Chapter 1: The Last Born, Forgotten and Forsaken.

Xu Ying's family had already been shaped by the apocalypse, hardened by the loss and suffering they had endured. But for Xu Ying, the world was all she had ever known, a harsh and unforgiving place that demanded strength and resilience from its inhabitants.

As the youngest member of her family, Xu Ying struggled to find her place within their ranks. Her brothers and sisters had already carved out their roles, leaving little room for a child born into chaos."Xu Ying!" her mother called from the kitchen, her voice sharp and demanding. "Come help me with the cleaning."

Xu Ying knew better than to argue. She scrambled to her feet, wincing as the hard floor bit into her calloused soles.

As she stepped into the kitchen, she was met with a disapproving glare from her step-brother-in-law. "Look at you," he sneered, "useless as ever."Xu Ying said nothing, biting her lip to keep from retorting. She knew it was better to stay silent, to keep her head down and avoid drawing attention to herself.

But her step-brother-in-law was not so easily deterred. As the hours passed, he continued to make crude comments, brushing against her in the small space of the kitchen, his breath hot against her neck.

Xu Ying shuddered, disgust and fear mingling in her stomach.As the day wore on, Xu Ying felt the weight of her family's disdain pressing down on her shoulders. She had learned to accept their mistreatment, to tolerate it as a part of her life. But there were moments when she yearned for something different, for a world where she was valued, respected.

Her father had once told her that she was lucky to have been born after the apocalypse, that she would never know the pain of losing everything. But Xu Ying knew better. She was losing something every day: her dignity, her hope, her sense of self.And then, one night, as the darkness settled over the house, Xu Ying heard the sound of footsteps approaching her bathroom.

She held her breath, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew who it was, what he wanted. She had endured this countless times before, but tonight, something felt different.

She could feel the power within her stirring, a heat rising up from her core. And in that moment, she knew that she couldn't keep it contained any longer.As the bathroom door creaked open, Xu Ying rose to her feet, her face set in a defiant scowl. She stared into the eyes of her step-brother-in-law, her gaze as hard as steel.

"Get out," she said, her voice cold and steady.

He chuckled, taking a step towards her. "You don't get to tell me what to do, little girl."

"I said, get out!" Xu Ying repeated, louder this time.As her step-brother-in-law reached for her, Xu Ying felt a surge of power course through her body. She shoved him away with a strength she didn't know she had, sending him stumbling backwards into the wall.

His eyes widened in shock, and for the first time, Xu Ying saw fear in his face. "What's wrong with you?" he spat, his face contorting with anger.

Xu Ying's heart raced, but she stood her ground. "I'm done being your victim," she said, her voice rising with newfound confidence.Xu Ying's step-brother-in-law had never managed to successfully force himself on her, but he had been harassing and abusing her in various ways for some time now.

Now, in the dimly-lit bathroom, Xu Ying found herself confronting him for the first time, her power manifesting in a burst of strength and defiance.

"You think you can push me around?" the man snarled, lunging at her once more.

But Xu Ying was ready.As her step-brother-in-law lunged at her, Xu Ying sidestepped him with surprising agility. She spun around, her hands glowing with an eerie, greenish light. With a swift movement, she struck him in the chest, sending him flying backwards into the wall with a sickening thud.

He slid to the floor, gasping for breath, the green light still shimmering around him.

Xu Ying stared at her hands, the power still tingling through her veins. "I'm not afraid of you anymore," she said, her voice trembling.As Xu Ying stood over her step-brother-in-law, her step-sister burst into the bathroom, her eyes wide with panic. "What have you done?" she shrieked, pushing Xu Ying aside to check on her fallen husband.

Xu Ying's brothers were not far behind, rushing into the bathroom and taking in the scene with alarm. "What's going on here?" one of them demanded, his voice thick with suspicion.

"She attacked him!" the step-sister cried. "She's gone crazy!".The accusation hung in the air like a noxious cloud, suffocating Xu Ying with its weight. Her family crowded around her, their voices rising in a cacophony of blame and recrimination.

"I didn't attack him!" she protested, trying to defend herself. "He was… he was harassing me!"

But her words fell on deaf ears. Her family surrounded her, their faces contorted with hatred and disbelief.

"How dare you accuse him of such a thing?" her step-sister hissed, slapping Xu Ying across the face. �The blow stunned Xu Ying, sending her reeling backward into the wall. She stumbled to her feet, a hand pressed to the stinging flesh of her cheek.

"Enough!" her father bellowed, his voice booming in the small bathroom. "What is going on here?"

Xu Ying opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a word, her step-sister cut her off. "She's lying!" she cried, tears streaming down her face. "She attacked him for no reason!"The family continued to shout and argue, drowning out Xu Ying's feeble protests. She could feel the walls closing in around her, suffocating her with their rage and disbelief.

"This is all your fault!" her father roared, his face red with anger. "You've brought nothing but shame and embarrassment to this family!"

Xu Ying's heart sank. She knew that this was her moment of reckoning, her last chance to save herself. But she could feel the power within her fading, drained by the sheer force of her family's hostility.With her family's anger and disbelief simmering around her, Xu Ying knew she had to do something. In a last-ditch effort, she let out a cry of desperation, one that echoed through the bathroom. "Stop!" she shouted.

The family fell silent, their eyes fixed on Xu Ying in surprise. For a moment, there was nothing but the sound of her own ragged breathing.

Then, the green light began to dance across her skin again, sparkling like tiny fireflies in the dim bathroom.