Chapter 5 Aftershock

Autonomous University of the State of AmericaUniversity Esplanade

The air was thick with dust, and the nervous murmurs of students filled the space. Fragments of concrete had fallen from some buildings, and in the distance, the wailing of sirens only heightened the sense of chaos. The uncertainty and fear were evident in everyone's eyes as many desperately tried—and failed—to contact their families.

"Wow, that was terrifying! I never thought an earthquake could cause so much damage and commotion…" exclaimed a student, breathing heavily as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Damn it, I need to call my parents to see if they're okay," said another, pulling out his phone, only to be met with the dreaded "No Signal" message. Frustrated, he tapped the screen repeatedly, as if that would somehow make it work.

A third student, visibly shaken, cried out, "My little sister is with my grandmother… I need to know if they're safe. Wait… Why is there no signal? Shit, what do I do now?" He ran his fingers through his hair in distress, frantically looking around for a solution.

As panic spread, John observed the crowd. He saw fear reflected in their faces, the desperation in their voices. He had no living relatives, but that didn't mean he didn't care about the well-being of his friends and acquaintances. He thought about Mary's mother—a woman with a keen sense of danger. Knowing her, she would have taken the most cautious measures in this situation.

Just as he finished that thought, a convoy of military trucks, ambulances, firetrucks, and police patrols stormed the streets, deploying teams to assist with evacuations and rescues.

Flashing lights and emergency broadcasts blared from vehicle speakers:

"Remain calm and proceed to your homes. Gather important documents and stay alert for updates via radio, internet, or phone. Communications will be restored in a few minutes."

Some students ran in different directions, searching for their friends or trying to find transportation home.

John glanced at Mary. Though she tried to hide it, it was clear she was scared. Her hands trembled slightly. With a teasing grin, he decided to lighten the mood.

"Don't tell me the gorgeous Mary Jane is scared. Hahaha."

Mary shot him a glare and, pouting, snapped back, "Damn it, of course not! Mmm…"

John smirked in satisfaction. A well-timed comment could change a tsundere's mood, and it seemed to have worked. Her tense posture eased.

"What should we do? Are you heading home, or should we meet somewhere? Being with me is safer than any other option," Mary said seriously. "At the very least, we can keep an eye on the situation. What do you say, John?"

John thought about it. Staying with the daughter of the city's president would definitely be safer, but also more complicated. She would probably be too busy coordinating things, and he didn't want to be a burden. Plus, dealing with such an emotional girl might make things harder.

As if Mary had read his thoughts, she gave him a cold look.

"Mmm, if you don't want to, fine. See you later," she said dryly before turning around and heading toward the parking lot.

John sighed. "Ugh, this tsundere girl…"

As he walked toward his motorcycle, he wondered what he should do. Just then, his phone rang. It was his only living family—his paternal grandmother.

"Brat, where the hell are you?" her familiar voice roared.

"I'm at the university, Grandma. I was planning to visit you after the quake. Where are you? Let me guess… at the bingo hall, right?"

"Hahaha, of course not, brat. It's no fun beating those old-timers anymore."

"You definitely lost and ended up gambling away all your money, didn't you, Grandma?"

"Hahaha, of course not," she said in an overly cheerful tone—too cheerful to be true. She was obviously lying.

John's grandmother had a playful spirit, completely inappropriate for her age. But, having lost all her children under mysterious circumstances, it was natural that she clung to life in whatever way she could. John visited her every weekend, even though she lived on the other side of the city. He knew she could take care of herself. After all, she had once been a military general—a position reserved exclusively for men in her time—which gave her considerable influence in the city. However, her gambling problem was legendary. Whenever she won, something bad always happened. She almost reminded him of a certain well-endowed blonde...

"Grandma, I'll come see you. Do you need me to bring you anything?"

"Yes, kid. Bring me a good bottle of red wine and some burger meat. These situations make me hungry."

"Hahaha, of course, Grandma. I'll be there soon."

"Drive safely, kid. And don't let any women get in your way."

John rolled his eyes with a smile and ended the call. He hopped onto his motorcycle and checked his pockets… until he realized something crucial.

"Shit… I left my wallet at home."

He had left in such a hurry that he'd forgotten his money. He glanced at his watch. If he took a few shortcuts, he'd have just enough time to go back for his wallet before heading to his grandmother's house.