal; who regularly does?
Right… when did she fall asleep?
Before Lin Yu could sort her thoughts out, Wen Yaquan said,
“Do exactly as I say, no matter what.”
She gently stroked Lin Yu’s head but couldn’t help pressing harder and rubbing it a few more times.
Then she urged,
“Don’t look outside. Starting now, run to the first floor as fast as you can. No matter what happens, do exactly as I said, okay?”
“…Okay.”
Nodding, Lin Yu didn’t have time to say more before Wen Yaquan half-pushed, half-led her to the door.
“Run!”
At those words, Lin Yu didn’t hesitate and sprinted downstairs.
From the third to the first floor didn’t take long, and she wasn’t a sickly girl who would be out of breath after a few steps.
But all the lights along the way were mostly off by someone unknown. The few remaining ones glowed faintly, as if covered with a layer of dust.
Combined with the raging storm outside, the eerie atmosphere made Lin Yu’s small heart pound wildly.
“Meow!”
When she reached the first floor, a cat’s meow caught her attention.
Leaning against the railing, Lin Yu looked up, using the dim light to see a black cat arching its back and hissing at the outside world.
“Heidou…” Lin Yu suddenly remembered she hadn’t seen the kitten for a while.
Rainy night, yellowish lights, and a black cat making a piercing sound — these elements together made Lin Yu’s voice tremble with fear, but she still mustered the courage to approach Heidou slowly. “W-what are you looking at? Come here…”
As she walked, a growing unease crept over her.
Heidou had always been gentle and friendly, smart enough to understand simple commands. It never showed aggression, much less hissed. If annoyed or uncomfortable, it would simply run away.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t let it roam freely in the café.
Yet now, Heidou had arched its back into a full-on dragon pose, glaring fiercely at something.
“Boom!” “Bang!”
On the first floor, Lin Yu heard the sounds more clearly — definitely objects colliding, not thunder.
What was out there in the storm?
Finally, Lin Yu reached out and touched the still hissing kitten. Heidou trembled all over, startled by her sudden touch, and sprang up, claws extended.
Just before the claws scratched Lin Yu’s arm, the cat retracted them and instead rested its paws gently on her arm.
“Don’t be afraid.”
Picking up the cat, Lin Yu retreated toward the restroom.
“You…” “Boom!!!” “Ah!”
Before she could finish, a loud noise nearby made her scream.
“Whoosh—”
Outside the glass door, a girl clad in shining knight armor slid across the ground for several meters before stopping just outside the café.
The girl propped herself up with a purple-crystal-embedded longsword, glanced back toward the café, seemingly spotting Lin Yu inside. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she gestured “Hurry!” before taking off and disappearing from Lin Yu’s sight.
“Boom!”
The crashing sounds echoed again.
Now, Lin Yu had a rough idea of what was happening.
She wanted to go upstairs to get her mother to run with her, but just as she took a step, Wen Yaquan’s repeated instructions flashed through her mind.
“Go!”
Holding Heidou in her right arm, Lin Yu dashed straight toward the restroom.