Shackles of Humanity

”Third Brother, let’s part ways for now. I’m going to make some preparations. I’ll come find you the day after tomorrow.”

”Alright. See you the day after tomorrow.”

Watching Li Gui’s hurried figure disappear, Luo Kai stroked his chin, his mind running through information about the climatic anomaly.

Since the Great Cataclysm, catastrophic climate changes had struck the world every few decades to a century. Sometimes it would be years of continuous, heavy rain, with monstrous floods turning most of the plains into swamps. Other times it would be a multi-year drought, with scorching temperatures blanketing the earth and leaving thousands of miles of land barren!

The last climate catastrophe was a hundred years ago. At that time, the entire continent was shrouded in a cold current that lasted for a full year. During that time, countless people froze or starved to death, Fierce Beasts began to rampage and frequently invade human territory, and the entire world was transformed into a Mortal World Purgatory!

Every time such a climate event occurred, the human population would drop by more than half, and it would take nearly a generation to recover. And now, another climate catastrophe was about to strike again.

Watching the Xi Xi bustling crowds on the street, Luo Kai couldn’t help but worry. ’If the climatic anomaly is really as terrifying as historical records describe, what should I do? Should I prepare anything in advance?’

He stood there blankly for a long time, then sighed to himself. ’It really is a world of many tribulations. I can only take it one step at a time.’

He had only taken a couple of steps when he suddenly saw a slender woman walking toward him. The woman wore a Blue windbreaker, a mask over her face, and a hat on her head, completely obscuring her features, leaving only her glossy black hair exposed.

The woman saw Luo Kai too. Her large eyes clearly widened in surprise, and she slowed her pace, seemingly hesitating over whether to pretend she didn’t know him.

Although the woman’s face was hidden, Luo Kai recognized her at a glance. It was none other than Lu Qing. ’Looks like she took my advice and wore a mask when she went out.’

As they drew closer, he once again caught that orchid-like fragrance. Luo Kai smacked his forehead in a moment of realization. ’No wonder I thought the scent of that purple flower at Granny Hua’s house was so familiar—it’s exactly the same as Lu Qing’s perfume!’

His action, however, startled the woman. She hurriedly backed away a few steps, skirted around him, and strode quickly toward the railcar platform to the side.

Luo Kai also needed to go to the sports academy’s library to look up information on the climatic anomaly, so he followed the woman to the platform. He wanted to say hello but didn’t know how to start.

About ten minutes later, a steam engine belching black smoke pulled in from the distance and stopped at the platform. The doors slowly opened, and the people waiting immediately swarmed aboard. The railcar had limited capacity and seating; once it was full, you had to stand or wait for the next one.

Lu Qing waited timidly at the back, her large eyes filled with conflict. It looked like she was hesitating about whether to push her way on.

Luo Kai found it a little amusing. ’This girl is quite reserved.’ He stepped forward, grabbed her hand, and used his strong physique to force his way inside. A series of dissatisfied grumbles immediately erupted from the crowd, but seeing Luo Kai’s tall and sturdy frame, no one dared to do anything.

Lu Qing was caught completely off guard. She let out a cry of surprise and was pulled inside the car before she could even struggle free. Flushed with anger and embarrassment, she snapped, ”What is wrong with you!”

Luo Kai let go of her small hand. ”Miss, the next one is in an hour. You can get off and keep waiting, if you prefer.”

”Hmph!” Lu Qing shot him a fierce glare and walked to the back of the car to find a seat.

Luo Kai also found a window seat. He opened the window a crack, and the cool breeze that blew in dispersed the pervasive smell of sweat inside the car, making it much more comfortable.

”Ma’am, you can’t bring such a large bag on board,” the conductor said to an old woman carrying a huge bundle on her back.

The old woman had graying hair, a gaunt face, and clothes covered in patches. Hearing this, she said meekly, ”Miss, please be kind. Just let me on.”

The conductor was a young girl with acne, looking to be only fifteen or sixteen. Unsure how to refuse, she looked conflicted. She stole a glance toward the driver’s cabin at the front, which was separated from the passenger car by a door and window, and then whispered, ”Ma’am, go sit in the back.”

”Ah, thank you, thank you.”

The old woman shuffled to the back row, placed her bundle in the aisle, and sat down next to Lu Qing.

The railcar was packed with passengers as it started up with a CHUG and a SQUEAL. Luo Kai felt drowsy again, so he closed his eyes and began to doze off.

In the back row, Lu Qing shifted uncomfortably, shrinking inward. It wasn’t that she disliked the old woman beside her, but that when they had accidentally brushed against each other just now, the point of contact felt like it had been pricked by something, and it stung sharply.

”Miss, your skin is so nice. Being young is really something else!” the old woman said to her, clearly just making conversation.

Lu Qing forced a smile and nodded. ”Thank you.”

This type of railcar had very poor stability. It lacked the advanced shock absorption systems of the trains from his previous life and was constantly bumping and lurching. Even running over a small pebble would make the car shudder violently.

With a particularly violent jolt, Luo Kai’s eyes suddenly snapped open, his gaze fixed on the bundle at the old woman’s side.

When they arrived at the stop, Lu Qing stood up to get off. Before leaving, she didn’t forget to shoot Luo Kai another glare. The old woman also picked up her large bundle and followed behind her.

”Ma’am, let me help you with that,” Lu Qing said, her heart filling with sympathy as she watched the old woman’s trembling figure. She reached out, wanting to help.

But the old woman gently brushed her aside, smiling. ”No need. You’re a good girl, miss.”

Luo Kai also got up and disembarked. He looked around and saw Lu Qing walking toward a nearby vegetable market, with a staggering figure following closely behind her.

After just a few steps, Lu Qing’s pace slowed noticeably, and she began to sway, looking as if she might fall at any moment.

Just then, the old woman came forward to support her, fussing over her like a doting mother as she slowly guided her toward a small alley to the side.

Luo Kai’s expression turned cold, and he followed them.

Once inside the deserted alley, the old woman straightened her back. Her previously kind face revealed a sinister smile. She effortlessly hoisted Lu Qing onto her back, grabbed her bundle with one hand, and strode away.

Following behind, Luo Kai gave a wry smile to himself. ’I’ve run into this woman three times, and something has happened every single time. It’s truly strange. Could there really be such a thing as fate in this world?’

The old woman carried the person on her back as if she weighed nothing, moving swiftly while constantly glancing left and right with extreme vigilance. Before long, she arrived at what looked like the back kitchen of a restaurant, pushed open a side door, and slipped inside.

Luo Kai followed noiselessly. As soon as he pushed open the side door, the faint scent of blood hit his nose. His expression tightened. He began to gradually slow his heart rate while curling his body inward. In a moment, he had transformed into a dwarf just over a meter tall and slipped quietly inside.

In the restaurant’s back kitchen, several burly chefs were stir-frying food. Upon seeing the old woman, they immediately stopped their work, their expressions becoming extremely respectful.

The old woman waved her hand and, still carrying Lu Qing, walked toward a storeroom filled with grains and vegetables. She pressed a spot on one of the walls, and a dark opening appeared.

Luo Kai clung to the eaves like a gecko, peering through a head-sized ventilation window into the storeroom. He felt a surge of annoyance. ’Looks like I’ve stumbled upon another mysterious power.’ By now, he had developed a knack for judging people. Once the old woman dropped her disguise, she was completely different, radiating an oppressive aura. He had only ever felt such an aura from Liu Hou.

He hesitated for a moment, then began to contract his body again. To get into the storeroom, he would have to pass through the kitchen, and he wasn’t confident he could do it without alerting the chefs.

He gauged the width of the vent with his eyes. He compressed the muscles and bones in his shoulders and chest with all his might, gradually taking on the shape of a thick wooden staff. Slowly, he squeezed through the vent. Only when his feet touched solid ground did he relax his muscles and bones. He felt a thrill of excitement. ’I was only trying it out, but I didn’t think the bone-shrinking technique would actually work.’

He mimicked the old woman’s actions and pressed a spot on the wall. A protruding brick sank inward with a CREAK, revealing the dark opening. A thick stench of blood assaulted his nostrils. Luo Kai’s face fell. ’Such a heavy smell of blood is something you’d only find in a place where livestock has just been slaughtered. But the crucial thing is, this isn’t the smell of livestock—it’s human! Could something have already happened to Lu Qing?!’