Chapter 279: The Past

【System detects host's emotions are stable, blackened personality sleep state is stable】

When the cold mechanical voice sounded in Lin Chen's mind, he was leaning against the wall outside the infirmary door,

his hands in his pockets, his gaze falling on the window at the end of the corridor. The sky outside was still overcast, and snow had begun to drift again at some point, landing on the glass and quickly melting into water droplets.

Lin Chen did not move, nor did he speak, just maintaining this posture,

as if in a daze, or as if thinking about something. The sound of locking the door just now still echoed in his ears; that crisp "click" sound was like a dividing line, separating the two people inside and outside the door, and also separating a piece of long-sealed past.

【System prompt, safe zone material inventory completed, antibiotic reserve gap is relatively large, suggests organizing a search team to go out as soon as possible】

Lin Chen gave a light "hmm," considering it a response to the system's prompt. He knew materials were tight, and he knew the risks of the search team going out,

but right now, he had no heart to think about these things. His mind was filled with Sister Chu Yao Yao's "give others a chance to choose," Lin Hao's calm eyes, and the bag of bread he had torn open.

He slowly straightened his body and walked to the iron door of the infirmary,

raised his hand, and knocked gently on the door panel. The sound wasn't loud, but it was clear enough for the person inside to hear. He didn't wait for Lin Hao to respond, just spoke directly: "I lay in this hospital room for three days waiting for biscuits."

This sentence was very light, yet carried a heavy weight,

like a stone thrown into a calm lake. There were no ripples in Lin Chen's eyes, and his tone was very flat, as if he were stating something ordinary.

That was the third month after the apocalypse broke out, the safe zone hadn't been established yet,

and he, Lin Hao, and Lin Fu and Lin Mu were hiding in this hospital together. At that time, the hospital was full of mutants, and food and water were exhausted,

and Lin Fu never returned after going out to find food. Lin Mu held the two of them and cried for an entire night, and the next day she ran a high fever and fell into a coma.

He and Lin Hao were both so hungry they couldn't get out of bed, lying on the two hospital beds in this room,

waiting eagerly for Lin Fu to return. Later, Lin Mu held on with her last breath, went out to find half a bag of biscuits, and stuffed them into his hand,

telling him to share them with Lin Hao. He remembered himself wolfing them down at the time, forgetting that Lin Hao was also hungry to the point of fainting. By the time he reacted, only the last biscuit was left.

When he handed the last biscuit to Lin Hao, Lin Hao shook his head, saying he wasn't hungry. He believed it at the time, only finding out later that Lin Hao had been hungry to the point of fainting.

【System detects host's memory triggered, brain wave fluctuation amplitude is normal】

Lin Chen ignored the system's prompt. He still leaned against the door panel, waiting for the response from inside. The corridor was very quiet, with only the sound of the wind outside and his own breathing. After a long time, Lin Hao's voice finally came from inside, very light, yet very clear, carrying a trace of relief and a trace of imperceptible hoarseness.

"I know. Before Mom passed away, she said 'I'm sorry' thirty-seven times."

Lin Chen's body trembled violently, as if struck by a bolt of lightning. He bit his lip hard, not letting himself make a sound. He had never known this; he had never known that Lin Mu had said "I'm sorry" so many times before she passed. He only remembered Lin Mu leaving with a smile, touching his head and telling him to take good care of Lin Hao.

He suddenly remembered that before Lin Mu fell into a coma, she had been holding Lin Hao's hand, saying something intermittently. At the time, he thought it was delirium; now he knew it was "I'm sorry."

【System prompt, host's emotional fluctuation amplitude increased, blackened personality awakening probability increased to 15%】

Lin Chen took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He raised his hand and knocked gently on the door panel again, his voice still very light: "Back then, I shouldn't have grabbed your biscuits."

There was no response from inside, only a faint coughing sound.

Lin Chen knew that Lin Hao didn't want to bring it up anymore, that he was truly relieved. He leaned against the door panel, closed his eyes, his mind a tangled mess.

Sister Chu Yao Yao's voice, Lin Mu's "I'm sorry," Lin Hao's calmness, and the blackened personality's scolding were intertwined, making him unable to know what to say or what to do for a moment.

【System detects host's emotions trending toward stability, blackened personality awakening probability fell back to 10%】

Lin Chen slowly opened his eyes and looked at the window at the end of the corridor. Snow was still drifting, landing on the glass and melting into water droplets, sliding down the glass.

He sighed lightly and turned to walk toward the end of the corridor. His steps were very light,

as if fearing he would disturb the person inside, or as if fearing he would disturb that piece of sealed-away past.

He walked to the window, stopped, wiped the water droplets off the glass, and looked at the snow outside. The outline of the safe zone was looming in the snow mist,

and the team members were sweeping the snow. Xia Nuan's figure was moving through the crowd, holding a medicine box in her hand; she should be going to the infirmary.

Lin Chen did not move, just looking at the scene outside the window. He knew that from today on, some things should be let go. Some choices should be left to others.

【System prompt, host's behavior conforms to the family seal's guidance, blackened personality sleep state is stable】

Lin Chen nodded lightly and turned to walk toward the stairwell. His steps were very steady, one step at a time, walking downstairs. The corridor was very quiet, with only his footsteps and the sound of the wind outside. ===== CHAPTER 280 =====