The Weight of Impending Fate

Li Chen's mind had been a whirlwind of emotions since his conversation with Chen Lao. The revelation that his life would be cut short weighed heavily on him. Whenever he looked at the pregnant Zhang Mei, his heart sank. His wife was still so young; how could she raise their twins alone? There had to be a way, a solution to this cruel twist of fate. He couldn't accept it, nor allow it to happen.

As he sat absentmindedly, listening to his family plan the retrieval of Sun Ming, his thoughts drifted. For 24 years, he had believed himself an orphan, only to find his family and marry a woman who truly loved him. And now, he was told that he wouldn't live to fully enjoy this newfound happiness. What a cruel joke the universe was playing on him. He had never asked to be chosen, and this God of War had been eerily quiet lately, leaving an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Sun Lixia's voice broke through his reverie. "Li Chen, are you okay?"