Picking Up My Ex-Wife in the Apocalypse - Chapter 41

It felt as if all the pain, resentment, and torment of the past few years had been woven into a colossal net. This web enveloped her, trapping her in the darkest corners of her heart, while viscous tentacles bound her limbs and locked her gaze forward.

At the center of that focus was Si Ruxu’s pale, pleading face.

Should it be this way? Is this truly what I want?

She shouldn’t blame Si Ruxu, because the apocalypse demanded sacrifice, and because loving or not loving is a matter of freedom. But now, the emotions she had suppressed with morality and logic were like a volcano that could no longer be plugged.

Surging lava swallowed her consciousness, before finally struggling to break through to a small patch of sunlight.

A hint of darkness flickered in her eyes. “Si Ruxu, I think you should be clear: we are currently just partners. Is this how partners should act?”

There was no blame in her tone, only a calm, slight sigh. Reason returned at that moment.

“I’m sorry…” Si Ruxu’s gaze followed Si Qi closely, seeing through her struggle. She let out those words in a faint whisper.

She was likely unwilling, but she suddenly realized that in the midst of this apocalypse, Si Qi’s life played an indispensable role in His grand design. Like a marionette being toyed with, she shouldn’t pressure her any further.

Si Ruxu fought back the bitterness and gently embraced Si Qi. Tears fell like a kite with a broken string, soaking into Si Qi’s sleeve one by one. Si Qi gently comforted her until, eventually, exhaustion won out. She collapsed onto the bed, her breathing becoming steady and deep.

Si Ruxu lay on her side, pressing close. Only by feeling her lover’s warmth could she drift into a shallow sleep in the dead of night. She was too terrified; Si Qi’s weak pulse and breath were like a needle in her heart—one touch, and she was bleeding.

****

The Great Heat was supposed to last half a month. Every two nights, it would hail—not heavily, but enough to drop the temperature temporarily, giving hope to the ordinary people without shelters. People outside would gather the hail, melting it into water to store for the following days.

As the days passed, it seemed as though He felt more pity for ordinary humans. No one had noticed before, but it became clear that aside from zombies, mutated plants almost never attacked ordinary people.

On another night of hail, Si Qi sat up quietly. For the first time in days, she felt energy flowing in the air. The two clashing energies in her body went still, as if piously welcoming something.

She gently lifted her hand from Si Ruxu’s waist. The woman beside her seemed frozen in time; usually, the slightest movement would wake her, but now she slept soundly. The earthen wall outside became transparent, a silent invitation for her to enter.

Once again, the Third Great Purge did not invite Si Ruxu.

Si Qi stood up. Just before entering the transparent barrier, she unfastened her wristband. With one last look at Si Ruxu, she turned decisively and was swallowed by the wall.

******

The Great Heat ended. The sound of raindrops hitting the ground was irregular—a chaotic “patter-patter”—but it brought a sense of peace, the relief of having survived once more.

Si Ruxu woke to the sound of this heavy rain. She sat up, bleary-eyed, but the mist in her eyes vanished the instant her fingers touched the cold, empty side of the bed.

A rush of blood surged to her brain. She forced herself to stay calm and checked her wristband for Si Qi’s location and feed. From the other side of the cave, a rhythmic beeping sound echoed the falling rain outside.

Each beep made Si Ruxu’s blood run colder. She staggered over and nearly collapsed on her knees. Lying quietly on the ground was the familiar wristband that Si Qi was supposed to be wearing.

The earthen wall showed no signs of being disturbed. She would have woken at the slightest sound, so Si Qi hadn’t walked out. That left only the Purge.

The realization swallowed her in shadow. The Purge? Si Qi’s powers hadn’t recovered. She had discarded her tracker. How was she supposed to survive this trial?

How do I save her?

Si Ruxu’s mind went blank for a moment, but reason quickly reasserted itself. She weighed her options between Luo Fenghe and Si Luoheng.

Luo Fenghe was well-disposed toward Si Qi, but she didn’t know the depth of that kindness, and he had just leaked her location. Si Luoheng had tried to kill her, but Si Ruxu knew the depth of the Institute’s power, and they had been sisters for over a decade…

The Institute definitely had a way to enter the Purge. She let out a soft breath, managing to calm herself. She had to get in, no matter the price.

The rain continued. Si Ruxu donned a raincoat. The journey to the Institute took two days, but she didn’t dare stop, even as her feet blistered and bled. She was glad she had a few fruits left in her space; eating while walking saved time. As for the nutrient solutions, she wanted to save them for Si Qi.

After walking for a day and a night without rest, she reached the metal gates before sunrise. The gates opened automatically. A robot offered a cute smile: “Welcome home.”

Si Ruxu hurried inside, reaching the innermost layer of the Institute without obstruction. The large screen was already broadcasting scenes from the Purge. Within a single day, the Awakened had divided themselves into small squads, searching for something across the vast landscape.

Si Qi was not on the screen. A bad premonition leaked out of her like water from a shattered glass.

The door on the other side opened, and a bleary-eyed Si Luoheng walked out. Seeing Si Ruxu, she froze in shock. She was in her pajamas, lacking her daytime polish, the pink-purple fabric making her skin look even paler.

Si Ruxu looked at her, the harshness in her brow softening instinctively. She pulled a wrapped gift from her space, stating her second reason for coming: “Luoheng, happy 19th birthday.”

Si Luoheng didn’t know how she managed to take the gift or how she led Si Ruxu to her living quarters. The place was a mess—clothes strewn on the bed, research materials everywhere. One cabinet held tasteless but filling nutrient solutions, while another was lined with identical energy crystals.

“Is your workspace not separate from where you sleep?”

“If it’s big, I go to the lab. Usually, I just stay here to observe. When I wake up, I research; when I’m tired, I sleep,” Si Luoheng said dismissively. Si Ruxu felt a pang of sadness. When the apocalypse started, Luoheng was only seventeen.

“Did Sister come here for something specific?” Si Luoheng placed the gift deep in her cabinet without opening it, acting with a mature restraint.

“I want to enter the Purge.” Si Ruxu didn’t waste time. She was terrified for Si Qi.

“Is it for Si Qi?” Si Luoheng opened a box containing compressed black holes. She picked through them and handed a brand-new, intact one to Si Ruxu.

“Yes.” Si Ruxu felt the chaotic magnetic field of the device.

“Sister, you’ve fallen for her again.”

“I know.”

“Hmph, so calm about it… Sister, you know that emotion is the ultimate shackle. You have a weakness now. Aren’t you afraid ‘He’ will seize upon it and drag you into the abyss?”

Si Ruxu’s expression remained unchanged. “I know what I’m doing.”

There was no turning back. No matter what, she would pull Si Qi out of this game and end the apocalypse.

The magnetic pull of this black hole was stronger than the one thrown at Si Qi before. Si Ruxu gripped it and closed her eyes, feeling a massive suction. This one had been modified by Luoheng; a protective shield of air guarded her from the shearing forces of the rift.

In a flash, she landed in a dark corner. A cold, sharp blade was instantly pressed against her throat.

“Who are you? How did you get here?” The scent of iron and blood filled her nose. Hearing that familiar voice, Si Ruxu’s eyes instantly reddened. Ignoring the dagger, she turned and hugged Si Qi.

Recognizing the scent, Si Qi loosened her grip, preventing the blade from cutting her. “Why are you here?” She had felt a strong atmospheric disturbance, but she thought Si Ruxu was safe outside.

“I had Luoheng bring me in.”

Si Luoheng… Si Qi hadn’t realized her research had progressed this far. But then again, all the intel on the end times—the crystals, the Purge, the disasters—came from her.

“Your sister is that powerful?”

“She must have made a deal with Him. She won’t tell me the terms.”

Si Qi nodded. In her memory, Si Luoheng was quiet and withdrawn; now her attire was an intentional imitation of Si Ruxu’s. “When the apocalypse ends, remember to take her to a psychiatrist. Mental health during childhood is important.”

Si Ruxu managed a smile through her tears. She used several crystals to light the area. Her gaze froze when she saw the scars on Si Qi’s face, carved by metal-type energy.

“Don’t move,” she said heavily. She straightened Si Qi’s defensive posture and leaned in close, holding a crystal for light. She saw them clearly now: dozens of jagged, bleeding wounds covering Si Qi’s body.

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