Chapter 1921: with translation of chapter title

Korean war zone, Incheon.

"Youzhen.."

"Don't be picky, nuts are hard to find—I didn't even want to eat them myself, I saved them especially for you."

"Look, I even found you a chew stick—I had a hard time finding it at the pet store."

"Um... it might be a bit small for you; after you finish eating, how about we take Shang Cheng? I'll definitely find you a bigger one."

Leaning against the soft belly of a sea beast, a girl with only First Level rank chatted intermittently with the sea beast behind her, or rather, with another girl on the sea beast's back.

Holding her fragrant lunchbox, the girl sitting against the sea beast inhaled deeply, satisfied, the aroma of grilled eel.

This eel, who knows how long it's been frozen or how it was preserved, the flesh even somewhat slimy and spoiled. But to the girl, this was the ultimate enjoyment in life. In the apocalypse, having meat to eat is great!

Just as the girl was about to happily enjoy her meal, her face suddenly changed and she hastily covered her lunchbox.

Only see the girl sitting on the sea beast, at this moment like a hamster, she stretched her head out, sniffing the eel in her hand back and forth.

"Han Youzhen! This is for people to eat! Don't look! Eat nuts! Go eat nuts!"

"Peanuts are delicious!"

The girl, feeling a bit guilty, waved her hand quickly. Then she hurriedly handed over a handful of peanuts, indicating that Han Youzhen shouldn't fight her for food.

They stared at each other, but the peanuts still had some appeal for Han Youzhen; soon, Han Youzhen sitting on the sea beast lightly nodded, like a mouse, she picked up the peanuts and began to nibble them, ka-ka.

Seeing Han Youzhen fooled, the girl finally let out a big sigh of relief, unable to hide a smug expression.

Just looking at the dazed, silly Han Youzhen, a hint of complexity flickered in her eyes.

Indeed, Youzhen is Han Youzhen.

If Lin An were here, he'd probably recognize both of them at a glance.

She is Li Enzhu, sitting on the sea beast, and the one nibbling like a mouse is Han Youzhen.

"Han Youzhen.."

"You're no longer human, so I'm not really deceiving you... I'm not using you either; without me, you'd have been killed by those bastards already."

Li Enzhu mumbled while picking at her mixed rice, speaking to herself as if justifying herself.

"You handle the fighting... I'll take care of you... just like before..."

"I haven't not thought about helping you change back, but I can't find that guy... I don't even have his contact..."

As she spoke, a hint of sadness appeared on Li Enzhu's face, as if recalling the past.

In less than a year, that nightmare, that bizarre night, feels like it was just yesterday. Perhaps Lin An doesn't even know what Han Youzhen became after that nuclear explosion and the great battle.

"Forget it; even if we could contact him, he probably wouldn't help us... Lin An, that man, is no longer of our world."

"This is fine enough for now..."

Tilting her head, Li Enzhu looked somewhat bewildered at Han Youzhen, who was still nibbling away, ka-ka.

It's hard to imagine that the hamster-like Han Youzhen before us was once the top student at Han University and among the earliest Awakened Ones. That stubborn, kind-hearted, slightly pedantic miss has now become a big mouse that only squeaks.

Of course, she's also strong—strong enough to rival Third Rank, and no one dares provoke them.

In that nuclear explosion, Han Youzhen, captured by the Korean military, was closest to the blast, yet as an insignificant minor character, she fortunately escaped disaster.

She didn't know how Han Youzhen had survived; while rummaging through trash for food, she happened to bump into Han Youzhen sitting on the sea beast's back. Perhaps some memory lingered? Or maybe it was something else.

From then on, she followed Han Youzhen, or rather, she brought her along.

Who knows if she had uttered the name Lin An.

Han Youzhen, who had been immersed in the peanuts, suddenly lifted her head, her eyes vacant as she murmured repeatedly.

"Lin.."

"An.."

"All right, no need to keep muttering about him. I don't know what drug he gave you, but even now you still think of him."

Accustomed to Han Youzhen's sudden speech, as if regaining consciousness, Li Enzhu pursed her lips and, after finishing her meal, simply stood up.

Seeing her as if she had thought of something, she suddenly climbed onto the sea beast, eagerly helping Han Youzhen groom her fur.

"Hehe, Han Youzhen."

"Want to eat some corn? Fresh corn~ or corn with a spiritual energy aroma~"

"Look over there, that area is a Safe Zone occupied by a faction—I've already scouted it; their leader fled, but there's still plenty of good food inside!"

I went to observe yesterday; inside they're all battered and bloody—with your strength and that sea rat, we'll definitely be able to bring back some good stuff!

"Who knows, maybe we could even take over that place—then we could take a bath every three days!"

Regardless of whether Han Youzhen could understand her speech, Li Enzhu, eyes full of fantasy, helped comb Han Youzhen's messy long hair while softly coaxing:

"You won't get hurt! Just show your face and let that sea rat cry out twice! The people inside will panic and run just like the previous bunch!"

"Han Youzhen, don't you want to live in a big hamster nest? There's also a running wheel—later I'll get you a ferris wheel to run on!"

Daydreaming about the future.

Although the major forces and high-level figures worldwide are panicking, to Li Enzhu this feels like an opportunity.

She has ambition; although in a sense she's using Han Youzhen, she also realizes that wandering like this, she and the silly Han Youzhen could easily become prey for others.

Third Rank—maybe still strong now, but perhaps not for long...

She must have her own force, then... a home... she brings Han Youzhen, and will live as long as she can.

As for Han Youzhen, she finds it hard to say what her feelings really are.

From envy at university, to jealousy after the Apocalypse broke out, to hatred of the world's injustice. She despises, even feeling that Han Youzhen's life has been smooth sailing, that she doesn't understand her suffering, and doesn't know how dark this world is.

And then Han Youzhen "fallen" to this point—she's no longer even human...

All along, she's survived thanks to Han Youzhen, and even doing quite well.

All kinds of experiences intertwined, she now even feels that Han Youzhen is like her... her...

"Lady Enzhu! Something's wrong!"

"There are a lot of third-level Awakened Ones flying over here!"

Huh?!

Before Li Enzhu could dwell on her memories, a voice of extreme panic suddenly rang out from outside the hall.

One could see a first-level Awakened One, his face smeared with blood, pointing in terror behind him.

Whoosh-boom!!

Intense whistling sounds came in waves; for some reason, Li Enzhu instantly sensed within that whistling an undisguised icy killing intent.

Someone has locked onto them!