May 12th, 10 a.m.
The sunlight filtered through the hazy sky, casting a patchy pattern of light and shadow; a faint smell of smoke lingered in the air, as if the embers from a past fire had not yet fully extinguished.
Li Sihai stood before a pile of ruins.
Looking at everything before him, an indescribable feeling surged in his heart.
Yesterday, he had been laughing and talking with Chen Yun in Lingchuan County, but today, he stood facing this tragic scene.
Beside the charred wreckage of an auto repair shop, several police cars were parked quietly, their red and blue lights flashing amid the desolate ruins, adding a measure of solemnity and gravitas to the desolate landscape.
The surroundings were wilderness on the Loess Plateau.
Aside from the occasional bird that flew by, there was almost no sign of life.
The sunlight pierced through the clouds, casting halos around the police cars, framing the scene like a poignant painting.
