I write obituaries for the gods

Lost in thought, a cup of hot tea was placed beside him. Lin Chen looked up and saw the landlady smiling gently at him.

“Young man, rest assured, we’ll follow the platform’s contract, we won’t cheat you,” she said softly. “It’s not easy for a young man like you to come here in the rain to look for a job, do your best.”

"Anyway, your ex-tenant didn't even finish the job in three months before slinking back to his hometown, hahaha... Ouch, Huihui's mom, why did you hit me..."

"Give them some confidence," the wife said reproachfully, then looked at Lin Chen and smiled gently, "When shall we sign the contract?"

"Now! Sign the contract now!" Lin Chen's eyes lit up.

He still disagreed with his landlord uncle's words, thinking that he had studied for four years in college, so surely he shouldn't be unable to pay the rent.

Then, the rain poured cold water on him, telling him that his uncle was right.

He sent out resumes almost every day, but good companies didn't want him, and the companies that did want him were all offering predictable, dead-end jobs.

He could only send out resumes and work as a delivery driver to earn some money to save up for the rent later.

During those months when he was struggling to make ends meet, the rain poured down on his old raincoat and onto the security windows of his rented room, but Lin Chen never felt cold during those months.

The landlady would often call him to the next room for dinner, serve him meat, and offer him words of comfort and encouragement.

In return, Lin Chen would tutor Huihui, their daughter who was in junior high school, since he had nothing else to do in the evenings anyway.

It was only then that Lin Chen realized that his uncle had kept him around because of his college student status: he could tutor the kids! The money saved would be enough to cover the premium on the short-term rental.

But this little scheme didn't make Lin Chen feel like he was being tricked; on the contrary, it warmed his heart.

......

In the dimly lit room, Lin Chen walked to the dining table, placed the lunchbox in front of Huihui, and opened it for her.

The "Hard Man Meal" consists of a simple dish: a tea egg, a fried dough stick, and a steamed bun stuffed with processed meat.

Looking at Huihui, who seemed dazed, Lin Chen felt a heavy weight in his heart.

"I'm busy today, so just make do with this," he said softly. "I'll buy you some groceries tomorrow."

The little girl looked up and smiled at Lin Chen.

“It’s okay, brother,” she said softly, “I’m fine with whatever I eat.”

"You need to eat your fill. You're at an age where you're growing," Lin Chen said softly. "Eat well, be good."

The girl's smile made the flame in Lin Chen's heart burn even hotter. He recalled the news he had seen that morning, the arrogant expression on "Qingtian's" face, and the host's praise of him.

Then, he remembered the day it happened.

......

The day of the incident was Huihui's birthday, and the landlord couple planned to take her out to buy a gift and have a nice meal.

The night before, when they parted, Huihui leaned close to Lin Chen's ear and whispered something to him with a grin:

"Brother, I'll secretly bring you some good stuff from the island! Isn't that game unavailable for physical purchase? I heard that store has some..."

"No need, no need. Just buy yourself a birthday present. Didn't you always want that 'Skybreaker' figure? That's quite expensive. It's not appropriate to buy something else," Lin Chen quickly said.

Huihui is a fan of Qingtian. She grew up watching movies starring Qingtian and has always had a good impression of this demigod with immense strength.

"It's okay, I enjoy watching you play games," Huihui smiled happily. "I told you that's what I wanted!"

"This is about to give us away..."

"It's okay! Anyway, Mom likes you a lot!"

"You can't just say things like that..."

Huihui's smile was so sweet that Lin Chen could only sigh helplessly, feeling a warm glow in his heart.

Unbeknownst to him, this simple family of three had become his fireplace in the rainy city, dispelling the chill brought by the incessant rain.

"..."

The next day, Lin Chen received a call from the police station while he was making deliveries.

"Hello, is this Huihui's brother, Mr. Lin? It's urgent. You need to come here immediately. This girl needs you. The address is..."

"Come over here first... She only knows your phone number..."

Lin Chen couldn't remember how many red lights he had run that day. When he arrived at the scene, the first thing he saw was a scene that looked like the end of the world:

The Iron Horn Bridge, which spanned the sea, had broken off at its edge, the jagged crack resembling the tusks of a giant elephant, plunging into the dark, turbulent ocean. The broken steel cables swayed in the howling wind, constantly striking the bridge with dull "thump! thump! thump" sounds, like a death knell tolling repeatedly.

Through the gray fog on the sea, Lin Chen saw colorful fragments: some were fragments of the bridge, and the rest were all kinds of private cars. The fragments floated on the waves, like small rafts used by Vikings to bury the dead.

Anxiety grew in Lin Chen's heart. He ran quickly to the makeshift tent by the roadside and frantically searched for the girl who had been smiling at him the night before.

He walked through the wails and cries that rose and fell from the tents, and finally found Huihui in the center of the makeshift camp.

But Huihui wasn't the only one standing there.

There's also "擎天" (Qingtian).

This was the first time Lin Chen had seen a "demigod" so closely.

"...Ask questions in an orderly manner, don't waste time."

Optimus Prime stood there, surrounded by reporters, the fine water droplets on his gray armor reflecting their flashes.

Huihui was being held in the arms of the demigod she worshipped, her face covered in water, her expression blank.

"Hey! You..."

Lin Chen instinctively reached out, but was grabbed by a hand.

"Kid, don't be impulsive."

Lin Chen turned around and saw a man who looked like an investigator sizing him up with narrowed eyes.

The man was dressed in a suit with a black trench coat over it, looking like a bat with its wings folded.

He took out his identification from inside his coat and showed it to Lin Chen.

"Jiang Zhengge, head of the Rapid Response Section 1 of the Rain City Abnormal Management Bureau," the man's voice was hoarse and weathered, "Are you that girl's brother?"

As soon as he spoke, Lin Chen recognized the voice: it was the person who had called him.

“I’m her tenant,” Lin Chen replied. “Where are her parents? Why are they calling me?”

"He died; he fell into the sea."

Upon hearing this, Lin Chen felt a buzzing in his mind, and he suddenly realized that it had actually been raining heavily today.

"Dead...?" Lin Chen murmured.

“It’s very difficult for anyone in a car to survive falling into the sea from this height,” the man said, lighting a cigarette. “The poor girl was crying after she was rescued. We asked her if she had any relatives she could contact, and she shook her head. Then she gave us your phone number.”

"No...that's not right..." Lin Chen murmured, "Why? Why was Huihui saved, but Uncle and Auntie weren't? This...this can't be...this..."

His words caught in his throat as he saw a faint, cold glint in Jiang Zhengge's eyes.

"Look over there yourself," Jiang Zhengge said, pointing to Qingtian, who was being interviewed not far away.

......

Chapter 3 "Superheroes"

"Mr. Qingtian, thank you very much for arriving at the scene so promptly. How would you assess the situation of this disaster?"

"Mr. Qingtian, could you please disclose the cause of the bridge collapse? Currently..."

"Mr. Qingtian..."

Surrounded by reporters, Qingtian's lips twitched slightly, and his fists clenched tightly.

"I'll say it again: ask questions in an orderly manner."

As soon as the deep voice opened its mouth, almost all the reporters shut their mouths.

The demigod, his head half-hidden by a steel helmet, looked around and finally chose a pretty female reporter:

"say."

"Mr. Skybreaker...why did Ironhorn Bridge suddenly collapse?"

“I don’t know,” Qingtian said in a low voice, “I received a notification, so I came to rescue people. Next.”

"Mr. Optimus Prime, I heard that the power armor you are wearing is a product of joint development between the Foundation and 'Ink Bamboo Technology'. Is that true?"

"I don't know, next one." Qingtian shook his head.

"May I ask who the little girl you are holding is?" Finally, a reporter noticed Huihui in Qingtian's arms.

“She was the last survivor I saved,” Qingtian said. “Unfortunately, I could only save her from the back row; her parents are probably in grave danger.”

At this point, Qingtian paused noticeably, then his tone suddenly became more formal:

"At such a young age, she suddenly lost her parents due to a sudden tragedy. As a member of the foundation, I hate that I do not have the ability to save her parents and protect a happy family."

"Therefore, I would like to inform you that the Foundation will do its utmost to investigate the truth behind the collapse of the Iron Cape Bridge. If there is any deliberate conspiracy or trickery behind it, we will do everything in our power to punish it."

At this point, the reporters, who had been somewhat frightened by Qingtian's impatience, began to applaud. Flashes of light pierced the rain as they captured the heroic and awe-inspiring scene of Qingtian carrying Huihui.

At the back of the crowd, Lin Chen stared blankly at this absurd scene, imagining it making the headlines the next day.

"But..." Lin Chen murmured, "He could save Huihui... so why couldn't he save Uncle and Aunt?"

A soft laugh rang out, and Lin Chen turned his head to see Jiang Zhengge staring intently into the distance.

“The foundation’s approval rating is going to rise now,” the head of the Investigation Bureau’s Rapid Response Division muttered. “A hero holding a young girl—what a headline-worthy scene.”

"What...do you mean?" Lin Chen frowned slightly.

"Don't overthink it, kid. This isn't your business. Go keep that girl company. She needs a psychological evaluation. Someone will take you there in a bit."

Lin Chen seemed to have sensed something, but the section chief in front of him didn't seem to have any intention of saying anything more.

He waved to Lin Chen, then turned and walked towards the distant blockade line:

"Just pretend you didn't hear anything."

"..."

Watching Jiang Zhengge walk further and further away, Lin Chen instinctively wanted to chase after him and ask him what was going on, but then he heard a soft murmur behind him:

"elder brother..."

Lin Chen turned around and saw that Huihui had been put down by Qingtian. She staggered through the crowd, looking like she might fall to the ground at any moment.

Lin Chen rushed forward in a fluster, squatted down, and helped Huihui up:

"Huihui! Are you alright?"

"elder brother..."

Tears welled up in Huihui's eyes. Her hair was disheveled, and streaks of water streamed down her cheeks, making it impossible to distinguish between rain and tears.

"I'm scared..." she whispered.

Lin Chen hugged Huihui, gently pressed the back of her head, and stroked her wet hair.

At that moment, a deafening roar rose from the ground:

"boom!"

Lin Chen looked up and saw "Qingtian" shooting into the sky like a missile. The explosion when it broke the sound barrier made the rain below stop for a moment.

The crowd cheered and gave thanks for the help of this deity. Among them were reporters, medical staff who came to help, and many more victims who were grateful to have survived.

Among the crowd, only Lin Chen remained silent.

He knelt on the ground, holding Huihui in his arms, his eyes fixed on the figure that was gradually disappearing into the sky.

His fists clenched tighter and tighter.

......

"These are her personal belongings. Wait here. The doctor will bring her out after the examination."

"Thank you."

Lin Chen took the plastic bag from the doctor, looked at the glass, and saw Huihui lying on the bed, being scanned by a white ring-shaped instrument.

Huihui needs to undergo a series of examinations and psychological counseling before she can leave, and Lin Chen, as her designated emergency contact, must accompany her throughout the process.

Even then, Lin Chen still found it all absurd: the landlord couple, who had been eating together the day before, were now separated by death, leaving behind their poor daughter.

Huihui could only give him his phone number in that situation, which meant she trusted him.