Reborn, I Let My Game Addicted Brother Face the Hurricane

The day a Category 5 hurricane struck, my younger brother, Ryan Bennett, suddenly disappeared. Without hesitation, my parents, Daniel and Emily Bennett, dragged me out into the hurricane to search for him. I barely survived the monstrous storm, but my parents never came back. When the rescue team finally found Ryan, they discovered that he had been playing video games the entire time in the glass room on the top floor. I furiously confronted him, but he couldn’t have cared less. “You’re the one who chose to go out and look for me! “Use your brain! Why would I ever go outside during a hurricane?” Enraged, I rushed at him and hit him, but he shoved me off the rooftop with his own hands. “Stop blaming me! If you’d stopped Mom and Dad from going out that day, they wouldn’t have died! “Since you’re so devoted to our parents, go atone for their deaths!” I fell from the rooftop, and everything went black. When I opened my eyes again, I was back two hours before the hurricane made landfall. Dad had already put on his raincoat and was preparing to go out. Mom was putting on her shoes by the door, desperately tugging at my arm as tears streamed down her face. “Hurry! The wind is getting stronger! We have to find Ryan!” The next second, I yanked my arm free. “I’m not going!” Since Ryan claimed he never asked us to look for him, I wouldn’t look for him this time. I’d like to see just how long he can last in that glass room with a Category 5 hurricane bearing down on him. Chapter 1 Mom stumbled when I yanked my arm away. She grabbed the shoe cabinet for support and stared at me in disbelief. “Claire, have you lost your mind? “That’s your own brother, Ryan! “A Category 5 hurricane is about to hit! If you refuse to go save him, are you just going to stand by and watch him die?” Dad had just pulled on his raincoat. The moment he heard that, his face darkened. He strode over and pointed a finger at my nose, cursing furiously. “You ungrateful brat! What kind of thing is that to say? “Your brother has been weak and sickly since he was little. If anything happens to him, I’ll skin you alive!” Looking at his familiar face, I felt a chill spread through me. It had been the same on the eve of the hurricane in my previous life. Ryan had only said he was going out to buy something before he completely disappeared. My parents had panicked and dragged me straight into the storm. We searched for him through the torrential rain and violent winds for four hours. In the end, my parents were killed instantly when a billboard collapsed on them. Covered in blood, I somehow made it back to our residential complex. When I followed the rescue team upstairs, I found Ryan sitting safely inside the glass room on the rooftop. The air conditioner was running. Snacks were scattered around him, and his headphones were filled with the angry shouting of him and his teammates as they played games together. He had never left the building at all. I cried as I told him that our parents were dead. He showed no grief whatsoever. Instead, he gave a contemptuous laugh. He said he had never asked anyone to come looking for him. Then, to avoid taking responsibility, he took advantage of my distraction during our argument and shoved me off the rooftop. The agony of that fall still seemed to linger deep in my bones. I took a deep breath and suppressed the hatred churning in my chest. I couldn’t let them know that I had been reborn. Not yet. I looked at Dad coldly. “If you’re so worried about him, why don’t you call him first?” Mom wiped away her tears and shouted, “I did! I’ve been calling him ever since he left two hours ago! “He won’t answer! “He must have gotten into trouble outside! Maybe his phone fell into the water, or maybe he passed out!” I sneered inwardly. Ryan had a severe gaming addiction. Once he sat in front of his computer, put on his noise-canceling headphones, and started playing ranked games, he wouldn’t even look at his phone if the sky were falling. That was exactly how we’d been fooled in my previous life. We were so consumed by panic that no one stopped to think clearly, call him a few more times, or check the places he usually went. “I’ll call him.” I pulled out my phone and dialed Ryan’s number right in front of my parents. The speaker played a long series of ringing tones. No one answered. Eventually, the call disconnected automatically. Dad impatiently reached for my phone. “I already told you he won’t answer. What are you waiting for? “Hurry up and come downstairs. We’ll check the internet cafés, pool halls, and everywhere else one by one!” I pulled my phone out of his reach and calmly dialed again. “If he doesn’t answer once, call him again. “If he’s really in danger, keeping the line open is even more important.” The second call rang until it disconnected. The third went unanswered as well. On the fourth call, someone hung up. A notification appeared on my screen indicating that the call had been declined. I pointed at the screen and looked at my parents. “See that? He rejected the call himself. “If someone is injured or unconscious, how could they possibly press the button to decline a call?” Mom froze for a moment, doubt flickering across her face. I put my phone away and calmly stated my conclusion. “That only means he’s somewhere extremely safe, safe enough to have the time to reject my call. “You both know what he’s like when he starts gaming. He practically forgets everyone exists. “So he never left. He’s definitely somewhere in this building, hiding out and playing games.” Dad shoved me aside and roared so loudly that it seemed like his voice could tear the roof off. “He could have accidentally pressed the button! “Claire, stop making excuses to shirk your responsibility! “Your brother’s life is hanging in the balance, and you’re still standing here trying to scheme and make excuses!” Chapter 2 Dad yanked open the security door, and a violent gust of wind immediately tore into the apartment. The hallway windows outside rattled and banged against their frames. Amid the howling wind, I could faintly hear the sounds of trees snapping somewhere outside. The sky was frighteningly dark, and the oppressive atmosphere made it hard to breathe. Mom cried even harder as she shoved me from behind. “Come on! Hurry up and go with your father! “If anything happens to Ryan, I won’t live either!” I gripped the doorframe tightly, refusing to budge. “I told you, he never went outside! “He’s somewhere in this building. He might even be on the rooftop.” The moment he heard that, Dad spun around and raised his hand, ready to slap me. “What the hell are you talking about? “Why would he go to the rooftop for no reason? The roof is dangerous enough as it is. Is he crazy, or are you? “Claire, how did I end up with such a cold-blooded, heartless daughter? “He’s your own brother! You’ve been jealous of him since you were little, and now you’re even cursing him!” I looked at Dad’s furious expression and gave a bitter, self-mocking smile. Jealous? Ever since we were kids, everything good in this family had always gone to Ryan. When Ryan wanted the latest computer, Dad would scrimp and save for two months to buy it for him. When I got into a top university and needed tuition money, Mom forced me to take out a student loan so they could save the money to buy Ryan designer sneakers. Even whenever Ryan did something wrong, I was always the one who got yelled at or punished. There was always only one excuse. “You’re his older sister. Can’t you just give your little brother a break?” In my previous life, I gave in until it cost me my life. This time, I wouldn’t give an inch. “I’m not cursing him. I’m just making a judgment based on the facts. “If you insist that he’s in danger outside, then go look for him yourselves. “But I’m warning you, going outside right now would be no different from walking straight to your deaths.” Dad was shaking with rage as he pointed at me and cursed. “Fine! Fine! You won’t go, will you? “Then I’ll pretend I never had a daughter like you!” I sneered inwardly. If this apartment hadn’t been specifically left to me in Grandpa’s will, with my name on the deed, they probably would have tried to force me to transfer it to them and kick me out long ago, just to make room for their precious younger son. They had made it sound so nice back then, claiming they were only moving in to “take care of me.” Instead, they brought Ryan along and simply moved in. Dad turned around and started pounding on the doors of several neighboring apartments. “Mr. Parker! Mr. Collins! Open up! Please help us! “My son Ryan is missing! The hurricane is about to hit! Please help us look for him!” The neighbors, Mr. Joshua Parker and Mr. Oliver Collins, heard the commotion and opened their doors. Seeing how frantic my parents were, Mr. Parker tried to reason with Dad. “Mr. Bennett, the wind is way too strong outside. The community just issued a severe weather alert and prohibited everyone from going outside.” Mom suddenly dropped to her knees in front of him. “Mr. Parker, please! Ryan is still out there! “He’s my only son! If something happens to him, I won’t be able to go on living!” Mr. Collins sighed and helped Mom back to her feet. “It’s... it’s really too dangerous to go outside. “How about this? We start by searching the first floor of our building. “Maybe he’s hiding from the wind in a neighbor’s apartment or somewhere in the hallway.” Dad wiped his tears and nodded repeatedly. “Okay! Okay! Please, everyone, help us search from the first floor! “If you find my son, I’ll do anything to repay you!” The neighbors came out with flashlights in hand. Mom turned around and shot me a vicious glare. “What are you standing there for? Even the neighbors have more conscience than you! “Get over here and help us search!” I leaned against the doorway and let out a cold laugh. I couldn’t wait to see their faces after they searched the entire building and finally discovered that Ryan had been on the rooftop all along. I closed the door to our apartment and followed the group at a leisurely pace, staying at the very back. Chapter 3 The howling wind slammed against the outer walls of the building, roaring like a wild beast. The lights throughout the building began flickering on and off. Mr. Parker and Mr. Collins led several others, going door to door from the first floor. “Ryan! Ryan Bennett! Are you in there?” Mom’s voice had gone hoarse from shouting. She was so weak that Dad had to support her as they walked. First floor, second floor, third floor. We searched our way upward, one floor at a time. Every time a neighbor opened their door, we received the same answer. “No, I haven’t seen him. With a hurricane this strong, who would dare wander around outside?” “He didn’t come to my place. Try somewhere else.” Climbing the stairs and knocking on door after door took nearly an hour. The higher we went, the more desperate my parents looked. By the time we reached the sixteenth floor, with only two floors left before the top, Mom finally broke down. She collapsed onto the stairs and burst into tears. “He’s not here! He’s really not in this building! “He must have gone outside. He must have been swept away by the floodwaters…” Dad’s eyes were bloodshot too. He turned around and glared viciously at me. “Claire! Weren’t you so damn sure he was somewhere in the building? “Where is he? Go on, make him appear!” I pointed toward the stairs above us. “We haven’t checked the seventeenth floor or the rooftop yet. “There’s an illegally built glass room on the rooftop with electricity running to it. He could be in there.” Mr. Parker’s expression changed immediately. “The rooftop? Going up there in a hurricane this strong would be suicide! “Could the kid have been upset about something and gone up there to take his own life?” The moment Mom heard that, she let out a terrified scream and scrambled toward the top floor. “Ryan! Don’t scare Mommy! Ryan!” Everyone rushed up the stairs and reached the eighteenth-floor landing. However, the heavy iron door leading to the rooftop was secured with a thick padlock. A notice stamped by the property management office was posted right in the center of the door. [Due to the approaching hurricane, the rooftop has been sealed and locked to ensure residents’ safety. Unauthorized entry is strictly prohibited.] Seeing the lock, Dad rushed forward and desperately shook the iron door, but it didn’t budge. Mom collapsed onto the floor, staring blankly at the lock. Suddenly, Dad turned around and fixed his eyes on me. His gaze was filled with resentment and madness. “The door is locked! There’s no way Ryan could have gone up there! “Claire, did you lock this door? “You deliberately lied to us and brought us all the way up here just to waste time and stop us from going outside to look for your brother!” I was so angry that I almost laughed. “Dad, look carefully. The property management notice clearly says the rooftop would be completely sealed two hours before the hurricane makes landfall today.” I sneered inwardly. I understood everything now. Ryan must have sneaked into the glass room early to avoid getting lectured. He always wore noise-canceling headphones when gaming. He wouldn’t hear a thing even if an earthquake struck outside. When the property management staff came to lock the rooftop, he was probably inside, busy yelling at his teammates. He didn’t even realize he’d been locked on the rooftop! Mr. Parker also tried to reason with Dad. “That’s right, Mr. Bennett. About an hour ago, I went downstairs to buy cigarettes and happened to see a property management worker named Kyle Reed come up with chains to seal off the rooftop. “There’s no doubt the property management office locked it!” But Dad had completely lost his reason. He stormed over and slapped me hard across the face. Smack! My head snapped to the side, and the metallic taste of blood immediately filled my mouth. “How dare you argue with me!” Dad’s voice was hysterical. “If you hadn’t kept wasting our time and misleading us by insisting he was upstairs, we would’ve gone downstairs or outside to find him long ago! “You’re deliberately trying to get your own brother killed!” Mom also scrambled to her feet and pointed at me, cursing furiously. “Claire, you ungrateful brat! “If your brother dies, you’ll be a murderer!” The neighbors around us began looking at me differently too. Mr. Collins frowned and scolded me. “Claire, you really shouldn’t have done that. The door is locked, so why did you insist Ryan was on the rooftop? “How can you be so cold-hearted? That’s your own brother! How much precious time have you already wasted?” “Kneel!” Dad suddenly roared. He grabbed my shoulders and forcibly tried to push me down. “Kneel before your mother and apologize! Bow your head and beg forgiveness for obstructing the rescue and cursing your own brother! “If Ryan doesn’t make it back today, I’ll break your legs!” I clenched my teeth, every muscle in my body tensing as I planted my feet firmly against the floor. I refused to kneel. Just as we struggled— BOOM! A deafening explosion erupted overhead. The entire building violently shook. The raging wind, like thousands of monstrous beasts, slammed into the rooftop’s iron door with tremendous force. The Category 5 hurricane had officially made landfall. Chapter 4 The howling wind instantly drowned out every other sound. All the motion-sensor lights in the building went out at once. The surroundings plunged into darkness, illuminated only by the stark white flashes of lightning outside the windows. The wind shrieked as though it were ripping the air apart, accompanied by deafening crashes as heavy objects were swept away and smashed against the building. Everyone’s face turned deathly pale under the terrifying force of the storm. Mr. Parker leaned against the wall and shouted in a trembling voice, “The hurricane is here! We’re on the edge of the eye of the storm! We absolutely cannot stay on the top floor. It’s too dangerous!” Hearing the chaos outside, Dad immediately released me, grabbed Mom, and sprinted downstairs. “Come on! Hurry! We need to get downstairs! Ryan must be trapped somewhere outside! “Even if I have to brave this hurricane, I’ll bring my son home!” Mom followed behind him, crying hysterically. She didn’t even notice that one of her shoes had fallen off. The neighbors were afraid something might happen too, so they hurried downstairs with us. I rubbed my aching cheek, spat out a mouthful of blood, and slowly followed the crowd downstairs. By the time we reached the lobby on the first floor, every glass door and window had already been boarded up and reinforced. Four community workers and two police officers stood guard at the entrance, prepared for anything. Dad rushed forward like a madman and tried to pull open the entrance door, which had been secured with chains. “Open the door! Let me out! “My son is still outside! I have to go save him!” The officer in charge grabbed Dad by the shoulder and sternly stopped him. “Sir! Calm down! “The wind is already picking up, and most of the large trees and utility poles along the roads have already been knocked down! “Going outside right now would be suicide! “The city’s flood-control command center has issued an emergency order. Everyone must stay indoors and take shelter. No one is allowed to leave without authorization!” Mom immediately dropped to her knees in front of the officer, clutching his leg as she sobbed. “Officer, please! I’m begging you! “My son is only eighteen! He’ll die if he’s out there alone!” The community workers hurried over to help her up. “Ma’am, please get up! “Our rescue teams are already searching throughout the city. We’ll notify you immediately if we get any news! “But we absolutely cannot open the doors right now. If those powerful winds rush into the building, everyone’s safety will be at risk!” The lobby descended into chaos. Crying, shouting, attempts to calm everyone down, and the deafening roar of wind and rain pounding against the entrance all blended. Dad was sweating anxiously. He turned around and once again directed his hatred toward me. He pointed at me and shouted at the police officers. “This is all because of my daughter! “She kept dragging her feet at home and even lied to us that Ryan was upstairs. She wasted more than an hour of our time! “If we’d left half an hour earlier, I would’ve already brought my son home!” Several residents taking shelter nearby joined in, criticizing me. “How can an older sister act like that?” “Exactly. Her own brother is in danger, yet she could just sit at home and do nothing. She’s heartless.” I stood there, coldly watching these people trying to guilt-trip me into taking responsibility. I didn’t say a word. In my previous life, my parents and I had rushed outside to look for Ryan only half an hour earlier. In return, my parents died horribly, and I was left permanently paralyzed before Ryan pushed me off the building. This time, I would never again be the fool who sacrificed herself for him. Just as Dad raised his fist and tried to charge at me again... The hurricane had disrupted the signal in the lobby, cutting it in and out. The moment the signal briefly returned— Ring! Ring! Ring! A shrill, frantic ringtone suddenly pierced the dead silence of the lobby. Everyone froze. Dad stopped in his tracks and tremblingly pulled out his phone. Two words flashed brightly across the screen: [Ryan] Overcome with joy, Dad hurriedly switched to speakerphone and shouted, “Ryan! Where are you? “Which shelter are you at? I’ll find a way to come get you!” On the other end came only the deafening roar of the wind and the explosive sound of glass shattering. Then Ryan’s terrified, desperate cries rang out. “Dad! Help me! “The glass room on the rooftop collapsed! The roof was blown right off! “I want to come downstairs, but some damn bastard locked the rooftop door from the outside! I can’t open it! “I’m on the rooftop of our building! The hurricane is about to blow me off! “Dad! Come save me!”