Radiation Zone

"These radiation zones are actually quite large, some even covering nearly the size of a city..."

I was shocked to hear this, unable to believe it! These radiation zones are equivalent to the size of a city?! That means the entire Shanghai has become a radiation zone, and several cities near Shanghai have become radiation zones as well. How many people are left in this world?

"Those meteors... they were white..." Asna tilted her face upward, her eyes clear as water with a hint of sadness. She raised her hand, fingers tracing across the sky. "Very beautiful... they streaked across the sky like angels descending, but brought us..." Asna's expression gradually dimmed in the desolate moonlight, "the apocalypse..."

Apocalypse!

It's the end of the world!

This is really the apocalypse!

"Hum—" My brain buzzed momentarily due to the overwhelming surprise. Although I had speculated before, hearing this answer still left me profoundly shocked!

Everything, everything, now has an answer.

Why resources are scarce, why population is sparse, why cannibalism is necessary, why seeing seeds is so exciting, why only girls and those with abilities are taken—turns out...

This is the apocalypse.

"Grandpa said it's divine punishment because meteors fell in the city, destroying our city and bringing unknown radiation to our world. Most people died, and survivors underwent genetic mutations due to radiation, becoming radiation humans, individuals with abilities, or monsters. Some survivors did not mutate and are called the Pure Ones. Grandpa said that at that time, the whole world seemed like hell. It's much better now, but we still can't traverse those radiation zones..."

Those meteors... so beautiful, yet they brought... the apocalypse...

I looked at Asna's sorrowful profile. What kind of day was that? I couldn't imagine, but it must have been terrifying, enough for Elder Arufa to describe it as hell.

Asna lowered her face with a melancholy expression, her long golden curls gently fluttering in the night breeze. "If we could go back, maybe, as you said, we would find new species and more suitable places for survival..." She gazed towards the end of the night sky, a faint smile of hope appearing at the corner of her mouth."It's okay, I'm a radiation human. I can walk within the radiation zones!" I patted my chest, remembering Edmond's words that I am a radiation human, but not someone with abilities.

Asna smiled faintly, "Yvette, even radiation humans can only be immune to a certain amount of radiation. You can only walk on the outskirts of the radiation zones..."

I can only walk on the outskirts of the radiation zones...

So, Asna's implying that we are completely trapped here. But what about outside these radiation zones? There should still be ecological gap zones like Noah City, meaning the people here are isolated by one radiation zone after another?! Doesn't it resemble the ancient times in our world, before roads were built, when tribes were separated by mountains and rivers, unable to communicate?

"As long as there's enough energy, radiation-proof vehicles can pass through a radiation zone and reach the next ecological gap zone, searching for or exchanging goods with the people there. For example..." Asna looked towards the east, "in the Eighth Zone to our east, there's a Blue Shield City with richer resources, but it's expensive..."

"The Eighth Zone... so we are in..."

"The Ninth Zone." Asna smiled at me, once again becoming excited. "So, Yvette, thank you so much. When we grow apples next year, we can use the apple seeds to exchange for rice, corn, or other seeds. The children will have more to eat!" Asna's eyes sparkled with a bright hope in the moonlight, as if she saw a huge opportunity.

I felt a bit awkward being looked at like that; she seemed to see me as a hero, but all I did was give them an apple core that I would have thrown away.

"I actually didn't do much..." I casually lifted my face, catching sight of Silvermoon City again, and confusion arose within me. "What about Silvermoon City? Aren't they in the air? They can fly over the radiation zones!"

Asna also looked at Silvermoon City, "Yes, they go to more places, but even if their radiation-proof vehicles can enter the radiation zones, their people can't get off the vehicles to search for resources. But... they are our hope." Softness and hope filled Asna's eyes again, "They have found many seeds in various zones, and they are researching how to improve the land. Hopefully, one day, our land will be fertile again, covered with crops and plants."

Asna was such an innocent girl; her eyes always held visions of a beautiful future and hope. She was different from Helle, whose eyes only reflected hatred and a hint of despair.

"So... it's all about scarce resources, and everyone is just looking out for themselves, right?" I coldly glanced at Silvermoon City, "They are really selfish."

"Yvette, please don't say that about Silvermoon City." She held my hand, a gentle expression with a touch of sadness. "Their resources are not enough to help us, and they are powerless. But they are safeguarding the last resources of humanity, protecting the last hope of humanity. Moreover, they are also protecting us. They've created maps of various zones, telling us which cities are friendly and where we can exchange resources, and which cities are dangerous and should be avoided!""Like the Corrupt Ghost Tribe?" I asked.

A hint of fear suddenly appeared in Asna's eyes, an instinctive fear. She blinked, lowering her face in fear, "Yes, Eclipse City, that's a... dreadful city. They only plunder resources, and any tribe or city they discover will be completely looted. The women are used for breeding, and the men... the men..." Asna's voice trembled, and I immediately tightened my grip on her hand, "Don't say it anymore; they won't find us!" I didn't expect Eclipse City to make the kind-hearted Asna so afraid.

No, it should be said that people in this world seem to fear them greatly. When encountering Helle, those who were captured by the Corrupt Ghost Tribe were also shivering, devoid of any hope for life.

But... what does it mean for women to be used for breeding?

I looked at the now calm Asna and couldn't help but ask, "What does it mean for women to be used for breeding?"

Asna looked at me with some surprise, as if she couldn't understand how I wouldn't know. However, she quickly remembered something and looked at me with a hint of envy, "Yvette, it's good that you have amnesia. You can forget how terrifying this world is, how terrifying the Corrupt Ghost Tribe is..."

I stared at her in confusion.

Her gaze became solemn, "In this world, with food scarcity, women can..." Her face turned pale, "have children. Do you... understand what I mean?"

I stared at her for a while, and suddenly, a chill ran through my entire body. It even reached the depths of my heart, making my hands and feet turn icy. My stomach churned violently, causing me to retch, "Ugh!" I dry heaved, and Asna looked at me sorrowfully, "They don't need reproduction; they just need food... Yvette, I really hope you don't remember..." She turned her face expressionless, staring into the dark world, "there's really nothing beautiful to recall in this world..."

I took a deep breath in the night breeze. I couldn't fathom that people could do such things! Although my history teacher mentioned instances of cannibalism during ancient wars due to food scarcity, it felt too distant, too distant. But now, realizing it's happening nearby, fear welled up in the depths of my heart. I understood why Helle harbored such intense hatred, and I understood why he was determined to exterminate the Corrupt Ghost Tribe!

That sinful city should disappear from this world!

I clenched my fists tightly, anger causing my fists to tremble slightly.