"The graylings have come for our resources," the headline had stated back then. but there was a deeper darker reason why the graylings attacked them.
Fifty years ago, the grayling visited the world in secret. Somehow country A managed to capture one of their ships and apprehended two of the graylings and kept them in sector seven for a very long time.
The graylings died miserably after being tested and prod into.
Fifty years later, on March 2023, the grayling sent over another ship to rescue the stranded alien, but to their surprise, they only found their relatives in a petri dish. Enraged, they waged war against the world.
It was fucking brutal. They had advanced machinery that totaled cities with just a press of a button
humankind could not cope with their relentless attacks
they were losing.
Badly.
Almost half of Earth's population was wiped out in just a few months.
Jian Rue was one of the lucky ones who were able to survive the initial wave. He had taken his grandma and grandpa along with him and hid in one of the underground metro stations and thankfully escaped the initial brunt of the blast.
But things that followed were much more tragic.
they were hunted like rats and sent to the brink of extinction.
For two years, they had to run and hide in the dark. with his grandmother in this state, he had to carry her around on his back. His grandpa was healthy enough to run, but on one unlucky day, he too got caught and was eaten alive right in front of his eyes.
Jian Rue closed his eyes in pain. 'don't think of it…. don't think of it....' he mentally chanted to calm himself down.
It had been two years, but that memory was still so vid in his mind. He glanced at the uneven road with a soft sigh. suddenly a small dandelion caught his attention.
With a bright smile, he plucked it out of the ground and chewed on it directly. The bitterness crept throughout his mouth, but he didn't spit it out. This was his breakfast.
'I have to go foraging again. We don't have anything else to eat.... I should set up a trap for some rats,'
Even if a chipmunk walked in it would be a feast for him. Right now, they had no food source. Everything they both ate was foraged and found in the nearby dilapidated buildings.
Suddenly, a loud sound was heard right above him. He hurriedly scooted to the nearby bushes and hid behind them. his small frame completely hid in the foliage.
His green-grey eyes fell on the huge alien ship that was hovering over the main city streets. A huge yellow hornet insignia was painted on the side of the massive ship.
'it's the war general's insignia... I heard he can destroy at least a thousand greys single-handedly. why is he here… why is h landing in the human settlement. is there another gray invasion?'
Jian Rue gazed up with a small frown.
Soon the ship landed a little distance from him and it was out of sight.
he jumped out of his hiding spot and carefully walked through the dilapidated roads.
he dazedly imagined how the general would look like. Rumor was the man had bright white hair that shone silver in the sunlight. 'Maybe he is an old guy?'
Deep in thought, He had already walked over to the main street, the home of human settlement. Here, the buildings were all brand new and built in a luxurious way. Only the top ten of the human kinds of riches were able to live here.
His brother Bian Wang lived here.
Putting on a smile, he walked into the high-end street.
"Stop right there!" a guard held up a gun to his face. "State your reason!"
Juan Rue held up his hand instantly. "I-I'm here to see my brother."
The guard looked up and down at his torn clothes. "You don't look like you live here. why are you lying!"
"I'm not! I swear I'm not a bad person. I'm just here to see my brother…. Please."
The man looked at his face and licked his lips salaciously. "Come here…."
Jian backed away. He had seen that look many times in his life. it was the look of a lecher.
Right when he was on the verge of running away a soft voice called for him.
"Jian? Is that you?"
"Bian!" he happily waved at him.
Bian Wang walked up to him with a bright smile.
"Is this person bothering you, young master?" the guard respectfully bowed to him.
"No, he is my favorite person. I would like you to be kind to him," Bian cast a dazzling smile his way.
The guard subtly blushed and backed.
"Bian…." Jian reached out to hold his hand but seeing his own mud-stained hands, he lowered them. "it's so nice to meet you,"
"I should be saying that," Bian reached out and held his hand softly. "I missed your brother."
Jian peered at his younger brother. He hadn't seen him in a few months but he had changed so much, he had grown taller than him by a few inches and his skin had turned a healthy shade of golden.
the sunlight shone on his younger brother's chest. a small twinkle was seen around his neck.
spotting the familiar pendant Jian smiled.
'Even after so many years, he has been wearing my gift.'
Bian subtly pushed the pendant in. "elder brother…" His brown eyes shone so kindly as he held his hand. "How have you been? You must tell me everything,"
"We are great, how have you been? Is your father treating you well?" he anxiously gripped his hand.
Five years ago, before the great war his younger twin brother was adopted by the Wang family. He had been so overjoyed at this. but lately, they never had the time to meet up.
"My father loves me." Bian pulled him in. "come let's talk inside,"
"n-no… let's talk right here," he consciously gazed around and then at his tattered clothes.
So many eyes were focused on them. His younger brother's reputation might even get spoiled if he was spotted with him.
Bian pouted. "You are always like this. meet dad once. he will like you too. Maybe he will adopt you as well."
"If I'm gone who will take care of Grandma," he gently pinched his brother's cheeks.
Bian did not continue with this topic. "Oh, brother I have something special." Excitedly he pulled out a small metal glove. "This is one of the recent weaponized gloves. Like iron man's suit, It can blast anything without a kilometer's radius. You want to try it?"
"I…" Before he could reject the offer, Bian had helped shove his small and into the glove.
The metal molded to his hand formed a seamless glove-like shape.
"It looks so good on you. Sadly, I can't give you this. this military issued. When the testing is done, I will give you this. This way you can protect yourself." Pouting Bian roughly yanked the glove.
"Ah," he gazed at his palm. There was a sharp cut on the middle of his palm and blood was pooling out.
"Oh my god. I'm so sorry…" his younger brother apologetically gazed down at him.
"it's okay, it's just a small cut" Jian appeared him. "I saw the general's insignia. Are they here to visit?"
Subtly Bian's smile went stiff. "Yeah… but they are just passing by. Nothing important."
"Oh…" Jian Rue awkwardly dwindled his thumb. "Bian…. grandma wants to meet you."
Bian sighed. "I have a very important meeting today… I can't make it. I'm so sorry."
"it's okay, you don't have to apologize," he reached out and held his soft hands. "Just stay safe, okay? Eat well and stay healthy. if anyone bullies you let me know I'll help you."
Bian smiled softy. "Definitely. Thank you, elder brother." He hugged him. "You are the best."
Feeling his warmth, Jian smiled brightly. "I miss you so much Bian…. But I'm glad you are safe in here. don't worry about us, okay? We are doing great," he pulled away from the hug.
the sun was going down. If he didn't start his journey back right now it would get dark.
Jian Rue did not linger around. He hurriedly ran back the way he came. He had been coming here to meet Bian so many times. His younger brother had been busy every day.
'Grandma is going to be upset again,'
While he was thinking of how to break the news to his grandma a sudden crunching sound of rubble was heard behind him. Before he could react, someone grabbed him by his hair and pushed him down.
"yoo he just hugged that rich guy, check his body. He must have sneaked on some food."
four men stood above him with threatening smiles.
Jian subtly pulled out his knife and griped it tight. He can't take on four men by brute force. he had to be tactful to survive this.
Taking a deep breath, he gazed up at them.
"I don't have any food,"
"He must have given you something!" the group kicked and punched him. "Give us the food or did he stuff you with cash?" the man's unlawful hands started to wander into his clothes.
"Let go!" Jian pushed him away with a glare.
The lanky man froze. "Wait this rat looks like that rich bastard," the man suddenly griped his face. "yo man, look at this face.… How much do you think he will sell for?"
"If you clean him up, he will go for a few thousand dollars,"
Hearing this chilling conversation, Jian remained calm. He had heard this so many times. This was not the first time he was mugged, nor will I be the last. Every time he ventured into the city to meet Bian; he faced troublesome groups like this.
Jian did not delay any longer. While they were busy splitting their potential profits he slashed at the lanky man's leg and ran.
"AHHHH!!!! Get that fucker!"
Stumbling Jian Rue ran as fast as he can. He was more than familiar with this road so he used it to his advantage. He intentionally ran past the dead alien's body.
The group after him did not proceed after that.
Jian let out a loud sigh. the corpse was dangerously close to his house.
if any other grayling spotted their dead comrade they would go berserk and hunt anyone close by.
'I have to move it…'
He stood before that motor room hesitantly. His stiff lips moved up in a fake smile. He slowly unlocked the door and walked in. "Grandma, did you wait long?" he crawled in.
To his surprise, a tantalizing scent of cooked meat hit his senses. "Bian~ are you home? Grandma made freshly cooked rabbit for you,"
Jian froze, looking at the bloody white fur laying on the ground. "Y-you cooked it…."
His grandma gazed at him with a frown. "it's you. Where is my grandson? Why is he not here yet?"
His heart broke ever so slightly at the sight of the blood on the ground. Just this morning, this lovely creature looked up at him with its pink eyes. And now it was dead.
He couldn't control his tears.
"Do you think crying will get you meat? This is for my Bian! You don't get anything!" the old lady hit him with a broom.
Jian Rue silently walked out of the house silently sobbing. "I… I'll be back soon. I'll forage some more."