Knock, knock. The sharp rapping on the bathroom door snapped Xuying out of her daze. She was curled up on the cold, tile floor, her knees tucked into her chest, her eyes fixed on the scuff marks on the wall.
"Xuying! Are you still in there?" Her mother's shrill voice pierced through the thin door. "Hurry up and get out here, I need to use the bathroom."
Xuying sighed, the weight of her reality sinking in once again.Slowly, she uncurled herself from the fetal position and stood up, her knees protesting at the sudden movement. She straightened her t-shirt and ran a hand through her tangled hair, grimacing as she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror.
She had lost weight. Her once-round face was now gaunt, and dark circles sat like bruises beneath her eyes. This was what months of living in a bathroom, surviving on scraps of leftovers, had done to her.
She swallowed the lump in her throat and unlocked the door.The door swung open, revealing her mother's impatient, scowling face. "Finally!" she snapped, pushing past Xuying without a second glance. "I don't know what you're doing in there all day. Don't you have anything better to do?"
Xuying clenched her teeth to keep from lashing out. She knew better than to argue. Not when her only other option was the street.
As her mother closed the door, a wave of grief and fury washed over her.She couldn't stay here. Not any longer. Not when her home had become a place of fear and pain, of abuse and neglect. Not when her own family had turned against her, forcing her to share a bathroom with three people and live on scraps.
She had to leave. Tonight.
As the realization hit her, a sense of determination filled her. She would not let them break her. She would not let them win.
She moved quickly, grabbing the few belongings she had managed to hide in the small cabinet under the sink. It wasn't much, but it was all she had left.
She slung the small backpack over her shoulders and headed out the door, her heart racing. She had never done anything like this before. She had no money, no plan, no idea what she was doing. But she couldn't stay here any longer.
She passed the door to her old bedroom, now occupied by her new stepsister and her husband. She hesitated, her hand hovering over the knob. Should she say goodbye? Should she confront them one last time?
In the end, she turned and walked away, her heart heavy but her resolve unwavering.Jiaxi sneered. "You're nothing but a nuisance.
More
"A nuisance, am I?" Xuying spat back, taking a step towards Jiaxi. "Well, I suppose it's time for this nuisance to disappear, then. Good riddance."
Jiaxi's eyes narrowed. "Just like your mother did, huh? Disappeared without a trace? Or maybe she was just glad to be rid of you. I can see why she'd want to get away from a pathetic, worthless child like you."
Xuying felt like she'd been slapped in the face. Jiaxi had crossed a line, and she couldn't take it anymore.
With a feral roar, Xuying lunged at Jiaxi, her fists flying. Jiaxi stumbled backwards, shocked by the sudden attack, but quickly regained her composure. The two sisters grappled in the hallway, kicking and scratching and pulling each other's hair.
"Get off me, you crazy bitch!" Jiaxi screamed, trying to break free.
"You want me gone, don't you?" Xuying snarled, her nails digging into Jiaxi's skin. "Well, I'll show you how I can disappear!"
The girls tumbled to the ground, their bodies twisted together in a tangle of limbs. Jiaxi managed to roll on top of Xuying, pressing her knee into her stomach.
"You're not going anywhere, freak!" she spat, her fist raised to strike.
But before she could land the blow, the door to the bedroom burst open. Wei Feng, Jiaxi's husband, stood in the doorway, his face contorted with rage.
"What the hell is going on in here?!" he roared, his voice booming through the apartment."This crazy bitch is trying to kill me!" Jiaxi screeched, glaring at Xuying beneath her. Feng's eyes narrowed, and he lunged forward, grabbing Xuying by the throat and lifting her off the ground.
Xuying's vision swam as her feet dangled helplessly above the ground. Feng's grip tightened, cutting off her air supply.
"You'll pay for this, you little bitch," he growled, his face inches from hers. "You'll regret the day you were born."
Xuying's lungs were burning. She had to get away.
With a desperate cry, Xuying twisted in Feng's grasp, reaching up to claw at his face. Feng howled in pain and released her, stumbling backwards.
Xuying hit the ground hard, gasping for air. She scrambled to her feet, ignoring the pain in her ribs, and bolted for the door. Feng and Jiaxi were right on her heels, their footsteps pounding against the floor.
Xuying burst through the front door, her vision blurry from the lack of oxygen. She had to get away, had to get somewhere safe.The wasteland was filled with dangers, both natural and supernatural.
In addition to the constant threat of zombie attacks and mutated beasts, wasteland reclaimers had to navigate treacherous terrain, contend with rival factions, and avoid deadly radiation and toxic chemicals.
But for those who persevered, the rewards could be great. Successful reclaimers could earn a fortune in gold coins, base contribution points, and other valuable resources. With these rewards, they could buy better equipment, upgrade their skills, and even gain access to the most exclusive areas of the base.
For Xuying, becoming a wasteland reclaimer was a last-ditch effort to survive.Xuying burst through the front door, gasping for air as the cold night air hit her lungs. Feng and Jiaxi were hot on her heels, their furious shouts echoing in the dark alleyway.
Xuying turned a corner and ducked into a narrow side street, her adrenaline pumping as she fled for her life. She had no idea where she was going, but she knew that she couldn't let them catch her.
Behind her, Feng's voice boomed out. "Don't let her get away! She'll tell the authorities everything!"it open, exposing the narrow shaft of light. "There she is!" he yelled. "Get her!"
Xuying scrambled down the ladder, her fingers slick with sweat as she struggled to hold on. She knew she couldn't outrun them in the tunnels, but she had to try
She hit the bottom of the ladder and took off, darting through the narrow passageways, her hands tracing along the damp, grimy walls. She didn't know where the tunnels led, but she didn't care. She just needed to put as much distance between her and Feng and Jiaxi as possible.
The darkness was oppressive, the silence broken only by the sound of her own labored breathing. She turned a corner and collided with a wall of water, freezing in shock as the cold liquid soaked through her clothes.
Xuying stumbled backwards, coughing and sputtering as she realized she had stumbled into a flooded section of the sewer. The murky, fetid water was almost waist-high, and the current was strong. She couldn't turn back, but she had no idea where the tunnel led.
She took a deep breath and waded into the water, trying not to think about what else might be swimming in the darkness. She felt her way along the tunnel, her fear growing with every step.
Suddenly, a harsh, metallic voice pierced the silence. "Energy collection complete! Successfully loaded."