Chapter 1 The Brutal Reality

The wilderness was treacherous. Some refugees huddled in their homes, taking their chances. Preferring to risk infection from the alien virus rather than leaving their safe houses. Others, unwilling to simply wait for death, braved the beast-infested wilds to reach the only sanctuary.

Bennett, true to his nature, could not abandon them. Even though the sanctuary was severely strained, he had to save every last person he could. To date, the sanctuary had taken in over ten million refugees. The main city was overcrowded, and more new satellite cities were built outside the walls to divert the refugees who had traveled far and wide.

Because the refugees were arriving in a never-ending stream, the production of inhibitors, though increased, still couldn't meet the demand. Fortunately, the players maintained law and order, working tirelessly and enjoying it.

Due to the sheer number of people, Aurora was extremely busy, acting as a human radar, constantly identifying the infected among the refugees, with almost no time to rest.

At a certain sanctuary checkpoint.

Thousands of disheveled, newly arrived refugees were being inspected here. Fully armed soldiers maintained order. Anxiety and tension were hidden in the refugees' eyes, as the disaster had put their nerves on edge.

"When can we go in?"

"Do you know how much danger I faced on the way to the sanctuary? The body search was one thing, but why are you keeping us here now!"

Many refugees were agitated.

"Everyone, before entering the sanctuary, we need to conduct a virus check. Please cooperate."

A guard captain said loudly. The refugees, though dissatisfied, had no choice but to endure their impatience.

At this moment, Aurora walked in front of the crowd, closed her eyes, and used her ability to sense the life force of these refugees.

After a long while, she opened her eyes, looking apologetic. "There are infected among you. Please follow the guards to the isolation area."

The guards walked into the crowd and dragged out the infected one by one. This action immediately caused an uproar among the refugees.

"What are you doing! Let go! I'm not infected!"

"Release my child!"

"Get away from me!"

The refugees' emotions were like a powder keg, ready to explode with the slightest spark. Even though most people originally intended to obey, they became agitated with the lead of a small number of people, resisting and colliding with the guards.

Shouts, pleas, roars, and the sounds of falling bodies were chaotic and deafening, and the scene was a mess.

During these extraordinary times, the guards' method of maintaining order was also very tough, using punches and kicks to forcibly drag out the infected, handcuff them, and throw them aside. There were also infected children snatched from their parents' arms by the guards, crying incessantly.

Bang!

A gunshot rang out.

The scene quieted down for a moment, and a male refugee was seen looking agitated, holding a handgun. Smoke was rising from the muzzle as he had just fired a shot into the sky. The other refugees quickly backed away, leaving the armed man standing alone.

The guards' expressions changed drastically, and dozens of guns were aimed at the man at the same time.

"Damn it, what happened to the people who did the body search earlier? Why did they miss his weapon!"

"Put down your weapon! Or we'll shoot!" the guard captain shouted.

The armed man's legs were shaking, and he said loudly, "Don't—don't be fooled by them. I heard that the infected who are isolated are actually executed. Don't believe them!"

"You're mistaken. We do have ways to save people. Please don't get agitated," the guard captain said, trying to soothe the man while secretly signaling to the snipers beside him.

As long as the man's attention was diverted, they would immediately shoot him dead.

Just then, a childish voice filled with sobs suddenly rang out from among the infected who had been captured.

"Daddy!"

A seven- or eight-year-old boy broke free from the guard's grasp and stumbled to the armed man, grabbing tightly onto the man's trouser leg. His terrified eyes darted around, and his small body trembled.

The guard captain cursed inwardly and quickly pressed down on his companion's gun. In front of a child, few people were willing to shoot his father. It would be easier without this child.

"Think about your child. Please put down your weapon immediately. We really can save people!"

"H-how can you save them!" the armed man roared.

The guard captain explained patiently, "We have a virus-inhibiting agent. Isolating the infected is to make it easier to screen patients and then give them the medicine."

"Then immediately bring the medicine over and give it to my child. I want to watch the whole process!"

"This..." The guard captain hesitated. "The production of inhibitors is limited, and the infected in the isolation area are all in line. It should be three days before it's your turn. I don't have the authority..."

The armed man roared, interrupting the guard captain's words, "I don't care! Bring the medicine over right now, or—or I'll shoot!"

As he spoke, the armed man aimed at Aurora, who was watching anxiously from afar. He had noticed earlier that Aurora was the one who identified the infected and seemed to be an important figure. He felt that this threat would be useful.

All the guards were shocked, their fingers almost on the trigger.

"Don't shoot! She's the only one who can identify the infected. Everyone needs her!"

"I don't care! I want the medicine!" The armed man's eyes were bloodshot, and his emotions were extremely unstable.

At this moment, a dark red energy heavily protected Aurora, and Hela walked out from the side, her expression as cold as ice.

The armed man immediately fired, but all the bullets were bounced off by the dark red shield. Hela waved her palm, and dark red energy shot out, heading straight for the armed man's brow.

When Aurora was working, Hela always stayed by her side as a guard to prevent any unforeseen factors from harming her sister. This attack was a deadly one. She would not be soft on any factor that threatened her sister's safety.

"Sister, don't!"

Hela frowned, and the energy that should have blown the armed man's head off changed course, only shattering the weapon in his hand. The guards immediately swarmed up, subduing the struggling man, while at the same time pulling the sobbing little boy who was clinging to his father's trouser leg to the side.

"You should have let me kill him. Kindness is the enemy of survival. You should change that. Don't be so childish," Hela said impatiently.

Aurora smiled and said, "No, I know you're here, Sister, and he can't hurt me. He was just impulsive. We shouldn't take his life because of that. We're here to save refugees."

"My foolish sister..." Hela narrowed her eyes, those bloody memories flashing by, shaking her head. "Never skimp on using the greatest malice to speculate about others."

Stepping out with her long legs wrapped in a black combat suit, Hela came in front of the armed man, looking down at him condescendingly, and said coldly, "If you don't trust us and don't want to be isolated, then please leave here. We lack everything but refugees. No one will stop you from leaving. Guards, release him and the child."

The guards did as they were told, releasing the man. The man hurriedly picked up his child and glared at Hela, but was glared back. In the face of Hela's murderous gaze, the man felt a chill in his heart, and his anger slowly subsided.

He glanced at the crowd, hugged his child tightly, and took heavy steps toward the outside. He didn't want his child to be taken away for isolation, so he wasn't prepared to stay.

Just then, Aurora spoke.

"Please don't leave."

The man paused and looked back at the petite Aurora, his expression surprised.

Aurora said sincerely, "Although we won't stop you from leaving, I strongly suggest that you stay. The wilderness is really too dangerous. You can only be safe in the sanctuary. Please believe in my sincerity."

"Then immediately bring the medicine and save my child," the man said quickly upon hearing this.

Aurora shook her head. "You risked everything to protect your loved ones. Believe me, I understand that kind of impulse, but I'm sorry, we will never give you the inhibitor in advance. It's not fair to others. Causing trouble won't get you special treatment, but I beg you to trust us. With patience, your child will be treated sooner or later."

Kindness is kindness, but she would not allow sentimentality to run rampant. Having experienced a long period of darkness, the innocence in her character had long since faded away.

Her words carried a reassuring power, and the man hesitated. At this moment, his son wiped away his tears and said, "Dad, I believe her. Let me go to the isolation area. I'll protect myself."

The man bit his lip and put the boy down. The guard captain stepped forward and took the boy's hand. The man wanted to stop him several times, but in the end, he did not take action.

After this interlude, the emotions of this group of refugees calmed down, and they obediently accepted isolation, restoring order.

The two sisters left the station. A giant bear, too large to fit inside, waited at the entrance and followed Aurora, docile and gentle.

Hela stroked Aurora's head and frowned, "Have you forgotten my words? The spiritual comfort of helping others is meaningless. Others demand your selflessness precisely because of their selfishness. Don't show kindness to strangers. They are not qualified to receive your help."

Aurora shook off Hela's hand and said softly, "If you have the ability to help others and hide it away, isn't that also a form of selfishness?"

Hela said coldly, "Being for others is noble, being for yourself is ugly, hypocrisy that makes people sick. Most moral principles are scams designed to make people stupid."

"Uncle Black Star used to save me proactively. We were the ones who received help. Don't say you're not happy, Sis," Aurora giggled.

"..." Every time this topic was brought up, Hela was speechless. She said in a deep voice, "In short, I will definitely repay this favor to him. I don't like owing people."

Even so, Han Xiao had already entered a new level, and his status had changed drastically. Thinking back to the first time they met, Han Xiao was just a weak experimental subject, thin and pale, receiving training in her hands. Now he had achieved this level of success. She sometimes wondered if all of this was real. The twists and turns of life were too impermanent.

Hela was very conflicted about how to face the current Han Xiao. Han Xiao seemed to no longer need her power. She didn't know how to repay this debt of gratitude.

"Sometimes it's really impossible to talk to you," Aurora said pretending to be mature, sighing. "If you weren't so eccentric, Sister, you would have thousands more people who acknowledge you than you do now."

"Hmph, people who need others' acknowledgment are nothing more than that," Hela frowned.

Aurora shook her head helplessly.

Although she had always been protected by her sister, she always felt that sometimes her sister was the one who hadn't grown up.

...

Not far away around the corner, Han Xiao and Melos had just arrived and heard the conversation between the two sisters, looking at each other in astonishment.

"Let's go back. I don't think you have a chance," Han Xiao said, squinting.

Melos was shocked.

"Damn it, you haven't even asked yet! Can you be a little more helpful?!"