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墨書 Inktalez
Stepping out of the car, Freyr gazed at the brightly lit Mountain Villa, a wave of remorse washing over him. If it weren't for his gambling addiction, his frequent flings, and his indulgence in both women and betting, he would not have found himself in this predicament. For an ordinary person, getting involved in either of those vices could lead to ruin.
Freyr had indulged in both extensively. If it weren't for Su Qian's quiet tolerance, perhaps they wouldn't have managed to stay together for over two years. His irresponsible nature ultimately led to the tragic death of his beloved wife in the stillness of night; that accident also claimed their only child.
This incident left him with lifelong regret. From that moment on, no matter how beautiful a woman might be or how much she might pursue him, he vowed never to engage in any romantic entanglements again, all in memory of his deceased wife.
Seeing Su Qian walking ahead with her head down stirred deep emotions within Freyr. He instinctively quickened his pace, reaching the door first to pull it open for her, making it easier for her to pass through. However, this gesture appeared quite awkward to onlookers; after all, this was a man who often commanded attention within their home.
Noticing this, Su Qian shook her head and continued into the house. Freyr followed her inside, while the servants outside exchanged glances, sensing something was amiss but remaining silent as they closed the door and made their way around to the back entrance of the villa.
Once inside the bedroom, Freyr quietly entered after Su Qian and shut the door behind him. Turning around, he found Su Qian sitting on the bedside table, poised like an impartial judge. Her sharp gaze seemed capable of piercing through any wrongdoing.
After being scrutinized by his wife for what felt like an eternity, Freyr hurriedly prepared a cup of red tea and brought it to her. Su Qian accepted the tea with both hands but did not take a sip; instead, she placed it beside her on the bedside table.
"Now tell me, what are you hiding from me? Do you have another woman out there? Or are you in debt? You know my temper—I won't tolerate anything that affects our relationship. I can allow you to have someone outside, but you must come home at night to be with me. If you do that, I can overlook it," Su Qian said coolly, her heart racing with anxiety.
A woman's jealousy can be fierce.
However, before marrying him, Su Qian had been the school beauty—well-mannered and possessing a forgiving nature. Because of this, even many troublemakers treated her with gratitude; she was fair and just in her dealings and never confused personal matters with school affairs—character and pretentiousness were two entirely different things.
"Wife, how could I hide anything from you? I've just missed you so much after such a long time apart," Freyr replied earnestly.
Su Qian furrowed her brow in confusion but noted the sincerity in his expression. Although she had previously hired a private investigator to look into Freyr's life and relationships, she found that even if he had a girlfriend outside, it was merely nominal—at most they shared meals together or held hands occasionally.
"If you miss me so much, then stop going out and fooling around; just come home and sleep," Su Qian said angrily before taking a sip of the brewed tea.
Freyr's generous nature was indeed too easy to encourage a man's desires. However, having been reborn once, he understood the benefits of having loved ones nearby. He resolved to confront his past apathetic self and settled back onto the soft bed, first covering Su Qian with a blanket.
The two embraced each other, savoring the youthful fragrance that emanated from Su Qian.
“After the enrollment ceremony tomorrow, we’ll have two weeks of military training. Have you prepared everything?” Su Qian asked gently, lying in Freyr's arms.
“This university has very few spots available for admission, and there are quotas. If I perform well over the next four years, I can graduate with a military rank and citizenship. I appreciate my family’s concern; I will work hard,” Freyr replied, nodding. Although he hadn’t put in any effort in his previous life and had instead spent four years playing around, he watched as his classmates received military ranks and honors upon graduation while he only held a diploma. It wasn’t until the second year after graduation that he found himself unemployed, prompting his father-in-law to intervene out of frustration and help him join the military through a long-time friend.
That experience in the military transformed him, as he learned much about the Zerg. In fact, there had been multiple incidents of attacks on humans by them. After leaving the military, his father-in-law noticed his transformation and invested a significant amount of money to help him join the Mecha Corps, which led to a brief but fulfilling career in mechs lasting over a decade.
“I wish you could be like this all the time,” Su Qian thought to herself while smiling at her beloved husband.
“Ugh, I’m so tired. I had surgery and I’m exhausted. Honey, I’m going to sleep now. Goodnight,” Freyr said lazily as he stretched and turned over to fall into a deep sleep.
Eighteen was such a wonderful age!
Even though he was someone who had been reborn, his past experiences helped him; however, this body felt weak. After an appendectomy and years of alcohol and cigarette abuse, his once strong physique had been drained prematurely. Even without doing anything strenuous, he still felt sleepy when it was time for bed.
Seeing Freyr asleep beside her, Su Qian furrowed her brow slightly. There had indeed been some changes in him lately; his personality seemed like that of another person entirely. She wondered if he had gotten involved with some outside forces or if something else had triggered this change.
The next morning.
“Honey, I’m off,” Freyr announced.
He had always loved waking up early. Even though his body hadn’t fully adjusted yet, he wanted to instill diligence in himself. After all, it was better to prepare early for the apocalyptic situations they would eventually face.
Su Qian had never seen her husband so diligent before, and she was somewhat surprised. Glancing at the clock, it was still not even five o'clock. Hesitating for a moment, she stepped out of the bedroom and immediately saw her husband busy in the kitchen. The servants and the head chef watched as their master busily prepared delicious food.
Every morning, Su Qian would have egg drop soup and fried eggs, a routine she had maintained since she could remember. Not only did Freyr thoughtfully prepare a loving bento for his beloved wife, but he also had breakfast ready for the servants: croissants, cheese, and a glass of fresh milk. The servants were a bit taken aback; they usually couldn't afford such luxuries, as Noah's Sanctuary was mostly home to the poor, who typically subsisted on vegetable salads and mashed potatoes.
In ten years, eggs, milk, and rice would all become extinct. Even in the current state of survival, food was as precious as life itself. Many places were suffering from famine, with most inland areas being barren. If they managed to avoid drought for a year, they considered themselves fortunate.
Moreover, the living conditions for commoners and citizens were vastly different. They were all commoners, receiving minimal food rations each day. Such food was rarely available; typically, commoners had three potatoes, a croissant, and half a serving of vegetable salad for their daily meals.
Citizens enjoyed slightly better living conditions. Their survival environment was in the underground world, where their daily food rations were also improved:
Three servings of rice, a glass of fresh milk, potatoes, vegetable salad, or two pounds of beef.
After preparing breakfast, Freyr casually ate a little himself. After more than ten years in the post-apocalyptic world, he no longer cared about the taste of food. Most of the time, he ate rotten meat or raw rat meat to avoid parasites; many soldiers consumed pills along with their meat.
“Wait a minute! It’s only just past five! Are you crazy? The school bus hasn’t even arrived yet! How do you plan to get there? Do you want me to call the driver?” Su Qian asked with concern as she stopped Freyr.
She took in her husband's athletic attire and noticed he was carrying a heavy backpack without bringing anything else; his beloved car was still parked at the villa.
“No need. I want to see what Noah looks like at five in the morning and keep it in my heart,” Freyr replied with a smile as he turned back to her.
Su Qian felt a tightness in her chest upon seeing her husband like this; it reminded her of her mother who had passed away unexpectedly. Her mother had been a Field Doctor who worked alongside troops. Due to the nature of her job as a Field Doctor, she couldn’t care for everyone when the team went out on missions. Upon returning from one such mission, her mother had gone missing without a trace for ten years.
Another loved one was about to leave her!
Suppressing the pain in her heart, she smiled and nodded at her beloved: “Come back early!”
Freyr shouldered his travel bag and pushed open the door before quickly running outside.
He first needed to train his body. In his previous life, he was the last to awaken, as his physical condition was simply too poor. He hadn't even prepared himself before the war broke out, which led to him being unable to kill during the conflict. By the end of the apocalypse, no one wanted to team up with him, and he ended up as a lone hero, unable to escape the fate of destruction.
Heaven had given him a second chance, and he intended to seize it. Long-distance running could improve his endurance and build muscle, but the process was quite painful. In the past, he often gave up training due to muscle soreness. This time, however, he vowed to push through the pain, even if it felt unbearable.
Three kilometers wasn't very long, yet it took him over twenty minutes to complete. In his previous life, despite his poor condition, he could finish military training in under seven minutes. The difference in performance was stark; he realized just how far behind he was compared to his past self.
Noah Nan Noiton University stood tall in the center of the shelter, its high buildings adorned with statues of many heroes at the entrance.
This university was established after the disaster of the apocalypse, replacing those institutions that focused on cultural education. Now, it taught students how to survive in extreme environments and had specialized computer systems for testing students' abilities and categorizing them for educational management.
Freyr finally completed his run and entered Noah Nan Noiton University. In his past life, he had disliked university life because the gatekeeper was unfriendly and often mistook him for a playboy, refusing him entry with his vehicle.
Now, Freyr had learned his lesson; he handed a pack of cigarettes to the gatekeeper and gained early access to the school.
"Ha ha! Hey there, buddy! Starting your training so early? Hahaha! Alright, I'll let you in," the gatekeeper laughed heartily before allowing him through the gates.
Freyr gazed at the familiar buildings and then turned back to see the lean-faced gatekeeper opening the cigarette pack. The man took out a cigarette, inhaled deeply with satisfaction after lighting it up.
Freyr remembered how he had offended the gatekeeper during their first meeting in his previous life. As a result, every time he came to school, the gatekeeper would tease him. Over four years, he had spent countless times running between offices trying to make amends with teachers. But now that he was nearing forty, he had grown out of his rebellious phase. Having more friends meant more paths to survival; besides, he hoped to utilize the school's abundant resources as soon as possible.
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