The sound of the explosion echoed throughout the canyon, and the fire illuminated the sandy terrain. Gu Xiyan, already worried about Chu Ling's safety, sat in Liang Liang's vehicle, her gaze fixed on the firelight flashing behind them.
Her heart twisted with the explosion.
Gu Xiyan disliked owing anyone, especially someone who genuinely cared about her. If something had happened to Chu Ling—who had stayed behind to ensure her escape—she would carry that guilt forever.
The driver, the figure cloaked in black, glanced at the flickering fire in the rearview mirror and made an offhand remark. "With an explosion that big, even if the monster didn't eat her, she'd be blown to pieces."
The casual, indifferent tone made Gu Xiyan's brows knit tightly together. She didn't like hearing such words. Though she understood the possibility, she couldn't help but cling to a sliver of hope.
Noticing Gu Xiyan's worry, Liang Liang offered some comfort. "Miss Gu, don't worry too much. Miss Chu seems to have extraordinary luck. She wouldn't die so easily." Surviving that disaster six months ago proved her resilience.
Liang Liang's reassuring smile seemed to have a natural way of calming people. It was precisely this face that later attracted countless supporters, helping her overthrow the Empire and establish a new order.
Gu Xiyan had often wondered if Liang Liang's ability was some form of manipulation. Could it have influenced her feelings back then?
She stared into Liang Liang's eyes, searching for any trace of deceit or artifice, but she found none. Liang Liang's smile remained steady, genuinely perplexed by Gu Xiyan's scrutiny. Gu Xiyan sighed inwardly, disappointed, and averted her gaze.
The first time they met, she had thought it was a fluke. But this time, she tried again, and her efforts still failed.
Her mind-reading ability was useless against Liang Liang. Gu Xiyan couldn't discern her thoughts. But even if she couldn't see through her, she wouldn't be deceived by that face anymore.
Liang Liang noticed Gu Xiyan's focus shift to the window again and tactfully refrained from asking questions. Her expression remained a polite, faint smile, though beneath it lay concealed frustration. No matter how much goodwill she extended, Gu Xiyan wouldn't engage with her.
The ground began to tremble, and Gu Xiyan instinctively looked toward the source. Her eyes lit up as if she had just seen a shooting star streak across the dark sky, followed by a cascade of constellations.
Liang Liang finally noticed what she was looking at—a sand giant, over ten meters tall, running alongside their vehicle.
And on the giant's shoulder stood two figures: Chu Ling and Qian Li.
The earlier explosion had been dangerously close. Chu Ling had nearly been caught in it. The combination of the gun's power and her crystals had caused a reaction far more violent than she had anticipated. Thankfully, Qian Li had reacted instantly, commanding the giant to shield them with its sandy hands, wrapping them in protective layers that kept the flames at bay.
The giant ran swiftly, quickly catching up to the convoy. Chu Ling stood on its shoulder, waving enthusiastically at Gu Xiyan, her face alight with excitement. "Miss Gu!!" Her happiness was palpable, her smile unguarded.
That smile—genuine and radiant—had the power to warm hearts, lift spirits, and bring hope to a bleak world.
Chu Ling had kept her promise. She had caught up to them.
Gu Xiyan responded with a faint smile, but inside, a weight had lifted. The anxiety that had gripped her heart dissipated with Chu Ling's arrival, replaced by calm and relief.
Liang Liang, however, keenly observed the change in Gu Xiyan's demeanor. Her resentment deepened. Once again, it was you, Ah Chu. You will always be my obstacle.
Watching Chu Ling's face, Liang Liang's thoughts wandered back to the past. Ah Chu, Liang Liang, and the other two had once been a team, working as mercenaries. But Ah Chu had always been aloof, often sitting alone and silently holding the necklace around her neck.
Ah Chu's exceptional skills made her a natural leader, attracting many followers during their mercenary days. This kept Liang Liang in her shadow, unable to rise above her. While Ah Chu struggled with interpersonal connections, Liang Liang excelled, quickly winning over A Yong and Scar.
Six months ago, during a mission, the four of them faced an extraordinary sandstorm that trapped them in the desert. The storm attracted a swarm of monsters, and Ah Chu, protecting their retreat, was injured.
Though they managed to escape, Ah Chu developed a persistent fever—a death sentence in this post-apocalyptic world, as it often signaled monstrous mutation.
Scar and A Yong were torn, unwilling to abandon their comrade who had saved them. Liang Liang offered to examine her and stepped into the tent. She checked Ah Chu's pupils; mutations typically turned them pure white.
Ah Chu's pupils were normal. Though dazed, she showed no signs of mutation. Alone in the tent, Liang Liang revealed her true colors, smirking triumphantly as she tore the necklace from Ah Chu's neck.
The pendant held a transparent crystal, resembling the new energy crystals but unique—completely colorless with a liquid-like core.
The crystal, shaped like an inverted cone, glinted in her palm. Liang Liang couldn't suppress her glee. She whispered, "It's mine now."
Noticing Ah Chu stirring, Liang Liang clicked her tongue and slipped the necklace around her own neck. "Sorry, but this world can only have one protagonist, and that's me."
Exiting the tent, she put on a sorrowful face. "Ah Chu… she's not going to make it."
Scar and A Yong panicked. "How? She's so strong. She can't survive this?"
"She's gravely injured," Liang Liang said, feigning tears. "Her pupils are already clouding. She'll mutate soon."
Scar hesitated, but Liang Liang pressed on. "If she mutates, we're all dead. You know how skilled she is. Do you want to risk it?"
Her words, almost hypnotic, swayed them. Scar and A Yong carried Ah Chu out of the tent and left her in the desert.
Ah Chu, burning with fever, barely regained consciousness. She could only make out Scar's blurry figure through her hazy vision.
She couldn't move, but she heard A Yong's voice, his words heavy with uncertainty. "Is this really okay? Leaving her here?"
"She's already a goner," Scar replied grimly. "Better here than with us. Liang Liang is right."
The sandstorm drew closer, along with the howls of approaching monsters, drawn by Ah Chu's scent. Scar and A Yong fled, leaving her behind.
"Don't go… I don't want to die…"
Ah Chu stretched out her hand, but it was no use. The storm and monsters came ever closer.
They tore at her body, piece by piece, as she cried, her tears mixing with her blood. The pain was unbearable, a cycle of tearing and healing until she could feel no more.
Then, a voice came.
[If you die here, it will all mean nothing. I can give you a chance to exact revenge, but it will cost you your soul.]
"Will Liang Liang pay for what she's done?"
[She's the protagonist of this story, but someone outside the story can change her fate.]
"I don't understand, but if I can make her suffer, I agree."
Hate and despair consumed her as she made her final vow.
"I curse you, Liang Liang! Your life will be a thousand, no, ten thousand times worse than mine!"
[I'll take that as a yes.]
"What's in it for you?"
[Heh, reading the same story gets boring. Let's mix it up. Maybe switch protagonists?]
* * * *
Chu Ling blinked, staring at the barren desert around her. A voice echoed in her mind.
[Greetings, Host. I am the Sirius System.]