Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
As the sky grew darker, Yun sensed a looming presence of malevolence drawing closer. Standing quietly behind her was a man with a kind face and a well-proportioned figure, his thick brows and large eyes giving him an amiable appearance. He was Ronnie, one of her sister Feng's admirers.
Ronnie had come to protect Yun. Fishing gear lay scattered on the ground, with a few pitiful little fish trapped in the fishing basket.
Years ago, all life in the river had perished. Those that had survived were mutated after absorbing vast amounts of toxic gas and were no longer fit for consumption.
Yun's health was poor; she suffered from severe malnutrition. They had distanced themselves from the city, arriving at this barren wasteland where nothing grew. Due to radiation, the Stratum was cracked and dry. Although the radiation levels were decreasing, it was still not suitable for planting crops.
Ronnie had risen early and pushed Yun under an old tree before heading off to fish, intending to make soup from whatever he caught to nourish her.
The old tree beside Yun had endured the ravages of time, witnessing the outbreak of war and suffering from radiation damage. Fortunately, its roots were deeply anchored; while the trunk had died, the roots remained dormant through winter.
When Yun and her sister Feng arrived here after being rescued by Ronnie's dad, the old tree had been bare, with only a few precarious, withered branches remaining.
It was Ronnie's dad who had carried water from the river several miles away in a basin to nurture this old tree. He had initially intended to test the level of pollution in the river water but unexpectedly saved the tree's life.
In this vast wasteland, the old tree provided shelter for Yun against wind and rain. She cherished it dearly and often came to confide in it during her lonely moments, sharing her troubles with the tree as if it could listen.
Ronnie's dad was very old, having lost all but one tooth, speaking in a way that seemed disconnected from reality. Yet he remained tight-lipped about how Yun and Feng had been saved.
He mentioned that Yun's parents had died from radiation dust...
"Shall we head back to the cave?" Ronnie gently asked as he grasped the armrest of her wheelchair.
Yun reluctantly withdrew her gaze from the last sliver of twilight on the horizon and nodded sadly, "Mm."
They hadn't walked far when suddenly a figure rushed toward them from a distance. The person shouted out to them both, "Ronnie! Yun..."
Uncle Li? A sense of unease washed over Ronnie as he felt something was amiss.
Sure enough, Uncle Li brought them bad news: Ronnie's dad was gravely ill and wanted them to return quickly to see him one last time.
The cave was dark and damp, a suffocating aura of death enveloping everyone present.
Yun had long foreseen that Uncle Luo would pass away today, which was why she had anxiously waited under the big tree for her sister. She feared her sister would not make it in time to see him off for the last time.
It was truly remarkable that Ronnie's Dad had managed to hold on until now. His face bore the marks of love and hardship; the once jet-black hair of his youth had long since vanished. The wisps of hair on his forehead curled slightly like the first snow falling in harsh winter, resembling the frost of autumn's first chill. Strands of silver hair hung loosely at his temples, partially obscuring his features, while deep wrinkles etched across his face told tales of a life filled with bittersweet memories.
“Dad…” Ronnie knelt down with a thud, tears silently streaming from his eyes, forming two small rivulets. Blurred by tears, he ignored his father's words about how men shouldn't cry easily. His father was his only family…
“Uncle Luo…” Yun sat in her wheelchair, her heart churning with sorrow as tears threatened to spill over. She gazed at the elderly man on the brink of death. He was also a relative to both her and her sister; if it weren't for Uncle Luo…
Hearing the children's calls, the old man's eyes suddenly lit up. With trembling, frail fingers, he pointed at Yun. “Children, I’m sorry for what I’ve done to you sisters.”
“Uncle Luo, you are our reborn kin; how can you say such things?” With Li Uncle's gentle push, Yun moved closer to the bedside. She reached out her small hand and gazed deeply into the old man's eyes as she grasped his dry, slightly prickly hand. “Don’t say anything more, Uncle Luo; just being well is enough.”
“Girl, you are a good child destined for great things in the future. Uncle’s time has come; I can no longer take care of you.” At that moment, the old man's eyes sparkled with clarity and peace, as if light were pouring through the thick cave walls, illuminating his face.
Li Uncle understood this was a moment of clarity before death…
Yun also realized that Uncle Luo might still have unfinished business that kept him struggling, waiting for them to return.
However, Ronnie felt that his father didn’t seem like someone who was about to leave. He eagerly held the old man's hand and said, “Dad, are you hungry? I’ll go make you some fish soup. Once it's ready, you and Xiao Yun can drink it together.”
“You all go out; I need to talk to Xiao Yun.”
Ronnie didn’t understand what was going on with his father. What could be so important that he couldn’t say it in front of his own son? Why did he have to speak to Xiao Yun?
Xiao Yun was puzzled too; she glanced at Ronnie, then at Li Uncle, finally resting her gaze on Uncle Luo. The old man’s expression was grave, filled with remorse as he looked at her…
Ronnie and the others stepped outside.
The cave was filled with the lingering breath of a dying man as Yun pushed the wheelchair, trying her best to get closer to the old man.
"Child, you must forgive Uncle Luo..."
Yun didn't understand why Uncle Luo would say such a thing. She nodded silently, tears streaming down her cheeks. In her young memories, she could only see her parents in the blurred premonitions, unaware that there was something else.
Yun stood by the window, gazing at the fireball that suddenly fell from the sky. When it struck the ground, it ignited into a raging flame. Thick smoke billowed, and green was no longer visible; screams filled the air.
She didn't realize this was the outbreak of Nuclear War. It felt as if a giant devil was wreaking havoc, bombarding buildings until they vanished in an instant.
Yun cried, heart-wrenching sobs filled with fear and terror! Her parents shouted in the living room, her sister was crying... Outside, chaos reigned as people ran in all directions. Buildings tilted and collapsed; some were crushed beneath the rubble, traffic was paralyzed, and her vision turned into a sea of flames...
Amidst her parents' cries, they picked her up and ran. They dashed about, squeezing through any gaps they could find, fleeing down any path available. Eventually, they stumbled into an underground passage and found themselves in a basement apartment.
Guarding the apartment was Uncle Luo, who had a son. Many people rushed into the Basement Apartment—men, women, old and young. They were disheveled and in disarray, each looking like a lost soul. Besides complaining, it seemed they had nothing else to say.
Uncle Luo's disposition was irritable; hearing these people grumble made him snap: "Whoever keeps whining about fate can just get the hell out of here."
Comment 0 Comment Count