Chapter 15: Purified Water with Zero Radiation

Second Sister Shi’s face was turned toward the underside of the bridge pier. Though she was blind, her curiosity was undiminished.

Could it be that the place where the Shi family had settled was some kind of feng shui hotspot?

Why was it that not only did food here seem to be free of radiation, but even leaving a basin under the bridge pier would collect a small pool of water?

Second Sister Shi reached out, groping along the edge of the pier.

Shi Yuebai said nothing as she watched.

Once Second Sister Shi had washed three glass bottles and filled them with clean water, Shi Yuebai instructed Shi Yaoyao,

“Come here, Auntie will wash your face for you.”

Obediently, Shi Yaoyao crawled over, bracing herself on her hands.

She watched as Shi Yuebai tore open a new towel from its packaging and, without a hint of hesitation, tossed it into the remaining water in the basin.

Shi Yuebai swirled the towel in the water.

Hearing the sound, Second Sister Shi realized what Shi Yuebai was doing.

She hurried back, “Yuebai, Yuebai, you can’t use water like that…”

Second Sister Shi was frantic, groping her way to the basin.

“This is water, you know, water!”

In the past, the Shi family could get water rations from the team.

But now that the men of the Shi family were dead, who would bother to look after the three sick and disabled women left behind?

If the team bought water, no one would spare a thought for the three of them.

Second Sister Shi understood that from now on, they would likely have to beg for every drop.

If they were lucky, maybe someone would take pity and let them have a sip.

Life was just that hard.

So now that they finally had a small basin of water, Second Sister Shi couldn’t bear to waste it.

“Water is meant to be used,” Shi Yuebai said, blocking Second Sister Shi’s hand.

Seeing her so panicked she was about to cry, Shi Yuebai simply grabbed her hand and dipped it into the basin.

[Scan: Purified water, zero radiation.]

The radiation detector on Second Sister Shi’s wrist suddenly announced.

She jumped in fright, sitting dumbly by the basin, not knowing how to react.

All she felt was heartache.

This water was more precious than a human life—no, more precious than the lives of everyone in their team.

Purified water with zero radiation.

And now she and Shi Yaoyao had just used it to wash their hands and faces…

This was probably the most surreal thing Second Sister Shi had ever experienced—even more shocking than the news of her husband’s death.

But Shi Yuebai just smiled, using the towel to dry Second Sister Shi’s hands, then washed Shi Yaoyao’s face.

She looked with satisfaction at Yaoyao’s clean, fair face.

“Mm, all clean. What a pretty, adorable little girl.”

Shi Yaoyao proudly shook her big head,

“Pretty little girl, pretty, little girl is pretty!”

Second Sister Shi still hadn’t recovered. She stared blankly at her now clean, fair hands, her eyes growing hot.

It suddenly reminded her of the time before the apocalypse, when many jewelry companies had asked her to model for their ads.

Not only was she beautiful, she had especially lovely hands.

Any jewelry worn on her hands looked high-class and elegant.

“Pour out the water,” Shi Yuebai instructed Yaoyao, pointing to a small patch of open ground inside the dizzying circle.

Last night, out of boredom, she’d found a few sprouting potatoes and buried them in that patch.

Yaoyao wobbled over, pushing the basin along the ground.

The water in the basin, after washing faces and hands, was now pitch black.

Second Sister Shi suddenly came to her senses, “Don’t pour it out! This water is still drinkable.”

Even though it was now blacker than ink, it was still zero-radiation water.

Even selling this basin of dirty water could fetch a lot of points.

Shi Yuebai’s tone was full of disdain.

“How can you drink water that’s been used to wash hands and faces?”

“Out with the old, in with the new. There’ll be more.”

“Yaoyao, pour it out!”

Second Sister Shi’s heart ached as she listened to Yaoyao pour the water onto the ground.

She was a little angry, but didn’t dare show it.

Shi Yuebai was even tougher than before.

Second Sister Shi felt a bit of fear toward this new Shi Yuebai.

The three sick and disabled members of the Shi family slung on their backpacks, took their gear, and left their tarpaulin shelter.

Before leaving, Shi Yuebai took a glass bottle of water from Yaoyao’s backpack.

She looked at the odd man sitting outside their shelter, tinkering with parts.

“Catch.”

Shi Yuebai tossed her bottle to the man.

He looked down, puzzled, at the clear liquid inside the bottle.

In the sunlight, it shone with an enticing light.

[Scan: Purified water, zero radiation.]

The radiation detector on the man’s wrist beeped.

His expression shifted from blank and wooden, to shock and panic, and finally to disbelief.

He scrambled to his feet, looking in the direction the three Shi family women had gone.

He took two steps after them.

But then he looked back at the other survivors under the bridge.

Because everyone else lived farther away from the Shi family and the odd man, no one heard the beep from his detector.

But the three sick and disabled Shi family members had set out early in the morning.

Many people watched them go, laughing to themselves.

Those three still hadn’t given up.

Well, they had to go scavenging—otherwise, no matter how much food the Shi family had, that fat Shi Yuebai would eat it all soon enough.

Noticing all the furtive glances, the odd man’s eyes filled with tears. He clutched the glass bottle to his chest and ducked back into his shelter.

Shi Yuebai ignored all the mocking, skeptical, and scornful looks along the way.

Second Sister Shi, blind as she was, carried herself with calm composure.

With Yaoyao on her back and pushing Shi Yuebai, they headed toward the city.

Not long after they left the team’s line of sight, a group of mercenaries came toward them.

They wore black combat uniforms, patched and dusty, but each was tall, straight-backed, and looked tough and well-trained.

Shi Yuebai glanced at the leader, thinking he looked vaguely familiar.

To her surprise, the captain’s sharp gaze swept over her, then landed on Second Sister Shi.

He raised a hand in greeting,

“Second Sister.”

Second Sister Shi stopped, tilting her head in confusion.

“Who is it?”

“We’re from the Xiangcheng Mercenary Corps.”

The captain and his men approached.

“I used to be stationed with Shi Yi. I attended your wedding to Shi Er.”

“We’re here today especially to find you.”"