Chapter 31: Younger Brother Yu

“Hey, @, if you make it to M City, you might even get to use one of the villas!”

Yi Peng asked, “How’s that?”

“Now that it’s the apocalypse, unless the original villa owners were ability users, they’ve all been driven out. The whole villa complex is now occupied by ability users, and later by those in power. It’s only recently that things have stabilized. Basically, only ability users have the right to live in villas now. All the ordinary people have been forced into the slums!”

Hearing this, Yi Peng ground his teeth in hatred, but he couldn’t show it on his face. “I never realized ability users had it so good!”

Jin Yuan replied, “Exactly. The research institute recently came out with some kind of zyx device that can test people’s abilities and emotional states. Before, a lot of people tried to fake being ability users to get into the city, but with this zyx, that kind of thing can be prevented.”

At this, Yi Peng wanted to kick himself. Why did he have to say Sang Jingwen was an ability user?

What if he gets exposed by the zyx?

He glanced nervously at Sang Jingwen, but Sang Jingwen just blinked at him, comforting him.

Sang Chu: [Little Bunny, is there any way to help my brother get past the zyx test?]

Guan Tu You, though annoyed, replied: [I need to check out what kind of research this is and how the zyx works before I can come up with a plan.]

[Okay, I’m counting on you!]

Tu You rolled her eyes: [Hmph, when you need something, it’s ‘Little Bunny’; when you don’t, it’s ‘Little Dead Thing’. No conscience!]

M City was very efficient.

When they learned Sang Chu was a level 2 wood-type ability user, the city guards said he could rest at the ability users’ gathering area inside the city.

They followed the guards to a large villa.

After the others left, Yi Peng finally relaxed inside the house. “KK, what’s the difference between these people and bandits?”

Sang Jingwen said, “Not much, Ah Yi. I think your dad lives in the place Jin Yuan mentioned.”

“Yeah, I just didn’t expect my family would be driven out. What should I do now?”

Sang Chu looked at Yi Peng’s worried face and thought for a moment. “Brother, I’ve asked Little Bunny to check out what kind of device Jin Yuan’s zyx is. Before he gets back to me, I want to try to find Yi Peng’s and Lu Minlu’s parents. If that device is real, I’ll need your help to use the shadow ability to get away.”

Yi Peng said, “It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t said you were an ability user…”

Sang Jingwen replied, “It’s not your fault. You just wanted me to be able to take out supplies openly and not be looked down on. Now let’s think about how to find your family.”

Sang Chu said, “Yi Peng’s parents are probably in the slums where Jin Yuan mentioned. If they had abilities, they wouldn’t have been kicked out of the villa. So, Brother, you and Yi Peng go look there. I’ll go check out Lu Minlu’s address.”

“By yourself?”

Sang Jingwen was worried, but Sang Chu said, “Brother, I’m a level 3 ability user, and a level 2 wood-type. I have the shadow ability with me, so you don’t need to worry. You and Yi Peng should go together, because you have a shadow ability, and if anything happens, you can escape right away.”

Yi Peng added, “Yeah, don’t worry, sis. So should we head out now?”

Sang Chu nodded. After the three left the villa, they told the guards at the gate they were going out on business.

Yi Peng and Sang Jingwen headed toward the slums.

Along the way, Yi Peng tried to prepare himself mentally. He thought, no matter what, this is a big city, and with so many ability users, even the slums shouldn’t be too bad.

But when they actually arrived, he realized he’d been too optimistic.

The streets stank, filth was everywhere, and people lay on the ground in groups, skin and bones, their eyes hollow and hopeless.

Haishi was just a small place, but even the ordinary people in the base there weren’t reduced to this.

Some people had even died on the street and no one cared!

Here, Yi Peng felt his understanding of cruelty had become much clearer.

Sang Jingwen patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t think too much. I’ll look around first. If I find them, I’ll use my ability to get them out. Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”

Yi Peng’s eyes reddened. “I’m fine, I just… I just…”

“Not all ability users are human.”

The stronger their power, the less they see others as people. Sometimes, it’s the weaker ones who still have some humanity left.

He couldn’t save everyone. All he could do was try to protect himself and his family.

Yi Peng and Sang Jingwen, looking well-fed and well-dressed, walked down the filthy street. The ordinary people didn’t dare approach them.

They all hid humbly in their houses, or tried to make themselves as small as possible, terrified of being noticed by ability users.

...

“Big brother, big brother, please! He’s your nephew!”

“Yeah, big brother, just let Yu go!”

“Big brother, I’m begging you!”

That voice?

Yi Peng suddenly stopped. Sang Jingwen looked at him. “What’s wrong?”

“I… I think I just heard my uncle’s voice?”

“Where?”

“Over there!”

Yi Peng followed the sound of crying.

It was an old house, its walls mottled and stained, and inside came the sound of weeping and blood-curdling cries.

He heard someone sobbing and shaking.

“Second brother, second brother’s wife, how could you be so heartless? Your son is your son, but my Yu is also my son! How could you, how could you send Yu to the labor camp just to save your own child?”

“Get out! Get out of my house!”

Yu, holding some kind of stick he’d picked up, tried to protect his family from the second brother’s family.

The second brother yanked the stick away and kicked Yu. “Big brother, see? This is your son. I’m his uncle, and he treats me like this. If you let me send him to the labor camp, I’ll get a batch of food. Once Ah Hao becomes an ability user, I’ll take care of you, okay?”

Looking at his eldest brother’s silent, hesitant face, Yu looked at him in terror. “Dad, Dad, say something!”

“Honey, you can’t let them take Yu to the labor camp!”

“Why not?”

“Yeah, once Ah Hao awakens, as long as one of our family goes to the labor camp, Ah Hao can get a spot to become an ability user. Big brother, this is a rare opportunity! If we just give up Yu, we can secure a spot for Ah Hao, maybe even save our whole family!”

The second brother and his wife kept urging, and the eldest brother seemed to waver. “Yu, Yu, maybe…”

“No, I absolutely won’t allow it! I absolutely won’t let Yu go to the labor camp!”"