Shadow In Your Mind [ARC 1- 5]

Chapter 21 - Are they really your bodyguards?

XG 21 - A ticking bomb

In the other timeline, Suzie Yap only realized her daughter was in trouble when the housekeeper informed her that she had not returned. It was approaching midnight at that time, with Wong Xue Guo and Chen Yibo's phones unreachable. It was only from her housekeeper's mouth did she finally know her daughter was in the shopping mall where news of infected people was running amok in it.

Suzie Yap had scolded everyone, including Nana, her daughter's chauffeur, for not obeying her orders not to let Wong Xue Guo stay out after her curfew hours. She also blamed herself that she had forgotten that her daughter had informed her in advance about the after-school gathering. It was her mistake for not asking about the date of the gathering, and it was especially distressing when the next hour would be the familiar date that had haunted her for years.

If it was not because she had some dealings with the army force, she would not be able to enter the shopping mall to search for her daughter. Thanks to her interference, the shopping mall was allowed to continue standing until sunrise.

But she still failed to save her daughter, unable to defy fate.

As for this new timeline, the bombing had also been delayed. Suzie Yap checked her phone and confirmed that the delay was extended to sunrise as a reciprocity act. Her husband had called the army ahead, using the past favour of contributing medicines to the army force. The army was willing to spare some time for Ms Wong to maintain their business relationship.

"When sunrise comes, the bombing squad will take down this building, regardless of any survivors," Suzie Yap revealed.

It was cruel for the survivors, but the government had to pass down this order for the sake of the rest of the citizens.

Wong Xue Guo's eyes flashed. "They are not afraid of the family member's anger? Or... they plan to lie that everyone in this building is infected?"

Suzie Yap rubbed the speck of dry blood on her daughter's forehead. "Every human's life in this country is in the government's hands. The prime minister had to do drastic actions just to contain the infection while they could still do so. They do not need to worry about finding the cure, as other countries with the best technology will do it for them."

"Surely not all will agree with the order?" Vihaan frowned. "Some of their family members might be inside here."

"You are right." Suzie Yap chuckled and stared at Low Lin Ya who unconsciously flinched under her gaze.

In the other timeline, Suzie Yap knew from Chen Yibo's mouth that her daughter was bitten to save Low Lin Ya. She succeeded in saving her friend, but her friend developed mental depression after watching both of her best friends die because of her choice. After a few years passed, Suzie Yap heard she had committed suicide.

Moving her eyes away, Suzie Yap continued, "That's why some higher-ups will work together to have a private jet land on the rooftop to get their family members out."

While there were some politicians that agreed to stop the infection, some would secretly rescue their family members that were stuck inside the mall behind others' backs. They did not care if their action might bring out the infected from the red zone, all for the sake of rescuing their loved ones.

As the apocalypse had barely started, not everyone was in a panic, choosing to wait for the government to settle it. Just as not everyone takes infectious disease seriously, thinking the news was hyping it to scare people.

"Lin Ya, soak them with water to lower Hanani's temperature." Chen Yibo passed a stack of towels and Low Lin Ya took it without fully processing his words, used to listening to their class monitor.