Chapter 292: Too Cruel
Chapter 292: Too Cruel
Anran has been through it before—pregnancy, childbirth, the entire process.
Now, looking at Little Mint, she can’t ignore the signs. The girl is thirteen years old, has missed her period for two months, and is now retching. The possibility is too obvious.
Pregnant.
What should she do? What can she do?
She needs to find a doctor. Or maybe an early pregnancy test to confirm it first. But after that—then what? Little Mint is still so young. Her life has only just begun to regain some semblance of normalcy. And her past… that is nothing short of a nightmare.
If she really is pregnant, what then?
Could she keep the child?
How? Anran hasn’t forgotten how this child would have come to be.
Then… could she not keep it?
But this is the apocalypse. Finding a doctor willing and able to perform an abortion is nearly impossible.
Anran tightens her arms around Doll, standing frozen in the shadow of the corridor. Her eyes burn red with frustration and helpless rage.
Too cruel.
It’s as if fate can’t bear to see them catch a break. Just when life has started to smooth out, just when things are finally getting a little better, this happens.
She walks down the corridor, cradling Doll in one arm and supporting the child’s tiny, fragile neck with her other hand. The baby, of course, has no understanding of Anran’s turmoil. Fresh from a bath, she is in an excellent mood, her little bottom wiggling happily as she takes in the world through her wide, bright eyes.
Below the guardrail, a wide street stretches out before them. The sun is setting, but the heat still lingers. Few people walk the streets, and those who do are thin, weary, and defeated. A patrol car rolls past occasionally, while men in white coats drive a sprayer truck through the area, misting the pavement with disinfectant. The acrid scent of chemicals fills the air.
Anran holds Doll close as she makes her way down the slope. This is the same road Zhan Lian took when he arrived. Green trees line both sides, their branches swaying slightly, as if greeting her.
She walks until she reaches the massive iron gate.
And then she falters.
The gate is thick, seamlessly embedded in the wall, looking nearly impenetrable. She has no idea how Zhan Lian managed to open it.
After a moment’s assessment, she realizes there’s no way she can do it herself.
With a sigh, she turns around and walks back.
She has never seriously considered venturing out alone with a baby in her arms. The world beyond is vast and unforgiving. Finding a doctor—or even just an early pregnancy test—is something far beyond her capabilities right now.
So there’s no point in exhausting herself over a solution.
She will wait.
When Zhan Lian returns, he will take her to see Yun Tao.
And when that happens, she will leave this matter to him.
An elder needs to make the call. Someone who can offer Little Mint the right guidance, the right decision.
The weight of this responsibility is simply too much.
She can't bear it alone.
—
At that moment, Zhan Lian is still in a meeting.
Given the chaotic mix of people in the four districts, Tang Jianjun and the security team captains from the other three districts have all attended in person. Alongside them sit the leaders of thirteen different survivor teams.
The meeting has dragged on endlessly. By now, night has nearly fallen, and still, no conclusion has been reached.
Zhan Lian’s patience is running thin.
He turns slightly to Luo Feifan and mutters under his breath as the security captains continue their heated debate.
"If they can come to an agreement, then fine, we’ll talk. If not, we leave. I have more important things to deal with—I don’t have time to waste on this nonsense."
He hadn’t even planned to attend this meeting. He had only come to formally step down, handing over his position in the security team. But by sheer bad luck, he had arrived just as the meeting started, and out of respect for Tang Jianjun, he had decided to stay and offer his support.
Otherwise, these survivor team leaders might just try to push Tang Jianjun around.
And Zhan Lian has no patience for that.