Global Evolution

by Steffen Schmidt

  "Mercy! I beg for your mercy!"

  The man turned coward instantly as his opponent was fully armed while he was all naked. The man knew that Chang wasn't someone that he could provoke.

  "Sh*t up, we've met once, do you remember?"

  Chang looked down at the man.

  "Have we?"

  The man meticulously observed Chang's face, but the features didn't ring a bell.

  "Am I this ordinary?"

  Chang stomped on the man's face.

  "No, no, no. You're not! It's my problem! I've bad memory..." The man's nose bridge was broken and blood flowed out from the nasal. "Please, mercy! I've really bad memory..."

  "Your memory is none of my business. I came here to ask you for one thing, you're dating a teen girl, aren't you?"

  "I am! I am dating some... Are you a relative?"

  The red fog gave Chang's face a layer of mystery.

  "I'm pretty sure my sibling is your date, how many are you dating at the same time?"

  Chang was obviously provoked. He lost his mind over the answer. The man lost his front teeth under Chang's foot.

  "Not... not too many," the man shouted out with a strange sound of air flowing through where his front teeth had been.

  "Well then, you know about Jing Ji, don't you?"

  "I do."

  "Stop contacting her. If I find you're still dating her, I'll leave you alone in the jungle naked."

  Chang lifted his foot from the man's face and walked away.

  The man exhaled as the weight on his heart lifted, but Chang came back to ease his own worries.

  "Just to be safe..."

  He did the same thing again but this time his foot kicked the man's genital area. The delicate sensation of the impact let him know that he had caused a severe injury. The man also shrieked out of unbearable pain at the same time.

  "Now I'm assured..."

  Suddenly, Chang felt lighthearted. He threw the displeasure of arguing with Jing behind him, returning home in a good mood.

  The bell on the door rang when he pushed the door of the bar open. He returned to his own room and took a hot shower that was considered luxurious these days. When he came out of the bathroom, he noticed Zhizhi on his bed.

  "I gotta talk to you about this, Zhizhi.... every single time!" Chang muttered to himself, lying on the left side of the bed. He was quickly dragged into dreams.

  At midnight, Sanpang escaped from the bar, which Chang was aware of from the growing distance of Sanpang's smell, yet he did nothing but kept on sleeping. He tracked the mercenary down on the second morning in another block.

  "A hundred thousand State Yuan."

  The bar was closed during day time. Chang threw Sanpang in behind the bar counter.

  "Bro, that's a hundred thousand! Even if I sell my own life to you, I'm not worth this much!" Sanpang started sobbing when he heard the cruel number. "We make our living in the jungle by collecting samples of new species, and we seldom have the luck of finding one and bringing it back safely. We earned much less than you imagine!"

  "The time that we earned the most was about twenty thousand State Yuan for the sample, and we distributed that money evenly among us... We're basically exchanging those samples with our lives. I'm sure you know how dangerous the jungle is: the bugs, trees, animals, and I heard that there is a species called monkats, which know how to trap humans! Please, our lives are hard, and a hundred thousand State Yuan is simply too much...

  "Let's speak for real... If we weren't drunk that day, we woud've never order Baijiu... We thought it was a nicer Crystal Pea spirit. We were really happy that day because of the sample, and we wanted to be unrestrained for once on alcohol, and I didn't know...."

  Sanpang started to act out sobbing again, and Chang found it funny.

  "Please... Those *ssholes don't have a hundred State Yuan at all, even if they had, they wouldn't pay them for my life..."

  "Hahahaha, stop sobbing. You're making me laugh, and people say that I look weird when I'm laughing because I can't make proper expressions."Chang only opened his mouth but his lips did not curve up. "I see your situation. How about this? You work for me for three months and you're free of debt. This mission is to take care of my sister, prevent her from dating any suspicious men. I'll give you a good weapon but you have to promise me that you can ensure her safety."

  As he spoke, Chang threw a well-made pistol to Sanpang from the drawer in the bar counter.

  "And so are you, put away your dirty mind when you are accompanying her. If I learn that you've an evil plan, the consequence won't be nice." Chang pulled Sanpang up when the other had finished attaching the pistol to his belt. He lead Sanpang to Jing's room, knocking on the door. "Jing, I fond you a friend."

  Chang took out a key to unlock the room, cueign Sanpang to come in front of him.

  "See, doesn't he look like Pangzi?" Chang landed his arm on Sanpang's shoulder, and the latter showed a genial smile.

  "Hey, Jing."

  Jing's room was covered with glass pieces, and she sat on the floor, the only spot in the room free of glass. She was calm, gazing at Sanpang's round face. Her memory went back to four years ago when Pangzi was still one of them. Unusually, she didn't start bickering with Chang and the stranger but waved to the latter politely.

  "Hi."

  Chapter 117: Qing Shui after Four Years

  Chang was surprised by the expression on Jing's face.

  "If I knew fatties were more fun and easier to interact with to you, I would have caught him earlier." Seeing that Jing didn't have any anger toward Sanpang, Chang was delighted. "From now on, I won't keep you in the room anymore. You can go out and have fun, but you have to bring Sanpang with you."

  "Thanks, Chang."

  Jing nodded as if the time had went back to four years ago when Pangzi was still alive. Her head turned between Sanpang and Chang, then she gave a toothy smile, seemingly returning to that harmless girl from four years ago, and lowered her head.

  "Alright, alright." The burden in Chang's heart alleviated when he saw Jing's smile. He even squatted down to help tie her shoelaces. "Go, hang out! I heard that there is a supermarket that was newly opened, you guys should go there and check it out!"

  "Chang, are you coming with us?" Jing turned with an expression of an earnest request. "Just like four years ago, we would go hunting and Pangzi would go searching for edible veggies. Then we would all come back together to share a pot of pungent soup... I felt really happy in those days."

  Jing turned her smile at Chang, the scar on her face still glaring.

  Jing's word reminded Chang of the old days. The day he had finished the college entrance exam, the day he had rescued Jing on the street, and the days they had all starved and gulped the pungent soup...

  "I wish I could, but I have to meet someone from the military today..."

  "Leave all the affairs to that science geek, I only want you to hang out with us for a day," Jing pleaded stubbornly.

  "Alright, Jing. This time only, my schedule is reserved for you today." Chang messed her hair exactly the way he had done back in the days, the only difference being that her hair now was thicker and longer.

  Even though Jing still looked a bit skinnier than her peers, the discrepancy was less apparent compared to back then.

  "Just us three, I'm not allowing Zhizhi to come with us." Jing took Chang's hand, dragging him to the front. "She is seducing you every day, and I'm upset with her."

  "Alright, alright, just us three."

  Chang put his arm on Jing's shoulder as they walked out of the bar with Sanpang.

  The red fog was as dense as in those times of their memories.

  In the span of four years, the density of the mysterious fog wasn't reduced even a bit. No matter if it were rainy days or windy days, the fog remained. It was even found that the fog could dissolve into water perfectly.

  Something unknown was driving the species on Earth to climb the evolution tree eternally.

&
nbsp; The city was dilapidated.

  Even after four years, most of the tumbled-down houses weren't recovered, and the roadbeds weren't fixed, either. Due to the scarcity of resources and the limited vision, transportation tools were abandoned except for some bikes scattered by the side of the street.

  Most of the recovery of the infrastructure was suspended due to the insufficient resources.

  After all, a city was like a factory, the supply chains had to be maintained for smooth operation. Without the accessibility to resources, the factory would have to face closure.

  Without steel and oil, without other natural resources, the city was left empty beneath its shell.

  However, given this harsh condition, human didn't give up but thrived. Their lifestyle was half-modern and half-primitive.

  The modern part was that the post-apocalyptic humans kept the habit of shopping in the supermarket.

  The first thing inside it was the weapon counter.

  The prices for weapons and ammunition were clearly labeled. The manufacturers came from individuals or the military, providing a full range of the product for the citizens.

  Next to the weapon counter, there was the medicine one with an assortment of medicines placed neatly on the shelves. The supermarket also had armed soldiers stationed as safety guards, in the case of theft and robbery.

  Medicine, weapons, and food.

  They made up 80% of the products sold in the supermarket, for an obvious reason that they were the most needed goods in the city.

  "Boring, boring! Let's go upstair," Jing said with disappointment. "The military operated supermarket is insipid. The packing is just so poorly designed!"

  "Well Jing, people are lacking resources, so who would care about the packaging?"

  Chang laughed.

  "That's how I got tricked! I remembered those expensive liquors back in the days, which all had nice packagings." Sanpang patted his head with nervousness. "Times have changed, I didn't know that the Baijiu we drank that had nothing on its clear bottle could cost this much. I should'ave asked first!"

  "Oh come on, stop complaining for at least a day."

  Chang shook his head, following Jing to the second floor.

  The goods stored on the second floor were mostly hardtacks compressed with the latest techniques. From Crystal Pea biscuits to hardtacks that were made of other crops, the supermarket provided the widest selection in this community. The longest time things lasted could go up to half a month—these were all practical products.

  Except for shelves of essential commodities, there was a shelf stocked with goods that were seen most commonly before the apocalypse; it was placed at a corner where less light got to it.

  There were clothes, beddings, some toys, and even dolls.

  "Who would have time to handsew this?" Sanpang picked up a handmade doll, but its face and body were absurdly squishy. "What is it?"

  "It's a Jimi Worm! It's a harmless, photosynthetic species, perfectly safe as a toy material." The Jimi Worm wore a pink dress that appeared to be handsewn. Jing made a snatch for it from Sanpang's hands. "I want this!"

  "No problem."

  Chang nodded.

  The dusk wasn't to be stopped as the clock tick-tocked away.

  They spent quite some time in the supermarket to purchase food that could be stored for some time and items that Jing was excited about. Then, the three hung out in the streets here and there, allowing peace to fill their hearts.

  At dawn, they returned back to prepare for the bar's opening at night, but a man in a white lab coat waited inside.

  He turned as soon as he heard the noise that the door made. He smiled.

  "Long time no see!"

  "Wait..." Sanpang took a big leap to get in front of that person before Chang could even say anything. "You... you..." Sanpang rubbed his eyes to make sure he didn't mistake the identity of the visitor. "Your head is printed on the money..."

  "Nice meeting you, I'm Qing Shui Li." Qing Shui's smile was as benevolent as four years ago. Time seemed to have forgotten about his existence since he had no trace of aging. "You look like one of my old friends."

  "Re... really?" Seeing the legend standing in front of him, Sanpang stuttered out of excitement. "You're really him? Qing Shui on the currency bills?"

  "What is it? They've got impostors down here?" Qing Shui made a light joke.

  "No... not at all. I'm just astonished. People say that you never step out of the lab zone and seldom make an appearance in the public. I believe I can count people who have seen you in person on my fingers..."

  Chapter 118: Evil Moss

  "What brings you here, sir?"

  Sanpang hesitated to get closer to the legend. He seemed scared, and hence, a distance was always kept between them.

  "I'm visiting my friends, and taking this opportunity to pass some information over." Qing Shui nodded to Sanpang, straightening his body from the bar stool. He made his way to Chang and Jing, said with a soft tone. "Hey Jing, you're getting taller."

  "Thanks..."

  Jing was reserved when seeing Qing Shui. She lost her liveliness every time she met him, hiding behind Chang's back as how she did when she was younger.

  "You're still scared of me." Qing Shui didn't mind her attitude but started teasing. "What have I done? What scared you so much?"

  "Perhaps she instinctively fears species with higher index," Chang said, stroking Jing's hair. "What brings you here today? You don't come down here normally."

  "Nothing special happened, I just felt like seeing you." Qing Shui then turned to Jing, asking, "Tell me what number do you perceive me as if you think of me as a threat?"

  "One?" Jing pondered, her eyes closed; she was perplexed. "How do you make it?"

  "I can't tell you about this. The information comes with exchange, what do you think if you dye your hair back to black?" Qing Shui teased Jing intentionally. "Blonde doesn't suit you well, no wonder Chang seemed disappointed."

  "Who cares."

  "I'm not saying that you're causing trouble, but just don't forget that his tolerance has bottom line..." Qing Shui warned jokingly. He seemed to know intimidations best effect.

  "I don't care!"

  Jing stomped on the ground, her skin going down with goosebumps. She then turned around, running into her own room.

  "Go check on her." Chang pushed Sanpang's back. "Please make sure she is safe."

  "Got you." Sanpang glanced from Qing Shui to Chang. In his eyes, the two seemed to know each other well, but at the same time, he could sense the distance between them. It wasn't a good time to comment now.

  Chang made a wry smile when Sanpang left the room. "Why are you winding her up? She is only sixteen years old, she wasn't behaving rationally."

  "I was teasing her. She is being ridiculous these days," Qing Shui said. "And you, why aren't you more patient with her? Now she can always do whatever she wants. You can leave her to me, I promise you that once she comes out from the institute again, she would be the Jing that you remember."

  "Come on." Chang heaved a deep breath, then said reluctantly, "I trust you on everything except for taking care of kids. She wouldn't be such a rebel if you didn't take her away last time. She does everything intentionally to go against my will as revenge. Who knows what you did to her!"

  "Chang, I did nothing bad to her but put her into a special training program so that she can grow stronger both physically and mentally. However, I've never expect such reverse reaction from her." Qing Shui looked into Chang's eyes. "If I were to say, it's your attitude that caused her current behavior. When I took her away, she was begging in tears for you to not let her go, but you did the opposite.

  "I told you that I was going to take her to the institute for three months, and you didn't listen to me at all... Jing was stubborn and highly dependent on you, her separation anxiety was as intense as expected. What you've done during that time didn't help her overcome but strengthen the syndromes. For every few days, you went to the
institute to make sure she was okay. But your kindness interrupted my plans.

  "Every time she saw you, she cried; and it became worse when you came more often.

  "And that wasn't the worst part yet. In the end, you took her back before the three month agreement. It was your spoiling attitude towards her that made the current her of today."

  Qing Shui's tone was full of pity.

  "Well then what can I do now? This is the result that we got, and it was all my fault." Chang didn't argue back, as he knew that he wouldn't be able to make himself right.

  "Then, let me take her to the institute for another three months? If you stop visiting her, I promise you I'll send her back with a stronger physique and mind."

  "No." Chang shook his head. "Not in this way."

  "Well, you have to deal with her yourself then." Qing Shui looked at Chang. "I can see that you'll be in trouble soon. She hates you when you send her away, and because she was an orphan, she developed strong dependence on you during the time we spent together. All the people around you, they can tell Jing's affection to you. The worst of all is that puberty hits at this time, so she will do anything as long as its against your will."

  "Ah....It sounds like a dead end, there is nothing I can do, right?"

  Qing Shui's words frightened Chang.

  "There is one way out. She'll realized she was in the wrong if you're dead."

  Qing Shui chuckled.

  "Stop joking with me... Seriously, is there a way out?"

  "Or, you accept her invitation. She would definitely be calmer."

  While Qing Shui was speaking, he bursted into a series of wild laughter. It sounded weird.