Reborn One Week Before the Apocalypse

After the Sect Leader and the others explained every detail to Qin Ling, the tent fell silent.

Everyone was waiting for Qin Ling to say something.

After all, their thoughts were irrelevant. The only thing that could save Tang Mo was the attribute bead, and its owner was standing right before them.

“When do we start?”

Qin Ling looked at Tang Mo. She was lying on a mat, dressed in fresh, clean clothes, her face pale. It felt as if a hand had seized his heart, squeezing so tightly he could barely breathe.

Thanks to Lin Yi’s meticulous care, Tang Mo was immaculate. If not for her pale complexion and faint breaths, one might have thought she was simply asleep.

Qin Ling knelt, his hand gently stroking Tang Mo’s face.

As his fingers brushed over her bloodless lips, Qin Ling felt he couldn’t wait another moment.

“Given Tang Mo’s physical condition, she can hold on for about another half a month. We can’t rush this. After all, success isn’t guaranteed. We need to be as prepared as possible.”

It was Lin Yu who spoke. With Qin Ling back, half the battle was already won.

But they had spent a long time researching, and even this, their only option, wasn’t a surefire success.

What if the Speed Pearl was rejected by the energy within her body upon entry?

What if the Speed Pearl’s energy wasn’t enough to repair Tang Mo’s sea of consciousness?

What if other energies in her body interfered with the repair of her sea of consciousness…?

There were too many unknowns that required further discussion, taking into account the Speed Pearl inside Qin Ling.

Every one of them knew in their hearts just how precious this bead that could save Momo was; it was the hope of all humanity.

They would only get one such precious chance. If they failed, they would lose everything.

No one could bear such a failure.

“What are the chances of success?”

Qin Ling held Tang Mo’s hand, his eyes fixed on her face.

“If you would allow me to run a few tests over the next couple of days—to get a deeper understanding of the energy in your sea of consciousness and the Speed Pearl—I’d say the chance of success is about eighty percent,” the Sect Leader said, choosing his words carefully.

Allowing someone to enter and closely study one’s sea of consciousness was something any superpower user would vehemently resist.

A superpower user’s sea of consciousness was their most private domain. That was why the Sect Leader spoke so cautiously, terrified of angering the man before him.

‘After all, he might have some standing with the Founding Master, but who was he to this legendary Grandmaster?’

“Only eighty percent?”

The look on Qin Ling’s face grew even more terrifying. His voice wasn’t loud, but it was laced with a bone-chilling cold.

“Mm…”

The temperature in the tent seemed to plummet, but the Sect Leader couldn’t stop himself from wiping the sweat from his brow.

‘In truth, I didn’t mention that even eighty percent was an optimistic estimate. After all, a superpower user as powerful as Tang Mo would have an immense amount of energy. Qin Ling’s superpower isn’t a Spiritual Ability. Whether I—the only one who wouldn’t be rejected—could successfully channel Qin Ling’s energy into her is a complete unknown.’

Qin Ling said no more.

‘Eighty percent. He couldn’t accept those odds.’

‘But what choice did he have?’

Qin Ling gripped Tang Mo’s hand tightly. He saw nothing else, heard nothing else.

“So… when do you think we should begin? Time is…”

When Qin Ling remained silent for a long moment, the Sect Leader gathered his courage and asked again.

Wen Jianshu grabbed the Sect Leader’s arm and shook his head at him.

Then the three of them quietly withdrew, leaving Qin Ling alone.

The tent emptied, leaving only Qin Ling and Tang Mo.

Silence. The entire tent was quiet, without a single sound.

Qin Ling’s back was to the tent entrance. He knelt on the ground, holding Tang Mo’s hand, not having moved an inch.

PLIP.

Something fell to the ground, landing next to Tang Mo’s wrist.

PLIP. PLIP.

Then came the sound of more drops falling.

The sound was all the more distinct in the quiet surroundings, drop after drop, as if it had started raining inside the tent.

Of course, it couldn’t be raining inside the tent.

Qin Ling’s tears fell like beads from a broken string; he couldn’t stop them.

“Why didn’t you wait for me?”

His nose was red.

“Why couldn’t you just wait for me?”

Qin Ling sobbed, unable to even form a complete sentence.

His face crumpled in misery, tears and snot mixing together as he wept.

Xu the Third and his brothers stood guard outside the tent, where they faintly heard a sound.

“Lao San, did you hear that? Crying from inside the tent. It’s not the boss, is it?”

The man guarding the entrance asked Xu the Third after hearing the noise.

“Don’t talk nonsense. Our boss has never cried. Spread any more rumors and I’ll rip your tongue out.”

Xu the Third immediately kicked the man who’d spoken.

‘Who was their boss?’

‘He was Qin Ling!’

‘And who was Qin Ling?’

‘He was the kind of man who’d laugh even with a broken arm.’

‘If he could cry, then hell had frozen over.’

“No, really, Boss! Just listen carefully!”

The man who got kicked was incredibly stubborn. Even after being kicked, he wouldn’t let it go. He was sure he’d heard it.

Instinctively, Xu the Third pressed his ear to the tent flap, then immediately kicked the man again.

“Get out, get out, get out! Just get the hell away from me!”

‘It was all this idiot’s fault. His nonsense was making me hear things.’

Xu the Third rubbed his ears. ‘I must be hearing things.’

Inside the tent, Qin Ling eventually stopped crying but couldn’t bear to let go of Tang Mo’s hand. He just sat there, holding it.

“You must think the first time I met you was at the school after the apocalypse started.

But the truth is, I knew who you were when you first enrolled.

Back then, I kept wondering how a girl in such ragged clothes could hold her head so high.

I was so curious where you got that spirit from.

I watched you for a long time, growing more and more curious, but I could never find the right chance to talk to you.

Then the apocalypse happened, and we met.

You were even more… adorable and interesting than I imagined.

I knew you had a lot of secrets, but it didn’t matter.

I knew back then that I liked you. I liked you no matter what.

Later, something happened to me. I was trapped in that cave for so many days, I thought I was dead for sure.

But then you came.

You don’t know this, but you were wearing a tracksuit that day. My eyes must have been broken, because all I could see was an Angel.

You made me some delicious porridge. It was the best porridge I’ve ever had in my life.

The night we got together, I didn’t sleep at all. I just kept smiling. I didn’t even know I could be that foolish.

Later, you became more and more amazing. At first, I just wanted to protect you, but then I realized our relationship wasn’t about protecting and being protected. It was about fighting side by side.

You never told me about your struggles, but I understood.

That night, you suddenly asked me if I wouldn’t like you anymore if you weren’t outstanding enough.

Your expression then was so stubborn and hurt, it made my heart ache to see it.

Right then, I swore to myself that I would protect you with my life, as long as I was alive.

There are a lot of things I can’t say out loud, but I want you to know this: I don’t love you because you’re amazing or not. I love you just because you’re you.

There’s no reason. I love you without needing any reason.

I love you enough to give up everything—even my life.”