Chapter 566: The Soul of a Pet Owner

A high-ranking official's mind went blank for a moment, veins bulging on his forehead with excitement.
One million tons of grain?
That would be enough to solve his immediate crisis!
Once the grain supply arrived, the already fervent public sentiment would transform into fervent support!
Those troops, starving and deprived, would become an invincible force!
The heart that fed this regime had long since failed, but now, a powerful injection was about to be administered!
This meant that this crumbling dynasty was facing its most audacious gamble yet!
Years ago, his grandfather had launched a war with the support of a great power.
This time, a mysterious giant named "Fang Huan" would provide him with an even stronger backing!
"Quick...quickly prepare! No matter what..."
"Sir!" An officer rushed in, stumbling and crawling.
"What now?!"
"The 38th parallel... the southern troops across the 38th parallel have mutinied en masse!
They're engaged in firefight with their rear-guard!
Our forward outposts report a massive defensive vacuum in the demilitarized zone!"
"Wh...what?!"
The high command was thunderstruck, followed by unparalleled elation.
"Heaven is helping us! Heaven is helping us!
The enemy in the south has thrown themselves into disarray!"
"Pass on my order! All troops! Level One combat readiness!"
***
“Wangcai?”
“Yes, its name is Wangcai.”
Wangcai… is a little mongrel that Su Hao’s parents suddenly brought home from who-knows-where.
These two old folks, who had never even given a second glance to flowers, birds, fish, or insects their entire lives, suddenly developed an unprecedented enthusiasm for pets.
It was as if they had suddenly unlocked some strange, almost magical, passion for being a pet owner.
They said it was because they felt the house was too quiet and they were a bit lonely.
This made Su Hao’s heart skip a beat. He felt a pang of unease, as if his filial piety had been insulted to some extent.
Thinking about it carefully, it seemed to be true.
Since he’d been working non-stop at Fang Huan Investment, spinning like a top, the time he spent with his parents had visibly decreased.
However, this little guy was truly a treasure.
At first, there was a bit of awkwardness, but when the fluffy little guy wagged its tail and rushed over to rub against his trouser leg like a little cannonball, the explosive cuteness was enough to melt even the most hardened straight man's heart.
Su Hao slowly began to appreciate it. Damn, this thing was definitely more interesting than raising a troublesome son.
"Hey, what happened to Wangcai?" Su Hao asked.
"It suddenly fell ill last night, really badly!" Su Hui's voice still carried a hint of fear.
"Mom and Dad didn't notice at first, but by the time they realized something was wrong, the little guy was almost dead, vomiting and having diarrhea. We rushed him to the vet that night."
"What?!" Su Hao's heart skipped a beat. "Is it alright now?"
"Yeah, thankfully, it's doing well. The vet said we got it in time."
No wonder, Su Hao thought. He felt something was missing when he left for work this morning; it turned out his "little shadow" that wagged its tail and followed him to work was missing.
"That's good, it was a false alarm. Mom and Dad must have been quite frightened too."
"You bet you! I was terrified!
Who would have thought a little guy like that would get sick so suddenly, and so violently?
If we'd discovered it even a little later… oh my god, I can't even imagine!"
Su Hui said, still shaken.
"Sigh, if only there was a way to know in advance where it was uncomfortable."
This question made Su Hao also fall into deep thought.
“Brother, to be honest, you see, Mom and Dad are getting older and older, and I'm always so worried.”
Su Hui's sighs continued, like a tap that can't be turned off once it's turned on.
“What if, I mean, what if, one night they're asleep and something suddenly happens…
Neither of us will know, what will we do?”
“…That's true.”
“We want to know in advance, but we can't do it like in the hospital, with tubes all over them, monitoring their heartbeats 24/7.
We want to find them a smartwatch or something, but those gadgets on the market are mostly just for show, more like electronic toys, completely unreliable in a pinch.”
This is probably the shared, heavy anxiety in the hearts of all adult children.
Parents are like that old, aging tree in the yard; you always worry that some unseen rain will silently break its branches.
That feeling of helplessness regarding parents' health and the sudden worry in the dead of night is a cross that every adult must bear.
“And Wangcai too, it can’t talk, so we have to guess what’s wrong. It’s like we’re just guessing…”
As Su Hui was speaking, Su Hao suddenly shuddered. His inexplicable intuition had been triggered by his sister’s casual chatter…
“Brother? Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“Hmm? Ah, nothing, I’m listening.”
Su Hao composed himself, forcibly suppressing the turmoil within him.
This damned intuition… it never acts without reason.
Every time it jumps out like this to assert its presence, it signifies a momentous opportunity that could shake the future!
“By the way, brother, you’ve been so busy lately, barely having time to come home, is it because of this on TV?”
Su Hui pointed to the television in the living room, which was playing breaking news.
On the screen, a current affairs commentator was passionately analyzing the tense situation on the Korean Peninsula.
"It's said that all foreign investment in South Korea has fled, like a refugee. There are even rumors of war breaking out on the Korean Peninsula, potentially affecting neighboring countries."
Su Hao looked at the news, his eyes grave.
He was deeply worried about this as well.
The internal strife in South Korea had attracted hungry wolves from the north.
No one could predict what heinous acts those driven to desperation and fueled by madness would commit.
The entire East Asia was sitting on a giant powder keg!
***
Meanwhile, across the ocean.
"So, all this chaos stems from the military coup in South Korea?"
Aiden stared at the map on his tablet, where a huge red arrow stretched from north to south, crossing the 38th parallel—a chilling sight.
"Yes, Mr. President. The internal strife in South Korea has given the North a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The top leadership has already given a national address, announcing a 'just war for liberation and unification'."
"I heard their troops have already crossed the demilitarized zone? What about our troops?"
"After the coup, US troops stationed in South Korea were immediately ordered not to intervene in the internal conflict to avoid escalating the situation.
But no one expected the North to act so quickly!
Just a few hours ago, their troops surged across the 38th parallel like a tide!"