Chapter 344: Sincerity of Surrender
Chapter 344: Sincerity of Surrender
Zhao Ru smiles again, stands still, and looks at An Ran with her hands clasped behind her back. “Because I’m not a ability user,” she says. “I’m a water-type user.”
An Ran’s eyes widen. This strange yet unusually frank Zhao Ru leaves her momentarily speechless. Then she hears Zhao Ru continue:
“And I also know that you’re a wood-type user.”
“You…” An Ran’s mind reels from the flood of new information. She hesitates before asking, “How did you know? Did Lei Jiang tell you?”
That doesn’t make sense—Lei Jiang isn’t the type to reveal things so easily. If he goes around telling everyone about her ability, isn’t he afraid it’ll get out and put her in danger from other teams?
“No, it wasn’t Lei Jiang. It was Zhou Xiang,” Zhao Ru replies with a shrug. “Funny, isn’t it? Lei Jiang goes to great lengths to keep your identity secret, but Zhou Xiang had already figured it out. He’s calm on the surface, but always lets something slip. I just asked a few questions and he told me everything.”
So that’s the real situation outside the barrier of Tiesi Village.
Lei Jiang thinks he’s using Zhao Ru—he wants her to get close to An Ran, take away An Ran’s daughter, and use that to control An Ran. But he doesn’t realize that while An Ran seems dull, she’s actually very sharp—and never lets Zhao Ru touch Doll.
But to Zhao Ru, that’s not even the most interesting part.
The most interesting part is this: Lei Jiang knows An Ran is a wood-type user, but doesn’t know Zhao Ru is one of the rare water-type users. Meanwhile, An Ran has figured out Zhao Ru’s identity, but has no idea that Lei Jiang himself is an earth-type user.
Among ability users, water-types currently hold a higher status than wood-types.
After all, humans can still survive on stockpiled food for a while—but they can’t live without water even for a single day.
It’s a dramatic reversal. Lei Jiang brings Zhao Ru and Zhao Qianrong to the county with one goal in mind: to secure An Ran, the wood-type user. He tries every method to obtain both wood and water-type users. Yet he never realizes that the very water-type ability he covets has been right under his nose the entire time—Zhao Ru herself.
She hides it carefully, protects herself and her only remaining family—her aunt.
Zhao Ru has her own guarded world, her own private thoughts.
But her purpose remains unclear. Her stance is ambiguous.
An Ran looks straight at her and says slowly, enunciating each word: “I’ve changed my mind. I won’t let you operate on Little Mint. You’re too dangerous.”
With that, An Ran walks past Zhao Ru and heads toward the ward where Doll is.
Behind her, Zhao Ru calls out, “No, I’m not dangerous. I told you I’m a water-type mutant. That’s my show of sincerity. My sincerity in surrendering.”
An Ran turns her head. Her hand is already on the door handle as she looks back at Zhao Ru.
Inside the ward, Little Mint stands behind the door, her face pale. The hospital’s soundproofing is terrible—just a thin door separates her from the hallway, and it hasn’t blocked a word of the conversation.
Expressionless, she turns around. Hengheng is watching her with concern. Then, suddenly, she punches herself in the stomach.
Hengheng is shocked and immediately rushes over, standing silently by her side, eyes full of worry.
“I don’t care what’s in my belly. I don’t want it!” Little Mint’s voice trembles with bitterness. She resents the trouble she’s caused An Ran, hates how much time An Ran has wasted on her. Whether it’s a child or a tumor—whatever it is—if it brings An Ran distress, she hates it!