Chapter Thirty-Six: Unbearable Memories

“Big Sis, what are you planning? You look really scary.” Ma Yi took a step back, eyeing the heavy, dark-brown spiked club with apprehension. At just a meter tall, the weapon seemed enormous from his perspective, making his heart falter.

Bang, bang. “Stay right there, let me try again,” Qian Ying said, her eyes fixed on the club’s twisted metal spikes. Still unconvinced, Ma Yi wasn’t having it. He took off running, legs pumping. Qian Ying gave chase, but despite Ma Yi’s short legs, she couldn’t catch up—she was a speed-type evolver, yet Ma Yi vanished in the blink of an eye.

The result was obvious: Ma Yi, with his harmless looks, was actually a true expert. Never mind his resistance to blades and bullets; his speed surpassed even Qian Ying, the speed-type evolver. And Ma Yi was only running casually—if he were serious, she wouldn’t even see the dust from his heels.

Ma Yi began to understand himself a bit more. His speed now probably rivaled S5’s, at least he felt much stronger than he once was.

The boy finally finished plucking the duck, leaving not a single down feather on the skin. It was immaculate. Despite his foul mood, Fatty Qian couldn’t help but feel satisfied seeing such clean duck skin.

“Why don’t you move your home next to ours? If we catch any evolver beasts, we’ll hand them over to you to process. What do you think?” The duck meat was clean, but compared to those two pieces of duck skin, it paled in comparison. The boy was clearly more reliable than the others.

“Alright, I can do that. I won’t let you down.” He had nothing to move—just a bamboo panel for shelter. Fatty Qian’s stone house was right up against the tallest wall, with several empty meters around it. The boy could simply lean his bamboo panel in a corner and have a place to stay.

Fatty Qian was generous this time, giving the boy a third of the duck skin. Looking at the two or three pounds of meat in his hands, the boy’s eyes grew moist. At last, his hard work had earned him the food he deserved. He vowed to work even harder from now on to prove himself.

That evening, the boy carried over his bamboo panel, his young sister clutching a small, pitch-black pot—their entire household. Fatty Qian warmly helped them clear the ground and found an extra ragged mat for their bedding.

Then the enforcers arrived. After dinner, everyone was lounging in the stone house, chatting about their pre-apocalypse lives, when several people in uniform approached. Ma Yi watched curiously—the so-called enforcers were ruddy-faced, with strong, purposeful strides. Clearly, they hadn’t suffered hunger; their strength was obvious.

“Envious, huh? If we successfully become second-level evolvers, we’ll have a shot at joining the City Guard or the Enforcement Team. That’s like being a civil servant in the old world,” Fatty Qian said, glancing at Yu Chuan, trying to encourage him.

“They look ordinary enough. Sister Li, how do you tell first from second level?” Ma Yi asked quietly, standing by Li Li.

“See the markings on their arms? Ours are red, theirs are orange.” Li Li extended her arm for Ma Yi to see. Sure enough, beside the path of her veins was a faint red mark, like a capillary—barely visible unless you looked closely.

Ma Yi squeezed through the crowd, staring intently at a strong man’s arm. There was indeed an orange line, thicker than Li Li’s.

The man, noticing Ma Yi’s curiosity, smiled and willingly held out his arm, pride shining on his face as he flexed.

These lines ran through the body like nerves. A person’s strength and speed depended on them—the thicker the lines, the stronger the individual, reminiscent of the inner energy channels described in novels.

Fatty Qian looked mournfully at his big spiked hammer. He’d doubted Ma Yi’s invulnerability, but seeing Ma Yi’s shiny head unscathed and two broken spikes on his club, he felt a pang of regret.

Seeing Ma Yi as some sort of old monster, and gazing at his smooth head, Qian Ying was even more convinced. The joy of having a little brother had faded; she handed Ma Yi over to Li Li, refusing to sleep with him anymore. Li Li’s eyes sparkled, her smile gentle.

After learning the enforcers were just doing routine checks, everyone sent them off with envy and resumed their conversations.

Night deepened. Ma Yi wriggled carefully out of Li Li’s embrace, trying not to disturb her.

“Alright, I understand.” Watching the big rat burrow back underground, Ma Yi quietly climbed the wall. The searchlights swept back and forth across the defense zone, but the two uniformed guards didn’t notice a small figure observing them for quite a while right under their noses.

“Where did you go?” Li Li turned over on her wooden bed, watching Ma Yi climb back in, ready to lie down.

“Went out to pee,” Ma Yi replied shamelessly, though Li Li had clearly been asleep.

“Oh, come into my arms. We need to search for supplies tomorrow.” Ma Yi reluctantly let Li Li hug him. His head was pressed between two soft mounds; Li Li squeezed tightly, making it hard for him to breathe.

“Sis, you’re squeezing me, I can’t breathe.” Ma Yi struggled, gasping for air.

“I’ll be gentler,” Li Li chuckled.

“You really are something. Bigger than most adults. When you grow up, you’ll break more girls’ hearts than I can count.”

“Actually, I was already an adult—no idea why I turned back into a child.” Ma Yi felt Li Li’s wandering hand, realizing she was quite the rogue.

“An adult? Then tell me, how old are you?” Li Li, eyes closed, paused her hand on Ma Yi’s rear.

“Twenty-six, I think. I don’t remember clearly.” Ma Yi shrank a bit.

“Twenty-six, still younger than me. What else do you remember? Tell me.”

“I remember there were two girls waiting for me in P City. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have left. Now I can’t even recall what they look like. All I remember is they’re still waiting for me to come back, but whether that’s true, I’m not sure.” Ma Yi started thinking of Liu Wen, but now he couldn’t even remember her face.

“So you’re a heartbreaker, huh? Already messed up two girls. Want to hear my story?” Li Li stroked Ma Yi’s big bald head, slowly reminiscing.

Li Li grew up in the poor mountains of the southwest. She wasn’t local, and after dropping out of middle school, came to this strange city. Hoping to work hard, she was tricked by a fellow villager into entering nightlife. Initially unwilling, she was gradually dazzled by the lights and music. She wasn’t pretty, but her proud figure made plenty of men lose their minds, and she felt a bit smug about it.

One day, a big brother appeared, spending money lavishly. Li Li made him happy, but he wanted to sleep with her. She was just eighteen or nineteen, living among men yet never selling herself; she had boundaries. The first time she refused, she was beaten. The big brother was furious, and only the manager stopped things from escalating. Young as she was, she didn’t realize the tragedy was just beginning.

She was kidnapped and held for three years. No one searched for her. The big brother kept her in a cellar on a remote mountain, took her virginity, abused and humiliated her, and sometimes, when pleased, let his men use her for their pleasure.

Three years. She was utterly hopeless. Until one day, he appeared—a man who had earned merit, and was given Li Li by the big brother. This man was gentle and kind, and Li Li’s dead heart came back to life.

They married. The big brother showed up, praising the man’s courage and taste. On their wedding night, drunk, the big brother raped her again in front of her husband. Li Li was desperate, wanted to die, but her husband remained loving—a kindness that made him see the big brother’s true nature.

He left that group, taking Li Li to another city. They worked hard, lived quietly. Life wasn’t easy, but they were happy, and Li Li slowly emerged from her shadow. Two or three years passed, but they never had children. Hospital tests revealed Li Li’s body had been ruined; she couldn’t bear children. She was devastated; she loved her husband, wanted to give him a family, but even her womanhood had been destroyed.

Her husband still cherished her, never blamed her for being barren. But one day, he left, leaving a letter telling her to live well, find a good man, and remarry.

He’d been diagnosed with late-stage cancer—no hope. He chose to leave, seeking revenge for Li Li. But that foolish man was no match for the big brother’s group. He simply vanished from the world.

Li Li reported to the police, but with no evidence, they wouldn’t arrest anyone. She returned, seeking revenge for herself and her husband. But a woman was no match for them; the big brother didn’t care, letting her try, and each time she was caught, she was abused and released. For revenge, she sold her body, but the outcome was always the same. Against a powerful, influential man, she couldn’t make a dent.

At last, she obtained evidence that could bring the big brother to justice—she’d traded her body for it. Then the disaster struck. With no law left, her evidence was worthless.

With all hope gone, she wanted only to die. But good people saved her, and she eventually came here. That big brother now thrived in the new world, even more at ease.

Li Li became an evolver; the big brother did too. She saw him again—more confident and powerful than ever. He was the chief of the southern base’s city defense. Li Li was just a struggling ant in the Changfeng Base, revenge nearly impossible.

“So I joined Fatty’s team. We work desperately hard—they want success, I just want the strength to get revenge.” Li Li spoke calmly of her arduous fate, her voice steady and emotionless, but tears silently streamed down her face in the darkness.

“What level evolver is he?” Ma Yi asked after thinking. “Has he come here?”

“He’s a fourth-level evolver. Yes, he’s been here. He’s planning to reclaim Changfeng Base, or so the people inside say.” Who would have expected that beneath Li Li’s flirtatious exterior lay so much history? Perhaps seeing through it all made her free.

“Do you want me to help you get revenge?” Ma Yi pondered—given his ability, a fourth-level evolver wasn’t much to worry about.

“You would? I can give you anything, serve you in any way.” Li Li was stunned; she’d only wanted to confide, but was surprised by this unexpected promise. She was excited, her hands tightly cradling Ma Yi’s face.