CHAPTER 283: CHAPTER 283: I HAD A LIFE...I HAD A LIFE!!

Haoyu said the task plan, making sure everyone knew their jobs before report back to Feng Yizhou.

"It’s done brother Feng."

Feng Yizhou nodded, looking up from the map. It was a rough map of the whole 5 zones, he been up all night trying to find the elite team and their location.

"Alright. Thanks kid. Call Sun Zi Mo for me will ya?"

Haoyu nodded and left the room, he could understand why Feng Yizhou was looking for the elite team seriously.

After speaking with Meng Nian, he understood why Feng Yizhou was worried.

She wasn’t take care of herself.

He found Sun Zi Mo in a corner, deep in thought.

"Brother Mo, you’re being called.." Haoyu has to tap him before Sun Zi Mo could respond.

"Oh..okay.."

He stood up and left, he clenched his fists when he got into the room, took a deep breath and entered.

"You said you wanted to tell me something yesterday? I wasn’t in my right mind yesterday..so what is it?"

Sun Zi Mo stared at him for a moment before speaking "I received a message yesterday, it seems those group of people you’ve been looking contacted him. They said a space in their group has opened and they were looking for new members. They also left an address to where we could meet"

Feng Yizhou smiled, he stared at Sun Zi Mo and his eyes sparkled.

"Ah, then you must go. Though they might not reveal where they’re hiding but they’re definitely going to come out and meet you all." he paused, no that wasn’t right.

"Accept their proposal, they will come to get you. The distance between the zones is too large for everyone to meet, so it’d be done individually. I want to see who comes for you.."

Sun Zi Mo "Understood sir. I trust you’d be close by when that happens?"

Feng Yizhou nodded "You see, these five persons wants to harm the woman I love. So to protect, from any more harm in this hellhole. I need to take care of those assholes.."

Sun Zi Mo nodded, if they got Feng Yizhou on edge then they must be powerful.

The night deepened, but tension hummed in the air like static before a storm.

The elite team visited those who had accepted the proposal. Out of the many they approached, only six agreed: Meng Nian, Boran, and Sun Zi Mo.

The fourth, shrouded in mystery, had sent word of agreement but refused to reveal their identity or meet face-to-face. Suspicion surrounded the last name, but no one dared question it openlyeveryone had their secrets in this new world.

The rest two had different plans of their own.

Qingran leaned against the door, while Meng Nian sat on the bed. Waiting for this so-called member to arrive.

"What do you plan on doing with them?"

Qingran shook her head "Beat the shit out of them and find their hideout. It would be best if they sent that kid, she might be the easiest one.."

Meng Nian crossed his arms "Are you sure?"

Qingran nodded "I just want to know where their hideout is. I won’t fight, I know my ribs still busted so I won’t fight."

Meng Nian thought for a second and then nodded "I doubt she’d tell and you might even escape. Why not leave this to me? Whenever I get any information, I’ll tell you and then we can think of a plan."

Qingran gave Meng Nian a look and then left the room, if they needed their plan to work then she must trust him.

Immediately she left, a portal appeared and figure stepped out. The white haired man stared at Meng Nian and shook his head.

"You’re young. I thought you’d at least be in your twenties.."

Meng Nian leaned back "Can’t say I’m not heading there.."

The man smiled and sat down, bringing out a file. He didn’t quite trust Meng Nian, he found his calmness threatening.

"So what’s this elite team about? Y’all like the apocalypse gods or something?"

The man didn’t say anything, jotting down on the file "We created it. Well the apocalypse did, and we followed it’s orders, our systems are under. So we have no choice but to join it’s plot.."

Meng Nian gave a half smile "You’re saying.... you’ve got to be fucking kidding me. You mean to tell me the reason we’re suffering in this hellhole is because you listened to some goddamn system??"

Kennel sighed, it was like this with newbies. "Because we have no choice. This was best we could do, if we didn’t obey..the apocalypse system would have unless hell and everyone in this damn country would be dead. Your hear? We did our best so only a certain few would be here and the apocalypse would end in 2 years. So yeah..shit happens man, ever been in a tight spot before?"

Meng Nian scoffed. "You call this your best? We’re barely breathing out here, and you’re telling me it’s all for some twisted countdown?"

Kennel didn’t flinch. "Survival always costs something. If it means the rest of the world keeps turning after two years, then yes, it’s our best."

Meng Nian leaned forward, eyes narrowed. "Then you better explain exactly what kind of role you’re recruiting for. Because if it’s more running errands for a broken system, you can take your file and disappear."

Kennel studied him for a moment, then slid the file across the table. "We’re not here to waste time. You were selected because the system sees potential, strength, resilience, strategic value. You help us push this phase forward, and maybe you walk out of this with a clean record and a damn future."

Meng Nian didn’t reach for the file. "You said ’we’ Who else is coming?"

Kennel’s eyes gleamed. "They’ve already arrived."

Meng Nian glanced at the file, he was lost for words at worth these people had done in the same of "so that not all lives would be lost"

"These much people got turned into zombies. Have got a question man, what about the rest people who didn’t get choosen? With so many people here, it should be chaos out there right? With so many people missing..."

Kennel paused then stood up, he could already guess Meng Nian wasn’t going to join the team but he had alot of questions.

"Everyone here was erased from existence and only those that survived until the very end will be remembered. Right now to your family "Meng Nian" never existed.."

Meng Nian stared blankly at Kennel, the words crashing into him like a truck. His jaw clenched to the point his throat felt dry.

"What... the hell did you just say?"

Kennel met his gaze calmly. "I said, to your family... you never existed. You were wiped clean from their memories the moment you were transferred into the apocalypse system."

Meng Nian stood up so fast, he nearly stumbled.

"So you’re saying if I die---that’s it? I’m just gonna suffer in this shithole and then vanish for good? No one will remember what I went through? What kind of sick joke is this? Do you find this funny?!"

His voice cracked by the end of it, rage bleeding into disbelief.

Kennel didn’t move. "I don’t find any of this funny. But this is the reality we were forced into. You were chosen because you could survive this. Most wouldn’t. Your memory was sacrificed to give you a fighting chance."

Meng Nian took a shaky breath, his fists trembling.

"I didn’t ask to survive. I didn’t ask to be erased. I had a life. I had..."

His voice broke off. Meng Nian swallowed hard.

"...I had a sister."

Kennel’s eyes flickered, the only sign of sympathy he allowed himself.

"I know..." he said softly. "The system doesn’t care who or what you left behind. Only what you can become inside its game."

Meng Nian turned away, pacing now. Like a caged animal. His heart felt like it was splitting in two.

"So what? I just play your damn role? Be part of your little team and pray I live long enough to get remembered again?"

Kennel finally stepped forward. "Yes. You live long enough to earn your place back. That’s the rule. The apocalypse system isn’t fair. But it rewards those who fight smart and survive."

"Sounds like slavery..." Meng Nian muttered bitterly.

"Maybe," Kennel replied. "But it’s the only road left now. For any of us."