It was the fourth year since the apocalypse began.
After the Ice Age ended, the scorching sun emerged, and temperatures gradually began to rise.
It all started with the discharge of nuclear wastewater. Lanxing’s ecosystem was destroyed, disasters broke out across the globe, and living conditions grew harsher by the day. Humanity was making its final struggle, like trapped beasts.
Qin Muxue stroked Baozhu, who was at her side. This was a retired military dog she had adopted before the end of the world. Now, with resources so scarce, it had become skin and bones from hunger. Qin Muxue stealthily poured out some of her remaining half-bottle of water and held it before Baozhu. “Baozhu, hurry, drink some water!”
Baozhu shook its head and nudged her hand back toward her, signaling that it wasn’t thirsty and that Qin Muxue should drink first.
Water was too precious, and this was all she had left.
Throughout so many terrifying days and nights, Baozhu had been the one to help her endure. Qin Muxue couldn’t help but stroke Baozhu’s head; it was truly too sensible.
Their small team had left the shelter to search for supplies, but they had been lost in the desert for several days now. The water and food they had brought were dwindling.
The sun blazed overhead. The climate had undergone a massive shift, and as the temperature rose higher and higher, many people were reaching their breaking point.
The former school belle, Sang Xi, clutched her stomach. The hunger gnawing at her gut made her fix her gaze on Baozhu.
She sneered, “Muxue, everyone is so hungry. Why are you still keeping that dog? Why don’t we just kill it so everyone can finally have a full meal?”
Qin Muxue tightly shielded Baozhu behind her. “Baozhu has saved our lives before, and it found many supplies for us. You can’t kill it.”
Baozhu whimpered, as if sensing its fate. It rubbed against Qin Muxue, seemingly telling her not to be sad.
Qin Muxue pulled the dog into a death grip within her arms, refusing to let the people in front of her get close.
Yan Xu said impatiently, “Muxue, since everyone else agrees, the minority must submit to the majority. Just give in! It’s only a dog, after all.”
Qin Muxue lowered her head in disappointment. Yan Xu was the person she used to have a crush on. Since the end of the world, his true, vile nature had gradually revealed itself. Only then did she realize that the person she once liked was such a beast.
“That’s right, it’s just a dog. How can it be more important than human lives?”
A physically powerful man, who had long been famished, stared at the dog with greed in his eyes every time he looked at it. “We might as well split the dog up so everyone can hold out a bit longer.”
Sang Xi chimed in, “Muxue, you don’t even have a Special Ability. Usually, we’re the ones protecting you. Now you should make a contribution. Besides, it’s just a dog.”
Sacrifice her dog to satisfy everyone? On what grounds? Besides, they had never protected her. If not for Baozhu and her former best friend, Ding Manman, she would have died long ago.
It wasn’t enough that they had caused Ding Manman’s death; now they actually had the audacity to want to eat Baozhu.
Qin Muxue let out a cold laugh. To them, Baozhu was just a dog, but to her, it was her best friend—far more reliable than any of these people.
“It’s not just a dog, it’s my friend!”
The burly man looked impatient. “If you don’t hand over that dog, I’ll beat you along with it!”
As he spoke, he brandished his fist. He had evolved a Lightning-type Ability. With one punch, lightning surged from the ground. Sensing danger, Baozhu immediately tackled Qin Muxue to the ground, taking the brunt of the attack.
The dog lay dying in the desert sand, unable to even make a sound. Its eyes were fixed on Qin Muxue, as if urging her to run away quickly.
Tears blurred Qin Muxue’s eyes. She tried to rush toward Baozhu desperately, only to watch helplessly as the man killed the dog in cold blood. Blood soaked the ground. Her eyes turned bloodshot, her heart filled with immense rage, yet she was powerless.
Yan Xu grabbed her as she struggled violently. “It’s already dead, so stop being so headstrong. You really are a high-maintenance young lady.”
Food was hard to find and spoiled easily. They only kept her around as a reserve food source in case they truly ran out of options.
No matter how Qin Muxue cried and screamed, she could only watch as they butchered and ate Baozhu until nothing was left. Sang Xi found her annoying and ordered someone to tie her up and toss her aside.
A scrawny dog wasn’t enough to fill the bellies of this group. They turned their attention to Qin Muxue.
Sang Xi sneered, “She’s just a useless waste anyway. She might as well make a contribution before she dies.”
Sang Xi relied on her looks to keep the men in the team wrapped around her finger, so she could still be considered somewhat useful.
Qin Muxue, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with these men. She smeared dirt on her face every day to make herself look filthy and ugly to avoid their attention, but today, she had ended up in the same squad as them by an unfortunate twist of fate.
She was already tied up. The burly man looked at the fair skin of her neck. Though she was thin and her appearance was currently poor, she was still a woman.
Too few women had survived the apocalypse. He didn’t mind sampling some fresh goods; even if her looks were a bit lacking, he was willing to make do.
With a lewd look in his eyes, he dragged Qin Muxue behind a large rock. “Before we kill her, let me take care of my physical needs first!”
Qin Muxue was dragged behind the boulder by her hair. She knew resisting was useless.
With her hands and feet bound, she could only feign submission.
“Untie me. That way you can enjoy yourself more. Just spare my life.”
Seeing her pitiful, tearful appearance, the man untied her. After all, she was just an ordinary person who hadn’t evolved a Special Ability; she couldn’t possibly cause any trouble.
As the man took off his pants and leaned down, she seized the opportunity to pull a dagger from her boot. She swung her hand with all her might. With one slash, a foul object fell to the ground, covered in blood.
The man was shocked. Seeing his manhood lying in the sand, he howled in agony. “You bitch, you dare ambush me!”
Enduring the excruciating pain, he threw out a bolt of lightning. After being struck, Qin Muxue collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. She reached out her hand, looking at the pile of bones and fur nearby. “Baozhu, I’m coming to find you. We can die together.”
She then closed her eyes, waiting for death to arrive.
However, the fatal blow never came. When she opened her eyes, she saw an army of the Insect Tide in the distance, crawling toward them in a dense mass, leaving nothing but barren earth in its wake.
Screams erupted all around her. “Run! The Insect Tide is here!”
“The Insect Tide will drain our Mental Strength! We have to run!”
“What about her?”
“She’s a waste, just leave her!” Sang Xi gave her a contemptuous glance and left, surrounded by the male teammates.
The burly man had no time to worry about Qin Muxue. He had to endure the pain and escape the Insect Tide first. Even with his Lightning-type Ability, they were no match for so many Mutant Insects. As for this woman, he would let her fend for herself.
The team hurried away, leaving Qin Muxue alone to face the Insect Tide.
Qin Muxue glared at her fleeing teammates. Their faces were etched deep into her mind. Even if she turned into a ghost, she wouldn’t let a single one of them go!
The expected pain did not arrive. Qin Muxue opened her eyes only to find herself dozing off in an old professor’s class. Looking at the familiar surroundings and the best friend sitting next to her, she was momentarily dazed.
Was this the life-flashing-before-her-eyes moment before death? If so, it felt far too real.