MASG chapter 15

 

Although the cold wave hadn’t arrived yet, Xia Yu and Mi Dou were already feeling the chill.

“Why am I getting sleepy again?” Mi Dou yawned.

“Ah! Don’t sleep! Don’t sleep outside! You can sleep in the little bed when we get back, but not outside.” Xia Yu shook Mi Dou’s shoulders, but his eyelids were growing heavier and heavier.

Unable to think of a solution, Xia Yu reached out and gently slapped Mi Dou’s round face three times.

“Ah!” Mi Dou shuddered. “I’m awake…”

“Let’s hurry and get it. After we get it, we can go back to sleep. Just hold on a little longer!” Xia Yu encouraged Mi Dou and himself. Without Mo An and Mi Dou’s companionship these days, he would have given up long ago and turned into a jellyfish.

Jingwei: [Have you found it? Report the situation.]

“We’re already here.” Xia Yu and Mi Dou snuck into the small shop.

Jingwei: [Excellent. Hurry and grab as much as you can while the shop isn’t open yet. It’s the end of the world now…]

“The end of the world?” Xia Yu asked, taking things.

Jingwei: [Yes, the end of the world will come after the rebellion of human intelligence. Social order will not be fully restored. It will only become increasingly rigid. These shops will reopen in a few days, but you’re broke, so you won’t be able to buy groceries.]

Stunned by this bad news, Xia Yu kept moving. “Can’t…can’t I survive by stealing? I can steal at night and go back to the power plant during the day. I don’t eat much, so I’ll just steal nutritional supplements for Mo An.”

Jingwei: [You want to steal under tight surveillance? Look up and see for yourself.]

Xia Yu looked out the door at the sky. There were cameras and drones everywhere. How were they supposed to survive?

Jingwei: [Besides, as a little jellyfish, I know you don’t really have moral concerns about stealing. In the past, I would have scolded you. Now, I’ll praise you. Xia Yu, in the apocalypse, survival is all that matters. You can steal, lie, or even rob. You must learn to be selfish.]

Xia Yu nodded half-heartedly, then suddenly exclaimed, “Shoes!”

He found a pair of children’s leather shoes at the bottom of the shelf. They looked like they were just the right size for his feet. That was the most important thing. He didn’t want to run around barefoot, so he quickly tore off the cloth strips and tried on his new shoes.

They seem a little big… Don’t worry. I can always wear socks later. Xia Yu had chosen his shoes, and Mi Dou had found clothes that fit. They both changed into their new shoes and felt incredibly happy.

Even though they were accustomed to near-death experiences, they were still children at heart. The temporary happiness of having something to wear and filling their stomachs was enough to make them forget their worries.

“I’m wearing three layers. How about you?” Mi Dou touched his collar.

“Three layers too!” Xia Yu pointed happily. “I also found shoes and a quilt. I have two quilts.”

“I found a quilt and four mattresses. That should be enough to keep us warm.” Mi Dou yawned again. He had no idea how terrible the cold would be, but when it came to supplies, the more the better.

The supply station had clearly been looted long ago, and these were all the supplies they had left. The two of them walked back with their bulging backpacks, most of which were on Mi Dou’s back.

“How wonderful! We’ve come home with such a great haul.” Xia Yu jumped a little as he walked. “Midou, you know, new shoes are so comfortable!”

“Yeah, I used to like wearing new shoes, too. But I always went mining with Mom, so they wore out quickly.” Midou thought of his mother again, and a wave of sadness washed over him. But he quickly pursed his lips. No, he couldn’t cry. He was a grown man. Mom would be fine, and they would be reunited.

“It’s okay. When we get back, I’ll give you my new shoes. I’ll wear the old ones—they actually fit me better. These are a bit big anyway.” Xia Yu told a little lie. He just wanted to cheer Mi Dou up.

Now, they had to hurry back. A few days ago, the streets were deserted, so no one saw anyone steal. But now, things were different. As they walked and were about to turn a corner, the cold sound of machinery stopped them.

Xia Yu swore it was the sound he hated to hear and the “person” he hated to face.

A triangular-headed robot with bright red electronic eyes scoured them. “What are you holding?”

Mi Dou was speechless with fear. Why would the sheriff target them?

“Yes, yes, yes, it’s clothes,” Xia Yu answered courageously, but the horror of his escape from the research institute was still fresh in his mind.

“Which region are you from? Why are you stealing?” The robot pulled out a gun and pointed it at Xia Yu’s forehead.

Was it going to shoot? Xia Yu didn’t dare breathe. All of his hopes had vanished. There was no turning back. He was going to die here. He would never play with Mi Dou again, nor would he be able to sing for Mo An. Even more terrifying, if he died, would Mi Dou be able to wear the bracelet and return home?

Without it, no one could enter the power plant, and Mo An would starve to death.

He looked at Mi Dou sadly and signaled with his eyes. Then he glanced at his left wrist. “I’m dying. Remember to wear the bracelet when you return!”

“Sixth-class citizen and genetically modified human.” However, the gun didn’t fire. Instead, the gun instantly scanned Xia Yu’s DNA like a scanner. “Blue jellyfish: carnivorous, highly toxic, social, hermaphroditic…”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what I am.” Xia Yu truly didn’t know; his mind raced. “I admit my crime. I stole something.”

“Sixth-class citizens don’t qualify for self-service shopping.” The robot grabbed Xia Yu by the collar and quickly pressed the muzzle of the gun against his neck.

He felt a slight warmth on the back of his neck, where the laser gun had marked him with the number “6,” symbolizing his status in the new order. Xia Yu was bewildered, and the robot threw him to the ground immediately.

“Ouch!” Xia Yu jumped up and turned to see the robot aiming its gun at Mi Dou.

Mi Dou didn’t dare move either.

“Brown bear subspecies, omnivorous, aggressive…”

As the robot recited the genetic composition, sparks rained down from the sky as a bullet pierced Pyramid Head’s head! The bullet created a metal fracture the size of a bowl, exposing the delicate electronic structure within.

The crackling sound of the leakage seemed to strike Xia Yu’s heart again and again. The Pyramid Head robot reacted faster than he did and instantly looked in the direction of the bullet. Its head drooped like a hat, but the red lights remained on.

Then, another bullet extinguished the three red lights completely.

The law enforcer, who held the power of life and death, collapsed onto the pavement. Mi Dou had never seen such a scene before. What should he do now? He helped Xia Yu up, they were both still shaking when two men rushed forward.

The men crouched beside the fallen robot, dug out its electronic core, and pocketed it.

Once they had finished disassembling it with swift, practiced hands, they turned toward the two children. Xia Yu waved quickly. “We didn’t see anything! We were just passing by…”

“Good. Remember, you didn’t see anything,” one man said.

“Wait a minute!” Mi Dou recognized the man’s attire. “Uncle, are you from the Topaz Mine?”

The man stood up and looked him over. “Yes, I was. Do you know me?”

“No, but my mother and I work there. Where are all the other miners? I got separated from her.” Mi Dou saw a glimmer of hope; everyone from the mine was still there.

The other man stepped forward. “You’re probably orphans by now, huh? Fine, we’ll do one good deed today and tell you. The southwestern side of Qingyao City has a ‘Middle Zone.’ They’re taking in people who obey Nuwa’s rule. Go there.”

“What about you?” Xia Yu asked hurriedly. “It’s so dangerous out there. Why aren’t they going?”

“Because we won’t obey Nuwa. She’s a bitch!” the man spat as he turned to leave. Xia Yu quickly sorted through the new information: southwest, Middle Zone, safe haven. Maybe they could trade for nutrient injections there.

Could they exchange it for nutritional injections?

“Wait a minute!” Xia Yu suddenly remembered something. Since these two adults had shared important information, he felt compelled to give them something in return. “Uncle, a cold wave is coming soon. You should hide!”

Jingwei: [Xia Yu, shut up.]

“Cold wave?” The two men turned around simultaneously.

“Ah…yes…” Xia Yu swallowed. “You two should hide quickly.”

This time, he didn’t wait for the guards to intervene as the two men quickly plundered his and Mi Dou’s supplies. It all happened so quickly, even faster than the death of the Pyramid-Headed Robot. All the quilts and bedding they had painstakingly gathered were gone.

If their clothes and shoes hadn’t been too small, Xia Yu was sure they would have taken those, too.

“My butt hurts…” Mi Dou had just tried to grab the things, only to be pushed to the ground. He rubbed his butt, stood up, and stared at Xia Yu with the same wide-eyed expression.

Xia Yu hadn’t realized it yet. As it turned out, the humans outside were very different from those in the research institute.

Jingwei: [It seems reality has taught you a lesson. Congratulations, you’re starting to grow up.]

Xia Yu looked at his empty hands and said in a voice tinged with grievance: “Why?”

Jingwei: [No reason. In the apocalypse, people must learn to be selfish. If you give without reservation, others will take advantage of you. Even if you’re a child, this rule still applies. I don’t want to criticize you because I believe you’ve already been hurt enough, little jellyfish. You must learn to be selfish; otherwise, you and your friends will suffer because of your actions. Do you understand now?]

Xia Yu wanted to cry, but he forced himself to hold it back this time. His anger and sadness caused his breathing to quicken. His breath turned into white air as he exhaled—a silent reminder that he was getting colder.

He didn’t answer, nor did he say whether he understood. This time, it was truly his fault that everything had gone wrong. He had to salvage the situation, so he dragged Mi Dou back with him. By the time they reached the safe house, it was freezing; the temperature had dropped faster than expected.

There was a thermometer inside, and it read 1°C.

“Why so fast?” Mi Dou was too sleepy to raise his head. “Sorry, I really want to sleep.”

“It’s not you who’s sorry, it’s me.” Xia Yu was deeply shocked. His simple mind was still processing the robbery, but he also had to face the harsh reality. When he closed the door with his own hands, he was completely shocked. It was so cold!

He had never felt this cold before. If he squeezed the door any longer, his hands would stick to it. White frost appeared on the metal door and walls, spreading like winding flowers. But, in reality, it signified the approach of death.

“Hurry, get into bed!” Xia Yu pulled the drowsy Mi Dou onto the bed.

The wall was definitely not an option. Xia Yu wrapped Mi Dou and the eggfish in a blanket and covered them with another. Those were all the supplies they had left. If they hadn’t been robbed, they would have had several more blankets and mattresses.

Mi Dou fell asleep instantly. Within three or four seconds, he was silent. Xia Yu took off his coat and used it to cover them, then tucked himself into the blankets.

There was nothing else he could do. Only at that moment did a tear of regret well up and drip onto the eggfish.

Mo An also woke up around this time.

As soon as he woke up, he sensed Xia Yu’s mood, as well as a different temperature. It seemed cold outside the egg, as if he were back at the bottom of the ocean.

What kind of place had he hatched from? Mo An never got to see it—he left too soon. The icy seawater had been his cradle, providing him with nourishment. But this wasn’t the sea. The little jellyfish wouldn’t have thrown him into the ocean.

Although it was his homeland, he wouldn’t abandon it, would he?

Mo An squinted and looked outside. He felt a tremor. It was Xia Yu trembling.

“Mo An, remember this, From now on…” Xia Yu’s eyelashes were frosted from the cold. He gave Mo An two more shots of nutritional supplements and tremblingly instructed him.
“If you manage to grow up safely, you must remember to learn to be selfish. Not everyone in this world… is good… You mustn’t… let them take advantage of you.”

Mo An blinked. Though he didn’t yet grasp the meaning of “selfish,” the word “take advantage” was etched deeply into his memory.

The air was growing colder, and Xia Yu felt as if he could see the end of his life approaching. The number six on his neck was gone, and the skin burned by the laser had long since healed. But today, for the first time, he knew what kind of jellyfish was in his body:

Blue jellyfish.

He was a member of the same species as the blue jellyfish. What did they look like? Did they emit a blue light? Were they transparent? What kind of fish and shrimp did they eat? Would they feel it if I died?

Finally, his eyes seemed to freeze shut, his lashes glued together, unable to open. As Xia Yu’s breath faded, a lingering warmth washed over him as if he were embracing the sun.

The frost on his eyelashes began to melt, opening a tiny slit and revealing Mo An, who was separated from him by a layer of water.

Through the layer, he seemed to hear the mermaid’s voice.

“Via lestme moui, mouiins xla,” Mo An muttered to himself in the mermaid language that had been hidden in his memories. Hold me tight, my treasure.

 

---

Acargoreng: Poor little jellyfish—guess reality finally stung him. 💔

Quick reminder — the word ‘xla’ will show up a lot from now on, so make sure to remember it! It means ‘treasure.’ Thanks for reading! 🌸