Chapter 152 - Vow To Return Alive

At this point, Randy had already stopped moving. He was now standing not far away from their family house. As he stood there, he stared at the mansion in the distance with a deep gaze for a while. 

However, at this moment, he suddenly felt his smart bracelet vibration on his wrist, Randy checked it, and to his surprise, it was a video call from his mother. But he decided to receive it in audio instead as he did not want to give out his location. 

The call connected.

[Randy, are you okay? I heard about what happened. Your dad and I were worried that something had happened to you. I knew something was wrong this morning, but I just thought I was worrying too much. Maybe you shouldn't have gone on this trip!] Riley worriedly said to him without waiting for him to reply.

"…It's okay, mom. I'm alright." Randy calmly replied to her with a smile. 

[Really? Are you sure?] Riley asked in an unconvinced voice. 

"Really, mom. I am okay. Nothing happened to me. Luckily, I was able to avoid the onslaught of the monster, and we're now making our way to the military base under the protection of the soldiers sent from the military base. Ah, we've reached the military ground just now." Randy explained while assuring her. 

[Is that so? Thank goodness. Do you want me to come and get you, or do you still want to stay?] Riley sighed in relief before asking him, her voice still full of concern. 

"No, mom. I truly am okay, so there's no need for that. I want to stay and partake in the special training." Randy hurriedly replied to her. 

'If you come over right now, then how am I going to explain my absence in the military base?' He silently thought to himself.

"I see, I understand. Then I will inform your dad that you're okay. And also, take care of yourself out there, and as I said to you before you left, do not engage in unnecessary combat for mere military points. If you truly need anything, your dad and I can provide it for you, okay?" Riley said to him afterward. 

"I understand, mom. Take care of yourselves too. Hopefully, I will see you guys in two weeks, right after the special training session. As you know, communication with the outside world is prohibited, so I won't be able to contact you guys until then. But I will make sure to return alive, no matter what."  Randy said in assurance.

Riley was taken aback by his seemingly calm words and then replied in a somewhat confused and strange tone shortly after: [Oh, okay. Alright then, bye!]

"Bye, mom. Tell Lydia that I'll miss her." Randy said to her before cutting the line.

After that, Randy proceeded to look at the mansion in the distance for a while longer. 

A few moments later, he turned around and left. He calmly walked towards the direction of the abandoned building once again in long strides.

…

Meanwhile.

Inside the Smith Family Mansion.

Riley sat on the couch by herself with an image of her husband projected on her communication device that she placed on the table.

After her conversation with Randy just now, she decided to call her husband to inform him about it. 

[So Randy was not among the injured students?] Nathan's voice resounded from the other end.

"Yes, that's what he said to me directly when I asked him. But if you're that worried about him, why didn't you call him in person? Why call me instead with an excuse that you couldn't connect to him? Don't tell me that you're still…" Riley responded and then doubtfully asked. 

[Riley, please don't say it. I already know. I know I might not be a good father since I don't stay at home to watch over my kids and only stay at work all the time. But don't worry, I will find a time to increase our bond once again when I take my vacation later on. I will use that time to get to know more about the person our son has become.] Nathan said in a slightly apologetic tone. 

Riley: "…"

[What? Did I say something wrong?]

"…Nothing, please do. I just didn't expect to hear that from you all of sudden. Alright, be careful at work, and I will see you later. Ah, don't forget to come and congratulate your daughter for her awakening during the weekend, okay?" Riley said to him after a while.

[Ahahaha, I won't. Don't worry. Alright, you ladies should also take care. I am always concerned about you guys when I am at work] Nathan said in a worried tone.

"Hmph! Who do you think you're talking to right now? Are you looking down on me now? Just because I am now a housewife doesn't mean that I have lost my touch!" Riley said in a somewhat irritated tone, clearly did not like the way her husband's tone of voice as he spoke just now.

[Of course, I am not looking down on you or anything. I am just worried that's all. Should a father not worry about his family? Especially my peerless and beautiful wife and my cute and adorable daughter, who would now be all alone by themselves without our son.] Nathan hurriedly said as he praised his wife, trying to appease her with his words.

"…"

Sure enough, it seems to have worked, seeing as how Riley was not responding after a short while.

A moment later, she suddenly spoke: "…Anyway, see you later."

After saying this, she directly cut the line to her husband without waiting for him to respond, and the projected screen also disappeared afterward.

Everything became silent within the living room.

A few moments later, Riley suddenly muttered with her face flushed in slight red: "That bastard still knows how to sweet talk people." 

Her voice may sound like she was still annoyed, but she was actually happy to hear those seemingly ordinary complimentary words from her husband, who was not around all the time. 

Unexpectedly, she seemed quite gullible when it came to her husband. This behavior was not something one would expect from someone like her, who was always fierce wherever she went.

… 

On the other side. 

Inside The Abandoned Factory.

Government officials had set up devices and equipment to monitor the rift that suddenly appeared in this place. 

The purpose was to maintain the rift and prevent it from closing. And also, close it in case something dangerous tries to get through the rift. 

However, the main reason why they even bothered to maintain the rift and prevent it from closing was to allow people to use it.

In other words, people who will be willing to enter and explore the world beyond the portal resulted from the rift.

At this time, a middle-aged man sat by himself. He seemed bored out of his wits as he only stared outward in a daze.

Right now, he was sitting in front of a table inside the constructed station inside the abandoned building. 

He seemed to be the only one assigned to this rift, and thus, he did not have anything to do most of the time.

At this moment, a young man suddenly entered the building and gradually approached the station he was in calmly without showing any sense of fear despite seeing the rift inside the building. 

'Hm? Who is this one? He seemed even younger than the ones from before. Is he here to court death or something?' The middle-aged man inwardly said as he observed the young man that entered the building. 

"Haa… Young people these days… tsk, tsk. They simply can't give up on attaining fame by coming here to try to become a seeker" The middle-aged man sighed and then muttered in a somewhat disdainful tone as he watched the approaching young man.

He had seen many people come here to try to become seekers over the past few weeks when the rift appeared in this abandoned factory. But most of them did not come back after venturing into the unknown world. 

Though some of them did come back alive, they were so terrified and could not even speak properly when questioned about what they saw beyond the rift and only muttering some incoherent words that did not make any sense.